Chapter Thirty-Two

D ahlia passes out in our new bed. After finishing five minutes ago, she rolled over and mumbled something about needing a quick nap before I could ravage her again. Her words, not mine.

I gently brush her sweaty hair from her forehead and kiss her. She stirs enough to return the kiss before she softly snores against my lips. I grin and peck her on the nose.

"I'll be back, flower."

She doesn't wake up this time, and her snores become louder. My smile widens. I'll never get annoyed with her for snoring. She's been sleeping harder because of her meds, and they also cause her to snore. I'd rather she do that than have another episode where she harms herself. Besides, if I can wear her out this much, then I did a damn good job.

I roll out of bed and dress in a fresh pair of black jeans and a black V-neck shirt. I need to finish the job with the Three Stooges locked in the other house before the ten hours of the Reckoning is over. Checking my cell phone for the time, I realize how late it is. It's not even four a.m. yet. My friends should already be back from attending the party and having their own fun in town. I don't mind that I missed out. Dahlia will always be more important than everyone else.

I put on my helmet and ride my motorcycle to the house under the blanket of bright stars in the sky. My high beams light up the road as I ride up a hill and curve through a large neighborhood that needs more TLC. I've been spending the last year and a half tending to the overgrown bushes and fallen tree limbs to create an aesthetically pleasing street. During that period, I waited patiently until I could make Dahlia completely mine.

My friends' motorcycles are parked in their usual spots outside the mansion. Instead of hanging out inside, they've started a contained fire pit in the front yard. Music plays through speakers, and they each have a beer in hand.

"I didn't think you would come," Ryder says in greeting.

Aiden swallows a sip of his beverage. "Thought we had to finish the job."

"I got sidetracked." I pull my helmet off and shake out my damp hair.

Ryder eyes me, once again holding that knowing look. I meet his stare, daring him to say something.

"Finally got your dick wet?" Hawk asks.

I turn my glare toward him.

"Hawk," Ryder says, and shakes his head in warning.

Aiden groans and throws his head back. "When are we going to talk about the elephant in the room? I'm sick of dancing around it." He dips his chin and points at me. "Dude, we know you're banging your sister."

"Aiden!" Ryder and Hawk yell at the same time.

I narrow my eyes and look at each friend. "How long have you known?"

"Fuck me." Hawk sighs, swigs his beer, and loudly swallows. "We've known you've had the hots for her since middle school."

"Listen," Ryder says as he approaches me. "Your feelings for her have been obvious for a long time. We've been afraid for you and Dahlia and how others will receive your relationship. You're our best friend, Jax. We're not going anywhere and will support you and Dahlia. If we didn't, we wouldn't be here with you right now."

"It's a little freaky," Aiden says with an embarrassed smile. "But who are we to judge? We have our vices. Besides, Dahlia is a cool cat, and if anyone deserves you, it's her."

"It's the other way around," I say.

"What?"

I brush past Ryder and grab a beer from the cooler. "If anyone deserves her, it's me. Even though I sometimes feel like I don't deserve her at all."

I meant what I said to her earlier. If I ever make her cry, I don't deserve her. She's everything good that I lack. I'm a sinner and she's a saint. I'm a monster and she's a princess. Yet we come together so perfectly, like shooting stars colliding and painting the night sky in bright lights. She gives me what I'm missing.

I was the one who picked up her broken pieces and put her back together, little by little. She may still have cracks, but that's what makes her unique.

Aiden shrugs, then downs the rest of his beer before he throws the empty bottle into the fire. "Whatever you say, man."

"Are we going to have fun now?" Hawk asks.

I smirk.

"Yeah." I chug my beer and throw it into the fire to join Aiden's. The flames flicker and rise higher for a moment. "Did you guys find Mickey?"

I looked for the asshole, but he's nowhere to be seen. He wasn't at the party, and he hasn't been at his usual haunts over the last week. It's like he fell off the face of the planet.

"We can't find him," Ryder says.

I close my eyes and sigh hard through my nose. "That's fine. I'll just wait him out, then."

"We'll figure it out," Ryder says.

"He'll turn up." Hawk lights a cigarette. "That piece of shit can't ever stay away for too long, since he needs tears and blood to feed his tainted soul."

I give my friend a weird look.

He shrugs. "He's literally the spawn of Satan."

I shake my head and look toward the front door. All the things I want to do to Kyle, Connor, and Michael flash through my head. I've tortured them long enough, and I only have a few short hours before the Reckoning ends. They all need to pay the piper, and I'm dying to make more jewelry for Dahlia.

Especially from Michael and Kyle.

"Let's get this over with so I can go back home to my wife," I say.

"You married your sister?" Aiden says in disbelief.

I give him a rueful smile. "No laws touch us during the Reckoning, so I took advantage of that."

Ryder shakes his head and lets out a soft laugh. He walks past me and says, "You never fail to surprise me. Now...let's do what we came here for."