Mayhem: A Reapers MC Boxset

by Elizabeth Knox

  He comes back over toward me, shifting his neck a tad to the left. “And why is that, Java? It’ll give us more time together. You can bring the girls and they can play with the other kids here. It’s cookin’ which you must be damn good at. You get paid for the groceries and Zane had said something about payin’ whoever did it $150 a week. You’re lookin’ for a job. It seems perfect to me.”

  $150 a week? If there’s four weeks in a month that’s $600 . . . that’ll pay my rent. “You don’t need to make a decision today, but just do me a favor and think about it. Alright? Could be the best of both worlds.” Grim offers me a sweet smile, cupping the side of my face in his hand and leans in for a kiss. Though, it’s short lived which is a tad upsetting. “I’m sure you have to get back to the girls.” His smile fades immediately. “But bring them by tomorrow if you want, I’ll send one of the prospects out to grab the groceries and you can do it as a trial run. Sound good?”

  “I don’t know . . .”

  “Natalie. What harm could it do? Worst case the girls don’t get along with some of the other kids, or we don’t like your cooking and the job isn’t yours.”

  A chuckle slips through my lips. “I highly doubt that’ll be problematic.”

  “Perfect. C’mon, I’ll walk you out.”

  “How chivalrous of you.” I say, spotting my jacket on the back of his chair. I walk over and grab it, slide it on and slip on my panties and jeans before finding my boots and purse. Within a couple of minutes, we’re both dressed and heading downstairs into the club. He wraps his arm around my back and escorts me down the stairs. Though, as we reach the bottom step, I spot a woman with dark emerald green hair and glasses. She has freckles that cross over her nose to both cheeks and she’s in some sort of black lace bralette and pair of pajama shorts.

  She looks at me for a few seconds before a word is even said. “Rosa, what’re you doin’ here?” Grim questions. Ah, this is the girl from the other night. The woman who has the hots for him.

  The way he asks her is almost accusatory, like she shouldn’t be here in the first place. I don’t understand why she wouldn’t be, though.

  “Rosa, you grab the vodka yet, or what?” I glance behind me and see Grim’s brother, Axel, who I was introduced to earlier last night.

  Oh boy. I’m internally cringing because of how this looks. Grim’s best friend, who said she had feelings for him . . . and his brother . . . who appears to push his buttons any time he can.

  Grim is caught looking between the two of them, rendered speechless. Axel goes down the side of the stairwell to her and wraps an arm around her, the same way Grim is doing to me. “I see I’m not the only man here who was able to keep my bed warm.”

  From the corner of my eye I can see Grim clenching his jaw, trying not to react. Deciding I’ll be the one to break up this whole thing, I walk down a few steps and extend my hand to Rosa. “I’m Natalie, I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.”

  She looks me up and down, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “Yeah, I know who you are.” She shakes my hand, though it’s obvious she isn’t happy to be chatting with me.

  “C’mon, Java. Let me walk you to your car. I’m sure you wanna be home before the kids wake up.” Grim speaks up out of nowhere, clearing his throat at the end. He comes down the rest of the stairs and takes my hand, practically pulling me away from them. We walk through the club until we’re outside, sucking in the frigid November air.

  “Whoa,” I mutter, unable to look anywhere but his face. I want to see his expression. I want to know if he feels anything else besides friendship for her, ‘cause that’ll nix this really quick and I’m not gonna waste my time.

  “Whoa isn’t strong enough for that shit. Did she seriously fuck my brother?” He seems disgusted by it.

  “Did he, though? We don’t know that he did. They could’ve just been hanging out.” I come to her defense, hoping it’ll calm Grim down in the process.

  “Axel loves to fuck with me, c’mon. We both know better. He knows Rosa and I had a fight the other day when she said the shit she did and I didn’t reciprocate those feelings. He’s only screwing around with her to get at me.”

  I don’t get it. Brothers are aggressive, sure, but do they actually do things like this? “Did something happen between you?” It feels like such an odd question to ask, because it’s really none of my business, but Grim has been so honest with me so far. Here’s to hoping he’ll continue.

  “Axel and I used to get along really well, but some shit happened a couple years ago and we’ve never been the same.”

  “A fight, or something?”

  Grim leans against the double doors we just came through and shakes his head. “Nah, I wish it was as simple as that. We were sharin’ the same woman for a while, and I know it probably comes as a shock . . . but in the club life there’s a lot of shit that isn’t exactly normal. There’s a woman here, her name’s Shiloh. She was a clubwhore, which means she lives at the club and fucks the members who wanna fuck her. I was obviously single at the time, and then Axel was, and one of our club brothers, Zorro. We would share her, so to speak. Shiloh told us she wanted to be more than a clubwhore and broke it off with us. It fucked me up really bad ‘cause I was in love with her, but I’m over it now obviously. After that happened, Axel, Zorro, and I haven’t gotten along the same.”

  “Seriously? Your entire relationship’s wrecked because of a woman?” These men sound more dramatic then most women I know.

  “Yep, you summed it up pretty damn well.”

  I roll my eyes, and I won’t make any apologies for it. “For something that happened years ago?”

  “Yep.”

  “Get the fuck over it. You’re all living your own lives. He’s doing whatever he is. I’m sure Zorro is doing whatever he is and you’re seeing me now, so, why keep fighting? Why keep the turmoil going?”

  A charming smile pulls at his lips, “You just said you were seein’ me. You know what that means, right, Java?”

  “That we’ve gone out on a date and will go out on another?”

  Grim lets out a whimsical laugh. “No, Java. Means you’re my girl now. We’re datin’, baby.”

  “We went out on one date. You can’t be serious.”

  “Do I look like I’m jokin’?”

  “How do you even know I like you?” I toy with him just a bit.

  “Mmm, I dunno. The way you were moanin’ and groanin’ all night long sure makes me feel a bit confident.”

  Now I’m laughing in the most joy-filled way I’ve felt in a long time. Sucking in a heavy breath, I look into Grim’s eyes, thankful for the way the porch light gives us a bit of illumination. He’s smiling with his eyes. “I’ll come over tomorrow, with the girls.” I say, making up my mind.

  They can come and make some new friends, and it’ll give me a potential opportunity for a second job that isn’t too bad. “Perfect. I’ll see you then. What’re the girls’ names? I don’t think I ever asked, or what they like.”

  “Aggie is my oldest, then there’s Davina, and Sorcha. Aggie loves to draw. She’s my creative one of the bunch. I think she’ll either grow up to be a bestselling author or a painter. Davina is my devil-child. She’s always aggravating her sisters, hogging the bathroom and whatnot. She loves to toy around with makeup. Then my little one, my Sorcha. She’s . . . a quiet child. She likes dolls and for me to read stories to her before bed. Though, I know you’ll learn quite a bit about them. They’re chatty little things around strangers.”

  “I won’t be a stranger for long, darlin’. I hope you know that.” Grim starts to walk me over to my car. I open my door and slide into the driver’s seat. He holds onto the door and leans in, taking a hold onto the back of my neck and gives me the hottest kiss I think I’ve ever had in my entire life. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, glides his tongue over both of my lips, and crashes his tongue into my mouth before releasing me. “You drive safe, you hear?”

  I nod, left completel
y breathless before he shuts the door.

  Holy hell. I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but I pray it won’t end up in a catastrophe like every other part of my life has.

  Chapter Seventeen

  She might be down to earth and rooted in reality by her responsibilities, but her soul is a wild one; always set on finding magic in sunsets and sunrises that others take for granted.

  ~ Daniel Mercury

  Grim

  About an hour after Natalie left, I got a call from none other than Octavia, demanding I come to the hospital and meet her and Zane’s newborn boy. She wouldn’t tell me his name over the phone, which has been a hush-hush secret if I’ve ever seen one. In her time here, she and I have become very good friends. Mostly because I was indeed the first Reaper besides her husband who she met, but Zane’s always tasked me with truckin’ along with Octavia wherever she needs to go. I won’t call myself her own personal security, because that title has never been given to me, but it sure feels like I am.

  Now I’m in the center of Billings, at the local hospital, walking through the cream-colored halls of the maternity ward. I stop right at the nurses’ station and see a short Native American woman with long black hair. “Can I help you?”

  “You sure can. I’m looking for Octavia Spencer-Monroe, and Zane Monroe.”

  “Are you family? Only family can be back with them.”

  I nod, lovin’ the fact we can play this card. “Yep, I’m Grim Braxton, his half-brother.”

  “Mhm, ‘half-brother’.” I look past her and see Regina, who I’ve known for eons. She’s a labor and delivery nurse here at the hospital, who I’m pretty sure helped deliver Blackjack and Ashley’s two kids.

  “Um . . . I’m detecting a facetious tone. Do I let him back?” The woman behind the station asks her.

  Regina’s flipping through a chart and lets out a laugh. “You’d better. The ol’ ladies in that club don’t like to be told ‘no’, and I know for a fact Octavia personally requested Grim’s presence.”

  “Alright . . . um, she’s in room 505. It’s the third one on the left if you keep going straight down the hall.”

  “Thank you,” I say before walking down the hallway. What she didn’t tell me is how the numbers didn’t start until what feels like half a mile. Hot damn. Once I get to the room, I knock lightly on the door.

  Zane opens it and allows me to come inside, I walk by him and see Octavia holding a lil’ man in a blue blanket. “Damn, if he ain’t the most precious thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”

  “I’m sure you say that to all the kids,” Octavia teases, and she’s damn straight.

  “I will neither confirm nor deny. So, what’s this little dude’s name?” I ask, lookin’ down to his jet-black hair and tan complexion.

  “Neo,” Octavia smirks, lookin’ down at her new bundle of joy.

  “Well, that’s a unique name.” I mutter.

  “You just now figurin’ that out? We’re a unique bunch at the Reapers.” Zane slaps my back, causin’ Neo to wake up and scream his little head off.

  “Oh, it’s okay. Your daddy’s just a fool.” Octavia tells Neo in the sweetest voice ever.

  Zane glares at her, but she glares back, obviously not pleased he woke Neo up. “So, I’m debatin’ asking you both this question. Figure I ought to, though.”

  Zane seems curious, while Octavia appears to be in protection mode. “You gonna tell him, about the kid?” I’m not dumb. I know who these two probably had a night with, the man Octavia was with for years prior to marryin’ Zane. Inc.

  “He made his choice, Grim. I’ll say this to you and to anyone who asks. Inc walked out on us, said what we wanted wasn’t for him. He fucking left. He . . . he made his choice, and what a fucking mistake he made, because look at him. He’s perfect. He’s so fucking perfect.” Octavia tears up, lookin’ at Neo.

  “Hey, I’m not here to judge. Just wanted to know.” Fuck, I need to know. Especially if I’m still gonna be watchin’ over Octavia whenever she leaves the club. Normally a Prez would send a prospect, but after shit happenin’ to the Skulls Renegade MC over a decade ago with Daisy bein’ kidnapped . . . well, lets just say I don’t blame Zane for havin’ me watch over the most precious thing in his life.

  “You’re only bein’ a nosy shit, and I don’t like it.” Zane grumbles. He points to Neo. “He is my son. You got that? I said it to y’all once and I’ll say it again. Any of you act like he isn’t and I’ll rip your fuckin’ throats out myself.”

  I bring my hands up in surrender. “Shit, Zane. You know I mean what I say and say what I mean. Chill, dude. While I’m here though, I have a girl who might take the job cookin’ for the club.”

  “Oh? Who?”

  “Natalie. She’s a single-mom who works at the chiropractor’s office.”

  Zane smirks, “You mean the chick you had at the club last night?” How the fuck does he know about that? “I hear about everything that happens in my house, brother. You must really like her, though.”

  I nod, “Yeah, I do. She’s kind, has a good heart. She’s been through hell, but that ain’t my story to share. You know?”

  “Damn straight I do. Job sounds like it would work out for her. You told her she can bring her kids, right?”

  This is exactly why I knew it would be a good fit for her. “I sure did. She said she’d be over tomorrow.”

  “Perfect. We’ll be here for another day or so, and I won’t be leavin’ so Blackjack will hold down the fort for me.”

  “Of course. You heard anythin’ about what the General is doin’?” Neo’s birth kinda paused the updates Zane was givin’ the club.

  He moves over to the two chairs next to Octavia’s bed. He sits down in one and I take the other. “He’s been quiet, but we have some intel that suggests he’s working with some of Rage’s old contacts.”

  “You have to be shitting me. Rage has been dead for well over a couple years at this point. Why in the fuck would General be working with Rage’s people?”

  “I’m askin’ myself the same question. They must’ve been interlinked back in the day. Which leads me to my next point. Boss caught wind General was out, and somehow, she knew he caused some issues for us a couple years back. Anyway, she wants to make amends for what her father did.”

  “There isn’t any way on this earth that she could make up for what he did. He did too much, brother.”

  “I’m not disagreeing with you. But, at the same time, I’ll use whatever card I have to play. Boss is on a flight out here as we speak, with one of her club members. I think his name is Ricochet. I didn’t pay too much attention to his name to be honest. She’s agreed to help bait General for us, find out whatever she can, if we agree to a formal alliance between the Iron Vex and Reapers.”

  “You have to be shittin’ me.” Tex, Bolt, Dracus, and Roxy won’t like this. They’re really the only people alive besides Kat and Damon who felt the most pain because of Rage and what he did. Fuck, they’re scarred beyond repair because of him.

  “Do I look like I’m fuckin’ with you right now?” Zane asks, blinkin’ a few times.

  “No, Prez. You don’t. Just a bit shocked. Have you told your Aunt Roxy, or your uncles?”

  Zane tilts his neck to the right and the left until it cracks. “No, not yet. I doubt they’ll give me any problems. They know as well as I that we can’t live in the past. I’m not gonna sit here and condemn Rage’s daughter for his actions. She might be a woman, but fuck if she doesn’t have one hell of a reputation. She’s ruthless, brother. She dominates the Northeast, and now has charters in Canada. She’d be the only one besides ourselves that are going international, considering our allies of course.”

  I process everything he’s tellin’ me, a bit shocked to say the least, but he isn’t wrong. This is what Zane always means when he says his dad wouldn’t have done things the same way. Fuck, Fist would’ve kept his grudge with Boss simply because of what her father did to his sister and niece. He
wouldn’t have given a flying fuck. Yet, here Zane is putting it behind him. I do applaud him for trying to turn the horrors of the past into the fruition of our future.

  “I’m gonna need you to pick her up from the airport. She’ll be here later this afternoon, about three, I think. Obviously, Blackjack will take the lead. She and her club man will stay in the house the Vixens were in before their place was built. If you have any immediate questions, call me, but Blackjack should have it handled.”

  “Sure thing. You need anything else?”

  “I need to know what in the heck happened with Rosa and Axel.” Octavia pipes up, causin’ my eyes to go wide.

  “How the hell do you know about that?!”

  “Did you not listen to my husband? We have eyes and ears everywhere.” Octavia giggles.

  “There anything else you need before you go?” Zane questions, ignoring his wife’s request.

  I nod, “Yeah, actually. I’m gonna need about a week off. That was the question I was gonna ask you. Gotta make a trip up to a university in New York.”

  Zane furrows his brows. “Something happen?”

  “Yeah, but I can’t talk about it. Need to go deliver some justice, though. It’s something I have to do. Can’t just go off and forget about it.”

  Zane blinks a couple of times and nods. “Lemme guess. Ruby? She goes to Stonewall, right?”

  “Yeah. I can’t get into details, but I gotta go settle some shit for her before she goes back for the spring semester.”

  “Whatever it is, sort it out before Dex gets up there. You know he’s going there ‘cause his mom was alma mater, and somethin’ about him havin’ a full scholarship or whatever.”

  “Yeah, I found out. I’ll get it sorted. Dex can handle himself, though. He’s a tough kid. He’s Blackjack’s son after all.”

  Zane chuckles lowly, shakin’ his head. “You’re right about that, but the kid has a heart that’ll get him killed if he isn’t too careful.”