Chapter 12 Reaper
As I take my seat for Church, I can’t shake the image of Lexi’s naked, flushed body from my mind. I left her incoherent and still twitching from a string of orgasms. Recovering from that should keep her occupied while I meet with the guys. My cock still throbs at the memory of her beneath me. Her soft moans drove me so wild I lost control. I really hope I didn’t hurt her sweet little pussy because I’m going to need another taste of it as soon as I get back to my room.
Trying to focus on Scar’s words is almost impossible. The chemistry between Lexi and me is like a raging inferno. I couldn’t extinguish it even if I tried. The more time we spend together, the more I’m drawn to her fire and sass. Having her back in my bed is a complication I didn’t need, but she’s back, waiting for me in bed, and all I can think about is being balls deep inside her again.
“Hello? Earth to Reaper,” Talon snarks.
“What?” I grunt, glancing up at them.
Scar and Talon scowl, while Matrix and Nitro have their heads cocked like dogs who heard a sound they didn’t like.
“Are you awake enough for club business, or do you need to get some sleep?” Scar asks sarcastically.
“Tucker told me there was jizz on the pool table, and the walls were shaking half the night,” Nitro smirks.
“Get a prospect to clean that shit up,” Scar snaps.
“Already did,” Nitro says. “I love making them do shit like that.”
“No cum in the living room. Rules are rules,” Matrix says, trying but failing to suppress a grin.
“Can you blame the guy?” Talon says, seeming to come to my aid. “He’s not fucking any club girls, so he needed to get his rocks off somehow. Lexi’s got those mom-curves now. You can’t blame a man for wanting a piece of hot MILF action.”
“Is she even old enough to be a MILF?” Matrix asks, typing away at his laptop. “Nope. Says you need to be at least thirty-five to qualify.”
“Nah, at least forty,” Nitro says. “MILFs need enough experience to corrupt their young prey.”
“Some twenty-year-olds have a lot of experience,” Matrix points out.
“Yeah, but experience isn’t wisdom,” Talon says.
“When the fuck did you turn into the Dali Lama?” Scar asks, chuckling.
“What’s your MILF range then?” Nitro asks.
“I don’t have one because I have a wife who would cut off my fucking nuts if she overheard this conversation. Anyway, stop fucking around, and let’s get down to business. Matrix, anything new on Blackstone?”
“All right,” Matrix starts, his voice cutting through the chatter like a knife. “I got some intel on Blackstone’s weekend political itinerary. He’s attending some fancy fundraiser dinner tomorrow night. I swear this guy never stops trying to buy influence.”
“Any chance we can get close to him there?” I ask, my mind already churning through possible plans.
“Security will be tight, but I might be able to get one of the prospects in as part of the catering staff. It’s risky, though,” Matrix says, scratching his beard thoughtfully.
“Let’s put that on the back burner for now, see if we can find another angle,” Scar says.
Talon and Nitro nod in agreement.
“Speaking of angles,” Matrix says. “I was able to hack into the company that made the keycard Lexi used to gain access to Blackstone’s ranch.”
“Nice work, brother,” Scar grunts, leaning forward. “Can you replicate the keycard with a code that’ll give us access to his house?”
“Maybe,” Matrix replies, his grin fading as his gaze drops to his computer. “It’s going to require some hardcore coding stuff. Daisy and I are working on cracking the encryption algorithm, but it’s not easy. Haven’t seen anything like it before.”
“Text me when you have an update. Good job so far,” Scar says.
“Will do.”
Nitro clears his throat, and I can tell he’s got something important to share.
“I’ve got an update on that child custody case we’ve been helping with,” Nitro says, his voice somber.
Instantly, the tension in the room shifts. We all know the stakes of this custody battle, and it’s more than just pride for us. Those two boys Nina’s been watching, their mom is relying on the club to help her, and their safety matters to all of us.
“Let’s hear it.” Scar’s brows furrow as if he’s preparing for bad news.
“Talked to the lawyer we hired for the mom earlier today,” Nitro continues, meeting our gazes one by one. “He said the case hasn’t been resolved yet, but it’s getting close. And from what he’s seen, the mom has a good shot at getting full custody.”
A collective sigh of relief fills the room. Those boys deserve to be with their mother, safe and cared for, not with their rotten, piece of shit wife-beating father. Fuck that guy. I’d love to get him down in the basement for a little attitude adjustment. Scar won’t let me, though, because he knows that fucker wouldn’t get out alive.
“Thank fuck,” Talon murmurs, rubbing a hand over his face. “Those kids have been through enough.”
“Damn straight,” Matrix adds, nodding solemnly.
“Good work, Nitro,” Scar praises.
Nitro nods, acknowledging the compliment. “Thanks, brother. I’ll keep everyone updated.”
The room falls silent for a moment as we process the news. It’s a small victory, but one worth celebrating. Then, Scar’s gaze shifts back to Matrix.
“Speaking of updates,” he says, his tone sharp. “When are you going to get those DNA results back from the kid?”
I frown, confused. “I thought the kids Nina was watching belonged to the mom and dad in the custody case.”
“Reaper,” Matrix sighs, his eyes apologetic. “I’m talking about Ace.”
My blood runs cold, my heart hammering in my chest. “Why are you testing Ace’s DNA?”
“Lexi lied about his age.” Matrix hesitates, then blurts it out like ripping off a Band-Aid. “I found Ace’s birth certificate. He’s turning eight, not seven. He was born on September 25th, 2017, not 2018. Reaper … Ace could be your son.”
The room spins, my head swimming with disbelief and anger. What the fuck? How could Lexi lie to me like that? What kind of game is she playing?
“Are you sure?” I demand. “Maybe you got the wrong birth certificate.”
“I’m positive,” Matrix confirms, his expression grim. “I’m sorry, brother.”
My hands tremble at my sides, fists clenched in a desperate attempt to control my rage.
“You tested Ace’s DNA? Behind my back?” I snarl, glaring at Matrix.
“Reaper, listen—” Matrix starts, but I cut him off.
“Answer me!” I demand. “When and how did you get his DNA?”
Matrix sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I asked Nina to have Ace drink out of a glass, then set it aside, so I could take a swab.”
The memory of Matrix whispering with Nina the day before comes rushing back, and I narrow my eyes. “That’s what you were talking to her about yesterday.”
“Yeah,” Matrix admits, looking uncomfortable. “Look, Reaper, I know it’s not ideal, but we had to know. You deserve to know if he’s your son.”
“Without my consent?” I growl, my anger boiling over as I rise from my chair, ready to pound him into a wall. “You had no right!”
“Sit down and shut up, Reaper!” Scar barks, his authority ringing through the room. “You’re pissed. We get it. But don’t you want to know if you’ve got a kid or not?”
I hesitate as Scar’s question cuts through my fury. I’m torn between wanting to throttle Matrix for his betrayal and needing to know if Ace is truly mine.
“Of course I want to know,” I say through gritted teeth. “But this … this should have been my choice, not yours.”
“Sometimes we don’t get a choice, brother,” Scar replies softly, his stern gaze softening slightly. “We do what we need to for family.”
“Family,” I echo, the word heavy on my tongue. If Ace ismy son, everything changes. My loyalty to the club and our mission against Blackstone will never waver, but the stakes become even higher—not just for me but for a child who might be mine.
“All right,” I concede, sitting back down slowly. “When will we know?”
“Results should be in soon,” Matrix says quietly. “I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”
“Fine.” My voice is cold, my anger still simmering beneath the surface.
“Don’t get mad about it,” Nitro says, throwing fuel back on the fire. “It was the right thing to do, and you know it.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Talon snaps. “Give the man a fucking minute to process this shit. If you just found out you had a kid you didn’t know about, you’d freak out too.”
“I’m not freaking out!” I yell before I storm out, slamming the door behind me with enough force to rattle the hinges.
The sound echoes as I make a beeline to the front door. Anger courses through my veins, filling me with the need to be anywhere but here. I can’t talk to Lexi like this. The buzzing sound in my head makes it impossible to think straight.
“Reaper!” Scar calls after me, but I don’t turn back. I don’t want to hear his excuses or explanations—not now, not ever.
My bike waits for me, a sleek black beast that hums under my touch like it understands my fury. I swing my leg over the seat and start the engine, the roar drowning out any pleas from my brothers.
“Damn them,” I mutter, gripping the handlebars until my knuckles turn white. “And damn Lexi, too.”
As I tear down the road, the wind whipping against my skin, I can’t shake away the idea that Ace might be my son. If Lexi lied about something as important as that, what else could she be hiding? And what did she have to gain by keeping this from me?
My thoughts spiral, a whirlwind of anger, fear, and—if I’m honest with myself—a desperate longing for the truth. Aside from the club, I’ve never had a real family. The club has always been there for me, but the idea of a child, of someone who shares my blood … It’s intoxicating.
But it’s also dangerous.
“Lexi,” I growl, the name bitter on my tongue. “If you lied to me, if you hid my son from me, you’re going to regret it.”
I focus on the road ahead, letting the rage fuel me as I ride farther away from the brothers I’ve always trusted, until now. Eventually, I might find it to forgive them, but right now, I want to rip every one of their heads off. They should have checked with me before taking Ace’s DNA. They had no right to do that shit.
But underneath my fury, a vein of fear cuts through the walls around my heart. If I’m a father, then what? I can’t raise a kid. This is so fucked. How the fuck would I raise a kid? I don’t know the first thing about shit like that.
I throttle the engine, racing down the mountain road at a hundred miles an hour, daring death to take me because I can’t even begin to image the alternative. Fatherhood.