Page 34 of Reaper

“That we should figure out what you like to watch. Everyone needs to know what their favorite movie is.”

“That sounds nice.”

As we continue to play, I ask her different things. I find myself making jokes just to see if it will make her smile or laugh.

At one point, Natalie tosses her head back and laughs out loud. The sight makes my chest feel tight, and I feel like I’ve accomplished the impossible.

Natalie ran to me for protection and the plan was for her to walk away once that fucker Danworth is no longer a threat. So why does the thought of her leaving give me indigestion?

seven

“Are you fucking kidding me?”Wrath is a vision of anger.

I’m not surprised. Trigger fully vetted him, even going as far as following him around to ensure he is trustworthy.

I didn’t doubt him for a second, but I had to be sure.

Wrath has been my brother since childhood. We grew up together, our fathers both part of the club. He is still alive though. He can’t ride anymore and is a retired member, but a member still nonetheless.

If Wrath had been the mole, I would have rather killed myself than him. He’s like an extension of me. Everyone talks about soulmates all the time, but rarely do you hear about friends who fulfill a similar part of you. A bromate. A brother who compliments you in such a way that your friendship might not make sense, but it somehow works.

That’s me and Wrath.

I’m calm, cool, and collected. I think things through, analyzing the entire situation before I make a decision.

Wrath is more of a fists first, words later type. If you disrespect him, he’s going to knock your teeth out before he figures out why you would be stupid enough to do it in the first place.

It’s a good balance to have. I tend to reign in his fury, but he pushes me to action when I would otherwise sit and consider all the options first.

“Have a seat, asshole,” I tell him, pointing at his chair.

He huffs but slams his body down in his chair. “There. Now why the fuck is Trigger following me around and tapping into my phone? Why the fuck are you investigating me?”

“We have a traitor.”

His anger morphs. He’s still mad at me, but now his rage has a new target.

He cracks his knuckles. “You thought I was a traitor?”

I shake my head. “Not at all. That’s why I had him vet you first. There will be no question about who this mole is. We will look into every single member, including Trigger himself, which is your first task. When both of you are clear, we will proceed with the others. I want to know about them, their wives, their children, everything. I don’t want a doubt in my mind about who this could be. I want every single stone overturned.”

Some of his anger toward me dissipates. He knows as well as I do that trusting the wrong brother can result in an untimely death. My father fell into that hole.

So while Wrath is the person I trust most, he understands the need to be certain.

“I’ll get right on it. I know we’ve been having issues, but what am I missing?”

“Trigger and I reviewed some footage of William. Natalie said she met him about a year ago. He claimed to be an investment banker and charmed his way into her life. She told me that sometimes he would talk on the phone around her. She never knew who he was talking to, but it sounded serious. Sometimes he would mention shipments. She heard our MC name many times. The only time he seemed upset or ruffled was when he mentioned me by my last name. She said that once or twice whoever he was on the phone with seemed to be giving him info. He’d make her get him paper and a pen. She never pried much. She was too afraid to.”

Wrath gives me a look of pure fury. He feels the way I do about women being hurt. His mother left his father because of the violent lifestyle he led, only to end up in the hands of an abuser. Wrath couldn’t save her from the brain bleed that ended up killing her, but he made sure the man who caused it suffered a long and painful death.

“How is she?” he asks quietly.

If it were anyone else, I might feel a pinch of jealousy. Especially with the way I’ve been feeling toward her lately, but as is, I know he’s not thinking about her really. He’s seeing his mother.

“She’s doing okay. Getting better with each day. I’m trying to help her find her voice again. He has her trained to be afraid of every little noise. I want the men to stay away from our hallway. If you could refrain from punching the walls, that would be great too.”

“I will. I’ll get the word out. So who do you think the rat is?”

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