by Simone Elise
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I turned the taps of my large en-suite shower and then adjusted the temperature. When Dad had the renovations done, he made sure that us girls got the best and largest ensuites. In fact, my en-suite matched the size of my large bedroom and walk-in wardrobe.
But right now the half drunk, barely standing Reaper wasn’t taking in the fine tiling and double-headed shower or the extremely impressive spa.
I slipped out of my heels and sighed. Taking the bottle from his hand, I placed it on the basin. It was like he was numb, or he just couldn’t give a fuck what happened to him right now.
I slowly removed his leather vest, which was covered with patches showing his commitment to this club. I respectfully folded it and placed it on basin next to the bottle. Then I unclipped his gun holsters, laying them beside the vest.
I unbuckled his belt, then let his bloody jeans fall to the ground. My fingers were coated in thick crimson blood as I lifted his shirt off, then dropped it to the floor.
The bloody clothes now lay in a pile.
Reaper still had his dog chain around his neck and boxers on. I swallowed sharply and lifted my arm. Slowly, I dragged the zip down, freeing me from the dress and leaving me standing in front of him in my strapless bra and see-through panties.
I reached for his hands, intertwining our fingers together while walking backward into the shower.
Right now I didn’t care about what had come between us, right now I only cared about this moment, and at this moment he needed me, more than he even knew.
The warm water sprayed across our bodies, and he gently pulled me into him until we were chest to chest.
Our hands separated, and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted me up and guided my legs around his hips.
The steam encased us as our lips were naturally drawn to each others. The hot water washed away his drunken shadow, and he kissed me with more passion.
I placed my mouth to his ear. “Don’t hold back.”
I was giving him permission to fuck it out of his system, and he knew that was exactly what I meant by saying don’t hold back.
Chapter 51
Abby
Some of the best moments in life are ones where the reality has been twisted, and for those few beautiful tainted hours, reality has no place. The past, present, and future don't matter because you’re in this black hole, escaping the death grip of reality and all the consequences it brings, and sometimes it only takes a small thing to pull you back to reality.
I was warm.
Warmer than normal, and I kept my eyes closed, enjoying it. My body was bathed in this nice comfortable warmness. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and the heavy tattooed arm wrapped around me answered why I was so warm.
I rolled over onto my back.
Reaper’s face was clear of an expression; he looked calm, peaceful. He didn’t look anything like the broken mess that he was last night.
Now reality was slowly coming back, but it wasn’t because of me. It was because of a buzzing phone.
I slipped out of his grasp and tiptoed to the bathroom. It didn’t take a second to realize it wasn’t my phone ringing, it was his. I pulled it out of the bloody jeans pocket and then wiped the blood on the towel before glancing at the caller ID.
Automatically, I dropped the phone when I saw the word Roach.
Lucky for me, I dropped it when I walked into the bedroom, and it landed on the carpet.
“Dropping it won’t break it.”
My head snapped up after I picked it up.
“Um sorry. It’s…um… my dad.” I quickly walked across the room and handed the phone to him.
Seeing as Dad had kept ringing, it gave me the impression he wasn’t going to stop till Reaper answered.
After giving him the phone, I walked to my wardrobe to get anything to cover myself with.
I hovered in there for a bit longer, not wanting to overhear their conversation. No need to make an awkward situation more awkward!
When I was wearing jeans and a black tank top, I wandered back into the bedroom, only to be surprised by an empty bed.
It was when I heard noise coming from the en-suite that I put it together.
I leaned against the doorframe, waiting for him to come out. Then when he did, I had to take a sharp breath. With no top on, leather vest, and stained jeans, how was it possible for a man to be that darn hot?
The tattoos covered his chest, only highlighting his defined muscles. I literally had to drop my eyes to the ground before he saw how turned on I was getting seeing him like that.
“I should…” My words dried up, what was I saying again? Oh yeah. “I’ll make sure no one is in the hallway for you.”
I was already walking towards my bedroom door before he could answer.
I doubted he wanted to be seen coming out of my room.
“Abby, about last night.” His rough voice and the fact he was now standing behind me sent my skin alive with prickles.
“Don’t worry about it.” I turned quickly, cutting him off. “Seriously.”
He had made no promises, and I hadn’t expected anything of him. It was a one-night thing that I only wished was an every night thing.
I faked a small smile, “You better go before Dad calls again.”
Knowing Dad, he would be barking at Reaper to do something.
He nodded his head, and I poked mine out the door just to check it was clear and when it was, I opened the door wide for him.
He didn’t look back, and I didn’t linger around waiting for him to. Instead, I closed the door and cursed softly.
It's official, I’m hooked on the Reaper.
***
“Breakfast smells good,” I said, walking into the kitchen to see Kim.
She looked me up and down, “Your sex hair looks good too.”
My expression dried. She was lucky that no one else was in here.
“Shut up, Kimberly.”
She smirked and flipped a pancake. “So want to explain why I didn’t see you sneaking out to go meet the university boy?”
“Want to talk about how I have excellent hearing and heard you and Trigger tripping up the stairs?” I nabbed a pancake and started to pull it apart before eating it.
She scoffed and kept her words to herself. Which turned out to be a good thing cause as luck would have it, our dad just so happened to walk into the kitchen that very minute.
“Why are you girls making breakfast?” He gave us a stern look.
Usually, we would only help out around the club when we wanted something or we had done something wrong.
“I’m eating, not making.” I put the rest of the pancake in my mouth.
“And I just felt like doing something nice.” Kim gave Dad the biggest fake grin I had ever seen. “Just like you, Dad, you do nice things all the time for other people, don’t you?”
Yep, she wanted something.
“The answer is no,” he snapped immediately, but he was more than happy to start picking at the food Kim had made.
That bacon did smell good.
“You can’t say no before I ask,” she threw back. “Anyway, it’s not even a major thing.”
I stayed silent. Sometimes I just felt sorry for Dad; we knew how to play him so well.
“Fine, what is it?” He gave in, pulling out a kitchen chair and sitting in front of the bacon and eggs. I handed him a plate.
“My car is acting up again,” she started, “Well, actually, it left me broken down in town.”
I knew where this was going. I scoffed and crossed my arms. She gave me a sharp look, but she didn’t have to worry about me ruining this for her, she can do that all on her own.
“So I may have borrowed another car to get home.”
Dad’s eyes snapped up and locked onto her. “You did what?”
“It was a bucket of shit.” Kim’s voice went higher, defending her actions. “But now I don’t know what to do with it.”
“It’s that blue thin
g in the driveway, isn’t it.” Dad connected the dots, then pointed a piece of bacon at Kim. “You said you were done with lifting cars, Kim.”
“It was a one-off.”
“I can’t have hot cars parked in my fucking garage!”
“That’s why I’m telling you, so you can get rid of it.”
They started to enter into a longer argument about the car, which I tuned out. My cast was giving me hell today, and I knew it was because I hadn’t covered it up last night in the shower. Thank the lord it was coming off today, though.
A pair of fingers snapped in my face, and I was brought back to the moment.
“What?” I snapped at Kim.
She gestured her head to Dad.
“You not all here this morning, Abby?” Dad frowned. “The arm giving you trouble?”
I shook my head, “No, I was just thinking about how it was coming off today.”
“Is that today?” Kim was actually surprised.
“Yep. So no more plastic or plaster jokes from you.” I smirked at her and began to back out of the kitchen.
“Oi, kiddo.” Dad stopped me. “I need to ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
“You see Reaper last night?”
My stomach dropped and I nodded my head.
“What was he doing?”
“Last time I saw him, he had a tight grip on a bottle of Jack Daniels.”
That was true, kind of.
***
The day was hot, and it engulfed me when I stepped out onto the lot.
“Taking the cast off today?” Brad popped up out of nowhere and was at my side.
I grinned, “Yep, no more plaster.”
“Want a lift into town? I can take you.”
“You heading into town, Reynolds?” Reaper stepped out from the shed, his eyes on Brad.
“Wasn’t gonna,” Brad stared back at Reaper, “but I can.”
“Well I am, so I’ll take her.” His tone was hard and blunt. Like there was no argument, and I sure as hell wasn’t giving any input.
“Um well, let’s go then.” I gestured for him to get his ass moving because I was not missing this appointment.
I gave Brad a smile and thanks. My stomach twisted into a tight knot. I was kind of hoping Reaper and I wouldn’t be having any time alone. I didn’t want that awkward conversation.
Seems like I wasn’t going to get a choice about it though.
***
It felt like my arm was a feather, free and light and awesome. I had gotten used to how heavy the cast was but now it was gone, my arm had turned into a feather.
“Want something to eat?” Reaper asked when we stepped out of the clinic.
Guess now was time for that awkward conversation.
“You got time for that?” I asked, pulling my sunnies down and following him to his bike.
I was so used to the way people stepped out of his way now that I wasn’t even fussed by the glances and staring.
He mounted his bike and handed me a helmet. “I’ve always got time for you.”
It wasn’t the sweetest thing he could say, but it was pretty darn close to it.
I gripped his shoulder, throwing my other leg over the bike.
Just touching him sent lust through my blood. I didn’t know what to say back to that, so I said nothing and just linked my arms around him.
Chapter 52
Abby
You don’t dance with the devil and not get burnt. In saying that, you have to be in hell to be able to dance with him in the first place.
I snuck a sideways glance at Kade as we waited in line. It was noticeable how people were giving us a wide birth, and I wasn’t the only one giving Kade sideway glances.
I wonder if it annoyed him how people just openly stared at him.
“What you want?” He looked down at me.
“Salad.” I looked up at the menu board, “with chicken.”
He scoffed. “I should have expected you to eat like a rabbit.”
“Rabbits don’t eat chicken,” I snipped back.
I leaned on the counter, letting him rattle off our order. It was when he added eating in that my ears pricked up.
Here I thought we would stuff in the food and head back to the clubhouse. It seems Kade had other ideas.
I followed him to a booth while chewing on my bottom lip. I really didn’t want this to be awkward.
“Won’t the boys be missing you?” I slid into the booth across from him while keeping an unemotional expression on my face, hiding the embarrassment and nerves real well.
After what we did last night, it was hard not to blush or turn bright red.
“Doubt it.” He twisted the top off a bottle of Coke. “Look, might as well just fucking get to the point about last night-”
“Don’t,” I stopped him. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t expect anything from you or that it changes anything.”
“Abby, stop.” His eyes locked with mine. “What happened last night does change shit.”
Great. Just what I didn’t want.
“It doesn’t have to.” I pressed. “Seriously Kade, I don’t expect anything from you.”
He leaned across the small table, “You’re not getting it, Abby. I was struggling to keep away from you before; now that is impossible. I want you. I want you as mine and mine alone. I am willing to take on the punching from your old man to claim you as mine.”
My mouth opened.
My mouth closed.
I just blinked at him. Suddenly I was a mute.
“The girl that never shuts up is silent.” He arched his eyebrows at me.
Reaper had just put a claim on me.
He wanted me.
Me.
“Dad won’t like it.” I finally found my voice. “Not to mention we still have the same problems. I won’t turn a blind eye to you sleeping with other women on the road.”
I wouldn’t be one of those girls that just accepted it.
“I wouldn’t disrespect you like that. Plus your father would have his gun at my temple if he thought I was sleeping around on you.”
“So you really are going to tell Dad?”
I didn’t believe it. Surely he didn’t have the guts for that. Dad was, well, Dad. He wouldn’t take the news lightly and be all ‘yeah that’s fine.’ I felt the nerves bubbling in my stomach.
Though this was Reaper.
“If you want me to.”
I arched an eyebrow “What is that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Is that what you want?”
A smile twitched on my lips, “Why don’t you just come out and ask me out?”
“I already did. You’re the one not giving me the answer.”
It wasn’t often that you would see amusement or playfulness in Kade’s eyes apart from right now.
I slid out of the booth and went and sat next to him. His arm naturally wrapped around me and I curled into his side. This felt so right.
“I’ve always wanted to be claimed by a reaper,” I whispered in his ear, causing him to smirk.
His hand ran up my thigh and he lowered his voice. “You’re mine now, Abby Harrison.”
Tingles spread across my skin at the deadly, alluring sentence.
Chapter 53
Abby
If it wasn’t impossible, I would swear someone had set my morning up to fail. First I slept in, then I burned my forehead with the hair straightener. It was around this point that I realized close to everything I owned was dirty.
It was by a complete miracle that I managed to scramble an outfit together. Then when I thought my morning was turning around, I went to start my car and what do you know, a flat battery. Which then, of course, led to me having to ride in Kim’s rubbish-filled car to university.
I swear it would kill her if she cleaned it.
So it was fair to say my nerves were red raw and I wasn’t in the mood for anything else to happen.
Kim and I
were both already running late for our lecture when she thought it would be a bright idea to stop and get a coffee from the canteen.
“Would you just chill, it’s a boring lecture anyway.” Kim rolled her eyes and was walking slow on purpose.
“I hate the way they stare you down when you enter late,” I grumbled.
She shrugged her shoulders, not caring whatsoever.
We turned the corner and was suddenly confronted by a brunette and a gang of females.
I side-stepped them.
Only to have the brunette match my step.
I sighed heavily.
Kim was already in a bitchy mood; she had been fishing for an argument with me all morning.
“Can I help you?” I spoke dryly to her, meeting the brunette’s bitchy eyes.
I had never seen her before, so it was highly doubtful I had managed to piss her off. But considering how this morning was going, maybe I had and I didn’t even know about it.
“Harrison sisters.” She stared down at us, her tone unfriendly. “I thought it was just a rumor that you were attending, but yet here you both are.”
Kim was keeping unusually silent beside me.
Clearly we were at a disadvantage. She knew us while we didn’t have a fucking clue who she was or her gang of friends behind her.
“As great as it is to know your eyesight works, we really have somewhere to be.” Kim moved forward. Finally, I wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation.
“Didn’t take you as one to care if you were late for a lecture.” The brunette made a point to step forward, staring Kim down further. Did this bitch want a fist in her face? Cause Kim would be more than happy to give her one.
“What do you want?” I broke their staredown.
The brunette’s eyes flicked across to me. “I want you both to fuck off and go back to where you came from.”
The bitch just said what?
Kim grabbed my arm and pushed me back behind her.
“And why would you care if we furthered our education?” Kim’s voice was full of interest.
Who gave a fuck why, just punch the bitch so we can keep moving.