Page 14 of The Biker’s Guilty Pleasur

Reaper said nothing at first, just stared him down until his bravado came down a few notches.

“I hear you’re the big man around here,” Reaper said.

“Huh? I don’t know.”

“That’s right. You don’t. I’ll tell you right now, one time, about how things work around here.” He used his hand for emphasis. “You’re not a patched member. The prez is up here, you’re way down here. A tiny fish. Fish shit. You’re supposed to be proving yourself, making us want to keep you around. Right now, you’re fucking up by pissing off the big boys around here. Ones with weight. That makes it my problem. So, calm the fuck down, act your rank, or I’ll toss you out myself. Do you understand?”

He nodded.

“Use your fucking words, prospect.”

“Yes, Reaper. It won’t happen again.”

He slammed the door shut with emphasis and made his way back out to the yard.

Lord and Ally were sitting on the love seat under the gazebo. When his prez called him over, he internally groaned. He hoped the other guys hadn’t said too much about the shelter or Grace.

“There you are, stranger,” Lord said.

“I’m always around. You need something done. It’s done.”

He could tell Lord wasn’t interested. The look on his face and the way he was sitting meant he was in one of his rare good moods. Usually, his old lady brought out the best in him.

“I hear you’re walking around with blue balls.”

“Lord,” Ally chided.

“It’s true. He can’t even take what he fucking wants. It’s not a good look.”

“I don’t claim women. I’m not an animal,” he said, trying to keep his cool.

“That’s good, Reaper,” Ally said. “It’s good to take things slow.”

Why did everyone know more about his love life than him? What love life? They had pie, nothing more. He didn’t know the texture of her lips or the softness of her skin. She was a complete mystery to him.

Then he blurted. “We had pie together.” Oh, fuck. He was just so happy about it inside he wanted to share. Not with Lord, but Ally.

“That’s so sweet,” she said. “I’m rooting for you, Reaper.”

“Fucking pussy,” Lord muttered.

Reaper ignored his prez. It wasn’t his place to talk back. Ally swatted him to shut him up, which worked. Once they started making out, he used the chance to slip away.

He thought about how little he knew about Grace, and he didn’t want his brothers to look up things he didn’t even know. So, he headed to the office and started to do his own search without involving Copper.

Grace Evans

Twenty-Seven

Orphaned

He exited the screen, and bolted out of his chair as if the computer had caught fire. Reaper felt a deep wave of guilt, like he was invading her personal space when he’d researched hundreds of people before without issue. He didn’t want to know more. Not like this.

He remembered their time at the diner. It had been a long while since he connected with another person outside the club. They laughed, they teased, they related to each other. She was starting to invade his thoughts.

This wasn’t about getting her not to hate him anymore. It was about hoping she could love him one day.

Chapter Six