Chapter Fifteen
Grace meant everything to him. Others may say they hadn’t been together long enough for him to know if she was the one. But he knew. Men like him didn’t need time to fall in love. It came on like a lightning bolt and there was no stopping it.
He never expected to fall for a woman. The club was all he’d ever needed. Women came and went like the wind, and none of them meant a thing to him. Grace changed everything and he wanted her protected, inside and outside the club.
“What’s FC stand for?”
“What are you talking about?” Grace asked.
He looked closer at the gold pen with the intricately engraved initials.
“It’s your pen.”
She took it from him and brought it closer to her eyes to make out the thin engraving. “I don’t know. It’s actually Heidi’s pen. She let me use it to fill out her paperwork.”
Reaper concluded FC had to stand for Franklin Cartwright.
What other asshole got his initials put on his pens?
He wanted to toss it out the window because it had belonged to the judge, but started fiddling with it, wondering if it could have been a tracker.
In his world, he didn’t trust easily. He wouldn’t put it past Cartright, seeing how controlling and abusive he’d been of his wife.
When he unscrewed the top, there was definitely something in there that didn’t belong, but it wasn’t a tracker. It was a small flash drive attached to the top.
“What is it?” Grace leaned over his shoulder to see.
“I don’t know, but Copper will.”
He kissed her forehead and asked her to wait while he dropped it off downstairs. As he walked along the hallways, he heard some commotion in the yard outside.
“Who’s there?” he asked.
The boys were gathering at the main gate, not allowing someone entry. He was paranoid. He wasn’t going to let the judge keep fucking with their lives anymore. Lord wouldn’t tolerate it. And it would be war.
“Some chick looking for someone,” Righteous said.
His nerves instantly calmed a degree. It was better than the cops and another search warrant. Once he got close enough, he saw it was that girl from Cartwright’s office. He didn’t like this at all. That asshole was trying to send in a mole, or worse.
As soon as she saw him, she pointed. “That’s him!”
“What do you want?” he asked flatly.
“I need your help.”
“I’m listening.”
“I can’t work there anymore. Franklin’s a pig and he’s getting worse. He said if I leave or quit, I’d end up dead in the river because I know too much.”
“Why did you come here?” Reaper asked. Yes, he was fucking skeptical. The security of the club was his responsibility.
“He was afraid of you. When you left, he started throwing stuff and screaming. I’ve never seen anyone get under his skin like that.”
“And what do you expect me to do for you?”
“I know stuff I shouldn’t. If I tell you, can you protect me?”
He took a breath.
“You’ll tell me everything you know. One of the sheep will search you top to bottom. And get this straight right now, you’re not my responsibility. The club will protect you until Cartwright is dealt with. Then we’ll cut you loose.”
Reaper had an old lady now, and he wasn’t putting her at risk for nothing. The young blonde would be under the protection of the club but he didn’t want any personal ties to her. For all he knew, Cartwright was trying to frame him just like he’d done with him.
He grabbed Righteous by the jacket and pulled him aside.
“I want her thoroughly checked and put in the tank for now. This isn’t a free pass. I’ll deal with this shit tomorrow.”
Righteous nodded.
He heard the gate whining open as he walked back to the clubhouse. Reaper wanted to drop off this flash drive to Copper before heading up to bed. He needed sleep. Too much had been going on lately and it was starting to get to him.
Brick bumped into him coming around a corner as he neared Copper’s room.
“Hey, any update on the judge?” asked Brick.
“Things are getting worse for him by the minute. He won’t be a problem much longer.”
“Give me some details.”
“The judge’s secretary just showed up at the gates. She has dirt on him. The boys are still watching the coroner, and I found this.” He held up the flash drive. “It’s the judge’s. I’m leaving it with Copper.”
“Careful. Sometimes rats are more dangerous when they’re cornered.” Then Brick continued on wherever he was going.
The VP could be right. They all had to be on high alert. The judge could panic and try to bring them down, or worse, those they loved. He was capable of anything.
He knocked on Copper’s door. The tech god of the club opened the door partway, wearing only a pair of shorts. He said nothing, probably sick and tired of dealing with Reaper’s issues.
“I need you to check on something else.”
Copper exhaled. “What now?”
“This.” He handed him the pen. “Consider this top priority. It’s club security at this point. I want to know what’s on the drive, and I’m hoping it has something we can use to take down the judge once and for all.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“If you’d rather be on babysitting duty with coroner Bradshaw...”
Copper snatched the pen. “I said I’d try my best.”
****
Grace sat outside in the sunshine.
Life at the club was much more comfortable than she ever expected.
The men never looked twice at her, the women were friendly, and the property was huge.
She’d even been able to go on a little hike in the forest out back, and now she was sitting in the main yard.
It would be so easy to forget the outside world here.
Apparently, they were interrogating some woman who knew stuff about the judge. She’d shown up a couple nights ago. At times Grace could overhear information. She wanted all of this to be over so she could work, volunteer, and enjoy her life with Reaper.
Bell, Tank’s old lady, came over and sat next to her.
She was sweet, down-to-earth, and they actually had a lot in common.
So far, all the women at the club were normal, in her opinion, not what she expected at all.
She thought they’d be rough, tough, and loose biker chicks.
Although there were sweet-butts, all the old ladies were the types she’d want as friends.
“Have you heard the news?” Bell asked.
“I don’t know.”
“That girl in the holding tank is Cartwright’s secretary. She’s spilling her guts. I heard them talking. Even Lord was questioning her.”
“Lord? Really?”
Bell nodded.
“Cartwright was convinced his wife stole important information from him when she left. He had his secretary searching the shelter records from the night his wife was admitted. Then he wanted background reports on everyone.”
“Wow, that’s terrifying,” Grace said. “I’m surprised he trusted her enough with such incriminating stuff.”
“Well, he threatened to kill her if she ever talked or dreamed of quitting.”
“Guess that’s why she’s here. No place safer than a biker club.”
They both giggled.
Then she felt the sun being blocked.
“What’s so funny?” Reaper asked.
Grace turned around and looked up at him. “We’re just talking.”
“We need to head out.”
She said goodbye to Bell and walked hand in hand with Reaper toward his bike. The sun glistened off the chrome.
“Where we going? Or is it a secret?”
She got on behind him and he handed her the helmet. He still hadn’t answered her.
Grace held him tight around his waist and they rode out the front gates.
They headed in the opposite direction of the city.
The views along the way were breathtaking as they drove farther into the countryside.
Wildflowers, old barns, cows grazing, and rolling hills.
There weren’t many cars on the road besides them.
She wasn’t sure how long they were driving but the bike finally started to slow down and they turned off on an unpaved road. The bumpy ride wasn’t too long until they stopped.
“Where are we?”
“You’ll see,” he said, helping her off the bike.
They held hands again as they walked down the narrow, rocky path toward water. It was a very small lake. She could see the other side easily.
He led her along the shore. “I’ve been in the club for as long as I can remember. I used to come out here when I needed to be alone. Club life is good, but you’re always surrounded by people.”
There were two old Adirondack chairs tucked in the trees in front of the water. Right now, the water looked as still as glass and the sun made it twinkle like a billion stars. He sat down and patted the other chair. She joined him, already addicted to the view and the peace around them.
“I can see why you liked to come here,” she said.
“You know, there’s been a lot going on. I never really got to spend much quality time with you, like I wanted. I hope that all changes soon.”
“Well, it looks like we have a lot of evidence now.”
He tapped her lips with one finger and shook his head. “Let’s forget about all that bullshit when we come here. All we need to do here is breathe. Maybe reflect.”
She couldn’t disagree. Every day they were bombarded with bad news, new threats, and worrying about the future.
Franklin Cartwright had thrown a huge wrench into their budding relationship.
Or maybe he’d helped push it along. Either way, she couldn’t wait to live life with Reaper without all this life-and-death drama.
Grace settled back in the chair and breathed in the fresh air. The birds were singing all around them, so many different songs.
“What were you running from?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“To start coming here. Why did you need an escape?”
He leaned back, too. The man was so ruggedly handsome with a heart of gold.
“In the beginning, I was still angry, still grieving. There were so many what-if moments that gave me nightmares. It took a long time before I realized I couldn’t undo the past, couldn’t stop the suffering my mother endured.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she said.
“I know. I was just a kid. But I want to go back, to do things different. To protect her.”
That’s why he volunteered. Everyone had a story. Sometimes the pain people experienced was actually the catalyst to become all they could be. She still hated to see him suffer.
“Look how you turned out,” she said. “Your mother would be so proud of the man you’ve become. You’ve helped so many women, and you always put others first.”
“And what about you, baby? I know you’re hurting, too.”
“I’m okay,” she said. “My childhood was great compared to what you went through. Things started going downhill once my sister got addicted to drugs.”
“I know you feel alone in the world sometimes, because I feel the same way.”
True, she had no family left, and it could feel incredibly lonely, but things were different now. They had each other.
“I see things like this—we’re both adults, we can’t change the past, and now we have each other.”
He turned his head, looking her in the eyes. “You’re everything to me, Grace.”
“I don’t feel alone anymore,” she whispered. “You rescued me.”
Reaper patted his lap. She smiled as she got up to sit on his chair with him. She cuddled up on his lap in the oversized chair, resting her head on his shoulder. His strong arms draped around her. Grace kissed his neck, loving how familiar he smelled.
Smell was one of the most powerful senses. His scent meant love, safety, and belonging.