Page 1 of Grim Justice

Chapter 1 Grim

“Church is in session,” I growled, banging the skull-headed gavel on the wooden surface of the table. “Listen up.”

Every member inside the chapel straightened in their seats, and more than one reaper pushed a little closer to the surface of the faces that watched with rapt attention. If I wasn’t the grim fucking reaper and I didn’t know the secrets we held, I might have been a little afraid of the ghostly, skeletal visages that stared my way.

But nothing much scared you when you already struck a bargain with the devil and wielded a scythe that reaped the darkest of souls. I wasn’t afraid of death. Iwasdeath. The men in this room shared that morbid, powerful connection.

“Razr is out of prison,” I announced, glancing at Mammoth, my V.P., who had yet to hear the news.

He arched a dark brow and sat back against his seat. “Fuck.”

Yeah, fuck.

Until this moment, only Rael knew of Razr’s release. I ordered him to keep it on lockdown since Mammoth married Rowen. Less than two fucking days for a honeymoon. I couldn’t give him longer. I needed my V.P.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the needs of the club trumped our personal relationships, and it wouldn’t be the last. Every ol’ lady understood the sacrifice she made when she supported her man. Did that mean we loved them any less? Fuck no. Every choice I made ensured the safety of our members and their families. Even if I had lacked in that department, our reapers would never have allowed it. They were obsessed, possessive, and overprotective when it came to our women. Weoften had to stifle the reapers’ instincts because the demonic entities liked to fuck, fight, ride, and hunt. Rael’s was the worst.

My Trish experienced the darkest aspects of MC life before we ever got serious. It almost broke us apart, but we fought every single fucking day to stay together.

“You should have told me sooner,” Mammoth sighed.

“Not when you just got hitched, brother,” Rael responded. “Pres wanted to wait. We fucking waited.”

The left corner of Mammoth’s lip lifted in a snarl. “Don’t fucking piss me off, Rael.”

Our S.A.A. and shit-starter shrugged. “Just sayin’ the truth, old man. Besides, shouldn’t you be happy after puttin’ a ring on Rowen’s finger?”

I shot Rael a look. He knew what the fuck he was doing. Crazy fucker got off on stirring the goddamn pot. He loved to fuck with Mammoth. “Knock it the fuck off, or you’ll be cleaning the toilets after Mammoth shits.”

Rael made a gagging sound. “I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

“Grow the fuck up,” Mammoth growled.

Christ.

Rael blew him a kiss.

“I swear to fuck,” I began, “I am not in the mood for this shit.”

“Just tryin’ to keep things light, pres.”

“Don’t then,” I hissed, turning to the rest of the members who had watched the exchange with humor.

We all knew how Rael acted when shit grew serious. He used humor to deflect because his reaper was an asshole. Also, because he cared as deeply about the club and its members as he did about his ol’ lady Nylah and his twin sons, Gavin and Gage. He was my Sergeant at Arms because of his loyalty and dedication to the club. There was no obstacle that would prevent him from protecting our way of life, a brother, or an ol’ lady.

Exorcist ticked his chin my way. “Tell us what you want, pres. No one wants to sit on this and allow Razr to make the first move.”

“I vote we pay him a visit and end shit now,” Wraith added.

My reaper agreed. “We hunt. Tonight.”

“Vengeance,” Hannibal shouted, pounding his fist on the table.

“Vengeance,” I agreed. “For Keys and Lockjaw and all the brothers we’ve lost. For every fucking time we’ve had to lockdown this clubhouse and protect our families.” A growl left my throat. “For the things we can’t recover, and the time wasted, for the members no longer with us, and the cuts that hang as a reminder of our fallen brothers.”

Thoughts of Trish and the baby we lost because of her stepbrother Moby and his vicious attack, the separation Razr caused, and the heartache—all the grief surfaced. I had to see him suffer.

My Reaper needed to reap his fucking soul.