by Simone Elise
***
Kim had rearranged the clubhouse furniture. There was one long table at the back then lots of little ones around it. There were ice buckets with beers and spirits. She had even gone as far as hiring staff to serve at the bar and circulate food.
I was sitting on Reaper’s lap with a smoke in one hand and his hand in the other. The place was packed and spilling out of the roller doors onto the lot. So many people had congratulated us that we didn’t get a minute alone.
I inhaled on the cigarette as Reaper talked to some guy I had never met. He introduced himself, but I couldn’t remember his name. I had met a lot of new people today. I didn’t know so many people knew my now-husband. But once word got out that Reaper was getting married, men rode from in everywhere.
I was putting my cigarette out when Reaper’s lips landed on my neck. My hand ran down his washboard abs. I curled into him, throwing one arm around his neck. My fingers ran through his hair. His hot lips left my neck.
“You alright, darling?”
A smile spread across my lips and I nodded my head, my hand held still on his heart, feeling the beating underneath it. I watched his lips twist into a grin, and my hand left his heart to hold his cheek.
“You’ve given me more than I could dream of, Kade.” I leaned my forehead against his.
His hand moved off my knee and ran down my outer thigh. “I can’t believe you’re still here after everything I’ve done.”
“Always.” I kissed his cheek.
“You feeling ok?” His hand went from my thigh to my stomach. It might still be flat, but there was a baby in there.
I watched the frown on his face as he was concerned for me. This man blew me apart. How could I have ended up with someone as kind as him, yet tough enough to always protect me?
“I’m fine, and so is the baby.” I cupped his face and planted a soft kiss on his lips. That was all I was planning on doing, but he had other ideas. His hands gripped me by the waist and lifted me up, repositioning me so I was straddling him. My dress worked its way up. He bit my bottom lip, causing my mouth to open and for him to have access.
His hands ran across my bare shoulders and then down my back till they stopped on my ass. My arms hung over his shoulders; my fingers interlocked as his tongue explored my mouth. It was like we were kissing for the first time. My heart rate was quickening, and the heat between us was boiling.
My tongue explored his mouth, his hands moving up my thighs, pushing my dress up to my hips. I could feel his erection right at my core. I nibbled his bottom lip before licking it and then deepening the kiss.
He groaned and then wrapped one arm underneath my ass and lifted us up while his other hand ran over my breasts, down my upper body and around me till it was firmly on my ass.
He was moving us through the crowd, and I didn’t care if people were staring. Right now I was struggling to remember my name. He had my body hot and bothered. He walked backward, holding me and still kissing me deeply. His hand left my body and searched for something behind him.
I was struggling to think of what it was when my eyes opened up and a door swung open. Kitchen. His lips left mine.
“Out,” he growled, and hearing him only made my heart tighten and my core burst into flames.
A number of the staff that Kim hired quickly exited and Reaper closed the door behind them. My hand moved under his shirt across his chiseled abs. I was touching him in haste and greed. Wanting more. I lowered my head and kissed his neck, right where my name was tattooed.
He wiped the counter of its contents and lowered me to it. As his fingers undid my zipper, his warm fingers across my skin sent a wave of desire over me. God, I needed him.
His wet lips landed on mine again, and in the heat of the moment, they traveled down my neck, stopping at my collarbone. He gripped my dress and pulled it out from under me.
Then he stopped. Froze.
“Fuck me,” he hissed, his eyes glued on me.
My cheeks heated up. Of course he would love what Kim bought. I wasn’t much into Victoria’s Secret, but Kim was, so she knew exactly what to buy. I was in a black corset with a matching G-string and straps that connected to my tights. Kim said I was smoking hot in it. I felt overdressed. My hands slowly pushed his leather cut off his shoulders and he let it drop to the floor.
“I’m planning on it.” I pulled him in by the buckle of his belt. And then I pulled his head down to mine, claiming his lips. It only took a couple of seconds for him to switch back on.
Chapter 49
Abby
I woke up. Normally this wouldn’t be a big thing, but when I went to curl into Reaper, he wasn’t there. It didn’t matter that we only went to sleep three hours ago. It didn’t matter that I knew deep down he would never leave me if he didn’t have to. My brain was too busy going crazy with the possibilities.
I threw the blankets back just as the bathroom door opened up.
Reaper was standing there, his hair dripping wet and a towel wrapped around his waist. He frowned.
“I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“No, of course not.” That was somewhat of a lie. “Why are you up?” I thought after yesterday we deserved a long sleep in. The party went for hours and was still going by the sounds of it.
“It’s eight.” He slipped on his black jeans, then a tee shirt. Wasn’t till I saw the packed bag that my heart sank.
“You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question. He was up because he was leaving.
“Yeah, at nine.” He gave me a half smile, and that was all it took. I burst into tears.
“You should have woken me! You shouldn’t have let me sleep! We only had a couple of hours together, and you let me sleep them away!” Tears were rolling down my cheeks. The anxiety I was feeling was suffocating me.
Why was it I could face down a target with a steady hand, hell, I could take two deep breaths and kill a man in a car chase, but the thought of him leaving me suffocated me? I couldn’t handle it.
Reaper was at my side in a second and the next thing I knew, he was lifting me onto his lap.
“Come on, Abby, you are stronger than this.”
“I don’t want to be stronger. I want you to stay!”
“You know I can’t.” He wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “It will only be a couple of weeks.”
“You say that, but my stomach is telling me something else.”
“I didn’t know our baby was talking yet.” He cracked a smirk at me, causing me to roll my eyes.
“You know what I meant.”
“Well, your gut is wrong. Jacobs will be easy to track down. I’ll handle it, and then I’ll be back for you,” and he put a hand on my stomach, “and you.”
I linked my hand with his. “That’s all I want.” I took a settling breath. He would come back and then we could go back to living our life with one extra person.
***
Because the party was still going, there was a lot of other people around when Reaper got on his bike to leave. Everyone knew he was going out on club business, and the fact that he was going to do it the day after his wedding meant it must be important business. They just didn’t know that my husband was being sent out to end another life.
How did I feel about it?
I didn’t know.
It still didn’t sit well with me, even though I knew there was no other option.
Brad was standing next to me as I rocked on my heels, watching Reaper strap his bag down. I glanced down at the ring on my finger. That was his promise to me that he would be back. That was his promise that for the rest of his life, he would love me. I looked up, seeing the ‘Abby’ on his neck. There weren't many other ways he could dedicate himself to me.
He straddled his bike, and I felt like every pair of eyes in the lot were on me. Dad’s eyes were the ones I was most aware of. He was waiting for me to crack.
In some ways, this felt like the first time Reaper rolled out of town on me when I was sixteen. Thoug
h this time he was rolling out a married man. Married to me.
I walked barefooted to him.
“You ok?” His eyes were studying me as he buckled up his helmet.
I nodded my head and then grabbed his arm that was holding the bike's handlebar.
“Call me when you arrive.” I kissed him quickly on the cheek.
“This is only temporary, Abby. I promise.” He gave me a half smile and then kicked his bike to life. The roar of the engine was mean and loud, dominating the air. “I’ll be back in a couple of weeks,” he yelled over the engine.
I stepped away from him and just like that, he took off. I waited till he was out the gate before I let the tears flow, pulling my sunglasses down to cover my eyes.
I guess I was on my own again. I looked at the club; Dad was still watching me. I guess I wasn’t totally on my own. Kade had left me with my family.
Chapter 50
Abby
Lonely. There is something to be said about being lonely. You can be in a room full of people but still feel like you are alone. This was me. The club was larger than life. Still, I felt like I was by myself. Kim was making more of an effort to be around, and even Dad was having the oddly forced conversation with me, but I still felt alone.
Because every night, I went to an empty bedroom. And every night, I hoped Reaper would call me. But he never did. I got a text message he was there and safe two weeks ago. Since then, nothing.
I stared down at my wedding ring. It promised so much when really, all it was doing was giving me empty hopes.
I picked up my bag and locked my door.
This morning, I had an ultrasound. It was one more thing I would be doing by myself. I knew if things were right, Reaper would be there playing the proud dad. But my luck just wasn’t that great. Instead, he was on a mission to kill someone, and I was about to get freaked out that something was growing inside me again.
Last time it happened, things didn’t go to plan, and this time I was going to be extra careful.
I couldn’t lose two babies.
Surely my fate wasn’t that bad.
“Morning, sunshine.” Brad was at the dining table with Dad and a few other members.
“Morning, guys.” I gave them a half wave. Small talk was another thing I was losing my touch with.
I headed for the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Brad was up and walking towards me.
“Doctor. I have an ultrasound.” I searched for my car keys in my bag.
“And I’ll be taking you.”
I looked up, stunned. “Why?”
Brad had a smug expression on his face. “You didn’t think Reaper was going to let you face all this on your own, did you? I’ve been ordered to go to every doctor’s appointment. In fact, anything that involves that baby of yours. So think of me as your partner in crime.”
“You don’t have to come.”
“Like I said. I’ve been ordered. And I take my Vice President Patch seriously. So let's go.” He walked off, leaving me standing there, stunned. So Reaper had thought ahead. Why didn’t he tell me of his little plan?
I was relieved I didn’t have to do this on my own, and at the same time scared, because what if something was wrong?
I fiddled with my fingers. I guess I couldn’t put it off.
“Hurry up, would ya?” Brad shouted from the front door.
Yeah, I was right. I couldn’t put it off.
***
“So how many photos?” the lady asked me as she wiped the goo off my stomach.
“Um, just one,” I answered.
“Make that two,” Brad said over the top of me. I wanted to roll my eyes. Of course he would want a picture.
“Proud dad.” The lady smiled at me and tapped me on the arm. “Not often you get one of them. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I wanted to correct her, but before I could, she was out of the room. I dragged my eyes from the door to the Mr. Proud Father.
“See that, she thinks I’m the dad!” Brad whacked my arm. “Me!”
“Well, you did ask for a picture.” I pulled my top down.
“Yeah, but come on. As if someone would look at us and think we had sex. Really.” Brad helped me up.
“Well, if you are coming to every baby appointment, a lot of people are going to think you had sex with me.” I cracked a smirk getting up. “I wonder what that will do for your rep around town.”
His face blanked. “I didn’t think of that.”
“All those single girls thinking ‘he’s taken.’” I was trying to talk him around not taking the picture because I know him. He will be waving the thing around the clubhouse, showing any poor bastard that walks his way.
His eyes were locked with mine, and then a smile cracked across his previous blank expression.
“I’m still taking the picture, Abby.”
I groaned. “Fine.”
The door opened up, and the lady came in and handed us copies of the photo and a DVD. She said she would see me at the next appointment. As far as we knew at the moment, everything looked normal and healthy. So ‘it’ was still ok.
“So what do you want to do now?” Brad asked as walked back to the truck.
“Go home.”
“Come on. We could go shopping.” He was holding up the picture as we walked. “You know everyone is going to think this is my kid. Look at its nose.”
“That’s an elbow, Brad.”
He looked at it again. “Really?”
“Positive. Can we go now?”
“Depends on where we are going to.”
“The clubhouse.”
“Nah, we still have half a day to kill before heading back there.”
“Brad, I want to go home.”
“Nope.”
“Fine then.” I looked at him. “Where do you want to go?”
His face lit up. “We could go baby stuff shopping.” He pulled a card out of his wallet. “Reaper gave me this.”
I stared at him blankly. “It’s burning a hole in your pocket not using it, isn’t it?”
“Well, you know Reaper and money. He never gives it away.”
“So you want to burn a hole in my husband’s bank account?”
“Pretty much. Yeah.” He smirked at me. “Come on, aren’t you dying to buy thing some clothes?”
“Thing?”
“That’s what I’m calling it.” He reversed out of the park.
“You are not calling my unborn baby thing.”
“Already done. Anyway, you call it it!”
“I’m its mother, and it is an it.”
“It is also a thing.”
“Fine, call it whatever.” I gave up and pulled my phone out of my handbag. I wasn’t even half surprised when there were no calls or messages from Kade.
“So shopping it is?” Brad asked.
“Sure, why not. I guess it has to be done. But nothing pink or blue.”
“How about we stick to black?”
“That’s a bit depressing for a kid.”
“But this thing isn’t any old thing. The thing is a member, so black suits.”
“I’ll tell you what. If you can find something in black, we can buy it.” I was positive he wouldn’t find anything black at all.
So baby stuff shopping. Another thing I should be doing with Reaper. But not doing it alone was good. At least I had a friend, even if I was questioning his sanity levels.
***
Kim had called and needed a few things from the supermarket, so Brad and I stopped on the way home. Because Brad had gotten crazy with the shopping, we had one truckload of stuff; stuff he was very protective of and wouldn’t leave.
So I went in by myself. It wasn’t a big deal. I got a couple of things and was on my way, thinking about Kade, when I walked—bang!— into someone.
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention,” I apologized.
“It’s ok.” He picked up one of my bags and handed it to me
. “I haven’t seen you around town before.” He frowned.
“Um, my family lives here. I don’t. Just here for a visit.” Small chit chat seemed in order, after all, I nearly knocked him over.
“Well, I’m Jake.” He extended a hand with my bag.
“Nice to meet you, Jake. I’d love to stay and chat, but I have someone waiting for me. Sorry again.”
“No worries. Bye, Abby.” He waved.
I waved back and then made a beeline for the truck. I was back inside, telling Brad we could go, when it hit me. I hadn’t told him my name. So how did he know it?
Chapter 51
Abby
So after Brad bought possibly everything baby related, it was all stuffed into my bedroom. I was currently going through it when my door swung open.
“Geez, who bought all this crap?” Kim eyed the room, filled to the brim of baby stuff.
“Reaper gave Brad his bank card.” I put a blanket down and moved toward the bed.
“You would think after last time they would hold back on this shit.” Kim’s words might have sounded nasty, but she meant them out of kindness. “Reaper should know better.”
“What do you mean Reaper? Brad is the one who went baby mad.”
“Yeah, and he is doing everything Reaper says. So all this,” Kim gestured around the room. “is from Reaper.”
I hadn’t looked at it like that. I honestly thought Brad was just doing it because of all the sales assistants following him around like he was the best thing ever. Maybe it was because of Reaper?
“I guess you’re right.”
“So like I said, he should have known better.” Kim crossed her arms. “What are you doing in here anyway?”
“I honestly don’t know.” I was avoiding the clubhouse because everyone was just so focused on Reaper. Wanting to know where he was. How he was. If he was heading back soon. And I had no answers because he didn’t think to call his wife and check in, did he?
Then I remembered what I wanted to ask Kim. “Hey Kim, do you know a guy in town called Jake well? At least I think that was his name.” I frowned.