by Jamie Begley
“Are all your cards on the table?”
“Yes.”
“Sweetie, Silas should have told you to never play your cards.”
“Don’t talk down to me.” The no-nonsense Ginny had come out to play.
Reaper had to give her credit. Ginny had the ability to come across as easygoing, until her anger or frustration dropped her guard.
“I wasn’t talking down to you.”
“You could have fooled me. I don’t like to be called sweetie, especially when you think I’ve done something you don’t like.”
“You want to bust my nuts? Go ahead. But be prepared. If you want to talk like you have game, you fucking better be prepared to have game.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I won’t watch what I say, especially when you do something stupid as shit.”
Ginny made a comical face at him. “Since when have you ever held back what you wanted to say to me? If you want to call me the B word, then call me the B word. I’d rather be called a bitch than sweetie.”
“The B word wasn’t what I was trying to avoid. Try reckless and irresponsible.”
Ginny winced as if he’d struck her, but Reaper was ruthless.
“And I won’t be the only one saying the same thing. Sex Piston and Dalton will agree when you come back. T.A.—”
“Stop, Gavin.” Ginny buried her face in her hands. “I can’t do what I need to do if I’m worried about Trudy.”
Taking the opening he finally found, Reaper moved in before she could regroup. “What do you need to do?”
“I have to defeat the monster.”
“Allerton is the monster?”
“Yes.”
“How do you plan to beat him?”
“I have to turn the table on him, and make sure he can’t hurt anyone else.”
Reaper reached out to pull her hands away from her face so he could see her. He expected to see tears, but what he saw shook him to his core.
Fear.
He had become intimately familiar with that emotion, even before his kidnapping, back when he had served overseas in war zones.
Reaper tried not to think of the terror-stricken people he’d come into contact with during his time in service. Many were either running or in hiding when his company moved in, despite the fact the soldiers sought to help.
What stuck out the most was that Ginny wasn’t hiding. She made herself a visible target in Allerton’s scope.
“Who has he hurt?”
She didn’t try to pull away from his touch. Instead, Ginny swayed toward him.
Loosening his hold on her hands, Reaper gathered her shaking body closer, giving Ginny the heat of his body.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she whispered so low that he had to tilt his head down to hear her.
“Try me.”
“He hurts thousands of people every minute of every day.”
“That’s a tall order for a man who is retired and lives like a recluse on a private island without any internet.”
“Allerton wants to have the entire world at his feet, and he has enough money and power to accomplish his goal.”
Reaper took what she said with more than a grain of salt. “No man I know of has that type of power. But if that’s true, how in the fuck do you think you can be the one to stop him?”
“I have to find something that will expose him and cohort of others who have been helping him.”
That revelation stopped any doubt he had. It explained why Ginny and T.A. were so frightened, and why Hammer pulled himself back into something when he’d just retired from active duty as a Ranger. Hammer believed Ginny was in danger.
“Is this something what you took off the boat when you were three years old?”
Reaper felt her shudder in his arms.
“What did you steal?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Did you hide whatever it was on Clindale?”
She nodded against his shoulder.
“I think so.”
“Is it still there?”
“I don’t know,” she murmured.
“Is there anything you do know for sure?”
“I know I’m going to find it.”
“And destroy Allerton?” Reaper asked, wanting confirmation on the few details she told him.
“Yes.”
“Swee—” Reaper started over when she lifted her head from his shoulder. “Ginny, you’re fucking bonkers. You started all of this without having what you need to make the plan a success, and you have no idea where it is … or what it is?”
Ginny smiled happily with his understanding of her bizarre plan. “Exactly.”
“We’re in trouble.”
Chapter Thirteen
Reaper found himself grasping at thin air when Ginny tore herself out of his arms.
“Are you making fun of me?”
“Does it look like I’m laughing?” Wanting to curse a blue streak would have been a more accurate description of what he was feeling.
Taking two long strides before she could escape inside the bungalow and ignoring her attempts to dodge his arms, Reaper enclosed her in a hug while pinning her arms to her sides. Then lowering his head to her ear, he whispered, “Chill. I believe you. Look around you, little thief. This might be a private patio, but we’re being watched.” Nuzzling the side of her jaw, he used his chin to turn her head in the direction he wanted. At her withdrawn breath, he nuzzled her jaw higher. “Two at your left and three on your right.”
Wanting to keep the appearance of a loving couple to spying eyes, Reaper let her spin in his arms when she sighted the soldiers.
“They were watching me.”
“Yes, they want to make sure you don’t move without their notice.”
“It could also be they’re concerned about us sneaking out while we’re in quarantine.”
“You can think that, if that makes you feel better,” he said, reserving the right to keep his own opinion.
“It doesn’t.”
Rubbing her back comfortingly, Reaper waited for her to stop trembling.
“You think they’re listening, too?”
Nodding, he remained silent.
“I should have never let you come.”
Reaper heard the despair in her whisper.
“Where’s all the anger you had a minute ago?” he asked, trying to get her spark back.
“I lost it when I saw the guns they’re holding.”
“They’re assault rifles. Allerton isn’t playing any games.”
“No, he isn’t. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“It’s a little late for both of us. Do you trust me, Ginny?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do.”
“Then quit worrying. I’m not going to let them hurt you. Was there anything else in your plan?”
“I was going to find what I had stolen and make him leave me alone.”
He had hoped for a better plan, something he could work with. Neither was he was reassured by the simplicity of the plan.
“Did you explain your plan to Hammer?”
“He told me it wasn’t much of a plan … Will you quit laughing at me?”
He could either laugh or cry. Laughter won. Something wasn’t ringing true for him, however. Hammer and Jonas had been the ones who uncovered his kidnapping. Hammer going along with this asinine plan without a detailed way to accomplish the objective was blowing his fucking mind.
Pulling out of his arms, she placed her hands on her hips defiantly. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“Let’s go inside and see what food is in the cabinets. I’m starving,” he said in a normal tone of voice. Indicating for her to go first, Reaper then followed closely on her heels back into the bedroom.
After removing barricade from the door, Ginny noticed a blinking light on the phone in the small sitting area. She listened to the message, then started for the door. “They placed our luggage outs
ide the door.”
“I’ll get them,” Reaper told her as he went to the door. Looking through the peephole, he didn’t see anyone. Opening the door, he brought his duffle bag and Ginny’s suitcase inside before closing the door.
“Don’t touch anything,” he said when he saw Ginny was going through the refrigerator.
“I’m hungry,” she said, taking her head out of the fridge.
“I am, too. Let me see what we have to work with.” Moving around her, Reaper opened a few cabinets, finding dishes in one and nothing in the others. Going to the refrigerator next, he found neatly packaged microwavable meals.
Could one fucking thing work in his favor? he thought sarcastically. He hated to be at a disadvantage; they were solely dependent on what Allerton gave them.
Reaper moved to the side of the fridge. “Pick what you want, and I’ll heat it up.”
Ginny immediately picked out a croissant with turkey sausage.
Taking it from her, Reaper chose the same thing for himself, then took out the carton of orange juice before closing the door.
Grabbing a plate from the cabinet, he heated both croissants and poured them both a glass of the juice. Instead of giving her a glass, he took a small sip from his.
Giving him a strange glance, Ginny reached for hers, but Reaper moved it across the counter, out of her reach.
“Wait a few minutes.”
Ginny cocked her head to the side with curiosity. “Why?”
“I want to wait until I’m sure it isn’t laced.” Reaper removed the croissants from the microwave. “A sedative or—”
“Pois … on?” Her breath hitched on the word.
“Ginny, I’m just trying to be cautious.” Reassured the orange juice was fine, he scooted the glass over to her.
“Shouldn’t I be the one doing the taste testing? If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do? Carry your big body over my shoulder and take off?”
Taking a bite of the croissant sandwich, Reaper watched her refuse to drink her juice. “What did you plan to do if something happened to Hammer?”
“I would have told them I wouldn’t give or tell Allerton what I stole.”
He took another bite of his sandwich. “Then stick to that plan.” He decided not to disclose that if the soldiers in Allerton’s employment were determined to get information, they wouldn’t go about it in a particularly gentle fashion.
“Okay, but I still think it makes more sense for me to do the taste testing.”
Finishing his sandwich and juice off, he then carried the duffel bag to the table. He rummaged through what Viper had packed for him to see if anything had been removed.
“Gavin?”
“Hmm …?”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Because you’re right. They won’t lethally dose the food if they want information from you.”
“Then …?”
Reaper spared her a brief glance as he removed the clothes from his duffel to get access to the hidden compartments that Razer had made when he designed the bag. “Drop it. Eat your breakfast; it’s getting cold.”
Ginny carried her plate and juice over to the table. “You can be very frustrating sometimes, Gavin.”
“Same.”
Choosing a clean pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of grey boxer briefs from the now empty duffle bag, he rose from the table. “I’m going to take a quick shower. If someone knocks on the door, come and get me.”
Ginny gave him a mocking salute. “Yes, sir.”
Pausing, he speared his hand through her hair to tilt her head backward. “Remind me to spank you when we go to bed.”
“Dream on, wild man.” Taking the last bite of her sandwich, she lightly waved her hand off as if brushing what he said away.
“Are you sure you’ve only been spanked once in your life?”
“Twice … after last night,” she contradicted him.
The few taps he had given her wouldn’t be considered a true spanking in any universe, other than the one in Ginny’s mind.
Bending down, he pressed a hard kiss to her lips, but Ginny wasn’t in a kissing mood and attempted to pull her mouth away. Forestalling her, he used his tongue to part her lips, delving inside to give her something else to think about besides her upcoming spanking.
He gave her a gloating smile when he broke off the kiss. “I’ll be back in ten.”
“Take your time.”
“Tired of me already?” he quipped.
“I could never get tired of you.”
The sincerity in her comment had him clutching her hair in his fist, straining her neck back farther. He had been told that by too many women to count, but it was the first time he fucking believed it.
“Gavin?” Ginny wrapped her fingers around his wrist but didn’t try to pull out of his grasp.
“Ginny, don’t ever try to play me.”
“I won’t.”
“I’m not happy you didn’t confide in me about being Evangeline and T.A.’s sister. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt when I swore never to do that shit again. You have no idea what I’m capable of. If I find out you’re blowing wind up my ass—”
“I’m not. I swear on my father’s grave I would never lie about my feelings for you. Ever. At different times, I might not have been able to tell you the full truth about some things, but never, at any point, have I lied to you about how I feel about you.”
Satisfied, he released her hair and started to let his hand drop, but Ginny retained her hold on his wrist.
“You like me more than a little, don’t you?”
He wasn’t ready to discuss his feelings with her, despite the moment of clarity he had when flying out of Treepoint. He had put his ring on a woman’s finger before, called a woman his, but he had never felt as vulnerable as he did with Ginny. Reaper no longer had a heart to place in a woman’s hands again, and the vulnerability she arose in him was akin to Achilles wearing boots had he been forewarned about his death. Taylor hadn’t exactly betrayed him. She might not have waited for him, but he didn’t believe she hadn’t fucked around on him while they had been together. Even if she had, he didn’t think it would have been a deal breaker from marrying her. Sexual faithfulness had never been at the top of his priority list when he decided to get married. Rider and he had been the ones to come up with the club’s rules deciding on how women earned votes to become members. They’d been full of youthful arrogance and fresh out of the service, wanting a smorgasbord of pussy rather than having a monogamous relationship.
Reaper jerked his wrist free. “I’m going to get that shower.”
“Go ahead. I’ll take mine when you’re finished.” Her back was ramrod straight when she got up to carry her dishes to the sink. “Oh … Gavin, just so you know, and you can’t say this is coming out of the blue … my love for you will never be shaken. However, you can only shake a tree so long before it stops giving fruit.”
Reaper turned on his heel. “What in the fuck does that mean?”
A hurt look crossed her face. “To me, it’s self-explanatory. You can figure it out for yourself since you don’t want to answer my question,” she snapped.
“Then, since it doesn’t make any sense to me, and probably never will—as I will never be able to figure out the way your minds works—I’ll just wait until you decide to explain it to me.”
“Then I hope that day never comes, because if it does, it won’t matter to me anymore.”
Inwardly cursing to himself as he went into the bedroom, he strode to the closet instead of the bathroom. Going inside and shutting the door, he dropped the contents in his hands to the floor, then knelt and blindly began skillfully dismantling the duffle bag. He’d expected his things would be searched, and he hadn’t been disappointed. Several items had been removed, but he was hoping the fuckers hadn’t figured out the hidden features that Razer incorporated in the bag.
The bag had one long strap and two handles, allowing for a
shoulder or a handheld carry.
Twisting one of the handles, he rotated it in a series of movements to open it. His heart started beating faster as he unscrewed the endcap. Pressing the button, he felt inside and the other end of the handle lit up. Putting the uniquely designed flashlight in his mouth, he quickly detached the other handle. Unscrewing one end, he held his hand out to catch the contents from within. One of the items was a tiny vial of pills used to counter the effects of a knock-out drug, then shaking the tube again a slender signal detector that was the size of his pinkie slid out. The signal detector was key; it would work to detect bugs as well as sent an SOS beacon if necessary.
Next time he saw Razer, he was going to kiss him for his inventiveness. The bag had been designed to get several tiny items to go undetected through X-ray machines. He needed every tool he could find to keep Ginny safe.
Concealing the items in the clothes, Reaper turned the flashlight off before hiding it and stepping out of the closet to go into the bathroom.
Taking a shower, he then dried off before getting dressed and began sweeping the room for bugs with the wireless signal detector. When he was finished, Reaper hung the towel over the nozzle of the shower as he debated his next move. There weren’t many options, if any at all. The number of bugs revealed every action they made.
He had a hard choice to make. Either he sent out an SOS to get Ginny and him out of there, or he could wait and give her the opportunity to accomplish the harebrained goal she set for herself. It was almost nil she would remember what she had stolen or where it was. Was he willing to sacrifice her life … or his, if her plan ended up in the crapper?
Placing his hands on the vanity, he stared down reflectively. Whatever the decision, it needed to be made before he walked out that bathroom door. No amount of should’ves or would’ves had erased the years he had been kidnapped.
The old Gavin would have told Ginny it was a no-win mission and given her a choice of leaving or staying. Reaper wanted to withdraw to safer ground, regardless of what Ginny wanted. His mind flipped back and forth. It boiled down to whether he had the same capacity to be the soldier he once was. Was he as good, or had he lost that cutting edge that had made him such a formidable opponent?