by E. C. Land
“You’re welcome.” Stella smiles and leaves the room.
Reaper scoots me over on the bed just enough for him to stretch out next to me, and I can curl into his warmth. “Rest, Precious,” he utters, kissing the top of my head.
I close my eyes and pray everything will be okay. It has to be.
Chapter Sixteen
Reaper
For three days, all I had wanted was for Ivy to wake up. I refused to leave her room. Angel took on everything while I’ve been here at the hospital with my woman. I hate putting it all on him. I’ve always put the club first, but even my brothers would get that I can’t leave Ivy alone.
Ivy doesn’t have any family besides her friends, and I wanted to be the one she woke up to see first.
I’ve had a lot of time to think since being here. I have come to realize that Claw had to be involved in Ivy’s accident somehow. She, like all the other P&P’s, knows the rules, especially about if a member of the club declares an ol’ lady. Only then if the member wants to continue to fuck around that’s their choice, but I know for a fact my brothers are the same as I am. Off-limits when that time comes, if it comes.
Right before Ivy woke up, I’d texted Angel and told him to get Scythe to look into it.
The doctors kept Ivy one more night, and I’d slept that night with her in my arms. Ivy refused to stay in the hospital longer than she needed to. I could see it in her eyes being in the hospital freaked her out. I don’t blame her. The damn place is depressing. The only time it lightened up is when her friends came in to visit her.
This morning, Ghost had dropped my truck off at the hospital for me to be able to take her home. The doctors told her she had to be on bedrest for a few more days. That she needed to heal some more before she starts walking around. I intend to make sure she does as the doctors tell her.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Ivy’s sultry voice pulls me from my thoughts.
Glancing down at her, I try to relax. This is one task I find hard as hell to complete since I nearly lost her. I want vengeance for what she’d endured, and I’ll be sure she gets it. No one fucks with what I claim as my own.
Let alone, my woman and child. Both of them could have been taken from me, and I’m not about to let that rest.
“Nothing for you to worry about right now, Precious. You just worry about resting,” I say, brushing my fingers through her hair.
“Don’t be placating, Reaper. I can see something is bugging you. You can talk to me, you know that, right?” Ivy’s face holds a sincerity unlike any other.
I know I can trust her, but I won’t put her in a situation where she’ll have to cover for me.
“Baby, I’m good. I’ve just got to get some work done.”
“And you’re being placating again, but I get it.” A look fills her eyes.
Cupping the side of Ivy’s face, I brush my thumb across her bottom lip. “I’m not being placating, Ivy. I’m being protective. My life ain’t for everyone. It’s not easy, and it sure as hell isn’t filled with all rainbows. I’m also not a good guy. I’ve done some horrible things in my life, and I don’t regret one damn bit of it, because it was done protecting those closest to me.”
“Reaper, I get it. I’m not stupid. I know you’re no saint. I’m not saying I want to be involved in what you and the club do. What I am saying is that I’m here for you. I want you to know you can talk to me and not worry about me running my mouth. I’m not that type of person.”
“Thank you, Precious. I appreciate it, and I do trust you. But right now, what I want you to worry about is taking care of yourself and our baby. I don’t want to lose either of you,” I say, soothing the hurt from her eyes.
“Okay,” she whispers, ending the discussion and going back to watching the movie we put on. My brothers have all been coming in to check on us and to see Ivy. This is the first time we’ve been alone longer than a few minutes in here. And honestly, I’m fuckin’ exhausted.
Relaxing further into the bed, I allow myself to drift off to sleep, planning to handle everything tomorrow. Ivy’s friends are coming to spend time with her, and I won’t have to worry about her being alone.
I’m half asleep when a knock sounds on the door. I glance down at my woman and find she’s finally sleeping peacefully. Without waking her, I climb out of bed and head for the door. I turn the knob and open it to find Angel standing there.
“Sorry, Prez, I wouldn’t bother you, but I thought you would like to know we found Ivy’s uncle. I wanted to find out what you wanted to do with him,” Angel says, his eye swirling with the fury he’s been holding back.
We all call him Angel, short for his road name Death Angel. Like me, he has no problem killing a man with his own hands. Nor does he show mercy.
“Put him in the hunting cabin. We’ll deal with him tomorrow. Tonight, I want you to see what Scythe has found out about Claws. I know she’s got some involvement in Ivy’s attack. If he’s got something, you toy with her. Get her to confess.”
“You got it; I’ll handle this. How’s she doing?” Angel asks, nodding into my room.
“She’ll be okay. Shit, a bit ago, she was telling me without telling me she knows the club ain’t completely legit and that I could trust her with anything I tell her,” I chuckle.
“And do you? Trust her, that is.” Angel grins.
“I do. Ivy is definitely something, and the fact she’s standing strong even when she’s hurting is all the proof. I need to know she can handle this life. But I’m not about to burden her with this shit. No tomorrow, we’ll be handling everything and ending this bullshit with her uncle once and for all.”
“Agreed. I’ll let you get back in there to your woman,” Angel grunts and turns on his heel to go do as I ask of him. Angel isn’t just a damn good VP, he’s the best little brother and best friend I could ask for. He’s always there for me, just as I am for him.
Walking back into my room, I climb into the bed and gingerly pull Ivy into my arms. I kiss the top of her head. “I love you, Ivy. I more than love you. I hope you know that.”
“I love you too, Daniel,” she murmurs sleepily.
“I didn’t mean to wake you, Precious.”
“Don’t apologize for waking me up to tell me you love me,” she grumbles and snuggles deeper into me.
Grinning, I relax as she falls back asleep and allow sleep to take me, knowing tomorrow, I’ll end the threat against my woman.
Chapter Seventeen
Ivy
“Precious, you gonna be okay if I go handle a few things?” Reaper asks, standing at the side of the bed. It’s been two days since I got home from the hospital, well, since I got to the clubhouse. In that time, I haven’t been out of Reaper’s sight. He’s been in this room that he now classifies as ours with me the entire time. Most of the guys have come in to check on me. Some bring in food, even when I don’t need it.
I know Reaper has a lot to do and considering he’s been with me the entire time; he hasn’t gotten any of that done.
My friends had come to the hospital to see me, but they really wanted to wait until I got out of there to spend even more time with me. And since they should be here any minute, I don’t mind my man going to handle a few things.
I’ll be okay even if I’m stuck in bed for at least another day or so.
The doctor Stella had introduced us to is Dr. Wright. He’s an OB/GYN, and Reaper nearly lost his shit. He said he wanted another doctor for me. Not a man. According to him, he wasn’t about to let some other man see what’s his.
Stella tried to interfere, but it was Dr. Wright who informed Reaper he’s the best doctor as he specializes in high-risk pregnancies. I might not be high risk, but he would do everything in his power to make sure I don’t lose Reaper’s and my child.
Reaper calms down marginally, and Dr. Wright himself did the ultrasound after a tech brought the machine to the room. There on the screen, we saw our baby. Even as small as he or she is, the doctor’s able to point the b
aby out to us.
My nerves calm even more, but only came back full force after being discharged from the hospital under the strict orders of being put on bed rest for a few more days to give my body more time to heal. I’m also not allowed to do any strenuous lifting.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I smile, giving him peace of mind to the fact I am okay. I can see he’s still struggling with the fact he nearly lost me. “My girls should be here soon.”
“Okay, Precious, call me if you need anything,” he says. Bending he places his hands on either side of me, bracing his weight up, and kisses me. Stella had told me my cheek was fractured, but healing. So it should be back to new soon I hope. I miss having Reaper kiss the daylights out of me. Sure I love this tender side of him, but I miss the way he can be rough with me as well. Shoot, I miss having him inside me, taking me fast and hard.
Pulling back, Reaper smiles, almost like he can read my thoughts. “Soon, baby,” he whispers and stands straight, adjusting himself in his jeans. “Once you’re healed, and the doctor gives the go-ahead, you’re fucked, baby.”
My breathing deepens at his words, but before I can respond with what I really want to say, the door to our room slams open, and my friends walk in. “What the hell? I was hoping to walk in on getting a look at that fine ass,” Everleigh grumbles, causing the others to giggle.
“Ev, seriously?” I mutter.
“You can’t blame me for wanting to see your man’s ass. I mean, hello, have you seen him.” Everleigh waves a hand up and down, motioning at all that’s Reaper.
“I’m gonna go,” Reaper grunts, more than ready to get away from my friends. They can be a handful, and the only time he’s met them was at the hospital. He needs to get used to them. Especially Everleigh’s mouth. She has no filter and says what she wants. She doesn’t care who it’s to either.
I remember one time she literally got in a dude’s face for calling her a bitch. The guy was twice Everleigh’s size, but she didn’t care. She just did what she wanted and brought the guy down a notch or two. Then she ended up in bed with the guy. How ironic is that?
Shaking my head, I keep my eyes locked on him as he walks out of the room, giving me one last look.
“All right, babe, let’s get this party started. We have snacks and drinks galore, and all the Fast and the Furious movies,” Sutton declares, holding up several bags.
Halfway through the first movie, Reaper peeks in to check on me, but doesn’t come in all the way. I’m sure this has to do with the fact all of my girls were scattered across his bed and floor. “You okay, Precious?”
I find his caring side extremely sweet.
“I’m fine, Reaper.”
“Yeah, she’s fine hot stuff. We’re binge-watching hot guys and fast cars,” Sutton says. “Unless you and the rest of that hot bunch of brothers you have want to entertain us, I would leave us alone to watch our fantasy men.”
“Fantasy men?” Reaper chuckles, quirking a brow and eye me. “You got a fantasy man, baby?” he asks.
“Ugh, not anymore?” I offer shyly.
“We’ll see about that later. Anyways I was just checkin’ on you. I’m heading outside for a while,” he informs me.
“Okay.” I nod, sensing that whatever it is he doesn’t want to talk about it with my friends in the room.
Closing the door behind him, he leaves my girls and me to finish watching the first movie. Sutton looks at me. “You need to hook a sister up with one of Reaper’s brothers. Shit, I wouldn’t mind having a go at Tombstone. I saw him when we were coming down the hall with everything, and damn, he was sex on a stick,” she says, waving a hand in front of her face acting like she was hot and falling to her side, landing on Juniper’s ass.
“No, the one with the scar on his face. Or Angel. Now those two are yummy,” Juniper giggles.
“Give me Daemon anytime. He’s got a hot body. Did you see him outside working on his bike?” Everleigh sighs, sitting up to look back at us from where she’s lying across the bottom of the bed.
Josephine sits up off the floor and looks at us with a shit-eating grin. “I gotta agree about Hellhound and Angel, but also Scythe and Styxx. Hmm, those two are . . . whoa.”
“Ugh, I don’t look at them like that.” I shrug.
Isabelle doesn’t say anything as she turns with Josephine, but I don’t miss the way she gets a hurt look on her face when Juniper mentions Hellhound and Angel’s names. The look is quickly hidden behind the smile that she always has in place.
I know Isabelle doesn’t come from the best family, and they still try to take over her life as much as they can. I wonder what’s going on in her head that she would get that look about one of Reaper’s brothers.
I’ll have to get her alone one day soon and find out. For now, I’ll leave it be. I have enough on my mind. One of them being how to be a mom to the child I’m now carrying.
My mom had left and never came back. I can finally admit to myself she didn’t really want a child, at least I don’t think she did.
Sutton relaxes next to me and reaches over to touch my hand that’s in a cast. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” I utter halfheartedly.
“Don’t lie, babe, you were in an accident and also found out you’re pregnant. Talk to us.” The look in Sutton’s eyes told me she isn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.
Sighing, I close my eyes and tell them everything. How I’m scared to be a mom. I don’t want to be like my own. I’m scared I might not be enough for Reaper. That one day I’ll wake up and say, ‘Hey, this isn’t what I want in life anymore, bye’. I spill all of my fears to my friends, knowing they’ll listen to me.
“Babe, you don’t need to be scared of turning out like your mom, and you can handle a life with Reaper. You’re made for that man just as he’s made for you. Don’t think you’re not. I promise you if you tell him these fears, he’ll sit and listen,” Sutton advises.
“How can you be sure of that?” I ask.
“Here. I’m going to send a song to your phone. After we leave, I want you to listen to it, and I mean listen to the words, then you’ll find your answer to that,” she says, fiddling with her phone.
A moment later, the phone that Reaper had got me to replace my old phone beeps.
“Now, let’s finish watching this movie,” she commands.
Giggling, we all dive back into the movie with Josephine, Juniper, and Isabelle all perving over Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. Once the first one is over, we watch one more while eating a pineapple and salami pizza. They all head out, leaving me alone. I find this is the first time since I woke up in the hospital that I’m alone. I’m not sure how much I like it, but I snag my phone and pull up the song Sutton had sent me, ‘Listen to your Heart’ by Through Fire. I know it’s a cover for the original version, but as I listen to it, I begin to understand why she’d sent this one.
I lay on the bed and put the song on repeat. She’s right. It does have the answers, because I’m stronger than my mother. Or I hope I am.
Chapter Eighteen
Reaper
Leaving my woman in the hands of her friends, I leave her to it. Honestly, her friends are a piece of work, but you can see they love Ivy. At the hospital, you could see the hurt and anger in their features at the thought of something happening to her. Sutton, I sense, is the one Ivy is the closest to out of everyone. She also didn’t have a problem getting in my face and demanding to know what happened.
Tombstone ended up intervening and pulling her away before I lost it on the woman. I wouldn’t hurt a woman, but that doesn’t mean I won’t put Sutton in her place. Ivy’s my woman, and I’ve got a lot of shit to deal with that I don’t need or want any more drama bullshit from anyone else.
I walk into my office where Scythe and Angel were meeting me to discuss Claws’ involvement in Ivy’s accident. My brother and VP are both waiting for me as I step into the office and close the door behind me. “All right, let’s get this over with. Wh
at did you find?”
“You’re right. She did have a hand in it,” Scythe announces, meeting my eyes with a deathly glare.
“Where is she?” I demand, my anger flaring even higher.
“Haven’t seen her since yesterday, right after you got back to the clubhouse with Ivy. Poppers says Claws claimed to be running to the grocery store yesterday to help out.” My brother snarls, lip curling at the fact Claws had got away. “Bitch knew her time was up.”
Shit.
“Do we know where she could have gone? I’m not about to let this cunt just play games with our club.” I’m not about to let another war start. This is how the one that led to my entire family’s death started, a whore running to the enemy and giving them information. It looks to me like we’ve become a little too lax when it comes to the P&Ps around here. We are usually stern and don’t let them think they control shit around here.
“Considering she left her phone behind; I don’t know for sure where she’s gone,” Scythe grunts.
“What do you know?” My anger’s growing by the second.
“That Claws did indeed get a call from Ivy’s uncle right before she set you up. The phone was to a prepaid, but the stupid fuck didn’t get rid of it. It was in that rundown pay by the hour motel we found him in.”
“I don’t see why he would be so fuckin’ stupid to stick around after nearly killing Ivy.” Angel crosses his arms over his chest, looking deep in thought.
“He wanted to make sure he’d finished the job,” I grunt, knowing why. Ivy had told me what she remembered, and it makes my hands itch with the need to get to the hunting cabin and take care of the problem that is Richard. The asshole claims she lost value, because she was whoring herself to the club. That shit right there just pisses me off. Nothing about Ivy screams whore. She’s a beautiful soul, and I’m lucky to claim her as mine. “I want that cunt found.”
“We’ll find her, Prez. What do you want to do with her when we find her?” Angel asks.
