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“What is that?” He scratches the back of his neck, then steps back toward the camp. “I know that song. Hey! Hey, Mark! What’s that song called again? Wait... waiiiit . What are they doing ?”

The man bolts back into their camp so fast that I swear his outline lingers in the air behind him.

Dom meets my eyes, panting, and my hand shakes as I press it to the ground.

Ooo kay. Okay. We’re okay.

“Did you know there would be music?” Jasper asks me, his eyes wide, a stressed hand buried in his hair, and it’s only then that I finally catch the tune smashing through the forest.

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.

I snort, then a shaking, impossible laugh leaves me, and I lean into Jasper as it hits me.

Holy shit, she did it.

Eden came through.

Everyone’s coming through.

“A little on the nose,” Jasper says wryly, but he kisses my hair before he stands.

Dom snorts, shaking his head as he cranes to look out at the Reapers’ camp, but he’s grinning too. “It’s fucking perfect.”

It is. The music is deafening . It’ll hide any sounds we need to make like a dream. She promised a show—nothing dangerous, and all out of range of the Reapers—and that’s what she’s delivering. God damn, I don’t know why I didn’t think she’d use the speakers.

Gorgeous, genius, diabolical woman.

I can’t wait to sexy-melt her brain again.

I move up beside Dom, and see Cole is somehow still sleeping on his fold out, bare chested and curled up under a blanket. He’s kicked off his boots and one of his grubby socks is worn through on one toe.

Around him, Reaper after Reaper is peeling away, flocking toward the moat, and I shift sideways, lifting up to try to see.

“Thanks,” Dom mutters, not quite looking at me. “For trusting me.”

I drop back onto my heels, glancing over at him as the Reapers roar in approval at whatever Eden and the civs are doing.

My chest pangs. He hasn’t been the same since Cyanide.

I frown, thinking that through.

Maybe even before that.

It’s kind of shitty, but I’ve been so wound up in my own stuff, I haven’t been paying that much attention.

It sucks, it really sucks that he’s going through it right now. And I know Beau and Eden have him—they’ll drag him out of the dark and sticky places, one way or another—but... I have some tricks up my sleeve, too. Maybe I can help.

If the bossman really is down to pull the stick out of his ass, then I’m just the guy to show him how to twirl it.

“I’m a Leo, for the record,” I tell him seriously. “I know you’re a Capricorn, but it could be worse. I really think we can make it work.”

The deadpan look he gives me makes me laugh again, but when Sawyer tucks two fingers into his mouth and wolf-whistles, I can’t do it anymore.

“Seriously, what is happening over there?” I mutter.

I edge forward, trying to see.

“Easy, Lucky.”

“I know, I know. I just want to...”

The crowd parts, and suddenly... well, I see her.

Ho- ly hell, do I see her.

My jaw drops. “Oh. My. God.”

I slap Dom’s shoulder. “What? I can’t?—”

Wordlessly, I drag him a foot sideways, and he chokes.

“Oh, fuck.”

Reapers are dropping their things. They’re turning toward Bristlebrook, staring. Heads peek out of tents, and Pete is so mesmerized that he overpours his boiling kettle onto Buck’s hand, sending Buck howling.

And you know what, I don’t blame them.

Because right on Bristlebrook’s lawn, under a river of string lights that look like stars, a hypnotic horde of barely clothed women.. . are wrestling .

Clare and Deanna spin and crash against each other hard, and Katherine flips someone I can’t make out over her shoulder. Sloane has Mary Beth on the ground already, and her back tattoos ripple as she keeps her there.

In the cooling night, they’re fierce and fast andpretty fucking hot.

But I’m not looking at any of them.

“Is that...?” Jasper breathes on my other side. “Is that Eden ?”

“Yeah . . . that’s her.” Dom sounds hoarse.

Under the lit-up apple tree, in a sports bra and underwear that shows half her ass, Eden is facing off against Ava. She’s moving back and forth in a way that makes her jiggle , and Jasper sucks in a hissed breath.

God damn , I love women.

The Reapers have flocked to the edge of the moat, hooting and hollering and whistling in a way that suddenly has my pulse thundering somewhere between pride and horror.

I strangle a laugh, my eyes glued on her in growing fascination. “Dom? You, ah, you know about this one?”

Ava gets a good hit in, and I wince, shadow boxing.

Left, Eden. Come on.

“I didn’t know it would involve booty shorts .”

“Where did she even get those?” Jasper asks dubiously.

Dom’s eyes are glued to her ass. “It was a moment of weakness.”

I snort a laugh, and Dom’s lips twitch—then he makes a sound of approval, edging forward.

“Go. Yes. Go. Go , pet.”

The song changes to “Barracuda,” and the Reapers scream like they’re pimple-faced teenagers seeing their first pop concert.

Eden jumps on Ava’s back, and Ava whirls around, and it’s like a mesmerizing ass mobile, glistening under the glowing lights.

Biting my knuckle, I groan. “Oh, fuck. Is she oiled ?”

“I wonder where they got that idea,” Jasper murmurs.

The three of us stand together, staring as Ava throws her off. Lean and strong, she swings forward a second later with a rangy punch, and Eden rushes her with a scream.

Dom grimaces, and I shake my head. “No, no. Points for enthusiasm. She might?—”

It takes about three seconds for Ava to slam her shoulder into Eden’s stomach, knocking her ass to the ground.

“Ooh.” I wince, and Jasper frowns.

“Give her a moment. I’m sure she’ll?—”

Ava crashes into her, crushing her knee into Eden’s ribs, and I instinctively lift my hands in defense, my whole body cringing into itself.

“Nope. Can’t do it.” I turn into Jasper’s shoulder. “Just tell me she wins.”

Jasper’s next flinch isn’t promising.

Dom sighs. “She tried.”

“Let’s just... keep her indoors,” Jasper says, patting me reassuringly.

The Reapers cheer again, and I wrinkle my nose.

Right as my eyes light back on the food.

“You know, after all this, Eden’s really going to need a pick-me-up,” I muse as I pull off him, stepping closer to the tree line.

The coast is almost definitely clear.

They’re all too busy staring at my girl’s perfect ass.

Jasper stiffens. “ Lucky .”

Dom’s gold eyes light on me, more interested than scolding—and that right there? Well, that just makes me a proud lil troublemaker.

Winking at him, I tilt my head for him to join me, and a dry smile tilts his lips.

He’s ready. He’s got my back.

We’ve all got each other.

Without a care in the world, I step out from behind the tree line and start making my way toward the food.

This time, as I spring into action, my anxiety doesn’t find me. My pulse is steady, and I’m still grinning, because Jayk was right—we’re good . We’re moving like we were trained. We know what the fuck we’re doing and we’re all doing our part. There aren’t going to be any mistakes tonight.

We’re not just a team. We’re the team.

Tonight, we’re invincible.