Series: Straight to Hell MC Series by Sam Crescent
Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
He started crying but left the property, holding his neck. Reaper would have to reinforce the gates on the side of the shelter. As he returned to the back, he realized all the women had been watching from the big family room windows.
They swarmed him once he stepped back inside. “Thank you, Reaper,” Helen said. “That was Rosa’s husband. He hasn’t stopped calling all day.”
Husbands, boyfriends, and exes were a constant issue. It was the number one reason Gena called him most times. They were usually harmless and desperate for a second chance. Reaper wasn’t judge or jury, he just kept them away.
As a kid, he wished there was someone like him to keep the men away from his mother. But it had just been him. He hadn’t been strong or brave back then. And he couldn’t go back in time to undo the past now.
“I’ll work on the gate tomorrow. The latch is too easy to open from the outside. I don’t like it.”
He saw Grace was standing with them, just staring at him without saying a word. She probably hated him even more now for being a violent asshole.
Reaper needed to do his work for the club now. Time to kick ass and break bones. When someone didn’t pay a debt or Lord had a beef with someone, Reaper was the first face they saw. As he was shrugging on his jacket in front of the shelter, a little boy came and wrapped his arms around his thigh.
“Don’t go,” he said.
Reaper bent down to his level. “Listen, little man. It’ll be bedtime soon. You need sleep to get big and strong. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Can I ride your bike again?”
“We’ll see.” He patted him on the head playfully and stood back up.
Lawrence ran off to the kitchen.
The last person he expected to see before leaving was Grace. She approached him, leaning against the wall in the hallway.
“You let the kids ride your bike? Sounds dangerous.”
“I think by riding, he meant to say sitting on my parked bike while I stood beside him. And it was turned off. Promise.”
“I saw what you did out there.”
“I only did what had to be done,” he said.
“I’m not complaining. I’m sure he deserved it. What if the next husband or ex is a biker?”
This chick didn’t fuck around. She meant business.
“Listen, I don’t know what I did to piss you off so much, but I’m not the bad guy here.” He took a couple of steps closer to her. “Out there, yeah, maybe. In here, not so much. As to your question, if a biker came to hurt one of the women or kids here, even one of my own fucking brothers, they’d live to regret it.”
She didn’t say a thing, but her bravado was gone.
And he knew he’d still be thinking about her tonight.
Chapter Four
Grace tried not to become too comfortable around Reaper. She found herself looking forward to seeing him, which was just crazy. He was a biker, but every single time she volunteered at the shelter, all she saw was how comfortable everyone was around him. Including the women.
At first, they were skeptical, but she also happened to notice that Reaper didn’t push for an introduction. He left them alone, giving them as much space as they needed. Only when they felt safe, did he actually attempt talk to them. After that, it was a greeting, a nod, a smile. Nothing overly familiar.
“I’m starting to wonder if you’re turning into a stalker?” Gena asked, coming up behind her, where she was looking out the window.
Reaper was out in the yard, a ball in his hand, tossing it across the grass to a bunch of kids who were scrambling around themselves in an effort to get the ball. It was cute. The kids were entertained and Reaper laughed. Each kid took turns to run back to Reaper to hand him the ball. As a reward, he lifted them up and spun them around. They all looked so happy, and Reaper didn’t seem to mind. Most of these kids didn’t have that experience with a dad. It always broke her heart, seeing the yearning in their eyes. They clearly wished to have a dad like Reaper.
“I’m not stalking. I’m just keeping an eye on them.” She nodded her head, folded her arms across her chest, and realized how defensive she looked and clenched her hands together, only to place them down beside her.
Gena chuckled. “You think I wasn’t nervous when Reaper first came around? Trust me, I was. I think the first time I saw him, he had a box full of old toys, only they were brand new. I don’t believe for a second they were his. I think he went to a toy store and bought a bunch of them to bring here.”