by Jade Kuzma
He pulled out of me and rolled onto the bed next to me. I laid there, my eyes closed, trying to catch my breath.
There was nothing to be said when he fucked me like that. All either one of us could do was try to recover. Whatever business we had to deal with, we’d handle when our senses came back to us.
Reaper: Chapter 15
DECLAN
Michelle looked as gorgeous as she always did. All of the curves of her body were on display. That trim waist of hers that I just loved to grab. That ass that she stuck out and made so inviting. Milky soft tits that I loved to suck on. Legs that I loved to have wrapped around me. And then her face. She was beautiful and strong. Delicate but defiant. She was everything a president could ask for.
She rested peacefully on the bed, breathing softly as she laid on her side. I watched her for a moment before turning my attention back out the window.
The sounds from inside the clubhouse continued to vibrate through the walls. It was a loud night at The Grindhouse. With the club around and so many friends there, too, it was the only place in Ivory that truly felt like home to me.
I sat next to the window and stared out into the city. The view wasn’t much to look at. Just a few other buildings with bikes going up and down the roads. Another uneventful night in Ivory. But I knew this was just the calm before the storm.
I took a long drag of my cig and held the smoke in my lungs. I closed my eyes for a second to think about everything I was planning on doing. To think that it all came down to this… Shit was serious. The last thing I needed to do though was panic. Things would work out, even if I had to force them.
The smoke blew out of my lungs and filled the air.
“You shouldn’t be smoking.”
Michelle’s sudden voice surprised me. I turned my head up and saw her standing next to me, a blanket wrapped around her and a soft smile on her lips.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard you say that,” I said.
“This is the first time you’ve ever tried to knock me up.”
I gave her a nod then ground the rest of my cig in the ashtray.
“Not the first time,” I said.
Her eyes widened in surprise. I couldn’t help but smirk at her reaction.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I said.”
“…You’re joking.”
That dumbfounded look stayed on her face when I shook my head.
“I remember the first time I laid eyes on you,” I said. “I wanted to fuck you so bad.”
“I remember. You pulled your dick out right when we met.”
“I’m an honest man. I’ve always been too old to be playing games. When I saw a broad that I wanted, I let her know. I let you know.”
The memory came back to me in an instant.
Ha…
“When I finally got you in bed, that shit was like a dream. Having your mouth wrapped around my cock. Bending you over and shoving my dick into you. Hearing you yelp. It wasn’t like any other sex I’d ever had.”
“What was the difference?”
“I don’t know. It was just a feeling. It consumed me. It took over my body. It took over my mind. It was like I was someone else. I just wanted to come inside of you and fill you up. We were younger back then but I remember thinking I didn’t care what happened if you got pregnant. I wanted it.”
“It’s a wonder you didn’t.”
“Not really. You wanted to show how much you liked me and insisted on swallowing. Remember?”
“Oh, now I’m the one who insisted on swallowing…”
She giggled softly to herself. I’d been with Michelle long enough to know that nothing would offend her.
She wasn’t the type of girl to sleep around. Not like all of the other women in Ivory who were so desperate to get in bed with a patch. No, Michelle was different.
I think that’s why she liked me so much. I could make her feel like a slut without her actually being one. She got to explore another side of her while being faithful to me.
Over time, I only got more attached to her.
“What happened in there?” she asked.
I looked at her then turned back out toward the city.
“I know it’s not my place to ask about club business,” she said. “But it’d be nice to know what’s gonna happen with Tony.”
“I know. You’ll worry about it either way. Just rest assured that business will be handled.”
“Good. I can’t wait until he’s gone. The sooner the better.”
Michelle had a look on her face like something was weighing heavy on her mind. She was distant and she wasn’t trying to hide it.
“What is it about Tony?” I asked. “Why are you so afraid of him?”
“I already told you. I know what he’s capable of. I’ve seen him kill without remorse. The way he lives his life, I’m surprised he’s still alive. He puts everybody around him in danger just the same.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not it. We’ve seen dangerous men in Ivory before but this guy…”
I narrowed my gaze at her but she didn’t look back at me.
“…What are you not telling me?”
I clenched my jaw. My eyes locked on her, I waited for her response.
Michelle just kept staring out the window. She didn’t say anything. I was prepared to wait all night for a response if that’s what it took. She knew it, too.
Her stare shifted down but her eyes remained lost in whatever it was she was thinking about.
“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I remember the night though. He was drunk or high or both. I had something to drink but I remember how wild he looked. It’s like something snapped inside of me. I had a moment of clarity.
“I realized it was a mistake spending time around a man like him. The young, stupid me finally figured it out. When I told Tony that I didn’t want to be around him, he said okay. I couldn’t simply walk away though. Things were never simple with him.”
Her throat shifted with a swallow. She kept staring off into the distance. I was barely breathing, hanging on every word she said.
“He said he wanted to have some fun. One last time before I walked away. I refused. He didn’t care though. So he did what he had to do. And I just…”
She swallowed again.
“…I just took it.”
She closed her eyes and a tear leaked down the corner of her eye.
In all my time knowing her, I’d never seen Michelle so vulnerable. It was like a bad joke. But Michelle wasn’t that good of an actor, so I knew she was telling the truth.
“He hurt you.”
“Sometimes when I’m alone… I think about it. I remember it like it was yesterday.”
Seeing her like that… Something snapped inside of me. I started breathing harder. My heart was thumping in my chest. I clenched my jaw so tight that my teeth were hurting. Frankly, I was surprised I was keeping my composure.
She opened her eyes and stared at me. Her eyes glazed and red, she looked like someone I didn’t recognize.
“When we were in the chapel, Ghost left the vote to me. I had the final decision on what to do with Cross.”
“And what have you decided?”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course. Anything.”
“Talk to Sheriff Sutton.”
“What?”
“Talk to Sheriff Sutton. Tell him you need protection. Just a place to keep you safe.”
Michelle blinked her eyes in confusion.
“What are you saying?” she said. “Are you telling me to go to the police?”
“Michelle, just do what I’m telling you to do.”
“Declan—”
I put my hands up to her face and held her softly. I looked her right in the eyes.
“Do you trust me?” I said.
“Of course I do.”
“Then do what I tell you to do. I pro
mise I’ll explain everything to you when this is all over.”
I pulled my hands away from her.
Michelle was the defiant woman I always knew she was. The angry look on her face was one I’d seen before but not very often.
“Why won’t you tell me what you’re doing?”
“Just do it! All right?”
She was taken aback when I raised my voice at her. I couldn’t remember the last time I did it. I kept staring at her though, trying to get my point across.
“Okay,” she whispered. “If that’s what you want me to do.”
“Do it.”
All of the shit Michelle was going through… She wasn’t gonna have to go through it much longer. Looking into her eyes was the only thing keeping me calm at this point.
I wouldn’t have to stay calm for much longer. This would all come to an end tomorrow night.
Reaper: Chapter 16
MICHELLE
It was easy to tell that Sheriff Sutton had seen it all. Those tired eyes. The wrinkly, sagging, and blemished skin. Hair all but gone. The hunched-over posture. Sutton had been around as long as Ivory has. From the looks of things, he was going to be around even after it was gone. Even if somebody blew this town up, Sutton would find some way to remain standing.
“What’s this all about now?”
He raised his eyebrows at me in curiosity, his hands on his hips as he tried to keep himself standing up straight.
“I just… I need somewhere to stay,” I said. “Somewhere safe.”
“Now why would you need somewhere safe to stay?”
He knew the answer to the question as soon as he asked it.
The club never dealt with the cops. They would never be caught dead doing business with the Sheriff’s Department. Sutton was a bit of an exception though.
The sheriff had been around long enough to know how things worked around Ivory. He could never keep all of the MCs in check. The true one-percenters would always find a way to do what they wanted to do. Sutton only had to do his part to make sure that it never spilled into civilian territory.
Apparently, this was one of those times.
“Something is wrong when the wife of a club president is asking me for help.”
“Then you should know how serious this is.”
Sutton might have been the law in Ivory but he was still just playing a part. There was a big puzzle and he was only a piece.
He scratched his head and sighed as he looked around the clubhouse. Most of the patrons didn’t even seem to care that a cop was standing right there. I guess that’s what happened when federal agents were in town.
“All right,” he said. “I shouldn’t be doing this but… I can’t refuse a citizen asking me for help. Even though I should know better.”
“Thank you.”
He smirked at me then slowly turned around. I watched him shuffle out of the clubhouse toward the entrance.
I looked around but nobody familiar was near. The last time I spoke to Declan was the night before. When I woke up in the morning, he was gone along with the rest of the club. Whatever they were planning, it was taking all day.
I headed outside and Sutton was already waiting in his cruiser. A few people gave me curious looks but that didn’t matter. Sutton had become a regular around the club.
I got into the backseat of the cruiser and Sutton headed down the road.
“I’ve got a place,” he said. “It’s near the police station, so if there’s any trouble, it won’t take long to get you some help. You’re not expecting any trouble now, are you?”
“I’m not sure…”
Declan still hadn’t told me what he was planning on doing. I looked out the window and my thoughts raced as I tried to figure out what he was up to.
“I don’t expect you to give me the details,” he sighed. “But you can at least talk to an old man.”
“There’s not much to talk about. I haven’t seen the club all day.”
“The Black Reapers are planning something…”
“You’re not going to do anything, are you?”
“What can I do? If I shut down the Reapers, some other club will just pop up in their place. You just tell Declan the next time you see him to make sure he keeps whatever it is he’s doing quiet.”
If I ever see him again…
I was following Declan’s instructions so far. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. I didn’t feel as safe as I would have with the club but Sutton was enough that I wasn’t worried about Tony for the moment. My thoughts were only focused on Declan and making sure that he got out of whatever trouble he was undoubtedly putting himself in.
We were heading down the road through town when Sutton slowly pulled over to the side.
“Shit…” he muttered.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
I looked around then noticed the car that had pulled up behind us. I saw a woman get out of the driver’s seat.
“Shit…”
Sutton got out of the car and I got out right behind him.
“Agent Lieberman,” Sutton said. “How can I help you tonight—”
“What are you doing, Sutton?” she said.
Lieberman eyeballed me, her mouth half-open like a question was lingering on her tongue.
I’d heard from others that Agent Jane Lieberman had arrived in Ivory more than a year ago. Now I was getting a look at her for myself.
I never questioned Declan or the club. His business was his business. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me that wasn’t concerned about Lieberman though.
She was intimidating. She wasn’t like most women. Her stare was always cold. Her posture was so rigid. She slicked her brown hair back into a ponytail and always looked like she was looking down her nose at everybody. And then there was the pantsuit she wore with the badge hanging comfortably on display on her belt.
Nobody knew what she was up to. That didn’t matter. When federal agents were in town, you knew something was wrong.
“I was just taking Miss Cunningham over here to my place,” Sutton said.
“Your place?” Lieberman asked.
“Sure. We’re old friends. Share a cup of coffee and catch up a bit. It’s been awhile since we talked.”
Lieberman kept her eyes locked on me.
“Old friends, huh?”
“That’s right,” Sutton said.
Lieberman took a step toward me, her nose up in the air. I stood my ground and glared back at her. She had nothing on me, so I wasn’t afraid of whatever she might do.
“I shouldn’t have to tell you that the sheriff being friends with the wife of the president of a notorious biker gang is a conflict of interest,” she said. “But that’s beside the point.”
She turned back toward Sutton.
“You’re up to something,” she said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”
“Cut the bullshit. You think I’m going to fall for that? After that stunt you pulled with Lawrence and Gibson?”
“Look,” Sutton said. “Michelle here is an old friend of mine. If a man can’t have a cup of coffee with a friend, then that’s a problem.”
“Oh, it’s a problem. A big problem.”
She looked right at me.
“I’m detaining you.”
“What?” I exclaimed.
“You heard me.”
“Now hold on just a minute,” Sutton said. “You can’t just—”
“I’m here under federal orders,” Lieberman interrupted him. “Everything that pertains to my investigation is under my jurisdiction. You might be the law in Ivory but not while I’m in town. My investigation supersedes everything.”
“You can’t do that,” I said.
“I can.”
She turned around and motioned to the other fed that was standing behind her. He walked up to me and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.
“What’s it going to be, Mrs. Cunningham?” Lieberman sai
d. “The easy way or the hard way?”
I looked at Sutton for an answer but he just stared back at me, his face clueless.
Shit.
I wanted to reach into my pocket and tell Declan what was happening. But there was no telling if he would even get my message.
“You’re coming with me,” Lieberman said. “One way or another—”
“Fine,” I sighed. “Let’s go.”
She gave me a satisfied smirk then headed back toward her car.
“It’s good to know that the club has some brains around them,” she said.
I gave Sutton another look but he just shrugged at me.
“Sorry,” he said. “Nothing I can do.”
“I know,” I replied. “It’s… It’s not your fault.”
I headed to Lieberman’s car and got into the backseat. The other agent with her sat right next to me and kept his eyes locked on me. I rolled my eyes at him.
“What?” I said. “Do you think I’m going to try something?”
“Don’t worry,” Lieberman said. “I just want to ask you a few questions. It won’t take long.”
I stared out the window as we rode through Ivory.
I didn’t know where Declan was. I didn’t know what he was up to. The only thing I knew for sure was that I couldn’t do anything for him now.
Reaper: Chapter 17
DECLAN
“You sure about this?”
Ghost didn’t question me because he didn’t agree with me. He was loyal to a fault. I knew that he just wanted to make sure that my head was in right place.
“Just follow my lead. When I give you the signal…”
Ghost gave me a nod and got onto his ride along with the rest of the Reapers. We waited on the outskirts of town in the spot where we told Cross to meet up with us. The punk eventually rolled up with his other four boys.
Cross got off his bike and looked over at my club before turning his attention to me.
“Looks like you made it,” he said. “You gonna make the right decision?”
“I’ve got a meeting set up with the Triads.”
“Where’s it at?”