Page 153 of Reckoning

I snarl, slicing him again, carving into his skin the way he carved into mine.

His blood splatters, it covers my hand, my face and I gasp, wiping it with my sleeve. I know Koen is stood directly behind me, I can feel his presence, I feel his shadow. Like he’s my guard, ensuring nothing comes between me and my vengeance

He said before he hurt these men because they offended him. That he hunted them because I was his and he needed to make them pay for it. In this moment I get it, I truly do. I am his, and these men not only took from me, they took from Koen, they stole from both of us.

Something in me snaps. Some feral part breaks loose. I stop thinking about anything beyond those moments, those memories, every awful thing Otto and his mates forced me to endure. Every time they broke my bones, every time they raped me, every time they beat me, and tortured me and laughed at my pain like I was a joke. Like I was nothing.

Well, who is nothing now? Who got their revenge? Otto is dead. Darius is dead too. I know Koen has hunted enough of the men who hurt me but here, right here, I truly am getting my vengeance. I’m claiming my strength back. I’m claiming my power back. Koen might have offered it, he might have shown me the way, but this here; it’s all me.

Every cut, every slice, every drop of blood I claim. It’s mine.

My wrath. My vengeance.

By the time I’m done I don’t know if he’s alive or dead. I don’t know if he even has any flesh left on his body. I’ve hacked and I’ve cut, and I’ve screamed as I did it, purging myself, purging every awful emotion.

And as I dropped the knife and stepped back, my exhaustion swept over me like relief. Like some part of my soul was finally sated, finally at peace.

Koen

Istare at my phone, frowning at the words.

The message itself isn’t unusual but this feels more than a little out of character considering Roman and I don’t usually meet. At least not often. We both know our strengths and face-to-face contact does not end well for either of us.

Something in my gut churns. I shake my head, run my hands through my hair, loosening the knot that keeps it out of my face.

“Reid,” I shout. The bastard is meant to be around here somewhere.

He pokes his head around the door within seconds.

“Get the bikes ready, we’re heading out.” I state.

He grunts back before disappearing once more.

I left Sofia up in the house. She’s got a bullshit appointment with her therapist today and was already more than grumpy about it. I’ll admit, I’m rather hoping after the other night that this is it. Her therapy is done. Nothing that man can say will have more effect than the power that one night of meeting out revenge can.

Perhaps by the time I get back she’ll have sent him on his way and we can shut up another reminder of her past.

I grab my jacket, yank it on, then stalk out to where everyone is now waiting.

“You know the drill?” I say.

They nod, all in unison, like good little dogs.

Ever since that shootout and attempted assassination we’ve come up with new rules, a new way of working. I’m not happy about it but it is what it is. And we need to be smart. Smarter than the people hunting us.

I clamber onto the bike, kicking the engine on by the foot pedal.

Reid rides up front, taking on what is my usual position. I don’t like him putting himself in danger but I’m also not going to be a fucking idiot when there’s a potential target on my back.

We ride out through the gates and it doesn’t take long to notice the car tailing us.

Oh, he’s doing his best, tucking in, trying to be inconspicuous. We make a right, then a left, cutting through the busy streets and off to where it’s quieter.

When we pull up at the supposed meeting spot, I expect an ambush. We all do. But there’s no one there. The car park is deserted. The only sound is the noise of our bikes idling away.

The car that was tailing us has all but disappeared and I’m not sure what to make of it. Were they checking to make sure we took the bait or did they plan an attack and then decided against it?

“This is fucking joke.” Reid mutters through the mic. I can’t say I disagree with that.