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I’m left torn, stuck between my love for Brick and my need to protect myself from the looming heartbreak his lifestyle brings. The man I love is on a collision course with fate, and all I can do is watch helplessly, my heart echoing with the same dread that consumed me when I lost Ace. I fear that I may have to make a choice soon, one that could either set me free or shatter me into a million pieces. But for now, I can only hold on tight, brace myself for the storm that’s coming, and hope against hope that we make it through together.
CHAPTER15
Brick
The humof adrenaline through my veins is a constant reminder of what’s coming. Every conversation, every look shared among my brothers tells the same story. We’re at war. The Iron Serpents crossed a line, and they’re gonna pay.
Ava’s words echo in my mind, her pleas for peace. For restraint. But how can I explain to her that this isn’t about vengeance anymore? It’s about survival. About ensuring that no one dares to mess with the Reapers again.
Stray paces the clubhouse, overseeing the Reapers as we prepare for the confrontation. There’s a silent understanding between us, the shared knowledge that we’re walking a tightrope, and the smallest misstep could plunge us into oblivion.
“Brick, are we ready?” Stray asks, the weight of his question heavy in the silence.
“Yeah, we are,” I confirm, my voice steady. “This ends tonight.”
I remember Ava’s face, the way her eyes glistened with tears, her voice choked with fear. But this is my world. These are the choices I have to make, and I wish she could understand.
“Brick, Ava...” Stray starts, but I cut him off.
“Don’t. I can’t think about Ava right now,” I state, my voice sharp. I can’t afford to have my mind clouded by thoughts of her. The Iron Serpents won’t show us any mercy, and I won’t show them any, either.
So, I push Ava’s pleas to the back of my mind, focusing instead on the task ahead. The Cascade Reapers are ready, and the Iron Serpents won’t know what hit them. This is a path we need to walk, a path that hopefully leads to peace. But right now, it’s a path that’s drenched in blood and fire. And it’s a path I have to tread, with or without Ava by my side.
* * *
The sound of our motorcycles echoes through the night, an ominous chorus signaling the battle to come. I lead the Reapers toward the Serpents’ den, my heart hammering against my rib cage. As we approach, I can see the smug faces of the Serpents, their eyes reflecting the harsh glare of the neon lights.
“Tonight, we end this,” I shout, revving my engine to punctuate my declaration. The Serpents, with their viper-like smiles, seem to shrink back.
We charge, a phalanx of roaring engines and clenched fists. I tear through the sea of leather and metal, my gaze fixed on one man—the president of the Serpents. I can see the surprise in his eyes as I approach, the realization that he won’t walk away unscathed.
The fight is brutal, the sound of punches connecting with flesh echoing in the chaos. I engage the president, our grunts and curses lost in the cacophony around us. Blow after blow, I wear him down until he collapses, his face bloody and bruised.
The confrontation rages on, each Reaper standing his ground, an unstoppable force against the onslaught of the Serpents. Stray fights beside me, his expression grim and focused. He yells over the noise, “The president’s down!”
“I got him!” I yell back, my voice raw. But the fight isn’t over. We have to make sure the Serpents are defeated for good.
As the night wears on, the Serpents’ numbers start to dwindle. We take down their members one by one, ensuring that none of them can harm the Reapers. My brothers fight with everything they have, proving their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Finally, the night begins to fade, the once loud echoes of battle now replaced with heavy breaths and the occasional groan from the fallen Serpents. The air smells of sweat, blood, and gasoline, a scent of victory tinged with the raw stench of violence.
We’ve won. The Reapers stand unbroken, our dominance established. The president of the Serpents lies on the ground, the smirk wiped clean off his face. Looking at my brothers, their faces bloodied but satisfied, I feel a surge of triumph.
But amid the triumph, Ava’s face flashes in my mind, her pleas for peace echoing in my ears. The taste of victory suddenly seems bitter. Yet, the fight was necessary, I tell myself. Wasn’t it?
* * *
As the adrenaline fades, the triumph solidifies. My brothers are safe. The Iron Serpents won’t be causing trouble any time soon. I allow a rare smile to creep onto my face as I lead the pack back to the clubhouse. There’s a new hope for us, a chance to change our path, to shake off the darkness that has been hanging over us.
As we ride into our territory, I imagine a different future. I see us not as outlaws living on the edge. And in that vision, Ava is by my side.
Reaching the clubhouse, my steps are light, the weight of the conflict with the Serpents lifted. I dismount my bike and stride toward the clubhouse. Entering Ava’s room, my heart is still pounding, but now with anticipation. I’m eager to see her, to share my victory—our victory.
But what greets me is not her warm smile. Instead, it’s an empty room, stripped of her belongings, the remnants of her presence fading. The cold reality sinks in, my heart drops, and my victorious high crashes down. I run to my own room, where she’s been sleeping since that first night.
My gaze lands on the single piece of paper left on my pillow. I walk over, my mind spinning, my heart sinking with every step. I recognize her neat handwriting immediately.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.”
