Page 61 of Reaper

“I killed Jimmy easily enough.”

I bite my cheek so hard I taste blood at his admission. I always knew something was up with the way that run went. Now I know what it was.

“We were kids. You didn’t stay and kill me then. You ran with your tail tucked between your legs. I think you will find I’m much harder to kill now.”

“A bullet still stops a heart from beating no matter how invincible the man thinks he is.”

“I think you might want to remember that yourself.”

He looks down at his phone when it rings. He frowns.

I felt my own vibrate right before so I am guessing whatever he had planned fell through. I wonder how many holes we will be digging tonight.

“Well it seems like you’re busy. I’ll be seeing you around, William. Count on it.”

He grits his teeth. “Trust me. You will be seeing me sooner than you think.”

“I hope so. I think your head would make the perfect wedding gift for my woman. We could even stuff it and put it on the wall so she can see you every single day and know you will never touch her again.”

I can tell he wants to say something else, but he withholds. It disappoints me.

I turn, leaving the room with my men.

This little meeting has informed me of so much. He’s working with the Renegades, but none of them stepped in to help with this little power play.

It was almost like they were watching him instead of watching out for him.

Nothing is as it seems.

I wait until we are back at our bikes to look at my phone.

Wrath: Six men tried to hit the gate. Took all but two down. No one but us noticed. All good here.

I smirk. He really thought I would be dumb enough to leave her unprotected.

Turning to Trigger, I tell him, “We have a lot more research to do. That wasn’t the meeting with a leader.”

“No it wasn’t. Seemed more like a meeting with a lackey,” he admits.

I nod once. “When we get back, I want to debrief Wrath. We are missing something. Something big I think.”

“I think so too.”

As I climb on my bike, all I can hope is that I can protect the club and Natalie from whatever it is because if it comes down to it, I’m not sure the club is my first priority anymore.

* * *

I don’t know where Harrison is, but after leaving Wrath, I head back into the clubhouse. The place is full of men, which makes me uncomfortable. Usually this early, it’s still pretty empty.

I push through it though.

After making the deal with Harrison, I’ve been really concentrating on making myself better. I’m still afraid of William, but I can’t keep putting my life on hold for fear of him. I’m letting him win.

Or that’s what my therapist says. I think I’m starting to believe it myself.

So during today’s session, I broached the subject of being more social.

“I think it’s a great idea for you to meet new people. Right now, your trust has been broken so you are hesitant to get to know anyone. You don’t even trust yourself. So you need to learn to trust yourself before you can truly trust another.”

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