Page 9 of Reaper's Ride
I nodded, knowing he’d never put me on the back of his bike. That was Nylah’s place. I didn’t resent it.
“I’ll follow you.”
And that was it—no other words needed to be spoken. We parted ways as I grabbed one of the Reaper’s Custom Rides & Repairs vehicles. The club loaned them to people who needed a vehicle while theirs was in the shop. Since I lived at the clubhouse full time, I had use of one whenever I wanted. No car payments or maintenance bills for me.
I guess I was a little spoiled.
The drive to the hospital was quiet, and I had far too much time to focus on my thoughts, the conversation with Rael, brief though it was, and on the biker I was going to visit. Again.
I’d come every day. Maybe I just felt bad because he didn’t seem to have anyone who cared about him. He was riding through life alone, without a home or anyone to share it with. No woman that I knew of.
Of course, I didn’t ask him. Not yet. Today wouldn’t be the day either because of Rael. He was going to make shit awkward. He always did.
Honestly, I believed Rael thrived on chaos and fucking with people. His twin was also a handful. Chrome didn’t have the same giddy delight in being an asshole, though. He was calmer, more subdued. But the two were close.
The club didn’t take Rael’s shit. He got fucked with as much as he messed with others. The guys respected Rael. They knew he had their backs, and he was the first to show up whenever anyone needed anything. That spoke a lot about his dedication to the members. He earned his position as Sergeant-at-Arms.
I knew all of this because I’d seen it, lived it, and breathed it for a time when we were spending all those hours together in his bed. I fell for the guy with a huge heart and who could fuck me into the late hours of the morning, always ready to go again. He never left me unsatisfied.
Now, Nylah was going to marry that virile, strong, handsome biker. They had a date set for Valentine’s Day. I was happy for them. Truly. Rael wasn’t my guy, and I was okay with that.
But now I was convinced that life as ol’ lady wouldn’t happen for me. The best I could hope for was some incredible orgasms and a biker who didn’t expect more than I wanted to commit. I wasn’t leaving my life in Tonopah. Despite the past, Iwashappy.
I parked close to the entrance and climbed out of the SUV as Rael cut his engine. His pretty bike, with the blood-red sparkly paint and Reaper painted on the tank, shone like a brand-new penny. It was gorgeous.
“Hey, you ready?”
“Yep.”
He walked beside me, gaze bouncing around the interior out of habit. That was one thing I might never get used to. Bikers tended to be territorial but were always vigilant, ready for trouble, and watching for it whenever we were in public. Grocery store. Mall. Hospital. You name the place, they would be scouting exits, watching for security, and ensuring they spotted anyone who looked out of place or dangerous. The men and their Reapers would remove any threats without hesitation.
I never doubted my safety when I had a member and their Reaper for company.
We took the elevator to Pagan’s room and entered. I never bothered to knock. He always seemed happy to see me.
“Hey, Pagan,” I greeted him as I approached his bed.
He looked better today. Less pale. Stronger. I told him so.
“Thanks, Snooki.” His gaze flicked over me and then to Rael and stayed there. “Who are you?”
Rael grinned. It wasn’t the friendly kind. More like he sensed a conflict and decided to indulge it. Fanning flames instead of dousing them with water. “You’re Pagan.” He seemed to assess the man in the bed. “A nomad.”
Pagan crossed his arms over his chest. I knew it cost him because his finger twitched. He didn’t betray the pain it caused his cracked ribs and bruised chest, but I had been here enough to know the level of pain his body endured since the accident. “That’s right.”
Was I the only one who noticed Rael refuse to answer him?
“This is Rael. He’s the Sergeant at Arms of the Tonopah chapter,” I informed him as I introduced the big guy standing beside me.
He moved a step closer as if he thought he needed to shield me from Pagan. “You plan on coming to The Crossroads?”
“Maybe,” Pagan grunted.
I frowned as I caught the weird standoff they were in. Since Real wasn’t telling him what Grim decided, I jumped in. “Grim sent Mammoth, the V.P., to pick up your bike from the impound lot. The club is going to take care of the repairs.”
Pagan tore his gaze from Rael, where they were staring one another down, to me. “You responsible for that, beautiful?”
“Well, yes. I asked Grim.”
