Page 4 of Reaper's Rage

“I’d been with them for about three years when they had me oversee an initiation for a new recruit. I think Deion always suspected that I cheated on my initiation, so he changed the rules. Instead of a recruit planning and executing the theft on their own, he would have a member stay outside the target location. When the recruit came out, they were to hand the item and the recording over.” I take a deep breath, because this next part guts me every time I let myself remember. “The kid made it inside without a problem, while I waited by my car across the street. Then something went wrong. I heard gunshots. The front door flew open, and the kid came stumbling out. He passed under a light and I could see blood on his shirt. He stumbled onto the road and tripped. The homeowner ran outside waving his gun just as I reached the kid. I shot at the asshole which had him running back into his house. I grabbed the kid and took him to the hospital.”

“I’m surprised they didn’t arrest you.” Chaos muses.

“I wasn’t wearing gang colors. I drove an expensive car and wore flash clothes just in case something went wrong. Plausible deniability. I convinced the security guard at the hospital that I found the kid in the street after someone attacked him. They told me to wait for the cops, but I booked it.” I explain. “Watching the kid bleed out changed me. Deion didn’t care about the kid, hell he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. I realized I was wasting my life by tying myself to them. I got back in my car and drove straight to Puma in Vegas.”

Dante nods. “That was almost two years ago. Why do you think Deion is doing this now? And what does he want?”

I shrug. “No idea.”

“Did he contact you after you left?” Grimm asks.

“He called, and I told him that I wasn’t coming back. That I was done with the gang.” I tell them. “He threatened to send the video to the cops. I told him to go ahead. He was angry, but he just hung up. I haven’t heard from him since.”

“Nothing since then?” Chaos asks.

“No.”

“Call him.” Dante orders.

I leave the phone on speaker so they can hear both ends of the conversation. He’s somewhat out of breath when he answers. “Randall, nice of you to call.” Deion says. “I was just getting to know your girl. She’s a feisty one. Surprised you like the type. Figured you preferred your women weak, like you.”

“You better not have touched her.” I growl.

“I haven’t. Yet.” Deion says. “You want her safe, you come here, alone. You come and I let her go. You know where to find me.”

“I want to talk to her.” I say, glancing at Dante, who’s typing on his phone.

I can finally breathe when I hear Ashlyn speak. Her voice is strong, but I can hear the fear. Her concern for the other women makes me proud. Too soon she’s gone and I’m back to listening to Deion tell me where to meet him, as well as the terms, including another threat against Ashlyn.

Hanging up the phone, I watch Dante finish texting. “I don’t think I should go alone. I should at least take Flame with me to collect Ashlyn.”

Dante stares at me for a long minute before shaking his head. “Do you really think we’re letting you face this asshole alone?”

I don’t want to question Dante, but this is Ashlyn’s life we were talking about. And he doesn’t know Deion like I do. He’d kill her just to spite me. “If he thinks we’re there to attack him, he’ll kill her.”

Dante snorts. “No, he won’t. We’ll make sure of it. I have a plan. I’ve called Church. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER FOUR: ASHLYN

When we step outside, I see only two bikes. My heart races. I was counting on the whole club coming. Why only the two of them? I recognize both immediately. One is Reaper and the other is my brother, Flame. Deion yanks me forward when I stop walking. I can’t believe it’s only them. What is Reaper thinking?

“I told you to come alone.” Deion yells at Reaper, letting me go only to have Trask grab my other arm to keep me close.

“Well, then that makes you a bigger idiot than I remember.” Reaper responds, moving closer with Flame next to him. “Flame’s here to get his sister.”

“Flame?” Trask scoffs, pulling me against him. He isn’t very tall, so my shoulder bumps into his chest. I can feel his piercings digging into me. Ick. “Is that because you’re into guys?”

Both Reaper and Flame shift their eyes from me to Trask and then back to me.

“He got his road name because he carried their VP out of a burning building.” I explain. “He’s a hero.” I put the emphasis on the word ‘he’. Trask catches on to my slight, grasping my arm tighter. Reaper and Flame must both have seen the pain flash across my face, because they both take a step forward and add in a growl.

“Get your fucking hands off of her.” Flame says, pulling out his gun. “Or I’ll put one right between your eyes.”

I hear a commotion behind me and I turn just enough to see that the guys we passed earlier file out for the show.

“You think you can take all of us?” Deion smirks. “Put those away, or my guys will end both of you and they’ll get the girl as a reward.”

I hear Flame growl again as I use their distraction to shift the screw in my hand so it’s pointing out from between my fingers. When the guys pulled their guns, Trask shifted his hold. He has his hand against my neck so my body fully covers his. Coward. But I’m not complaining because this position gives me the angle I need to make sure my attack does the most damage when the time is right. I’m hoping the guys planned something more than just showing up.

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