Reaper

by B E Kelly

  “No problem,” Tank said. “You just do what you have to do to keep you and your girl safe. We all got your back, man.” Reaper nodded and Tank turned to call the club’s meeting to order.

  “Quite down ya’ll,” he growled over the hum of the crowd. “We have a vote to take and then we need to get on with this wedding celebration for our own Reaper and Beth,” he said. “First, raise your glasses in a toast to the happy couple.” Everyone in the bar raised their beer bottles and shot glasses in the air, as Tank ordered.

  “Behind every crazy biker is an even crazier Old Lady who’s enjoying the ride,” Tank began. “To the happy couple—may you both ride hard and enjoy the journey for many years to come. Welcome to the family, Beth.” Tank saluted Beth with his beer bottle and everyone drank.

  “Thanks, guys and thank you to everyone who threw this party together for us,” Reaper said. “Now, all I need to do is get Lizzy on the back of my bike and she’ll be official.” Lizzy smirked up at him and shook her head. She had refused to get on the back of his bike even after everyone’s reassurances that she’d be perfectly safe. He didn’t want to force her, but sooner or later, she was going to have to come to terms with the fact that he was a biker and she was now officially his Old Lady. He’d get her on the back of his bike, one way or another.

  “It’s time for our vote, club,” Tank said. “I need to hear yea or nay when I call roll. You all know the drill here—majority rules. Keep in mind two things here: Reaper and Beth are family, but we are dealing with the government if we agree to this and that doesn’t always end well for groups like ours.”

  Reaper’s stomach did a flip- flop. He knew what he was asking from his brothers and he hated having to put them on the spot but he and Lizzy had nowhere else to turn. He needed them. Reaper listened as Tank ran down the roll call, reading off names from a notebook he kept behind the bar. It was the club’s bible and had everything anyone would ever need to know about each member written inside. Tank kept notes on everyone and Reaper was sure that Lizzy’s name was already even added to it, right next to his own, just the way it should be.

  There were a few nays but for the most part, Reaper was hearing mostly yeas and he had to admit it made him pretty damn proud. Lizzy crossed the bar to stand next to him and he pulled her snugly against his body, needing the contact with her.

  “We’ve got their help, baby,” he whispered into her ear when he realized that Tank was getting to the end of the list.

  “Thank God,” she breathed and laid her head on his shoulder. “Will it be safe for them?” she questioned. Honestly, he had no way of answering her question, since he didn’t know himself.

  “The yay’s have it,” Tank shouted over the crowd. “Tonight, we celebrate but tomorrow, we plan.” He turned to shake Reaper’s hand and pulled Lizzy in for a quick hug. “We’ve got you, guys. Don’t worry about a thing tonight, just have a good time. I’ll be heading over to meet your sister and niece tonight, Beth,” Tank paused. “We really need to come up with a kick ass MC name for you now that you’re one of us,” he added.

  “Thanks, Tank,” she said. “I already texted Lyra to tell her that you’ll be there tonight and to trust you, but I have to warn you, she’s a tough nut to crack,” Lizzy warned.

  “How about Seer?” Reaper interrupted their conversation. “You know, for her MC name?”

  Lizzy smiled up at him and it took his breath away. “I love it,” she said.

  “Seer it is,” Tank said. “Hey everyone—your attention one more time, please.” Everyone quieted to hear Tank’s orders, as usual and Reaper smiled down at his wife. “Reaper had given his girl her MC name and I have to say—it fits.”

  Reaper stepped forward and pulled Lizzy along with him. “Meet Seer,” he said. Everyone in the group held up their drinks and shouted her new name and Lizzy turned the cutest shade of pink he’d ever seen.

  “Well, you're official now,” he whispered to her.

  “Yep, looks that way,” she said. “I’m officially your wife and officially a part of this motley crew,” she teased.

  “Well, wife,” he said. “How about we take some cake and go up to our room?” Lizzy giggled and nodded and he swept her up into his arms and started up the steps with her. The cheers and crude remarks were drowned out by all the love he felt for her and every dirty thing he could possibly think of doing with her, running through his mind.

  “I can tell exactly what you’re thinking husband and I have to admit, I like it,” she sassed.

  “Oh, if you only knew that half of it, wife,” he teased.

  Elizabeth

  She woke early the next morning. Their wedding party rang on well into the wee hours of the morning, but she and Reaper had spent the rest of the night in their room together and she had no complaints. Well, maybe just one—she was tired but too excited to sleep. Her life had taken such a crazy turn and she wasn’t sure her brain was capable of keeping up with all of the changes.

  Beth padded to the kitchen, expecting to find Tank but then remembered he was guarding Lyra and Lil. He must have left the party to protect her sister and she was grateful that Reaper’s friends were so kind and accepting. They took on her problems as if they were the club’s own and she’d never be able to repay them.

  She put a pot of coffee on to brew, knowing that was going to be the only way she was going to be able to deal with all the plans they had to make today. The guys were having another club meeting tonight to discuss how to handle Reaper’s boss and Ringer was supposed to make sure that Dave even showed up. He had news about what the government planned to do, for their part, and she knew that Tank and the guys were worried about having a government agent in the bar. It would be a first for the Reckoning crew, according to Reaper.

  A pounding on the bar’s front door made her jump and she nearly dropped the pot of coffee. “Shit,” she grumbled. “Who the hell shows up to a bar at this hour of the morning?”

  Beth made her way to the front of the bar, to unbolt the door, not bothering to see who was on the other side first. “We’re closed,” she growled before getting the door all the way open. As soon as she did, she quickly tried to close the door again but it was too late.

  “It’s okay, sugar,” he said. “I’m here to see you and your boyfriend anyway.”

  “Anthony Sr.,” she stuttered his name and he smiled down at her, reminding her of the Cheshire Cat.

  “I see my reputation precedes me,” he said. His accent reminded her of so many other native New Orleaners, a creole mix of the South and the French influence that was so prevalent in town. “Or maybe it’s just your witchy ways with voodoo that I keep hearing about.”

  Beth shivered, “How do you know about my abilities?” she questioned refusing to deny them.

  “Oh, word gets around this town, but you already know that Miss Sibyl, don’t you? That’s why you’ve sent that massive man to protect your sister and her little girl but he won’t be able to keep her safe.” Beth sobbed at the mention of her sister and Lil. She hoped like hell Tank would be able to protect them both. For now, she was going to do everything in her power to keep her husband safe because if Anthony Sr. was going to take her, Reaper might be her only lifeline.

  “Where’s Reaper?” he questioned, as if able to read her mind.

  “Not here,” she lied.

  “Wrong,” Anthony Sr. shouted. “Reaper—you here, boy? Come on out and say hello to your father’s best friend.” Beth knew that Reaper’s father and Anthony Sr. were somehow connected. They were the original owners of the textile business, but she couldn’t imagine anyone being friends with a snake of a man who stood in front of her now.

  “I’m here,” Reaper said. He held the gun he had stowed in her glove box in his hand and she knew that he wasn’t about to give her up without a fight. She worried how this all would end for them both. Beth just found Reaper, there was no way she’d let anything happen to him now.

  “Please,” she said, holding
her hand out for Reaper to stay back. “We don’t need to settle this with guns,” she begged. “We can just sit down like civilized people and work this all out.”

  Reaper barked out his laugh, “Honey, nothing about this man is civilized,” he said.

  “He’s right, you know,” Anthony Sr. agreed. She looked back to see that he too was holding a gun and it was pointed directly at her.

  “How about you point that thing at me and I’ll give you my gun. Then you and I can talk,” Reaper offered, “as soon as Lizzy walks out of here.”

  “Alright,” Anthony Sr. quickly agreed.

  “No,” Beth shouted. “No Reaper, I won’t let you go.”

  “You have to, honey,” he said. “It’s the only way this thing ends with you still alive. I can’t exist in a world that doesn’t happen. I need for you to be okay.” Reaper stepped forward and handed over his gun, as he promised and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her and Beth knew he was telling her goodbye. Sobs racked her body and Reaper turned her to face the door.

  “Go, Lizzy,” he said.

  “No,” she cried. “I can’t.”

  “Please do what I tell you to do, for once,” he begged. “I love you,” he said and shoved her towards the door. She watched as Anthony Sr. kept his gun trained on Reaper and she knew that one false move would end her husband’s life. She couldn’t let that happen. Beth did the only thing she knew how—she walked out the door, just as Reaper told her to, and straight into the arms of one of Anthony Sr.’s men. He had four guys just outside the door, waiting for her and all of them were holding guns that were pointed at her.

  “Thanks for making this so easy, son,” Anthony Sr. said. “Later on today, I’ll be sending over a private carrier with papers for you to sign, turning over your half of the company to me. You will also cease working with that government clown to bring down my business or I’ll not only kill your pretty girl here, I’ll find her family and put an end to them too. Better yet, I bet I can get a pretty penny for her and her sister at market. With their special abilities, they will go for top dollar.”

  “No,” Reaper shouted.

  “Now, let’s not do anything hasty,” Anthony Sr. warned. “I wouldn’t want to put a hole in you before you sign my papers. Let’s go boys and bring Miss Sibyl along. She’s going to be our guest for the next little while.”

  Beth didn’t struggle, she knew that would only make Reaper angrier and there would be no telling what he would do. “I love you,” she shouted over her shoulder to him. “I’ll see you in my dreams, Reaper,” she said, hoping that he’d pick up on her clue. She knew that their connection was strong enough to withstand any distance put between them. No one else knew what they could do and that was something she and Reaper could use to their benefit. If she could get enough information about where they were taking her and where she was being held, she’d be able to tell it to her husband in their shared dreams. It was her only hope and all she had to cling to as she watched Reaper through the passenger window. He nodded at her and she knew that he not only understood her hidden message, but he’d move heaven and earth to get to her and bring her back home—to him.

  Reaper

  It had been seven hours since his boss took Lizzy and no fucking courier had showed up with papers for him. He’d sign them too—hell, he’d give his business partner everything he demanded just to get his wife back. He felt as though he was going out of his fucking mind without her.

  Tank had put two of his guys on Lyra and Lil and headed back to the bar to call an emergency meeting. Most of the guys even left their day jobs to help out. “We have to have a mole,” Tank growled. He had hauled Reaper into his back office with Gunner and Texas. Brick had headed to help Ringer keep an eye on Sophie. Out of all seventy-three current club members and their old ladies, the three men Reaper trusted most were in the room with him. Right now, he couldn’t afford to worry about hurting the other’s feelings. He needed to make sure that what he said in Tank’s back office stayed between them and only them.

  “I agree,” Reaper said. “How else could Anthony Sr. know about Lizzy’s abilities? Whoever fed him his information must have been at the meeting when my girl shared about her gift. It makes sense, but who would do that to us? Are there any guys who were just patched into the club?” Tank pulled out his “bible” to go through the names and Reaper checked his phone for about the millionth time since Lizzy left. God, he wished he had some clue as to where she was. Instead they were working blind and he hated that feeling.

  “Let’s go over everything one more time, while Tank looks through names,” Gunner offered. Reaper grumbled something about having been through all of this before, but then shot his friend an apologetic look and instantly felt like shit for acting like an ass.

  “Sorry, man,” he offered. “I’m just worried about my girl.”

  “We all are, Reap,” Gunner said. “We’ll get her back; I just need to ask a few questions to clarify what happened.”

  “Alright,” he said. “Shoot.”

  “Why did Seer tell you she’d see you in her dreams?” Gunner asked.

  Reaper felt as if he was sharing a secret that he hoped to keep between him and his wife. Hell, he knew it sounded crazy to admit he was able to connect with her in their dreams and telling his friends that might make them believe he was losing his mind. He sighed and looked around the small office, hoping that if he didn’t answer, Gunner might move onto another question.

  “Fuck,” he growled when he realized that wasn’t going to happen.

  “You know you can trust us, right Reap?” Texas asked. “We will always have your back, no matter what.”

  “I know, but what I’m about to tell you is going to make me sound crazy,” Reaper held up his hands as if defending himself. “I’m not though,” he insisted.

  “We all know you’re not crazy, man,” Tank offered. “Sure, when Seer told us her story, we didn’t know what to believe, but if you say she has abilities to see things, then that’s good enough for us.”

  “Thanks, man,” Reaper said, feeling a little bit better about what he was going to share with them. “I can connect with Lizzy in our dreams.”

  “Like—you dream about your girl at night and she dreams about you?” Gunner asked.

  “No, man. It’s like I literally show up in her dream and vice versa. I can’t explain it, really. The first time it happened, I didn’t want to believe it was even a possibility, but then Lizzy started saying things she had said to me in the dream. She knew things we talked about while asleep—things she couldn’t have known unless we were actually having the same dream,” Reaper said.

  “I thought her abilities had to do with her dreaming about people and knowing that they needed help and then she found some way to lend a hand,” Texas said.

  “Well, that’s most of it, Tex. I mean, she dreamed about me for most of her life, since we were both kids and when she found me on the side of the highway, she knew my name without me even telling her. How the hell could I deny her abilities then?” he questioned. “God, I was a moron, not believing her. I gave her such a hard time and when she offered to help me get to my meeting, I thought, ‘why the hell not?’ I thought I’d just use her for what I needed and then dump her. I was a fucking asshole,” he admitted.

  “But you came around,” Tank said, trying to help.

  “Sure, after our first shared dream, it was pretty hard to deny she could do what she said. Hell, I became a part of it at that point. There was no denying anything anymore,” Reaper said. He was interrupted by a soft knock at the door and for just a minute he hoped that it would be Lizzy who waited on the other side.

  “Come in,” Tank barked. The door swung open and two bikers flanked an extremely nervous looking Dave.

  “Who the hell is this?” Tank asked, making the poor guy noticeably upset.

  “I’m Dave,” he stuttered. Reaper stood and shook Dave’s hand, hoping to calm the tension a little.

  �
��This is Dave—from the government agency I told you about. He’s a good guy and he’s here to help us,” Reaper said.

  “I am and I think we have good news,” Dave stepped into the already crowded office and Tank nodded to the two men who had brought him back.

  “Thanks guys,” Tank said. “Shut the door on your way out.” Dave waited for them to leave before having a seat in front of Tank’s big desk and opening his briefcase.

  “I’m assuming you are the man in charge?” Dave asked.

  “I am—name’s Tank.” Dave stood and held out his hand, but Tank didn’t return the gesture, sending a clear message on how the club felt about a government man being in the bar.

  “Let’s get right down to it then,” Dave said, sitting back down in the chair. He pulled a file folder from his briefcase and handed it to Tank. Reaper stood over his shoulder, looking at the pictures and feeling sicker with each passing one. They were pictures of his warehouse, but instead of textiles, the walls were lined with makeshift cages that held women and girls against their will.

  “Fuck,” Reaper spat.

  “Yeah,” Dave agreed. “We now have the evidence we need to go in and raid your warehouse. You were correct Mr. Payton; your partner is running a human trafficking ring. It’s a good thing you came to me when you did or you might be mixed up in the blame. My department has been watching Anthony Sr. for almost a half a year now. We just couldn’t pinpoint where he was keeping the women. But, thanks to you, now we know.”

  “Reaper,” he corrected. “Mr. Payton was my father. Please, call me Reaper. So, now what, Dave?”

  “Well, now we go in there and bring his operations to a crippling halt and put Anthony Sr. away for a good long time. You’ll get your textile business back and we can part ways—hopefully as friends.”