Page 145 of Viper

I drag my hand over my mouth, keeping my eyes locked on Reaper’s, worry lining my next word. “Tried?”

He gives a slight nod. “He attacked her in the garden last night. Strike and I were making rounds when we heard her scream. By the time we reached her, she’d stabbed him. Before he could…” His voice trails off and he looks away, his jaw popping. He rakes his fingers through his hair and releases a slow, steady breath. Onyx eyes move back to us. “How’s my Baby Girl?”

My heart almost collapses.

Hisgirl.

Does he even realize how much he gives away every time he opens his mouth? Maybe that’s why he rarely talks. Truth just pours in rivers from him when he does.

“She’s fine,” I say, daring a look at Breaker. When our eyes connect, his lips pull down, and then he looks at his feet.

That’s right. Keep your mouth shut.

If Reaper found out Rune attacked Cora, it would kill him. He’s manipulated this entire mission, and so far everything has worked in his favor. Everything except that.

Reaper studies my face, then glances at Breaker, looking for a reaction. “Fine?”

“On track to marry Vincent Campbell,” I say. “Just as you planned.”

Reaper’s perfect black brow quirks. “You?” He makes a sound in his throat. “ThatI didn’t predict. I thought it would be you, Breaker.”

“Maybe you should stop playing God and—” I start but Reaper waves my words away.

“Change into your uniforms,” he tells us, pushing off his bed and heading toward the dresser. He removes a shirt from adrawer and pulls it over his head, running his fingers through his sleek black hair. “We need to have a chat with Father.”

***

We find him in the large study of the west wing, sitting at the old wooden desk with his laptop. Striker sits on the worn settee nearby, his focus on the window overlooking the front of the estate, watching a handful of soldiers loading boxes into one of the transport vans.

The second we enter the room, Striker’s gaze snaps to me. Anger furrows his brows, and damn him if his irritation doesn’t make him look sexy as fuck. When Breaker enters, he sits back in his seat, looking him up and down, like he’s checking to make sure he’s safe.

Or appreciating the view.

I’m not the only one who looks.

We're all in uniform, and I note that Striker has his knife at his belt just like Breaker and me. When Reaper stomps into the room behind me, then sinks onto the small sofa next to Striker, I note his knife too. I also note Father doesn’t bother looking up from his laptop as we all wait for him to speak, but a hint of a smug smile touches the corner of his mouth.

“Look who’s decided to join us,” he says, finally. “How kind of my sons to visit me.” He leans back in his seat, pinning me with a cold glare. “Did you finalize the details before you left?”

“The large shipment finalized during the original sale is now on the way,” I tell him. “Rune will have them all in time for the hunt.”

“Good. And the second set of weapons?”

“Being sent to the drop-off location,” I say, unease curling around my ribs. I have no idea what occurred in our absence, butthe fact Father isn’t touching on the subject of Reaper killing one of his soldiers makes me uneasy.

“The girl—”

“Delilah,” Breaker cuts in.

Fallon waves his hand, brushing away Breaker’s words. “I forget you all have feelings for her.” Another smirk plays on his lips as he stands and rounds the desk, eyeing Reaper, who’s sprawled out in that arrogant way that makes him both so appealing and so punchable. “Why you four are so enamored with her, I’ll never understand. Frankly, it’s disturbing.”

“As is everything about you,” Reaper says, glaring at our father. “Care to explain why Delilah was wandering around the garden last night? Alone?”

My brow quirks, surprised by Reaper’s tone.

Father lifts his shoulder. “She has proven she’s trustworthy. I felt she deserved her freedom.”

A dark chuckle slips from Reaper. “Freedom. We stole that from her the second we entered her life.”