Reaper's Salvation: A Last Riders Trilogy

by Jamie Begley

  Ginny turned when she heard footsteps coming, placing her hand in her jacket as she turned to see Gavin.

  “Your brothers want to go with me to the store. What time is your appointment with Dr. Price? Should we get the sheds tomorrow?”

  “No, you can go today. Trudy has an appointment with him before mine. Dalton and she are going to pick me up at the club in an hour.”

  “I planned to take you.”

  “There’s no need for you to take me. Dalton has to wait in the car. No one other than patients are allowed in the office. Afterward, we’re going to the diner. I want to introduce Trudy to Marty.”

  “You’re wanting one of his burgers.”

  Ginny laughed. “I want several of his burgers.”

  “Keep your phone on you,” he ordered.

  “Yes, sir,” she smarted off.

  “Damn, that sounds good.”

  She raised her chin in the air, moving toward her excited brothers, who weren’t hiding their impatience to leave.

  “Dream on.” Taking his arm, she pretended she needed his help to step off a branch.

  “What?” he pretended innocence.

  Ginny snorted. She was much better at pretending.

  “I’m in a great mood today.” Stroking her cheek on his shirt, she raised her eyes to his, wanting to gauge his mood.

  “I can see that. Any particular reason?”

  “Mmhmm. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

  “Are you trying to talk me into a bigger shed, like your brothers are?”

  As always, Gavin showed no hint of emotion toward her. The only time he exhibited any visual reactions to her was when he was aggravated, especially when she denied the legality of their marriage. Each time she did it upped the level of his irritation and his doubling down that they were legally married.

  “Of course,” she teased. “Bigger is always better.”

  Gavin winced. “Is the shed gonna cost me as much as the house?”

  “Could be … Silas has his eye on the Tuft Tahoe, and Matthew has his on a kit the size of a manor.”

  “How about Isaac?”

  “He wants the Hansen. It has a garage.”

  “They make a shed with a garage?”

  “Oh yes. Isaac even has the color picked out. Red.”

  “How much does Isaac’s cost?”

  “Around twenty thousand. I would go for Silas’s. The one he wants is four.”

  “Thousand?”

  Ginny laughed. “Yes, thousand.”

  “Which one do you want?”

  “The one I already bought. Just don’t tell my brothers. It’ll ruin their day.”

  Gavin stopped in his tracks. “I was going to pay for it.”

  “You can pay for the inside when we get the outside done. The lumber and the shed, I’ve already taken care of. I’ve been saving for this house since I was a little girl. I didn’t know how much lumber to order, so if it goes beyond what I arranged for, let me know and I’ll transfer more money.”

  “I’ll take care of it if the price exceeds what you paid.”

  “Perhaps I should go.” Ginny stubbornly raised her chin again at him. “I can reschedule my appointment. Of course, we won’t be having anymore sex until I see Dr. Price.”

  “I can take care of it, and you can pay me back if it exceeds what you prepaid.”

  “I good with that. We should be going. Trudy and Dalton will be at the club in twenty minutes.”

  “We’ll meet you at the lumber store. We’re going to take Silas’s truck,” Isaac shouted out as they went ahead of them.

  “Seriously, I can take care of it.”

  “Seriously, so can I.”

  Ginny waved at her brothers as Silas backed his truck out of the driveway.

  Going to the side door of Viper’s SUV, she reached out to open the door, but Gavin beat her. Getting inside, she buckled her seat belt as he got in the driver’s seat. Expecting him to back up, she looked over to him to find him staring at her.

  “I like babies.”

  Her insides melted like a chocolate bar and marshmallows on a s’more.

  “You do?”

  “I’m not getting any younger, as you pointed out.”

  With her good hand, she caressed his arm. “I was teasing you.”

  He nodded, staring ahead out of the windshield. “There really isn’t a need to worry about birth control if we’re ready to have a baby.”

  “I’m not ready, Gavin.”

  Gavin nodded again, still not looking at her. “When do you think you’ll be ready? A year or two.”

  “When I’m married for real,” she emphasized, removing her hand. “We need to go. I don’t want to be late. Ginny didn’t see that happening any time in the near future, unless he was willing to ask Pastor Dean to marry her. All of the women who went to their church received his permission before the vows were spoken.

  The Pastor would determine the man’s commitment to the woman, and unless the male was able to prove he would be a dedicated, faithful, and ready to be both, Pastor Dean withheld his permission. It allowed the man time to make sure marriage was what he really wanted. Ginny had faith in Pastor Dean and knew he was holding this power to help the couple from making an egregious mistake. If Gavin received Pastor’s Dean permission, she would trust he really wanted to marry her.

  The ride back to the club was chilly.

  Turning the radio on, Ginny tried to rock out to her favorite song. Gavin turned it off. “I was listening to that,” she protested.

  “The radio is off limits until you admit we’re already married.”

  “You’re joking?”

  “No. No more music.”

  She was still gaping at him when they pulled into the club parking lot.

  “You’re such a jerk.” Unbuckling her seat belt, she started to reach for the door handle.

  “Maybe so, but you love me, anyway.”

  The big jerk knew she would cut her tongue out before she would deny her feelings for him.

  “Yes, I do.” Leaning across the console, Ginny pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. “I’ll call you when I get back to the club. Do you want me to bring you a bag of burgers?”

  “No. Your brothers and I will grab something while we’re out.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll get the door.” Gavin gave her a hard look when she would have reached for the door handle.

  Waiting for him to open the door, she gave him another kiss once she was outside.

  “Toot a loo,” she wisecracked to Gavin. She waved to Dalton and Trudy as they pulled into the parking lot, giving a low whistle when she got a better look at the gorgeous car.

  “I like.” Ginny admired the sleek car appreciably. “What kind of car is that?” she asked Gavin.

  “A Bugatti.”

  “How much you want to bet Dalton doesn’t let Trudy drive that bad boy?”

  “I bet he does,” Gavin contradicted her.

  “You think so?”

  “Oh yeah. No car, regardless of how expensive it is, compares to what they have in their possession.”

  Ginny started to get angry. “Do you mean, because she’s pregnant with his baby?”

  “No.”

  “Then what does she have?”

  “His balls.”

  Chapter Forty

  Sitting on the bed, Ginny listened to the news on the television as she painted her toenails. Satisfied with the color, she began painting the other foot. Lifting her gaze, she saw Gavin and Suki coming into the bedroom.

  “How did the doctor appointment go?”

  “Fine.” Continuing polishing her toenails, Ginny noticed Gavin limping. Suki didn’t seem to be in any better shape, plopping down on the huge, pink dog bed that Gavin had bought for her. “You get everything bought?”

  Sitting down on the bed, Gavin removed his boots.

  “A heads-up that you bought the shed Isaac wanted, as well, would have been nice.”
<
br />   “Was he happy?”

  Gavin laid back on his elbow to watch what she was doing.

  “Happy doesn’t come close. Ecstatic was more like it. So were Silas and Matthew when theirs were brought out to the loading dock.”

  “How did you like the one I picked out for us?”

  “I learned something new today.”

  “You did?” Ginny’s lips curled in a smile as she placed the nail brush in the bottle and twisted it closed.

  “Yes, I learned they sell kits where you can make sheds that have two-car garages out of bricks.”

  “Go figure.” Shoving a pillow behind her, Ginny met Gavin’s eyes. “Are you angry? My brothers will build it.”

  “We had to rent a big truck for everything you bought, load the trucks, then drive to Silas’s. We just finished unloading it. I’ll drive the truck back in morning.” Yawning, Gavin straightened from the bed.

  “You’re not angry?”

  “No, I’ve had more exercise today than I’ve had in a month. You want to take a shower with me?”

  “No.” She wiggled her toes at him. “They’re still wet.”

  Ginny pulled out a decorating magazine as Gavin took his shower. She was looking at a kitchen layout when breaking news flashed across the screen.

  She was still watching it when Gavin came back in the room, drying his hair with a towel. He must have heard the newscast from the bathroom because he was already focused on the television.

  When the reporter cut to another story, Gavin flicked the television off.

  “It took longer to hit the news than I expected.” Slinging the towel around his neck, he moved his boots out of the way.

  “The report said that he’s going in front of a judge in the morning for a bond hearing.” Ginny closed the magazine. The glow she had been feeling faded as the dark fear she had lived with most of her life returned with a vengeance. “They’re going to let him go,” she said numbly.

  Gavin pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms, then hung his damp towel in the bathroom before laying down on the bed beside her. “I talked to Agent Collins this morning. Allerton won’t get out. He’s too much of a flight risk. There were three vehicles filled with men who were trying to take you yesterday, and you didn’t bat an eyelash. Why are you so worried tonight?”

  Her eyes flew to his. “I’ve lost every home I’ve lived in. I’m jinxed.”

  “I see, you’re worried because you bought the lumber for the house.”

  “Yes. Leah and I planned what our houses would look like when we were playing in the playhouse Silas built for us. We would take turns playing mommy. Leah was never able to live out her dream, and I’m terrified Allerton won’t let me either.”

  “You’re not jinxed.”

  “I am.”

  “Nymph, you’re not jinxed. In fact, you’re the exact opposite.”

  Her heart lightened. “I am?”

  “For real.” He laughed, turning the light off. “I have proof.” Pulling her into his arms, he rested his chin on top of her head. “You dodged a bullet yesterday and today. Two bullets, two days in a row; that’s pure luck.”

  Ginny frowned at him in the darkness. “I didn’t dodge a bullet today.”

  “You did when you didn’t go to the lumberyard with me. I backed up my truck to the loading dock, Silas backed his up, and then four sheds started coming out, then the lumber came out, then the bricks—”

  Ginny gurgled in laughter. “You wouldn’t have shot me.”

  “No, but damn, woman, a shed made out of bricks?”

  Rubbing her hand over his smooth chest, she placed feathery kisses on the crook of his neck. “I wanted you to have a sturdy place to park your bike.”

  Swinging the door open, Ginny sauntered into the kitchen. “Good morning,” she greeted the two lone men sitting at the kitchen table as she went to the stove to heat a pot of water.

  “You’re up early this morning,” Puck said as he made coffee.

  “I had an early night. How are you this morning?”

  “Be doing better next week when it’s someone else’s turn to do kitchen detail,” Puck complained with a yawn.

  “Could be worse. Wait until it’s your turn to do laundry and everyone has put their wet towels in the laundry baskets.”

  Jesus made a face at him. “I could have lived without knowing that.”

  “The Ohio chapter doesn’t have chore duties?”

  “Yes, but so far, I’ve managed to escape that one.” Opening the refrigerator, Jesus took out a large plastic bag of bacon, while Puck started making another pot of coffee.

  “Don’t forget to make one decaf,” Ginny reminded him as she went to the cabinet to open a lower door.

  “I will.”

  “Would you mind taking out the crockpot for me and put it on the middle island? I’m in the mood for oatmeal. You could grab the baking sheets down there, too.”

  Jesus set the bacon down to get the crockpot for her. “Where do you want the baking sheets?”

  “Where the crockpot is, is fine. Thank you.”

  Separating the stacked baking pans, she nodded toward the bacon. “I’ve already turned the oven on, just lay the bacon out and put it in the oven.”

  Going back to the cabinet, she took out the oatmeal and honey that Silas brought over, measuring the oats into the boiling water. She then efficiently organized the two men until the smell of food filled the kitchen.

  Pouring the oatmeal in the crockpot to keep it warm, Puck kept glancing at the swinging door. “Reaper catches you helping us, he’ll send us packing back to Ohio.”

  “Don’t worry; Gavin’s sound asleep.” Ginny went back and forth between the freezer and the counter to lay out four boxes of spinach egg cups and six boxes of frozen waffles. “Jesus, you can put the egg cups in the oven when the bacon comes out and put the waffles in the toaster oven. Everything should be ready before everyone comes in to eat.”

  The men rushed around the kitchen, hurrying to cook the food, while sending wary glances toward the door.

  Heating a smaller pan of water, Ginny went to the cabinet ;and did the same routine as earlier with her good hand. She took out several tumblers for The Last Riders who worked the early morning shift. Setting them out, she then took out the small basket she had bought to keep the matching lids with the tumblers. Frowning, she found one without a lid. Searching through the drawers and cabinets, she still couldn’t find the missing lid. Going to the pantry, she took out a metal bin where measuring cups were stored, rooting through the cups where she finally found the missing lid. Placing it next to the matching tumbler, she was satisfied the men would manage the rest by themselves.

  Ginny used the hot water to make herself a cup of tea and made herself a bowl of oatmeal after she generously swirled honey in it and fresh fruit before adding a scoop of almonds.

  Taking her bowl and her tea, she sat at the table to enjoy her breakfast.

  Jesus and Puck joined her, each having a bowl of the oatmeal that she made, their guard finally relaxing.

  “Thanks for your help, Ginny.”

  “Yeah, thanks. Now all we have to do is get past two more meals today and tonight, and we’re home free.”

  “For lunch, one of you could run to the grocery store. They sell rotisserie chickens in the deli section. Buy six different flavors. They also sell a gigantic tub of mashed potatoes, macaroni, and coleslaw. Sneak in the back door and set the food out in bowls and platters. Serve them that for lunch. Put the containers in the dumpsters; no one will know you didn’t make it. It’s Friday, so order ten pizzas, six orders of bread sticks, and ten orders of hot wings, different flavors. There you go, you’re welcome.”

  The men’s laughter was abruptly cut off when the kitchen door was pushed open.

  Ginny made a face at them when they visibly relaxed seeing it was Moon.

  Refraining from speaking to Moon, who was a grump in the morning, Ginny carried her dirty dishes to the sink to rinse the
m out and placed them in the dishwasher. Filling one of the tumblers with decaf coffee, Ginny then went to the kitchen door.

  “Just so you know, whoever has the job of watching me today, I’ll be needing a ride in about thirty minutes to go to church. I would appreciate it if you don’t wake Gavin. He has a long day ahead of him, so I don’t want him disturbed.”

  In Gavin’s bedroom, she gathered a long-sleeved, heather grey maxi dress and her bra and panties before going into the bathroom to shower. She had washed her hair last night before Gavin had come home, so her shower this morning didn’t take long. Drying off, she dressed, then snuck out of the bathroom to find a pair of thick stockings and pair of flat boots. Placing her sling back on, Ginny brushed her hair, deciding to leave it long.

  Grabbing her purse, she went to the bed, seeing Gavin was still asleep. Brushing a kiss over his forehead, she went to the other side of the bed where Suki had taken her spot.

  “Keep an eye on him for me, girl,” she whispered, giving the dog a loving pat.

  Leaving the bedroom, she made her way downstairs where Moon was waiting for her by the door.

  “Sorry,” she apologized. “Once you drop me off, you can come back and catch a few hours of sleep. Pastor Dean will be at the church, and I’ll be staying there until after lunch.”

  “I’m cool. I shouldn’t have pulled an all-nighter. Once the coffee kicks in, I’ll wake up.”

  Carrying her own tumbler, she look at him questioningly. “I hope you didn’t fill yours from the left pot on top; it’s decaf.”

  “Fuck. I’ll be right back.”

  “You should mention to Puck to mark the decaf,” she called after him.

  “Already planned to,” he groused, pushing the door open.

  “You hurt his feelings, I won’t be happy. He worked hard to get breakfast ready.”

  Ginny debated following Moon into the kitchen to double-check that Moon wasn’t being mean to the nice man. Obviously, Jesus had been nicknamed for being deeply religious and having a caring manner. Ginny didn’t want his feelings hurt because he made the coffee just for her.