Chapter 51

Alyssa POV

I can’t believe we’re going to the clubhouse.

The Crimson Reapers’ clubhouse.

The one place I’ve been forbidden to go my entire life, both by my father and Gray. The closer we get, the more tension builds in my chest, like a pair of headphones you can’t untangle.

“I can practically hear your chewing your lip off back there. Stop it,” King says firmly.

Mason is silent beside me, but I can feel his eyes on me, studying me in that quiet, intense way he does.

I pause in my lip-biting and let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I just want to make a good first impression, I guess. I don’t want everyone to see me as Gray’s weak, defenseless little sister.”

“Speaking of that,” Niko cuts in with a teasing smirk in his voice, “everyone’s probably going to give you shit. You can handle a bit of teasing, right, my sweet girl?”

After years of dealing with their bullying, I guess I’ve learned how to take it.