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.”
“Why would he do that?”
“He cares, Grace. Trust me, that is a man that cares about those kids, and about those women.”
“You don’t find that strange?” Grace asked.
Gena sighed. “You see all those boys down there, well, one day, they are going to be grown men. There’s a chance one of them might hurt their partner.”
“Even though they know the pain it causes?”
“Some don’t learn. Others wouldn’t dream of hurting their partner or anyone.”
Grace frowned. “You think Reaper had an abusive father?”
“Or mother, but the way he is with the women, something tells me that man knows exactly what those kids and those women are going through. I don’t know for certain, but it’s a hunch.
He cares. All of this matters to him. I don’t know how he did it, but he also made sure the rent was completely taken care of. ”
“What? Is that even possible?”
“I’ve been informed that the rental of this property has been paid indefinitely, and I can tell you, I had nothing to do with it.
Seeing as just before this letter came, I was informed the rates were rising, and I didn’t think I would have the funds to keep it open a month, let alone indefinitely. Not all men are bad, Grace.”
She sighed, and kept her back to the window, even though all she wanted to do was turn around and see what he was up to.
“It’s not all men. It’s just bikers,” Grace said. “None of them are good.”
Gena laughed. “You know, it doesn’t matter what job you have or what label you are.
There are good and bad in all. We’ve had women through those doors married to judges or police officers.
Trust me, it doesn’t matter who you are, there are good and bad.
You can have bad bikers, and you can have good bikers.
The same goes for policemen, judges, and your average Joe. ”
She was aware of that, but it was just easier to not think of bikers as good people. Her parents were so brokenhearted with what happened to her sister. All she ever heard was what bad eggs they all were. It wasn’t like she was born with a hatred for bikers. The reputation was well earned.
“I better get back,” Grace said.
Gena put a hand on her arm, and she watched the other woman walk off.
She was tempted to look out the window, but instead she stepped away and got to work back down in the kitchen to organize the shelves.
With all the donations lately, boxes of stuff had been placed on shelves with no real order, and it was up to her to sort it out.
It was a long job, but one she was more than happy to do as it helped to distract her from the main problem. Reaper.
She still refused to allow him to bring her coffee. Even though she had to listen to everyone moan at how good the cups were that he brought. She didn’t drink coffee as it made her too wired and also a little paranoid. Right now, she needed all of her wits about her.
By the end of the day, she was exhausted, and she grabbed her jacket and bag from the staff room, smiled at some of the passing children, and made her way to the exit. At the same time, Reaper was there.
He held the door open for her, and for the briefest moment, she was about to tell him she didn’t need his help, that she could open her own freaking door. She gritted her teeth, because that was so rude. If it had been anyone else, she would have thanked them. So, she thanked him.
“That was hard for you, wasn’t it?” he asked.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Anyone ever tell you, you have a very easy-to-read face?”
She stared at him, a little confused.
He leaned closer. “You’re going to have to try a little harder to not show your absolute dislike for me.”
Grace didn’t hate him. She hated herself for being so curious about him. And how he brought out the worst in her. It didn’t make her proud. She was just about to tell him that as well, only he was already making his way toward his bike.
The direction to the bus was just past him, but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her waiting for a bus, so she went the long way around.
She also noticed that black SUV by the side of the road looking a little too out of place.
At least the shelter was more secure now with stronger gates and an up-to-date security system.
****
Reaper watched Grace, not for the first time, as he worked on some of the wiring near the first-floor kitchen.
The lights had been flickering on and off for the past week, and he’d worked his way through the faulty wiring, attempting to replace as much as possible without disturbing the internal walls.
He had a sneaking suspicion they were going to have no choice but to rewire the entire property, which meant plaster was coming off the walls and would require new drywall.
The budget couldn’t handle that, and Lord seemed to be a little pissed off at him lately, spending more time away from the clubhouse.
His responsibilities at the club were never affected.
He was there when they needed him, but they didn’t require him to be sitting on his ass, waiting for trouble to come calling.
That shit seemed to come naturally to them.
For the past few months, all had been quiet, and he knew how quickly that could change.
They didn’t need him at the club, but the women’s shelter needed him.
He’d been promising to do the repairs for a long time, and now, it was like a domino effect, once one thing went wrong, it started the chain reaction of everything else.
It didn’t help that he was easily distracted by a certain messy blonde woman. Grace.
She didn’t even like him, and usually he was not attracted to women who showed open disdain for him.
Grace was different. He noticed her gaze on him every chance she got.
Even when she didn’t want to be looking at him, she was.
He was out playing ball with the kids just the other day, and he happened to notice her watching from one of the windows.
He might have flexed and enjoyed the kids a little more than usual.
She was nervous around bikers. He didn’t blame her.
She should be. It would be easy to find information about her, at just the click of his fingers.
He could phone his guy, give a name, and he’d have everything he needed within hours.
He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want it to be so easy.
He wanted to learn more about her the hard way.
Reaper twitched his screwdriver and jerked back as there was a sudden surge, and seconds later the lights went out, and the alarm went off.
“Fuck!”
He put down his tools and quickly made his way to the basement. He’d been distracted by Grace, and he’d touched the wrong freaking cable, sending a surge, and also giving himself a shock. It was nothing to worry about, as it cut out with no other problem.
“Is everything all right?” Gena called down.
“Yeah, it is, but I think we’re going to have to concede and I’m going to have no choice but to rewire this place.”
“You are? I don’t know if it is within the budget. We’re—”
“I’ve got a few guys who can help. I’ll get their details for you, and you can sign off on them allowing them to work. We can do the work through the day. It does mean the electricity is going to be off for some time,” he said.
“What about the food? The freezers? The fridges?” Gena asked. She hated asking for help, and he’d come to figure that within a few days of knowing her.
“I’ve got a backup generator I can let you use. All essentials can be hooked up to it, and you won’t lose any food.”
Gena blew out a breath. “This was the risk you told me I would be taking by throwing that problem further down the road.”
He did warn her that the longer she left it, the harder it was going to be.
She put a hand to her forehead as he came up the stairs. “I’m sorry, yes, please let me know the men or women that will be working with you. I’ll have to do a security check.”
“You know I wouldn’t bring anyone who isn’t up to the task,” he said.
“Thank you, Reaper, you’re a godsend. I honestly don’t know what we would do without you.” She put a hand on his arm, and then immediately pulled it away.
She never flirted, so he didn’t see it as anything more than friendly.
“I’ll get this safe for tonight, but the sooner we get this work done, the better.” He brushed past her and made his way back to where his tools were. Grace was there.
“It went dark,” she said, looking a little pale.
“Yeah, me and a few of my guys are going to be in here the next few days. Fixing this place up. You might want to avoid it,” he said, smirking with his back to her.
“Why avoid it?” she asked.
There was a slight tightness to her tone, and he knew he should just leave it alone. There was no point in poking the bear, but he couldn’t help it. She was just too adorable to not irritate.
“I know you’ve got an issue with us biker sorts, and, well, my friends are the only ones willing to do the job without pay, and they’re all bikers.
We can tell when we’re not liked.” His friends didn’t know they were not going to get paid.
He would square it up with each of them himself.
They would be happy to help, although they would moan about it until the freaking cows came home.
For a second, he wondered if it was worth hiring someone else to do the work. Then again, he didn’t trust anyone else, and he knew with his club brothers the women and children here would be safe. Their safety was paramount.
He couldn’t help but think of his mother in that moment. Reaper tried not to think of his mother. It was a sore subject for him, so he quickly pushed that to the back of his mind.
Even if it meant Grace might be a little uncomfortable, she was just going to have to deal with it.