Reaper, page 8
He kisses the top of my head. It makes the weight of hopelessness lift slightly.
Two light knocks sound from the door, followed by Elena’s and Axle’s voices.
“I told you she is fine. Reaper is with her.”
“She’s my sister. I need to hear it from her.”
“You stubborn woman!”
Reaper chuckles and sits up. “I’ll let her talk to you. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs and ready for whenever you want to go.”
I shake my head and sit up, then reach over and take his hand in mine. “Please stay.” His eyebrows pinch, making his forehead wrinkle. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into him. “If you need me to stay, I won’t leave until you ask me to.”
“Come in, Elena.”
She bursts through the door, her eyes bulging.
“I’m sorry, Reaper,” Axle says while staring with narrowed eyes at his wife. “I tried, but when it comes to her sister, there’s no talking to her.”
I give Elena a small smile to reassure her that everything’s okay.
“It’s not a problem,” Reaper replies to Axle.
Elena’s eyes move to my and Reaper’s hands, but then they wander to my bag and the few scattered clothes around it on my bed. She frowns. “You were going to leave?” She sounds hurt.
Axle frowns at me too. So many emotions course through me at once, but Reaper squeezes my hand as if he can sense my feelings.
“I didn’t want to cause any trouble here,” I reply honestly.
“I told you we will sort it out.”
“Someone from the MC contacted Beau, so I thought I wasn’t welcome anymore.”
“I’ll find out who it was,” Reaper assures me.
“We had a meeting,” Axles says. “All the men agreed to you staying here. We were all aware of the implications.”
It makes no sense, then. Why would someone call the police on me?
“Did you want me to go to the police station with you?” Elena asks.
I glance at Reaper. “It’s okay. Reaper said he will take me.”
Eight
Stay with Me
Reaper
After all the shit we went through overseas in the Special Forces, me, Bomber, and Viper came back home and forged friendships with men who also worked in the military. Creating the MC was like finding a home. Ava makes me feel the same.
As soon as I heard her husband was here, I ran to her as fast as my feet could take me because she differed from any other woman I had met before. She’s the only woman I’ve wanted a future with.
For the first time in my life, I ignored my instincts, the pull I had to Ava at the wedding and the connection we shared. I could sense her discomfort at how scared she was of her husband, but I still let her go. What type of man allows that to happen? I could have saved her from the domestic violence.
Whatever it takes, I’ll protect her from him . . . but it’s not just him I need to protect her from—it’s from myself and the MC as well. A group of men swearing and partying. It’s not her scene.
We manage an illegal fighting ring and grow and distribute marijuana for a living. We are the opposite of what she needs, but I’m selfish and I can’t let her go. A part of me hopes she can see past all that.
Axle said she was here, but I had to see her for myself. When I saw Ava packing her bag, the sudden assault of emotions crippled me. After everything she has been through, I didn’t want to scare her. I could barely stop my hands from shaking when I gently pulled her away from her bag. Having her in my arms eased some of my tension.
“I’m nearly ready,” Ava says with confidence.
My warrior.
“Make sure you have your ID.”
She leans over, drags her bag across the bed, then rustles through it until she pulls out her driver’s license.
“I’m going to the bathroom to wash my face, and then I’ll be ready.” She moves to Elena and wraps her arms around her.
When Elena opens her eyes, they glisten. She pulls back. “Please don’t leave again.”
“I won’t,” Ava replies softly. She gives Axle a small smile and leaves the room.
Elena’s hands rise, covering her face, and she cries.
“Babe,” Axle says, bringing his arms around her. “She’s okay.”
Her hands fall and so do the tears coursing down her face. “I should have checked on her. What if Reaper didn’t get back when he did?”
The thought has me closing my eyes. When I open them, Elena is staring at me.
“Thank you so much.”
“I won’t let anything happen to her.” My tone comes out harder than I intended.
She searches my eyes for a moment, then nods as if she realizes Ava means more than being Axle’s wife’s sister. Ever since I saw Ava, I had this pull and a loss of control that is a concern. Bad things can happen when a leader doesn’t have his head on straight.
“I want her husband dead,” I blurt. The dark inner part of me rejoices. I want to remove him from this earth so that Ava doesn’t have to worry about him again.
Axle mashes his lips together like he’s trying not to laugh. Elena’s mouth goes into a straight line while horror flashes in her eyes.
“Will she hate me if I kill him?”
Elena goes quiet, lost in thought, so I wait for her answer. “She’s gone through enough already. I don’t want her to blame herself or feel any worse than she already does.”
Disappointment slices through me. “I won’t, but if he tries to hurt her in any way . . .” I shake my head. “I won’t have the willpower to stop myself.”
I glance at my gun. My hands itch to touch it at the thought. Having been a sniper at war, I’m used to eliminating the target, protecting my brothers. Stopping that urge will be difficult, but I’ll try . . . for her.
Ava walks toward the bed and grabs a smaller bag, then places her wallet and driver’s license inside of it. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?” Elena asks uncertainly.
“It’s okay,” Ava says.
I stand and put my belt on, pick up and place my gun in the holster, and grab my phone. I put my hand out, gesturing for Ava to walk out first, and then I follow her through the hallway.
“Hold on,” I say as I open my door and step inside my room. I walk out to Ava. “Here.” I hand her the phone. “This is yours. My phone number is already in your contacts.” She stares at it. “It’s a burner phone, so it can’t be linked back to you.”
She slowly takes it out of my hand and brings it to her face as she goes through it.
I pull out my phone and tap on my contact at the police.
“Hello,” Parker answers.
“It’s Reaper. We are on our way.”
“I will let the investigator know. He will interview her.”
I hang up, and she’s staring at me.
“Thank you for the phone.” Her voice is unsteady, still full of emotion.
She’s an excellent cook, kind and caring and sexy as fuck. What the hell is wrong with her husband? We move down the stairs and through the house, but she halts where the keys are. “Did you want to go in the truck or on my motorcycle?”
A touch of a smile crosses her face. “I’ve always wanted to ride on a motorcycle.”
I was hoping she would say that. After I grab my keys, we walk out the front door and head for the shed. Rage moves toward us, holding a case of beer. “Can you tell the women to get dinner ready because Ava won’t be making it tonight?”
His chin lifts. “My pleasure,” he says in a smug tone.
His hard work as a prospect doesn’t go unnoticed. He will make a good MC club member.
In the shed, I grab Elena’s helmet from the table and her leather jacket, then walk over to my motorcycle. I glance back to see Ava walking leisurely over to me, her eyes darting between me and the motorcycle.
“We can take the truck?”
She shakes her head. “No. I want to go on the motorcycle.”
I open the jacket for her. “Whose is this?” she asks.
I cock a brow. “Does it matter?”
Her lips pinch. “Yes, it does.”
“It’s your sister’s.”
She nods, as if confirming that she will wear it. She slips her arms in it, and I pass her the helmet.
“It’s your sister’s too,” I say before she questions it.
She slips it on over her head and tightens the straps. I climb on my motorcycle and stare at her. She somehow looks better than I imagined she would look like dressed in leather.
“Hop on.”
She hesitates before placing her hand on my shoulder and climbing on. I lean down and point to the foot peg.
“Put your feet on the pegs and wrap your arms around my midsection.” Her arms come around me loosely. “Tighter.”
“What?” she asks.
I’m not sure if she doesn’t understand or if she’s frightened. I pull both her arms around me tighter and gently tug her calves toward me so she’s flush against my back, and she lets out a small laugh. “I can’t have you falling off.”
Her grip around me tightens further, making me grin. I make no apologies for how turned on I am right now.
The motorcycle roars to life when I put the key in the ignition. I pull forward slowly, trying not to scare her. We go onto the dirt road, slightly bumpy from the rocks, but when we reach the asphalt, I speed up. She laughs. I fucking love it.
“Faster,” she says from behind me, so I speed up. She squeals louder.
When I reach the main street of the town, I slow down and my mood plummets. When I reach the police station, I park in an empty spot out the front, then climb off and hold my hand out to her. She stares at it for a couple of seconds, then places her hand in mine. I help guide her off the motorcycle. She pulls the helmet off, and it’s made her auburn hair fuzzy.
“You suit the helmet and leather jacket.”
Considering what she’s about to do, I see she still has a small smile on her face.
“Thank you,” she replies.
It’s a win in my books.
I put the helmets in the saddlebags. “Did you know you are the only woman who has been on my motorcycle?”
Her smile spreads.
It’s true, and it’s my way of telling her she’s different from any other woman.
I glance at the police station, then back at her. All I want to do is haul her ass back on my motorcycle and get back to the clubhouse. She’s been through enough already. But I had to make sure the police won’t turn up at the clubhouse because they think we kidnapped her or something overdramatic.
I stare into the distance. Is this guilt I’m feeling? I shake my head. She’s not even mine, and I’m going soft already.
With my hand, I gesture toward the police station. “I’ve got you. You only have to answer a few questions.”
I see her swallow, and that damned guilty feeling gets worse. We walk to the entrance and I open the door for her. She stands off to the side as I approach the front desk.
“I’m Reaper, and I’m after Parker.”
No need for pleasantries. I don’t like them, and they don’t like me. The MC has an arrangement with Parker—money for information.
The woman at the desk gawks at my cut as she picks up the phone. “Parker, you have a visitor.” She puts the phone down. “He will be with you in a moment.”
I glance at Ava, and she hasn’t moved. She’s nibbling on her lip.
“Hey, Reaper,” Parker says through a cheery smile as he walks to me.
I give him a sharp nod and turn to Ava. “Are you ready?”
“I am,” she replies and steps toward us.
“Hi, Ava. I’m Parker. If you follow me, I’ll lead you to the investigator who will do your interview.”
I step forward, but Parker shakes his head. “You can’t go in with her.”
I scoff. “I am if she wants me to.”
Parker chuckles nervously. “It’s a conflict of interest. She needs to be alone, or they may think you are interfering or that your presence will influence her answers, especially since her husband has made a complaint that she is being held against her will at your clubhouse.”
Ava gasps.
“He has no proof she’s even there.”
Parker breaks eye contact. “Yes, he does. He sent in photos of her there, and I can tell you now, it certainly looks like your clubhouse from when I was there last.”
The thought of my men betraying my orders twists my gut.
“Ava, if you follow me.” Parker looks at me and lowers his voice. “I’ll meet you outside to have a chat.”
I gaze at Ava. “Is that okay with you?”
Parker isn’t calling the shots. She is. They’ve seen she’s alive. Every cell in my body is screaming to return home and demand answers.
She shrugs. “I guess. I want this over and done with.”
“If you don’t want to answer any more questions, make sure you tell them that. If you need me, phone me. I’ll be outside by my motorcycle, waiting.”
“Okay,” she answers and follows Parker.
As I’m walking outside, every muscle is tense. I pace by my motorcycle. How quickly a day can go to shit! My mind is scattered. I want to be in that interview room with her, and I also want to know what the hell is going on within my MC. The door opens, and Parker strides toward me.
“Do you know who has been giving her husband this information?” I snap.
I trust my men with my life, so I’m struggling to even consider that one of them has done this.
His eyes bug out, then he turns, looking from left to right, as if checking no one heard. “Keep your voice down,” he mutters.
I crack my neck from side to side. “Tell me who it was.”
My ice-cold voice lets out a warning. If he doesn’t tell me, there’s going to be consequences. One of my brothers wouldn’t dare go against me . . . or the club . . . after everything we have been through . . . it makes no sense.
“Her husband forwarded the email to us. It came from your generic War Brothers MC email address.”
I yank my phone from my pocket and call Twitch.
“Hey,” he answers.
“Someone has accessed the computer room and emailed Ava’s husband. I need to know who it was.”
I glance back at Parker. “When was the email sent?”
“Yesterday.”
It happened when we were away. That lowers the potential candidates.
“They accessed it yesterday.” I need to find out who the traitor is because I find it difficult to believe it was Twitch or Rage. Video surveillance covers the outside of the room near the doorway.
“Ah, yeah sure. I’ll get onto it now,” he responds.
“I want it by the time I get home.”
I clench my phone as I give my attention back to Parker. “How would anyone track her husband’s email address?”
“Him and her parents have put up posters and have had her disappearance splashed all over the media in her town.”
This time, I pull up Bomber’s name on my phone and bring it to my ear. As soon as he answers it, I say, “I need you in the computer room with Twitch.”
“I’m going there now.”
“Someone accessed the computer yesterday and contacted Ava’s husband, putting her at risk, so check the emails first to tell you the exact time the email was sent and cross reference it with the video surveillance to see who was on the computer at that time. I need you to go through it with Twitch.”
“On it.”
Ava walks out toward us from the entrance. I search her face, but her expression is passive so I can’t tell how it went. I lean down, pull out her helmet, and hold it out in front of me with an outstretched hand. When she reaches us, she takes it from me.
“I have to go back to work,” Parker says. “If I hear anything else, I will call you.”
I gaze at Ava, who slips on her helmet. “We have to go home. I’ll take you for a longer ride around town another time.” My jaw clenches.
That’s if she stays.
Nine
Triggered
Ava
After Reaper helps me off the motorcycle, I notice the stress in his shoulders and the darkness in his eyes. Tension radiates off him. I’ve spent years analyzing Beau’s behavior to tailor my own, so I have become an expert in noticing the minor details. I keep my distance but follow him.
The men cleaning their motorcycles raise their heads and smile. When they see Reaper’s face, their smiles fade—they sense it too. Upon opening the front door and walking inside, Reaper marches in the direction of the computer room, making me frown.
I go through the house in search of Elena but find Cash behind the bar serving beers to Axle, Viper, and Demon.
I walk over to the side of Axle. “Hey, do you know where Elena is?”
Axle turns his head toward me and smiles. “Hey. I’m not too sure. She was here a moment ago.” He scans the room. “How did it go at the station?”
The thought of the conversation I had with the officer makes me cringe. “I told him what I’ve been through and he suggested filing for a protective order.”
Viper grunts. “Sorry, darl, but a piece of paper won’t stop him.”
I open my bag and grab my phone, which is cool to touch, and place it in front of Axle on the bar. “Can you put your number in it?”
He peers down. “Sure.” Smirking, he picks my phone up and types. He stretches his hand out to pass it, but before I take it, Viper’s hand comes out and snatches it. When he finishes, he passes it back with a mischievous look in his eyes.
I glance at my phone to see Axle, Reaper, and “Sexiest Man Alive” in my contacts. I roll my eyes, and Viper laughs.
Giggles tinkle from behind me, so I turn to see Vera and Grace walking through the house. I stiffen. A few moments later, Elena comes from the same direction. Her face is pale.
I rush to her. “What’s wrong?”
Even though I’m looking at Elena, I can sense Vera and Grace approaching us.
