Reaper, page 4
His eyes flick to my cheek, and if it wasn’t for his shoulders stiffening ever so slightly, I would have missed that he saw my bruises, but I’m grateful when he says nothing about it.
“Did you know you snore?”
My eyes meet his and narrow. “I do not.”
“Yeah, you do. I should know. You slept on top of me for most of the night.”
My head falls back with a groan, and I use the edge of the bed to help myself get up. “Well . . .” I say awkwardly. “I’m sorry again.” I walk to the door.
“Ava,” he says in a deep, husky tone.
I slowly turn to him.
“Did you have a good sleep?” His face is blank, but there’s a smugness in his voice.
I nod as my face burns hotter, because last night was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time, but I won’t admit it. Stepping out of his room, I close the door behind me.
“Ava, is that you?”
My body freezes at Elena’s voice, and she moves quickly.
Her eyes go wide like saucers. My mouth opens, but I can’t speak. She takes my hand and pulls me through the hallway and into a room. Axle is sitting on the edge of the bed, putting his boots on, and looks up at us, watching as we take a seat.
“What happened?” she asks, her voice higher than usual.
I mentally berate myself for even being in this situation. “It’s not what you think.”
“Well, what was it?”
“I went to the bathroom last night, and I must have accidentally gone into his room instead of mine.”
“This ought to be good,” Axle says with an ear-to-ear smile. “Whose room did you end up in?”
I gulp and whisper, “Reaper.”
Axle laughs, slowly clapping. “Hold up. Hold up.” He tilts his head. “He let you sleep in his bed?”
“I didn’t have sex with him!” I blurt out. “I’m still married. That’s not the type of person I am.”
“I know you’re not,” Elena responds, her voice resonating with understanding. “That’s why I was confused when I saw you coming out of his room.”
“Hey!” He waves in front of us. “I couldn’t care less if you shagged the whole MC.”
“Jake!” Elena curses him with narrowed eyes.
He shrugs at her, then gives me his full attention. “Just to be clear, you’re telling me you stayed the night in Reaper’s bed?”
“Yes,” I reply, wondering why he doesn’t believe me.
He cocks a brow. “You sure it was Reaper?”
“Seriously?” Elena huffs. “I saw her come out of his room.”
“He doesn’t let anyone sleep or stay in his bed,” he says, giving me a pointed look. “He was in the Special Forces. Nothing would get past him. He knew you were there.”
I swallow hard, unsure of what to think about that but grateful he let me sleep. Maybe it was how tired I was that I slept so well, or maybe, for once, I unconsciously knew I was safe. The concoction of his scent, warmth, and body was like a sleeping pill I so desperately needed, but I don’t need another dangerous man. I’ve had one. Then why am I attracted to Reaper?
The bruises are changing color. Parts are a pale green and yellow. Makeup covers them better now. Even though this morning was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, today I feel a little different, a little lighter. A new burn of motivation thrums in my veins. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.
Elena left a bunch of new clothes in my room, like she said she would. After my shower, I make my way downstairs. The potent smell of alcohol hits me first, and when I look around, Twitch is asleep on the lounge, and the woman with him last night is asleep on the ground next to him. Alcohol cans and bottles litter the floor and nearly every surface I can see.
Footsteps fall behind me. I turn to see a young man with reddish-brown hair. He has a black garbage bag and is picking up the surrounding trash. When he sees me, he gives me an easy smile, so I smile back.
“I’m Ava, Elena’s sister.”
“The men mentioned you were staying here. I’m Rage.”
Elena was right. He does not suit his name.
I peer down at the bag, then gaze around. “Would you like some help?”
His eyes radiate shock. “Hell yeah.” His brows pinch together. “I’m starving, though. Can you cook?”
I can’t stop the big cheesy smile from taking over my face. “Yes, I can.”
He looks to the ceiling and closes his eyes. “Finally,” he drawls, “a woman that can cook.” He looks back at me. “Can you cook something edible for breakfast for the men?”
My lips mash together as I try not to laugh at “edible.” I look to the right and then point to the left. “Is the kitchen that way?” I tilt my head toward the left, guessing it might be through the lounge.
He chuckles and nods. “Yeah, you can’t miss it.”
I stroll through the house and into the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, it’s dark wood. It contains black stools with worn wooden tops. My hand travels over the counter. It’s smooth with a raised surface from the natural wood. The appliances are chrome and state of the art. It has two massive double-door fridges and a coffee machine. I’m in love. There’s a buzz of excitement when I see the gigantic oven and cooktop.
“Mornin’,” a cheery voice says, making my heart skip a beat. Viper stands a few feet away, making coffee.
I attempt to smile because I want to be polite, but Elena said to stay away from him. “Good morning.”
He frowns. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He sounds sincere, and it surprises me.
“It’s okay.”
After the machine finishes adding the coffee to his mug, he adds two teaspoons of sugar. “So what were you smiling at before I bothered you?”
I consider whether to tell him, but I fold. “This.” I gesture at my dream kitchen.
He sips and looks at me over the brim of his cup. “The kitchen?”
I sigh. He clearly doesn’t get it. “I love cooking. This is a chef’s dream.”
His lips curve up. “Well, I’m hungry, so go for it.”
Excitement returns as I search through the fridges, which are full of food. I pull out the easy things like eggs, sausages, and bacon. Then I move to the oversized pantry, where eight people could easily fit in. My mouth presses into a hard, flat line at the state of the pantry. It’s a mess, with pieces of food left on the cupboards. It needs a deep clean. Food containers have been strewn about, so it takes longer than needed, but I grab all the ingredients necessary and put them on the counter. I drum my fingers on the table and turn to Viper.
“Pans?”
“Ahh . . .” He shrugs. “Fuck if I know.” He turns to the lounge. “Mercedez, where’s the pans?”
There’s mumbling, and the one with Twitch stumbles in. Her mascara is smudged underneath her eyes. There are remnants of red lipstick around her lips. She rubs one of her eyes. “What did you say?” she asks in a croaky voice.
“Where are the pans?”
She points. “It’s the bottom drawer toward the end.”
I lean down and pull the large drawer open and curse at all the kitchen pots and pans carelessly thrown in. There is no order for anything.
“Are you all right?” Viper asks.
“I hate a messy kitchen.”
He snorts. “You’re going to hate it here, then.” He looks at Mercedez and points to the overloaded sink with dirty dishes. “Can you wash up?”
She yawns and moves slowly to the sink.
Another young woman bounces into the kitchen, walks straight to Viper, stands on her toes, gives him a peck on the lips, then turns. “Hi.” She smiles, walks to me, and hugs me.
I stand motionless, feeling awkward.
When she pulls back, she says, “I’m Candy. Do you need any help?” I go to answer, but she keeps talking. “I can clean with Mercedez,” she offers. She links her hands in front of her. She glances at Viper, then back. “Or I can cook?”
“Can you cook the bacon and sausages, and I’ll start on the pancakes?”
“Yes, it’s the one thing I can cook,” she says, then giggles.
“Did you just say pancakes?”
When I turn, Twitch, Rage, and Viper are standing off to the side with hope in their eyes.
I softly chuckle to myself. “Yes, I did.”
Viper rubs his hands together.
“Can you make chocolate chip? My mom used to make them,” Rage says longingly.
My heart squeezes. This is why I love cooking. Food makes people happy.
“Sorry, I didn’t see any chocolate chips, but I can make both chocolate and vanilla ones.”
Viper elbows him. “Stop your whining. I can’t even remember the last time we had pancakes.”
I move the sausages, bacon, and eggs off to Candy’s side and put the hash browns and pancake ingredients on mine, then turn on the gas top.
As I cook, I try to ignore the curious stares and people looking over my shoulder at what I’m cooking until a hand grasps my shoulder. I freeze, then berate myself for acting like that.
When I turn, a woman I haven’t met yet is glaring at me. “What do you think you’re doing?” she hisses.
My stomach drops. Maybe I should have asked. “I’m . . . helping with breakfast.”
Her eyes narrow further as she yanks the spatula out of my hand. “Well, DON’T.”
I peek at the stovetop, and I suck in a breath because I don’t want to burn the pancakes. Beau hated when I burned the food. I peer back at her, then up at her hand holding the spatula. I snatch it back and pivot. When I flip them over and find the pancakes are a golden color, relief swells in my chest.
“Is this bitch serious?”
I remain with my back to her.
“Do we have a problem here?” I pause at the deep voice resonating around the kitchen, then slowly turn to see Reaper staring between us.
Vera speaks, but Viper talks over her. “Vera is being . . . herself.” He pulls a half smile, looking entertained at the current situation.
“Ava is cooking us pancakes,” Twitch says, then frowns. “Can’t Vera go clean or something? I want my pancakes!”
She doesn’t talk back to them, even though her jaw ticks like she wants to.
I already loaded one plate with pancakes, so I extend my arm toward her, encouraging her to grab it. “These are ready. Can you please take them out where everyone is sitting?”
She stares at me before rolling her eyes, grabbing the plate, then walking out of the kitchen. She’s followed closely by Viper, Twitch, and Rage.
“Thank you,” I say to Reaper, then check on the pancakes.
“The eggs, bacon, and sausages are ready,” Candy points out.
“Great.” As I open the oven, heat meets my face. With a tea towel, I pull the tray of hash browns out. “These are ready as well.”
Elena walks in, smiling at me. “Look at you go.” She leans in toward the pancakes and breathes in deeply through her nose, then moans. “I’ve missed your cooking.”
Tears line my eyes, but I blink them away and clear my throat. “Can you help Candy take the food out?”
“I’ll be happy to.”
I couldn’t get the rude woman out of my head, so I bring it up. “There was a woman in here earlier that I hadn’t met. She’s about my height, chestnut-brown hair. More put together than the other girls.”
“I’m guessing you met Vera?”
“That’s her. She wasn’t happy about me cooking. I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. Did I do something wrong?”
She deflates a little. “Sorry, I should have warned you. Most of the sweet butts are manageable, but Vera and Grace are horrible.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Her frown deepens, and an unsettling feeling stirs in my stomach. She looks away from me and lets out a heavy sigh. “Nasty women that say nasty things. It’s like they never matured past high school.”
I monitor her closely. “Are they mean to you?”
Her body stills, and she remains silent.
After I flip over the pancakes, I put my hand on her back. “Is that a yes?”
She turns with a tight smile. “There’s a pecking order. I’m an ol’ lady, so I am at the top of that. They should respect me. Vera is next because she manages everything in this clubhouse, not that she does a good job of it, may I add. The other sweet butts come after that.”
Her voice doesn’t sound convincing, and I hate that she’s lying, but I keep my mouth shut because I haven’t been open and honest with her, either.
“Have I met Grace yet?”
“She’s the one that was talking to Bomber last night.”
I turn the stovetop off, rest the final pancake on the plate, and put the dirty pouring cup in the sink. Grasping the plate, I step forward and lower my voice. “What was that about when he grabbed her like that?”
She shrugs. “He doesn’t like the sweet butts touching him—or really any woman. The other men have no issues having sex with them, but he’s different.”
With a tight nod, I follow her through the house to the dining area. The room erupts in cheers and whistles as I bring out the rest of the pancakes, and my cheeks heat as I place it on the small table. A thrill courses through me at their gratitude, and their appreciation hits me right in the chest, making me smile. Reaper smiles too.
I grab a plate and put a couple of pancakes on it with some cut-up strawberries and a little cream. Everyone is sitting around a humongous wooden table. Elena has a spare seat next to her, though the man with all the tattoos is sitting on the other side of it. My feet remain glued to the ground as I stare at Demon, but when Elena makes eye contact with me and waves me over, I have no choice but to go take a seat.
When I reach them, Axle smiles at me. “So good,” he says through a mouthful of food.
“I’m glad you like it,” I say as I place my plate on the table. When I take a seat, I shuffle my chair closer to Elena.
“Like it? I love it! Elena can’t cook for shit.”
I try not to laugh, but I fail miserably. Elena swats him with her hand. “Hey, I try.”
“Yes, babe,” he says, smiling lovingly at her.
They are the cutest, and I’m so happy for them.
As I eat my pancakes, I feel Demon’s eyes on me. I wipe the corners of my mouth, hoping I don’t have food all over my face. I peek up under my lashes, and I was right—he is staring. I find it strange. He wasn’t checking me out and it wasn’t a hostile glare, but I’m not sure what it was and I don’t want to be rude, so I turn my body toward him. “Hi, I’m Ava.”
A wicked smile slides over his lips, and he stares at me without responding. My breathing hitches. I shuffle in my seat, suddenly feeling the heat on my cheeks again. His eyes study me, both intense and curious. “So I heard . . .” He tilts his head. “I’d introduce myself but . . .” He lifts his hand to my face but doesn’t touch me. “I’ll take a guess from your hesitation to sit next to me. You already know who I am.”
Swallowing hard, I give him a sharp nod. I’ve met no one like him before.
He relaxes further into his chair with his crooked smile and pops a strawberry into his mouth, looking at the others around the table.
Elena clears her throat, and when I lift my gaze, she mouths sorry.
I focus on finishing my food, but I’m a little confused about my interaction with Demon. At least he didn’t ask me about my husband or what I’m going through. In the short period I’ve been here, I’ve noticed that they don’t pretend to be anyone other than who they are, and even if what they do or say is shocking, it’s refreshing because Beau was fake and a different person with me than what he was with others.
“How long are you staying?”
I turn to the left to see Bomber’s eyes on me. Everyone’s voices stop, and my heart speeds up. I’m taken aback. “I’m not sure yet . . . I was hoping to do up a résumé and start applying for jobs.”
“I could put in a good word for you at the restaurant I used to work at?” Elena offers. “The tips were good.”
“No!” Twitch and Viper say simultaneously.
My eyes go wide.
“She stays with us. We need food,” Viper says, looking at Reaper. “Can we make an exception for Ava and pay her? No one else can cook around here.” Then he gives the women around the table a cheeky half smile. “No offense, ladies.”
His charm impresses me.
Elena tuts, shaking her head at him, and puts her hand on my arm. “If you need me to put in a good word for you, let me know.”
Axle shakes his head at me from behind her, and I try to hide the smile on my face. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“You should have asked Ava before announcing it across the dinner table,” Reaper responds, his eyes flicking between us.
Elena’s phone rings, distracting me from the rest of their conversation. Axle groans. “Why won’t you answer it? It’s been ringing all morning.”
She bites her lip and glances at me. Tension takes hold of my shoulders. “I don’t want to,” she replies with a bite in her tone.
Axle’s eyes narrow. “If you don’t answer it, I will.”
She grasps her phone and walks away, so I follow her.
“Hello. Yes, it’s Elena. Yes, I heard she’s missing.”
My stomach drops at her words. We bypass the kitchen and go out the back door.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her.”
She paces and groans. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I said I haven’t seen her. Okay, I’ll be in touch with you if I do. Bye.”
She turns to see me and jolts back, grasping her chest.
“Who was that?” I ask cautiously.
She lets out a long sigh as she bows her head. “Beau reported you missing.” She looks up at me with sympathy in her eyes. “The police were asking about you.”
With a lump in my throat, all I can do is nod in acknowledgment.
She reaches out and puts her hand on my arm. “Beau and our parents have called as well. I should have told you, but I didn’t want to upset or worry you.”
“What did Beau say?” I hate that my fear of him makes my voice unsteady.
