by Jamie Begley
Reaper’s Salvation
Road to Salvation: A Last Rider’s Trilogy #3
Jamie Begley
Young Ink Press Publication
YoungInkPress.com
Copyright © 2021 by Jamie Begley
Edited by C&D Editing & Hot Tree Editing
Cover Art by Cover Couture
Photo (c) Wander Photography
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Connect with Jamie,
facebook.com/AuthorJamieBegley
JamieBegley.net
I dedicate this book to
Terry Deisley,
Randie and her daughter,
& Christopher Fleming.
Contents
Warning
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Epilogue
Epilogue
Reading Order
Warning
This book contains scenes that some readers may find disturbing, including graphic depictions of rape and sexual assault, and is intended for adults only.
Reader discretion is advised.
Reading this book… will be like entering the dark web.
ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Prologue
Ginny numbly stared out the window of the private jet that she and Hammer boarded after leaving Silas’s house. Sightlessly staring at the grey clouds floating below, she replayed the image of Gavin walking toward the waiting car that would take him to Taylor.
In her bedroom upstairs, she had heard the rumble of his voice as he’d talked on his cell phone. She’d dressed quickly and had gone downstairs to start breakfast to hear Gavin ending his phone call the moment she entered the kitchen. The sound of him starting the shower had her slapping several slices of bacon onto the sizzling skillet.
Blinking back tears of fright from what she had gotten herself into, compounded with her fear of Gavin’s reaction to the story she was determined to discuss with him, had her hands shaking. She knew she should have told him about her past the previous night, before her brothers arrived back home, but the precious moments with him had gone too quickly.
She promised herself as she flipped the bacon that as soon Gavin got out of the shower, she would tell him her history. However when the sound of the shower stopped, she revised her plan, deciding to wait to tell him anything until after he told her about Taylor being at the clubhouse. The time would also allow her the opportunity to settle the mounting trepidations as the minutes ticked by.
“Where’s all the jelly I saw sitting on the counter yesterday?”
Ginny looked up from the frying pan. “I gave it to Viper. Silas is going to bring more from storage when he comes back this afternoon. There’s some grape jelly in the refrigerator.”
“It’s store bought. You took all those jars to the storage building? Why didn’t you leave one here?”
“Actually, two were meant for here, but when I asked Viper to take a couple to Lily, he asked if he could to take another couple for the club.”
“You gave them my jelly?”
Ginny’s brows rose. Gavin was making no effort to hide his irritation. “Technically, those jars are mine. I don’t understand what the big deal is. I have ten more jars in—”
“The problem is I don’t want Shade eating your jelly. It’s mine.”
Ginny watched as he plopped down on his chair at the table and then stared sullenly at the plain toast.
Ginny placed a plate of bacon in front of him. “You could make yourself a bacon sandwich,” she suggested, trying to hide her amusement at his jealousy. She wondered if it was because she made the jelly or if it was an ongoing rivalry between Gavin and Shade.
“You made some to send to Shade.”
Rolling her eyes at him, she turned around, but then found herself being pulled down onto his lap.
“I’m sorry.”
Ginny could tell he didn’t mean his apology, so she wound her arms around his neck and called his bluff. “You don’t look sorry.”
“I’m not.”
“Didn’t your mother teach you to share?”
“All the women in the club cater to Shade.”
Ginny frowned. “When I worked there, I didn’t see anyone catering to him.”
“I’m not talking about the wives.”
“Oh … I see. The women who live there?” Ginny never paid any attention to the men in the club, so she couldn’t say if the women had or hadn’t.
“Yes.”
Goosebumps rose on her skin when Gavin began tracing imaginary circles on her arm with his thumb.
“Don’t give any more to him. Please?”
When he touched her like that, she was willing to jump off a cliff if he asked—though even under extreme torture she’d refuse to admit it … but God knew she would.
“I won’t make him any more jelly. Satisfied?”
Agreeing so easily to his request, she saw the suspicion in his eyes. What could she say? She had bigger fish to fry than dealing with Gavin’s ridiculous jealousy over Shade.
“What are your plans for the day?” Unable to resist taking the opportunity to touch him as well, Ginny carefully gauged his reaction as she waited for him to tell her that Taylor was at the club. She promised herself she wouldn’t react to the mention of Taylor’s name on his lips.
“I’m going to the clubhouse to have a talk with the brothers. They want to return a few of the gifts I gave them.”
As Gavin spoke, Ginny realized he wasn’t going to admit his ex-fiancée was at the club.
“I bet,” she said with a heavy heart. “That’s one gift I’m glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of.”
He lifted her off slightly, then slid a small box out of his pocket and held it out for her to take. Ginny stared at the box, as two separate fears cut her to t
he quick. Was Gavin still contemplating taking his life, or was this a good-bye gift before he reunited with Taylor?
Seeing the reaction she was unable to hide, despite for her best efforts, Gavin shook his head at her. “This gift is not like the ones I bought for the brothers. I bought this because … I know the bracelet means a lot to you, and I wanted you to have a piece of me, and because I was missing you.”
His explanation didn’t erase the fear of Taylor, but it did give her precious seconds to regain her composure.
“Then I’ll accept your gift.” Pressing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, she jiggled the present in front of his face, pretending to be excited.
Ginny didn’t tell him her closely guarded secret—she hated presents. Most of the presents she’d received in her life had been given as a replacement for the person being there. In reality, the only present she ever wanted was to be surrounded by the people she loved.
“Let me guess.” She jiggled the small box again, hoping the gift was a sign he was beginning to care about her. “They’re charms.”
“Good guess.”
Ginny could see his eyes watching her nervously, waiting for her reaction, despite him trying to joke.
“Aw … they’re beautiful.” She kissed him, and as it spun into a passionate haze she plastered herself against his chest.
Please, God, don’t ever let the kiss end, Ginny silently begged.
Her prayer was short-lived and bittersweet. Gavin pulled back from their embrace to straighten her on his lap. “Behave. Viper will be here in five minutes.”
Her face fell at the reminder of how fast time was getting away from her. She had yet to confess her past. “So soon? I thought we had at least an hour. Silas just left, and I was—”
“You thought you’d get a little nookie after Silas left?” He gave her an unapologetic, I-told-you-so smirk. “You should have taken my suggestion and snuck down to my room after he went to bed last night.”
Ginny’s breath caught in the back of her throat as she stared at Gavin. God, he was beautiful. Even though she’d only met him year ago, she could see a glimmer of the man he probably had been, before life irrevocably changed him. Laughter warmed his expression, and she saw the devil-may-care attitude that could attract both men and women like fish to bait.
“Your room doesn’t have a door,” she reminded him, wanting to continue the banter, hoping to catch another glimpse of the carefree man he used to be.
“Which is one of the chores I have to take care of today, but you need to open my present first.”
Ginny stared at the unopened present in her hand, knowing precious minutes were ticking too quickly, mirroring the rhythm of her heartbeat. “If I don’t open it, will you please stay here with me?” she whispered.
Gavin took her chin in his hand and lifted her eyes to his. “The most I’ll be gone is a couple of hours. I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to.” Releasing her chin, he took the box, then he placed a star, a moon, and a pair of diamond angel wings charms into her palm. Closing her fingers around the charms, he lifted her fist to his lips. “The next charm I’m going to buy you is a four-leaf clover, to remind you of our first date.”
None of his gifts gave her a sense of elation, since she’d been on the receiving end of too many presents which represented good-byes. Gifts had never represented a future together, such as the ones that Trudy had given her; they were a more of appeasement to make them feel better about leaving her.
“Our first date?” Ginny stared at him in confusion. They never had a first date. Then it dawned on her. “I refuse to think of Dirty Dan’s as our first date.” She wouldn’t count it as a first date; she’d left him no choice that day but to accompany her into the restaurant.
“You’d rather be reminded of us having to sneak out before morning to bury a mirror?” That had been another situation she dragged him into.
“Yes, I would. I’d prefer to forget about Marty, and you’re going to help me do that by not mentioning he’s moving to Treepoint.”
“But—”
“No buts… unless it’s yours.” The last thing she wanted to talk about was Marty.
Hearing Viper’s car pull up outside, she knew she’d run out of time to tell him her secret.
Gavin tapped the side of her bottom to get her to stand and together they went to the front door. She’d expected Gavin to tell her about Taylor being at the club, but it was clear to her he wasn’t going to. And while he kept that secret, she had to admit she’d kept her own. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and confess who she was and the arrangement she’d made with the FBI to keep everyone she loved, including the Last Riders, safe. Was it too late?
Gavin raised her wrist and stared at her bracelet, looking at the dangling charms. “When did you get this one?” Gavin touched the fragile gold sand dollar Trudy had given her when she returned from her honeymoon.
“T.A. gave it to me.” Ginny didn’t lift her eyes to meet his.
“Why’d T.A. give you a charm? It looks expensive.”
It was the perfect opportunity to confess, yet she held the words back.
Gavin hadn’t told her about Taylor. Was that why he looked so happy? Was she willing to destroy his chance of happiness with the woman he loved? If Ginny told him the deal she’d made, she knew he’d stay to protect her, and he would be dragged into another mess—this one of her own making.
“She gave it to me for singing at her wedding.”
“That was nice of her.”
“She’s a nice person.” Only her iron will kept her voice from cracking.
The loud honk from the yard had them going outside.
Apparently uncaring of Viper watching, he placed a kiss on her lips. “When I come back, I’ll be bringing that door.”
“You going to tell Silas why you’re wantin’ to put that door up?” she teased, despite her heart breaking. He wouldn’t be coming back once Taylor and he made up. If his feelings for Taylor were over, he would have mentioned her being at the club. The internal debate going on in her head had the question sounding uncharacteristically “Kentucky twang” that would come out when her emotions went haywire.
“I’ll leave that up to you,” he said, going down the steps.
Turning at the bottom of the steps, Gavin must have seen her expression, because he walked back up the steps. “I’ll talk to him, okay?” Rubbing a thumb over her trembling bottom lip, he pulled her into his body. “If it’s going to make you uncomfortable, when I come back, we’ll talk it over and find another place for us to stay. Now, will you behave, or am I going to have to shove that horn up Viper’s ass?”
Hearing him talk of their future and finding another place to live, she smiled and yet her heart still broke. “I’ll behave.”
Hugging him closer to her, Ginny memorized every detail from his tattoos to his smoldering eyes and the incredible strength she felt emanating off him. She had known the deal with the FBI was going to be hard, but she hadn’t expected it to feel as if a lung was being ripped out of her. Having Gavin confess he no longer felt like a man the night before had broken the line of what she should or shouldn’t do; however, making love with him was a decision she would never regret. She loved him and wanted to reassure him he was exactly the man she needed. While he promised he would return to her, she knew he loved another woman, but for that moment in time, he had been hers. Ginny had to atone for many mistakes in her life, but making love with Gavin wasn’t one.
Ginny stifled her plea to come back as Gavin waved to Matthew and Isaac before he got inside Viper’s SUV.
It was too late to back out of the deal she made with the FBI; it would endanger the people she loved. Any hurt she felt over Gavin not telling her about Taylor was inconsequential. He deserved to be with the woman he spent years loving—just as she deserved to face the consequences for stealing from Gabriel Allerton.
Hammer, however, didn’t deserve the position she’d put him. By taking the DNA ancest
ry kit, she wound up using him to help broker the deal with the FBI. Though, she’d been secretly relieved he not only agreed but demanded to accompany her back to Clindale Island.
His steadying presence was the only reason she was able to sit calmly beside him while terror of facing her past twisted her stomach into knots. Every dip and bounce of the plane had her gripping the arms of her seat, expecting it to either explode or plunge toward the ground beneath them.
The FBI had promised to keep her safe, yet Ginny knew Allerton’s tremendous wealth would make it easy for him to accomplish the goal of removing her from existence, regardless of how many lives he would take in the process.
“Are you regretting the deal?”
Ginny looked away from the small window to Hammer. “Are you regretting wanting to come along?”
“Regrets mean I messed up in the first place, so no.”
“I wish I could say the same. I have too many to count.”
“I’m not going to let him hurt you.”
“I’m more worried about you getting hurt.” Ginny stared at Hammer’s rock-hard features. She would never describe Hammer as being a father figure to her, not even a big brother. He had been her protector. Even after she passed the age when he could have washed his hands of her, he hadn’t. She’d always known he was only a phone call away, and he would risk his life to protect her. Hammer was an oddity, a man who no longer existed in this day and time. A knight.