Page 44 of Reaper

“There’s a cop behind us,” she yells.

I laugh at the fact that she thinks she has to raise her voice to be heard.

Reaching down, I squeeze her knee. “I ain’t worried ’bout no cops, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, but what if he knows William, and he wants to take me back?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

In the rearview mirror, I watch as she looks over her shoulder once more, which makes me smirk.

She would get pulled over for sure. She is acting so suspiciously. I can’t blame her though. This is the first time she’s left the property since she showed up and she’s petrified she’s going to be taken away from me.

Pulling over to the side of the road, I slow down.

The Nye County Sheriff pulls up next to us, stopping. I turn off the bike so I can hear him.

“Reaper, good to see you, man. You going down to the races this weekend? I hear some crews from Colorado are going to be there,” Sheriff Dennison says as he approaches.

I snort. “Easy money. No one can beat my bike, but nah, I have plans. You’ll have to tell me how the pussies from out-of-town race. Maybe I’ll come next time if they make it worth my time.”

I feel Natalie relax against my back as we continue to talk. Not that I want to talk to this prick, but he is one of the cops on my side. Gotta keep them in my pocket so I chit chat a minute longer.

His radio goes off. “Ah shit, got a call. Better go. See you later.”

We watch as he takes off, sirens blaring.

“You know him?” Natalie asks, flipping up her visor.

I turn a little so I can see her face.

“You’re adorable, you know that, right?” I tell her, changing the subject to see if she will call me on my bullshit.

She frowns. “Adorable is what you call your kid sister or a child. I’m not sure I like that.”

“You’re gorgeous. Is that better?” I quirk an eyebrow, daring her to challenge me.

She shakes her head. “You don’t need to tell me what I want to hear.”

I sigh. “Natalie, I just blew off your question, and you let me. Demand more. You deserve it. You asked me a question. Now demand I respect you enough to answer it. I can’t always tell you everything, but I should at least be able to tell you I can’t talk about it. No one should ever blow you off.”

She clears her throat. “How do you know the officer, Harrison?”

I smile. “Better, baby. I own him along with half of his department.”

“How did you know it was one you knew?” she asks tentatively.

“I didn’t,” I tell her honestly.

“What would have happened if it was one you didn’t own?”

Fuck, I love how curious she is. No other woman would ask the questions that she is asking. They would know better. I like that she doesn’t.

“Nothing. The ones I don’t own either are afraid of me or aren’t worth my time.”

“Interesting,” she hums, thinking over my words.

My hand finds her thigh as I squeeze it.

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