by Simone Elise
One person who always put Abby first. And it wasn’t Kade.
No.
I needed the Reaper.
Chapter 20
Reaper
I lit up a cigarette, glaring at my brother.
“Why is it whenever I play poker with you, you win?” I threw cash down on my coffee table.
Drake looked up from his cards with a twisted smile on his face. “You should play with people that can’t read you.”
“You can’t read me.” I looked at my hand. I swear he just dealt shit hands. Drake laughed when he saw my facial expression. Maybe he could read me. “I’m dealing the next hand.” I threw my cards on the table.
“I love taking your money, brother.” He wiped the table of its cash. “Your phone is ringing again.”
“Whoever it is can fuck off. Now give me the deck.”
“Could be Abby,” he challenged me.
She hadn’t come back from the spa. I assumed she was still at dinner with Kim. But Drake had a point. I sighed and reached for my phone. He knew exactly what to say to make me check it. I frowned when I saw numerous missed calls from Kim. Why would she be calling me?
Was she drunk dialing? Then I remembered she was with Abby. Had something happened to Abby? I swear if something was going to happen, it would happen to Abby. Shit, I should have checked my phone earlier. All the possibilities of what could have happened started flooding my brain. I was going to call Kim back when there was a banging on my door. I dialed her number, putting it to my ear and taking the cigarette out of my mouth and went to answer the door.
“GEEZ, CALM DOWN! I’M COMING!” I yelled at the door and opened it.
Kim looked furious. The phone she was clenching in her hand was ringing because I was calling it.
“Why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone? Has Dad taught you nothing? A Vice President always answers his phone!” She shoved me in the chest and walked in. “We need to talk.”
“Why are you here and not with Abby?” I closed the door behind her, not understanding the expression of dread on her face, or why she looked like she was going to be physically sick.
I watched her furious expression change to one of panic. She swallowed nervously.
“Abby’s the hit-man. You know, the one killing all those people that the police are hunting. It’s her.”
I blinked. Did she just say that? As if Abby was the hit-man. No way. I shook my head. “Not believing that, Kim.”
“I’M TELLING THE TRUTH!” She stomped her foot. “And she is about to make a massive mistake and I need you to stop her!”
Drake chose this moment to get up and give me a dry expression, and my face went blank. “She’s not lying, brother. Abby told me herself.”
I looked between the two of them. “So you both knew this whole time and thought fuck it, let’s just let her go around killing more people!”
“I found out today!” Kim looked at me with wide eyes. “And you need to stop her before she does the last kill. She isn’t thinking clearly. This one is high risk, and she doesn’t care. She said something about going out in a gunfight than a needle.”
“She’s killing someone tonight?”
“THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU!”
“What, the last kill is tonight? She told me it was this weekend!” Drake looked at Kim. “What changed?”
“I don’t know. One minute we are having dinner. The next she is talking to Daniels and telling me she has to go.”
Abby was the hit-man. Well, hit-woman. She had taken at least five lives over the last month and a bit. She would be working off a list. This was her next hit, and she was willingly going to it when she knew every police officer and detective would be watching the possible victims. She wasn’t taking a risk. She was fucking giving herself up.
“Where did she go, Kim?” My mind switched gears. The shock of what she was doing was one thing to handle, but right now I didn’t have time to process it. Abby was about to get arrested and I needed to stop her.
“Daniels picked her up. I don’t know where she was going. Oh wait. She told me the name of the next kill. Bruce Miller. The lawyer.”
“Yeah, I know him.” Didn’t know where the fuck he lived though. He had represented the defense against me last time I was in prison. He was a hard bastard and one that couldn’t be bought. I unlocked my phone and called Brad.
“Hey Reaper, if this is about-”
“I need you to check Abby’s phone, tell me where she is.”
“So the whole going slow process isn’t happening?” Brad laughed.
“Just tell me where she is.”
“Yeah, give me a minute. I’m loading it on my phone.”
I waited what felt like forever. Every second that ticked by put me more on edge. I had to get to her. The more time that passed, the more chance of her killing that man and getting caught.
“Ok, she is at Cliff Street.”
I hung up.
“Let’s go, Drake. You’ll have to drive. They’ll hear me on the bike.” I grabbed my holster and guns.
Kim’s slim hand wrapped around my arm. “Tell me you will stop her before she goes through with it.”
“I might be too late, Kim.”
And that was the honest truth. I didn’t know. If I got there in time, I would stop it. But I doubted Abby was counting on me stopping her. If I knew anything about the reported killings, it was she worked quick. She didn’t let a target get away from her.
Fuck. She took a man out in front of a police station in a car chase! She wouldn’t be counting on me showing up to stop her. Hell, she mightn’t even listen to me.
No wonder she was so distant. She was losing herself. I had been there. I felt it with every life I took off the list. Sure, the people I killed were dead weight on the world. But it was still a life, and everyone I took affected me, so I could only imagine what it was doing to Abby.
This was the reason she didn’t want to keep the baby. This was the reason she couldn’t see herself being a mother. Because her boyfriend was using her. Didn’t she know that no one had a gun pointed at her forcing her to do it? What could Daniels have on her for her to do this?
She said she didn’t love him.
So she wasn’t doing this out of love. My eyes slightly widened. Or maybe she was and she had just lied to me.
Because I couldn’t think of any other reason for her to be killing these people to ensure Blake’s parole board agreed to let him out. She would have to love Daniels to do his work.
She lied to me. But it still didn’t change the facts. I was still going to her. Because well, I loved her. And I wasn’t about to see the woman I love locked up just because her heart was beating hard for someone else and she was willingly putting her life at risk for him.
***
“This doesn’t feel right.” Drake said as we ran up the driveway to the back of the house. I knew what he was talking about. There were cameras everywhere. The fence we jumped was enough to deter most people.
“We get her and we get out.” I said as we walked up the back porch. The back door was open wide. Looks like they had used this entrance as well. What the hell was Abby thinking? This place was guarded with every security measure possible apart from armed men.
We walked into the kitchen and I could hear her voice.
“YOU SAID THIS WAS THE LAST ONE!” Abby yelled and from what I could hear, she was angry and upset. “I’VE DONE MY BIT!”
“No point yelling at me. Blake told me to tell you that he isn’t finished with you,” Daniels answered, sounding calm about it and not angry that Abby was yelling at him.
“Nope, we had a deal. I’d kill the six people and he would drop the charges against Dad. He can’t go back on that!”
She was doing this because of the charges against her Dad? Didn’t she know that he was in the clear, the charges were dropped months ago? It suddenly dawned on me why they had been dropped. So much for Roach saying he h
ad a good lawyer.
So she hadn’t lied when she said she didn’t love Daniels. I was wrong when I said no one had a gun pointed at her, forcing to do what she had been doing. Blake hadn’t had a gun pointed at Abby; he had one pointed at her dad.
“Look, just go see Blake tomorrow. I’ve already told him you will be there to see him. Anyway, what’s so bad about us working together? We make a good team. Six dead, one tortured, and no cops. ” Daniels sounded proud of himself. “ So drop the attitude and help me find where the computers are to wipe the footage.”
“I’m not helping with anything. I couldn’t give a fuck if we get caught. If Blake will go back on his word, then he better expect me to go back on mine. I’ll happily tell the police all about the killings. Sure, I might go down for doing them, but Blake won’t be walking like he plans.”
“You wouldn’t do that.” Now Daniels sounded pissed off.
“Try me. I’ll do the time. I’m not scared of a prison sentence. I’d face that over being Blake’s personal serial killer.”
“Abby, you fucking start talking to the police and I can guarantee you won’t be living long in that prison.”
“Who said I was expecting to live out my sentence?”
“You’re talking crap.”
“I know all about your setup. I know every detail, and I can and will bring you down with me. I wonder how long the gang will last with all the main members behind bars and your gun deal dried up, your drug houses raided and every single dollar you ever earned gone.”
“Reel it the fuck in, Abby, before I start taking you seriously, because there is nothing stopping me from shooting you right now, and you will be sharing the floor with the lawyer.”
“We both know I’m the one who does the killing. Plus you would have to draw before me.”
“Talk to Blake tomorrow. I’m just giving you a message, but if you start telling Blake what you just told me, it won’t be your father’s life being taken. It will be yours and your baby’s. Hell, he might even take Kim as well for being related to you.”
“You can threaten me all you like, but you are forgetting one important detail.”
“That being?”
“As soon as this baby is out of me, I don’t care if I live or die. Not after what you put me through. I’ll go out bloody. I’ll go out bringing your whole organization down with me. You really should have thought about what would happen when you took everything from me. Forcing me to lie to my family and friends. Everyone thinks I’ve turned on the club. But you were counting on that.”
“Like I said. You wouldn’t have anyone standing beside you when we are finished with you.”
“Yeah well, I’ve still got myself, don’t I? And my mouth. So you tell Blake tomorrow. If he comes for my father, I’ll be at the police station handing myself in with every single thing I know about your little gang.”
“Informing on us won’t get you out of prison. We will get to you and we will kill you.”
“By then I would have given birth and have nothing to lose. So bring it the fuck on.”
I heard something smash. “You’re making a fucking mistake, Abby. We could have given you a home. We work well together. Blake doesn’t normally just trust outsiders, but he trusted you.”
“His mistake. And yours too I guess. Because I won’t settle till you are behind bars as well.”
“I’m going to find the computer and delete the footage. As for your threat, I’ll pass it on to Blake tomorrow, seeing as you won’t go see him.”
“You know, Blake is way too comfy in that prison. He might have bought the guards, but the MC still has inmates. They mightn’t kill him, but I’m sure my dad wouldn’t mind to give them an order to rough him up.”
“Your dad thinks you’re fucking me. Hell, everyone thinks that! You’re in deep with us.”
“He is my dad. He wouldn’t even think twice about it.”
“Is this what you want? To cut all ties with us? To threaten us? To try and bring us down?”
“I meant it when I said I would bring you down with me. Now tell Blake he either holds up his end and lets me go, or I will bring him down as well as his whole gang. Every single detail I know while being with you will be passed right on to the police. Personally, I’d love to see Blake under that much heat. Instead of getting out, he would be getting a longer sentence. So tell him that tomorrow for me, will you?”
“Don’t worry, what you’ve said tonight won’t go unforgotten. You’ve made a stand. I’ll tell him.”
“Good, now go delete that footage. Or don’t. I don’t care at this point.”
“Just stay here.”
I heard Daniels go up the stairs and when I heard him upstairs and away from Abby, I stepped out of the kitchen and into the lounge room. She was standing there, running her hand through her hair, looking all sorts of worried.
She was standing over Bruce. Who was dead? One clear bullet into the head.
“Abby?”
She looked up, as if she had just imagined my voice. Then she stared at me blankly for a few seconds before she bolted across to me.
“What the hell are you doing here? If he sees you, he will kill both of us.” She shoved me hard in the chest. “GO!”
“Abby, we aren’t leaving.” Drake stood next to me.
“Yes, you are. Both of you!” She pushed me harder. “Seriously Kade, if I’m to die after I give birth, fine. But our child will still need one parent and I’m counting on that being you. SO GO!”
I gripped her arms, stopping her from pushing me away.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” I had never been more furious or frustrated in my life. I could have stopped her from listening to them. Hell, I would have gone in prison to finish Blake myself. Didn’t she know that? Or maybe she did, and that’s why she kept it to herself. “Does your old man know?”
“No, and neither should you.” She looked at me with a determined face. “Now leave, Reaper. Because I’m not planning on living very long after I have this baby, and you need to be there for it. You can’t be caught here. If Daniels sees you, you will be killed.”
“Not if I kill him first.” I went to move around her. Time to finish this. She quickly stood in my face.
“NO! Killing them is what got me in this position. Just disappear, ok? Pretend like you haven’t seen anything. I’m handling it.”
“By planning on going to prison yourself or dying?”
“Abby, I found the computer. We can go.” Daniels started jogging down the stairs.
Abby pushed me hard and firmly in the chest and shoved me back into the kitchen, sliding the door shut.
“Who were you talking too?” Daniels asked. He was with her now. He was just on the other side of this door.
“Kim. She rang.”
“You don’t normally take phone calls while on the job.”
“I left her at the steak house. She was just checking I was ok.”
“Well, I’m sure you would have lied to her easily and told her you were fine.”
“Perhaps.”
“Alright, let’s get out of here.”
“Might as well take the front door. Not like anyone will be watching. And open that gate, will you? Like fuck I’m climbing it again,” Abby said, and her voice went softer as she walked away from the door.
I heard the front door close and the gate open. She thought she had this handled. She thought she could push everyone away so when she exploded, it didn’t impact anyone. Well, she was wrong. So deadly wrong.
I looked at Drake.
“You knew?” Why the fuck didn’t he tell me!
“I knew she was behind the killings. I didn’t know she was going to hand herself in to the police. Hell, Kade, I wouldn’t have let her give herself up!”
Kade. I cringed when I heard it.
“What are we going to do? Tell her old man or what?” Drake looked at me for answers because we both knew Abby was being serious when she said about handing
herself in. She had thought it through. And she didn’t have anything stopping her once she gave birth. She was just counting on still breathing till that happened.
Well, I had news for her. I wasn’t about to let her hand herself in. And I wasn’t about to let someone kill her, but I wouldn’t be able to talk her out of either. So I had to go to the main source of the problem. The man who had caused my life to go on a downward spiral as soon as Abby left me.
Blake.
***
“You know, I was expecting someone to come when I approached Abby. Took you all long enough. But I wasn’t expecting a visit from the Reaper.” Blake looked smugly across the table at me.
I was here as soon as visiting hours started.
“You shouldn’t have gone near her. Using her dad against her. That’s low even for your kind.” I didn’t hide my disgust and if I had it my way, he would be on the ground with my fist reshaping his face.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Got me what I wanted.”
“Yeah, and now that’s not enough for you, is it?”
“Why are you so interested in what happens between Abby and me?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Roach I would get. But you. Why do you care?”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Well, you do if you want me to leave Abby alone. Her father I could have taken out. You, on the other hand, would see that coming. You’re more of a threat.” Blake tilted his head, his eyes lighting up. “Let me take a stab and say you’re going to be a father.” His face lit up like he had solved a puzzle.
“You fucked with the wrong girl. Now you are going to let her go.” I wasn’t going to explain my reasons to him. “I want you to wipe this debt of hers. If you don’t, well, you will be getting a visit. From me. In here.”
He held his hands up. “Geez, calm down. Like I said, I’d handle Roach, but you are different. I’m not going to piss off the Reaper. I don’t have a death wish. Anyway, what Abby has done is pointless if I go and get killed by you.”
“Don’t ever reach out to her again. If I even hear your name come from her lips, I’ll be back here. And I won’t be leaving you breathing.”