Eli's Triumph: A Reapers MC Novella

by Joanna Wylde

  Eli closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then he opened them again.

  “You know that the Reapers are more than just a bunch of guys who like to ride motorcycles together, right?”

  “Everyone knows that.”

  “Yeah, but you grew up with it,” he continued. “When we say we’re brothers, those aren’t just words… And part of that brotherhood is watching each other’s backs. That’s how this thing works.”

  “Were you watching someone’s back when you went to prison for a crime you didn’t commit?”

  “Do you really expect me to answer that?” he asked. “Didn’t we just cover this? You know how things are with the club. And you know we don’t talk about this shit. What the hell do you want from me?”

  “I want answers!” I said, my voice rising. “You call them your brothers. Brothers love each other, asshole. When you love someone, you don’t let them throw away their lives in a prison cell!”

  “That’s not what happened.”

  “Then what did happen?” I demanded, shifting sideways on the couch, facing him. “Because I remember that night. We were drunk—which is the only reason I started kissing you, by the way—and you were nowhere near where that guy died. Why did you leave that night, Eli? And how the hell did you end up under arrest for something you couldn’t possibly have done?”

  He opened his mouth to answer, but I cut him off.

  “Don’t you dare feed me any more bullshit. I know exactly who and what the Reapers are—and what they’re not. They didn’t order you to take the fall for someone. You made that choice. You say you want us to be friends. That we should work together? Prove it. Give me an explanation.”

  The words hung between us, along with a thousand memories. Eli’s eyes darkened, his expression intense as he caught my shoulders, pulling me toward him.

  “Peaches, if there was any way to tell you, I would,” he said, holding my gaze.

  “You’re a liar,” I whispered. “You don’t care about this bar, and you don’t care about me.”

  “That’s not true.”

  We stared at each other for long seconds, at an impasse. Then he shook his head slowly, muttering, “Fuck it.”

  Suddenly, his mouth was on mine, and I felt his hand sliding into my hair, gripping it tightly as his tongue thrust into my mouth. Sensations exploded through me—need and desire and just a hint of triumph. Because whatever it was that we’d felt for each other all those years ago, I hadn’t imagined it.

  We’d been frantic that night, ripping at each other’s clothes, years of sexual tension driving us into a frenzy. This time, Eli’s kiss was different. Not the crazed, sloppy mouth-fucking he’d given me at that party. This was deep and hungry.

  As if he were starved for my taste.

  The office door opened.

  “It’s time for the meet—oh, shit…”

  I jerked away from Eli to find Gus standing in the doorway. He wore a strange expression. Not upset or angry, exactly. I’d have said he was pleased if he didn’t look so uncomfortable.

  “Give us a few?” Eli asked, his voice husky.

  “Yeah,” the old man said, glancing back down the hall. “You got ten minutes. People still need drinks, and I’ll take my time pouring them. Join us after you put her in her car. She shouldn’t be here tonight.”

  Gus shut the door, leaving Eli and me sitting next to each other. I felt stunned. Almost raw. I’d come here to make Gus an offer on the bar. Not to do…this.

  “I don’t suppose you want to pick up where we left off for another eight minutes or so?” Eli asked, trying to lighten the mood. I reached up and touched his face.

  Remembering.

  “You hurt me,” I said after a long pause, forcing myself to drop my defenses. “You really hurt me, Eli. And setting whatever was between us aside, I could’ve saved your ass. You wouldn’t let me, and you still won’t tell me why. How can you not see how fucked-up that is?”

  He swallowed.

  “Yes, I did,” he replied, and his voice was more serious than I’d ever heard it. “It was a shitty thing to do to you. Not to mention, stupid as hell. I’d give anything to go back to that night and change things. Wasn’t like I planned it, Peaches. Nobody ever thought it would go that far.”

  His eyes were dark. Haunted, even. He was telling the truth.

  “So, now what?” I asked.

  “That’s up to you,” he said. “We can keep fighting. Try to run the bar together. Probably go crazy until you end up slitting my throat for real. Either that, or I’ll lose my shit and fire you. Regardless, it’ll get ugly.”

  “And what’s the alternative?” I asked. “Let me guess. I walk away from the Starkwood?”

  He gave a short, dark laugh.

  “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”

  Fair enough.

  “We could try making peace,” he said. “For real. Neither of us has to give up on our dreams if we work together. It doesn’t matter whose name is on the deed, Peaches. We can be partners.”

  For an instant, something melted inside of me. If we were partners, then I wouldn’t have to be on guard all the time. He drove me crazy, but it always left me feeling more alive.

  What would it be like to truly work together?

  Wait.

  “It doesn’t matter whose name is on the deed?” I asked, forcing myself to think things through.

  “Not really,” Eli said, catching my hand. Tingles danced across my skin where he touched me. I forced myself to ignore them.

  “So why does it have to be your name?” I continued, keeping my tone casual. Eli raised a brow. “If it doesn’t matter, I mean?”

  “Um, because I have the money to buy it?” he said.

  “How much?”

  “How much, what?” he asked, and I caught the first hint of suspicion in his eyes.

  “How much money did you get from your dad’s settlement?” I asked, pulling away from him. “And how much is Gus charging you?”

  Eli frowned. “Where are you going with this?”

  “Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that I have enough money to buy the bar from Gus,” I said slowly. “Do you think he’d sell it to me? If I could beat your price, I mean? Seeing as it doesn’t really matter whose name is on the deed…”

  Eli studied me.

  “You’ve got money from somewhere, don’t you?”

  I took a deep breath, hoping I wasn’t ruining everything. Eli was right. We couldn’t go back and undo what’d happened in the past. But if we could make peace now… I thought about that kiss again, and how good it’d felt to be open with him.

  “Yeah,” I said slowly. “I’ve got money. I’m going to make Gus a cash offer. You say you want to be partners. Prove it. Tell me what you’re paying him, and I’ll tell you if I can beat it.”

  Chapter Seven

  ~Peaches~

  Eli didn’t answer. He looked away from me, then sighed and shook his head.

  “I knew it,” I told him. “You’re so full of shit, Eli King.”

  “It’s more complicated than that.”

  “No, it’s not. Tell me what you’re paying, and I’ll see if I can beat it. Put up or shut up.”

  He wouldn’t look at me. “You don’t want to do this.”

  “You don’t get to decide what I want,” I said. “I’m twenty-nine years old, but you and Gus still treat me like I’m a child.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “He just told you to put me in my car,” I said, feeling my temper rise. I reached out and caught his chin, forcing him to look me in the eye. “I was sitting right here. Next to you. But when he wanted me to do something, he told you to do it. Like I’m your dog or something. It’s getting a little bit old. Let me make my own fucking choices for once.”

  Eli blinked, clearly trying to figure out what the hell to say. Finally, he settled on, “You’re not a dog.”

  “I know I’m not a dog. So, answer the fucki
ng question.”

  “Three hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars,” he said. “That’s the settlement. It earned a little more sitting in the bank. I’m paying him three hundred and forty thousand for the land, the building, and the business.”

  “That’s lower than he told me.”

  “Well, he was planning to carry the contract for you,” Eli said. “This is cash.”

  “I can pay more than that,” I told him. I studied his face, waiting for him to react. I expected anger—like I’d felt when I thought he’d won—or maybe frustration.

  What I saw instead was worse. Much, much worse. Sadness, and maybe even a hint of…pity?

  No. No fucking way.

  “Peaches, he’s not going to sell to you. It’s about more than money.”

  The words were physically painful to hear. Another gut punch, almost as bad as when Gus had pulled the rug out from under me the first time.

  “Why not?” I demanded.

  “You know why.”

  “It can’t be that special,” I said, feeling almost anguished.

  “What?” he asked, confused.

  “Your penis. What the hell is it about having a penis that makes you more qualified to own this place than I am? Because as far as I can tell, that’s the biggest difference between us.”

  Eli opened his mouth, then closed it again, seeming at a loss. Someone knocked on the door.

  “Gus says it’s time.”

  Eli blew out his breath in frustration, then ran his fingers through his hair. That made him look sexier, of course.

  Almost like God was giving me the middle finger.

  “Go,” I snapped, pushing myself up and off the couch. “Go have your fucking meeting. Just don’t think I’m taking your word for it. If Gus wants to turn down my money, he can do it in person. Oh, and I’ll put myself in my car, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

  “It’s safer if I walk you out,” Eli said.

  To my horror, I felt tears welling in my eyes. Not only that, my nose felt runny. I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it up so I could wipe, flashing Eli in the process.

  “Oh, fuck off,” I said, hating myself for crying. Crying always made me feel weak. “You’ve seen my boobs before. I’m going to take a few minutes before I leave. Calm down. I don’t want anyone to see me like this, okay? You owe me that much. I’ll just sneak out the back when I’m ready.”

  “All right,” he said, clearly reluctant to leave.

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t tell Gus you let me off the leash or make a mess in here. I’m a good dog that way.”

  “Peaches—”

  “Shut the fuck up, Eli. Just shut the fuck up and leave me alone.”

  * * * *

  ~Eli~

  I couldn’t focus for shit on what Gage was trying to tell us.

  I kept thinking about Peaches, and how much better she’d tasted than I remembered. Fucking hell… The night we’d almost had together, it’d been amazing. As the years passed, though, there were times when I doubted my memories. Kissing a girl couldn’t feel that good. Not in real life.

  Except it did with her.

  Peaches and I had always had chemistry. It was probably what kept us at each other’s throats. Although I could think of better uses for her throat. Christ, just the thought was enough to set me off. My jeans tightened, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

  Gus tried to catch my eye from across the table, but I ignored him, just like I’d ignored the seat he’d saved for me. I was still processing what Peaches had told me about the money. Well, trying to process it. Hard to think when all your blood kept pooling in your crotch.

  I needed to get that girl into bed.

  Soon.

  Fighting with her was fun, but it wasn’t enough. We needed to fuck. Repeatedly. And that couldn’t happen until we resolved this whole situation.

  Gus wouldn’t sell the bar to her, no matter what she offered. I knew that for a fact, and it had fuck-all to do with her being a girl. He owed me in ways she couldn’t begin to understand.

  But even if he wanted to take the deal, the club would shoot him down. Her point about not having a dick was valid on that front… The Reapers might respect her—they’d never have settled on her as a compromise after I’d gotten locked up, otherwise—but she’d never be one of them. They’d take my side, even if Gus didn’t.

  “Eli?”

  I looked up to find everyone staring at me. Shit. Gage must’ve asked a question, and I hadn’t even noticed.

  “Sorry,” I told him. “Can you repeat that?”

  “I was curious about the paperwork,” he said. “Gus says you’ll be signing things tomorrow. Anything I need to know?”

  Well, shit. That was one hell of a loaded question. I glanced at Gus. I loved him, but he’d really cocked up this time.

  “Yeah, I’d say there’s a complication,” I said. “Big one, actually.”

  “What’s that?” Gage said, clearly surprised.

  “Peaches Taylor is going to make Gus a cash offer tomorrow,” I told them. “She says she can outbid me.”

  Silence fell across the table.

  “There’s no way,” Gus said after a long pause. “She doesn’t have any money. She doesn’t have any credit, either.”

  “I suppose she could be lying,” I replied, shrugging. “But I can’t think of any reason she would. And since she doesn’t have her own money, that means there’s another party in the mix. Gotta be her stepdad.”

  Suddenly, everyone got really quiet.

  James Carrington wasn’t Gus’s favorite person. Not that he’d have been okay with anyone who married Peaches’ mom, but Carrington also happened to own the property next to Gus’s house. There’d been a disagreement over an easement about ten years back.

  I sat back, waiting for Gus’s reaction. Surprisingly, he didn’t blow up.

  “Doesn’t matter,” he said. “We already made a deal.”

  “Don’t you think Carrington will find it strange, considering he’s offering more money?”

  “We’ll say it’s part of your inheritance,” Gus countered. “You’re my only heir. It’s a family deal.”

  “I think we should run it by the club lawyers,” Gage said thoughtfully. “Carrington has a lot of connections, and the guy’s like a fucking bloodhound when it comes to money. Tinker sits on the hospital board with him. She says he drives everyone crazy. Because if something looks even a little bit off to him, he’ll spend hours tracking it down. We don’t want that kind of attention.”

  “I’ve kept the books clean,” Gus protested. “There’s nothing for them to find. We should just sign the papers first thing in the morning. Then it’ll be too late for her to make an offer. Problem solved.”

  Jesus. He was doing it again.

  “You should talk to her,” I said bluntly. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if you’d communicated with her in the first place. I know you don’t like it when she gets upset, but this is ridiculous. Grow a pair and own your shit.”

  Dead silence fell across the room. Conflict was nothing new among brothers, but Gus was essentially my dad. I’d never publicly questioned him before.

  “Not your decision, Eli,” Gus finally said. I’d expected anger, but the words came out sounding almost weak. “And there’s no shit to own. I’m under no obligation to hear her out.”

  “I’m under no obligation to sign the fucking papers tomorrow morning.”

  “Is this really club business?” Gage asked, looking between us. “Or is it personal? Because it sounds personal.”

  “It’s personal,” Gus said. “Eli and I can talk after the meeting.”

  “It’s not personal,” I countered, starting to feel angry. “The club has a stake in the Starkwood. When you decided to sell to me, you got club approval first. I’m assuming that means you talked to them about carrying a contract for Peaches, too.”

  “He did,” Gage confirmed.

  �
�She does the bookkeeping,” I told Gage. “At least, she does the books we show the IRS. When you agreed to sell to her—something nobody bothered talking to me about until after the fact, by the way—you were planning to bring her into the loop, right?”

  “Moot point,” Gus said. I ignored him.

  “So, you were willing to trust her as a business associate,” I continued. “She’s been a friend of the club her entire life. If her stepdad is going to cause trouble, wouldn’t it make more sense to meet with her? Maybe give her an explanation? I know you’re afraid of pissing her off, Gus, but she loves you. She wouldn’t set you up. Carrington won’t get suspicious if he thinks she’s the one who changed her mind. So, change her mind. Problem solved.”

  “I’m not afraid of anything,” Gus snapped.

  “My bad,” I said, raising my palms. “I can’t imagine why I’d think you were… What time did you want to sign those papers again?”

  Someone snorted with laughter, quickly turning it into a cough.

  “Peaches doesn’t need an explanation,” Gus said, sounding more defensive with every word. “You made your point, Eli. I fucked up by not telling her that things had changed. That was a mistake. But beyond that, she’s just an employee. It doesn’t matter what she thinks.”

  “She thinks you treat her like a dog.”

  He gave me a confused look. “A dog?”

  “A dog,” I said. “And I can see why. You’re treating her like a pet, not a person. She’s worked here for seven years. You made a deal with her to take over, and then you jerked it out from under her, saying you needed cash. She got cash. Now, you’re trying to hide instead of talking to her. It’s like kindergarten.”

  “Eli…” Gage said, his tone warning me.

  “All due respect, Gus, but have you considered that it’s my ass on the line once the papers are signed? Peaches may love you, but she hates me. If you burn her again, I’ll have to let her go. Is that really what you want?”

  Gus looked stunned. “You’d fire her?”

  “No,” I said, hoping I wasn’t making a huge mistake. But I couldn’t forget the pain on her face. She’d said that I hurt her. And I had. But it’d been Gus hurting her, too.