Reaper stiffened at her explanation.
“You have a boyfriend?” I asked, trying to help Reaper ease his rigidity and taking charge.
She shrugged her shoulders, and looked away. “I guess, but not really.”
Oh fuck. Reaper wasn’t going to want to hear this. I could already feel his protective nature pushing into a full storm cloud.
“Wyatt, why don’t you get us some drinks?”
His eyes turned to mine, his brow furrowing for a moment before he realised I meant to fuck off so she could tell me girl things. He nodded, sliding out of the booth and heading over to the counter.
“Bri, I know you’re angry with me, but remember our chats. You can tell me anything. I won’t tell your dad unless I need to for your safety, I promise you that.”
She looked like she was going to argue, but I saw the tenderness I equated with Brianna wash over her face.
“Promise?”
“Absolutely.”
She nodded, leaning forward on the table. Her fingers fidgeted as she looked down at them. I noticed the line tattoo on the skin between the thumb and fore finger. A simple star with a moon. It was delicate, and beautiful, but I already knew it wasn’t there before.
How long had it been since I’d spoken to her? Regret filled me and I felt myself reaching out and holding onto her shaking hands.
“Please, talk to me.”
Brianna looked up, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I think I fucked up.”
“No, babe, you didn’t. Tell me what’s going on and let us fix it.”
“He doesn’t even know me,” she all but whispered. It broke my heart. My own insecurities over who my father was for years only to find out he was a murderous psychopath that even my psychopath brother was trying to protect me from was all too fresh and real in my mind.
“That’s not because he doesn’t want to, babe. It’s because your mother kept you from him. He wants to know you. He’s told me himself, and he can help you. He’s a big tough biker guy. No one fucks with Reaper.”
Her face screwed up at his road name. “Why’s he called that?”
“You know…I don’t even know that myself. We’ll have to ask him later. Now, stop beating around the bush. Spill it.”
“I met a guy. He was…so funny and hot. Like all the girls want him, you know. I met him when I was in high school and…well, I was so surprised he liked me, I just sort of became obsessed with being with him.”
My fear was escalating. She’d been top of her class last time I’d spoken to her, but that had been months ago. What if…
“My mum told me not to get messed up with him, she tried to ground me, and make me do extra classes so I had no time for him, but I always found a way out.”
Flashes in my mind from my own childhood where my mother had done the same to me, and I was angry at Reaper’s ex.
“Go on…”
“He started to tell me about The Pit. I didn’t know the link to my dad, I swear, but I liked it. I could drink, I could smoke, I could do anything, and I had this hot guy who wanted me.”
It was alluring, I knew all too well of the allure of The Pit.
“Who is he?”
“His name is Wiley Carter. He works for the Ironborne.”
Fuck.
There’s no way I couldn’t tell Reaper about this.
