by B E Kelly
“At first, no,” Ringer said. “I convinced Sophie that running away was the only way to keep her safe. It was the part of my father’s plan that we could use to our advantage. He would think I was following his orders and I’d be able to get her someplace safe. But once dad figured out that Sophie and I weren’t where I said we were, he got angry and sent out a few men after us. We’ve been on the run ever since. That’s why I didn’t chance bringing her here today. If I know my father, and I do, he had you tailed.”
Lizzy gasped and he inwardly cursed at his stupidity. “If that’s true, then he knows where you live and probably has done enough digging to know who you are,” Reaper admitted to her. “I’m so sorry, honey.” He hated that he unknowingly dragged Lizzy into his problems. If he had known all of this, he would have told her to keep driving when she stopped on the side of the road to offer her help.
“You couldn’t have known, Reaper,” she whispered. “I’d do it all over again, anyway.”
“Do what?” Ringer asked her and once again Reaper wanted to punch the smug smirk off his face.
“Help him. He was stranded on the side of the road until I happened along,” Lizzy said proudly.
“Ugg, honey,” Reaper grouched. “How about we stick with our original plan of you sitting quietly while I have my meeting?” She crossed her arms over her impressive cleavage and pouted. All Reaper could think about was getting her under his body and helping her get rid of her adorable pout, but that would have to wait. Right now, he needed to figure out just what the hell was going on and why Ringer was suddenly a good guy.
“So, you’ve been working to bring your old man down all this time?” Reaper asked.
“Yeah,” Ringer said. “Listen, I might be a lot a things but I’m not a human trafficker,” he said. Lizzy gasped again and covered her mouth with her hands, as if trying to keep up her end of the bargain.
Ringer smiled, “I like her, man.”
“You,” Reaper said, pointing a finger into the younger man’s chest, “Keep your fucking eyes and hands to yourself. That goes for my sister too.”
“No problem, Reap,” he agreed. “Your sister has made it all too clear that she wants nothing to do with me.” Ringer seemed so down and out; Reaper almost felt bad for the guy but then he remembered who he was dealing with.
“Good,” he said. “At least she has more sense than I gave her credit for.”
“Back to some of my questions,” Dave nervously interrupted. “I really need to get back on the road soon.”
“Alright, shoot,” Reaper said. “He wasn’t sure where any of this was going but he should at least hear the guy out.
“Can either of you get evidence against Anthony Sr.?” he asked.
“Yes,” Reaper and Ringer said in unison.
“You both know that this is going to be dangerous, right? Anthony Sr. doesn’t play around,” Dave said.
Ringer laughed, “I grew up with the guy as my father. I think I’m pretty well acquainted with who my dad is,” he said. “As for Reaper, he’s seen enough to know how my old man operates. If we join forces, we might be able to shut him down once and for all. What do you say?” Ringer asked.
“What happens to the company once your father is out?” Reaper asked. The idea of everything his father built falling apart didn’t sit well with him. He owed it to his dad to at least try to save the clothing manufacturing company he had started.
“We run it together,” Ringer said without even blinking.
“Together?” Reaper repeated.
“Sure,” Ringer said. “Our fathers were business partners once. I don’t see why we can’t be too.”
“Well, there is the little matter of your father trying to kill my sister,” Reaper growled. Lizzy placed a hand gently on his arm and he calmed.
“How about if you take this one step at a time?” she asked. “Bring down your boss and make sure your sister is safe and then decide what to do with your company.” She had a point but he hated to admit that.
“You know for someone who agreed to be silent, you sure have a lot to say,” Reaper teased.
“I’m just trying to help,” she defended. “Besides, I think we both knew that I didn’t mean to keep up my end of the bargain. You did just spend the better part of a day with me in the car. You should have known that I wouldn’t be able to stay quiet that long.”
“What’s it going to be, man?” Ringer asked.
“I’ll do it,” Reaper agreed. “But I need your word you’ll keep Sophie safe in all of this.”
Done,” Ringer said without hesitation. He held out his hand for Reaper to shake and this time, he did.
“I’ll be in touch with you both as soon as I have news,” Dave said, standing to gather his things. “Right now, I have a little league game to catch before I get chewed out by my wife and seven- year- old son. Reaper shook the guy’s hand and they watched him leave.
“I’m heading out too. I need to make sure I don’t have a tail before heading back to Sophie. I’ll arrange for her to call you as soon as we are someplace safe,” Ringer offered.
“Thanks,” Reaper said. “I need to hear her voice.” It had been over a week since he had seen or heard from his sister and that was the longest they had ever gone. They might not always see eye to eye but she talked to him almost daily and he had missed her nagging and teasing.
“Just a piece of advice, man,” Ringer said. “Don’t go back home for a while. Lay low and come up with a cover that my old man will believe. If he thinks you are going to double-cross him, he’ll do just about anything to bring you down. That includes hurting her,” he said, nodding to Lizzy.
She shook her head, “Oh no, Reaper and I aren’t together,” she protested. Hearing her say those words stung some. He was hoping that she was at least considering giving him a chance, but the way she denied him made him believe that his chances were all just his wishful thinking.
“Um hm,” Ringer hummed. “Honey, I might not be the brightest crayon in the box or the sharpest but I wasn’t born yesterday. You two might not be together yet but you will be.” Lizzy didn’t protest and there was that damn hope again, making his heart pound a little bit faster in his chest.
“Be safe you too and I’ll be in touch,” Ringer said and patted Reaper’s shoulder, disappearing into the crowded bar.
“So, now what?” Lizzy squeaked.
“Now we get the fuck out of here and find a safe place to spend the night,” Reaper said. He threw a twenty down on the table and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go, honey,” he said.
Elizabeth
Reaper drove for hours and Beth wasn’t sure if they were even still in Texas. She was tired and sick of being cooped up in her car. She was ready for food and a bed, but that brought up so many questions and worries, she decided to be okay with endlessly driving around. Reaper seemed to be just as nervous as she felt and when he finally pulled into the motel parking lot and cut the engine, she was about ready to jump out of her own skin.
“This okay?” he asked, nodding to the somewhat rundown building. “I figure we need to stay off the beaten path to avoid my boss and any tail he put on us.”
"Do you think anyone followed us?” she asked, looking back over the back seat as if she’d find someone standing behind her car.
“No,” he breathed. “I drove long enough to make sure we didn’t have a tail. Besides, I think these places have only one way in and out, so if someone comes for us, I’ll be ready.” Reaper reached across her body and her breath hitched. Beth was sure he’d be able to hear her damn heart beating like a drum. Why did her body seem to respond to his every touch? Hell, he just looked at her and her skin felt like it was on fire.
Reaper pulled open her car’s glove compartment and pulled out a gun. “How did that get into my glovebox?” she questioned.
“I stashed this in there and it’s a good thing too. I have a feeling we are going to need it,” Reaper said. He grabbed his duffle bag from the b
ack seat and pulled it onto his lap, stowing the gun inside for safe keeping.
“Do you know how to use one of those?” Beth asked.
He shot her an amused look that answered her question. “I think I can manage,” he said. Reaper pulled his bike helmet from the back seat, along with his leather jacket.
“What are all of those patches for on your jacket?” she asked.
Reaper turned it over on his lap and studied it. He smiled at her, “It’s called a cut,” he said. “It’s my club’s colors, mostly. Each patch means something different but this one is my current club’s patch. He pointed to one that had a skull in the middle with wings that seemed to sprout out of its helmet. It was wearing sunglasses and a bandana around its mouth and in the background there were mountains and a stream. It was almost beautiful, even with the skull.
“Wow,” she breathed, running her hands over the patch. “It’s pretty.”
Reaper barked out his laugh. “It’s not pretty,” he said. “It’s an MC patch and if anyone heard you calling it pretty, I’d be out of the club.”
Beth rolled her eyes and dramatically looked around the small car. “Um, I’m pretty sure that you are safe here. Unless you have one of your crew members stuffed in your bag, listening to our conversation,” she teased.
“Club—not crew. I’m not a sailor; I’m a biker,” Reaper corrected.
“Right,” she said. “Well, regardless, I’m pretty sure you are safe from being kicked out of your little club. No one is around to hear me.”
Reaper shook his head, mumbling something about “little club” and “women” under his breath. He gathered the rest of his things and grabbed her small suitcase she had packed before leaving earlier that morning.
“Coming?” he asked, stumbling from the car. “We need to get a move on and check in before it gets too late. I’m dog tired,” he admitted.
“Sure,” she said. Beth unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped free from the car, stretching and moaning at just how good it felt to move around. She didn’t miss the way Reaper watched her body; his eyes following her every movement.
“Problem?” she challenged. Beth knew she was egging him on but she didn’t care. She liked the way he looked at her and she had to admit—she felt the same way about sneaking little looks at him. Reaper might have some rough edges, but he was hot as sin and she liked to think that he could burn her up in bed but that wasn’t what this was. Beth needed to remember that she was just along as backup, to help him find his sister and use her car. She was probably reading way more into his sultry stare than there actually was and that was a shame—at least for her.
“Nope,” he said. “I’ll get us checked in and we can get some sleep.” She followed Reaper into the little office where the neon vacancy sign hung over the window and quietly waited for him to get their room keys.
“Two rooms for the night,” he said. Beth wasn’t sure if she was happy or pissed that he was putting her in her own room, but he was sending his message loud and clear. Reaper didn’t want her and that stung a little.
“We only have one room left for the night—sorry,” the older woman said, not looking up from the small television sitting on her desk.
“Fuck,” he swore, causing her to pause whatever show she was watching to look him over.
“Do you want the room or not?” she spat. Her voice sounded like she had been a chain smoker for years and her leathery skin told the same story.
Reaper looked over to where Beth stood at the door, clutching her purse as if it was her lifeline. “Yeah,” he agreed. He handed the woman cash and she gave him the key.
“Room twelve,” she said and turned back to watch her show. “Sleep tight,” she grumbled.
“Thanks,” Reaper said over his shoulder, leading the way out of the tiny front office. Beth followed him across the parking lot to the door that had the number twelve on it.
“This is us,” he whispered, opening the door and waiting for her to go in. She flicked on the lights and was pleasantly surprise that it wasn’t as bad as she imagined it would be.
“It’s not horrible,” she murmured, eyeing the only bed in the room.
Reaper seemed to pick up on her nervousness. “Listen if this isn’t okay with you, just say the word and I can sleep in your car,” he offered. Just the thought of him having to sleep in her tiny car almost made her laugh.
“There is no way you’ll be able to sleep in my car. It’s pretty small and you—” She let her eyes wander his body again, taking in every square inch of him. “You are not,” she finished.
Reaper tossed their bags onto the only chair that sat in the corner of the room. “Besides, we are both adults,” Beth continued. He turned back to face her and she knew that her chances of not rambling on like a lunatic were slim to none. When she was nervous, she tended to go on about nothing at all and Reaper made her pretty damn nervous.
“I mean, we should be able to share the same space and even the same bed—you know platonically, that is. What I mean is—” Reaper didn’t let her finish her sentence, he hauled her against his body and she willingly let him. When it came to this man, she’d let him do just about whatever he wanted to do with her.
“You seem nervous, honey,” he teased. His smile did things to her girl parts that she wasn’t sure were even possible. Of course, she had nothing to go on, never having been with a man before. She was pathetic and at that very moment, she wished she had paid more attention to men, but she had other pressing issues—namely her abilities and work. The truth remained, she was almost twenty-six and a virgin and that made her a loser.
“That’s because I am—nervous, that is. I tend to ramble when I’m uncomfortable,” she whispered.
“Do I make you uncomfortable, Lizzy?” Reaper asked. His mouth was so close to hers she could almost feel his lips touching her own and God she wanted that again. He had kissed her a couple times and she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to get enough of his taste on her tongue or the way he seemed to take complete control of not only the kiss, but her body. She wasn’t sure if her response was typical but it felt normal to her, as if she was made for him and after a lifetime of dreaming and searching, she had finally found him.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Is this normal?”
He chuckled and she could feel his warm breath on her skin, ramping up her own need. “Is what normal, honey? I’d have to say that nothing about meeting you today has been normal.”
Beth’s heart sank at his admission that what she was feeling for him wasn’t normal. “Oh—okay,” she stuttered. “I just thought that what’s happening right now—I thought it might be real, you know. I guess I just don’t have experience in these situations to know.”
“Know?” Reaper questioned.
“To know if you want me or not,” she whispered. She wished she could have taken back the words as soon as they left her mouth, but she had said them and judging from the way Reaper’s entire body went rigid, he was starting to catch on.
“I want you, honey. You should never doubt that,” he growled. Reaper took her hand into his and led it down his body to feel his impressive erection, letting her know the full effects of what she did to him. She hissed out her breath and pulled her hand back as if he had burned her.
“Yeah,” he choked back his laugh. “So, now you know, Lizzy.”
“Wow,” she said. Beth hesitantly cupped his cock again and Reaper groaned and thrust into her hands as she explored the jean clad outline of his erection.
“I’ve never—” she stopped herself before saying the rest. He already thought she was enough of a freak with her abilities. There was no need to add to the pile by admitting she was a virgin. He’d figure that out sooner or later.
“You’ve never what?” he whispered into her ear, kissing his way up her neck. Fuck, why did she have to go and open her big mouth? He paused and took a step back from her, as if giving her some space.
“Lizzy.” Her name sounded like a
question and a warning all at the same time and she closed her eyes shut tight, as if trying to hide from him. The thought of having to admit she was a twenty-six year old virgin felt ridiculous but she wasn’t ashamed of who she was. This was just another case of not hiding and owning who she was and if Reaper pushed her away then so be it. But, she wouldn’t hide from him.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and let it out, opening her eyes to find him standing in front of her, his arms crossed over his massive chest, wearing a scowl. “I’m a virgin,” she admitted.
“Fuck,” he growled. Reaper began to pace in front of her almost like a caged animal and she wanted to hide, but there wasn’t really any place for her to go. Beth covered her face with her hands and tried to mask the sob that escaped her chest.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered into her hands.
“Lizzy,” he moaned, pulling her into his arms. “Don’t cry. You have nothing to apologize for. You caught me off guard,” he said. “I just never expected you to be a virgin. How old are you?”
She wiped her hands across her eyes, not caring that she probably looked like a raccoon from smearing her eye makeup. “I’m twenty-six,” she answered defensively. “Not that my age has anything to do with it. I just never met anyone I wanted to be with in that way.” It was true. She had been on a few dates over the years and even had a few short-term boyfriends.
“Have you ever kissed a guy before me?” Reaper questioned.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ve been on dates and even had a few boyfriends, but when it came to the part of the relationship where he wanted sex and I didn’t, he would split. I figured I dodged a bullet and moved on.”
“Why didn’t you ever want to have sex with any of them?” he asked. This question was a little trickier to answer.
“They didn’t feel right,” she admitted.
Reaper chuckled, “You felt them?” He bobbed his eyebrows at her and she laughed.
“No,” she said. “At least not like I just felt you,” she admitted. “I could feel them—I don’t know how to explain this. I could feel what they were feeling every time they kissed me and none of them seemed genuine. It was almost as if my abilities kept me from making a big mistake.”
