Tag: mc romance

A Risky Prospect, Chapter 4

Olivia is the kind of woman who doesn’t have many friends. She keeps to herself, staying loyal to the few friends and family she does have. Esther has been an angel in my Olivia’s life. When my girl has nightmares about Eli and I’m not there to soothe her back to sleep, Esther climbs into bed with her and holds her close. No questions asked.

To think that someone hurt this quiet woman who so sweetly holds Donny’s heart and tames Olivia’s sends a fresh surge of fire through my veins.

Catch Up

Chapter 4

Cliff

I squeeze my hands into fists so tightly, my knuckles hurt. I see my father looking at Lucy a little too long, can hear her cries late at night. He’s dead, he’s gone, and Lucy is safe, but these little girls aren’t.

Donny’s fingers move like dancers through Esther’s hair, stroking and comforting. It’s weird, reconciling this tender man with the one who just a few months ago helped me disassemble a body. Then again, it’s weird compartmentalizing myself, my own hands that have taken lives and given love. He glances at me, brown eyes so dark they’re nearly black.

“DCF says they’ve done everything they’re supposed to,” Esther says with a sob. “My mom went to all of her parenting classes and therapy sessions. And my . . . He can’t pass the psychosexual evaluation, but he has a job and their apartment is a two bedroom.” Esther lowers her legs, crossing them and then letting her hands rest in her lap.

“What’s a psychosexual evaluation?” I ask, but I think I already know. My hands itch for something to do. A cigarette to smoke. A rapist to choke. Anything.

“It’s a test for sex offenders,” Olivia explains bitterly. “Tells the clinician how much of a risk they are, if they’ll sexually assault someone again. It’s also supposed to tell the clinician what kind of treatment they need.” Olivia practically spits the word. “Treatment.” Shaking her head, she paces the small room. “If he can’t pass the psychosexual eval, isn’t that a fail?”

“That’s what I thought,” Esther says with a shrug. “But their social worker is working toward reunification.”

“Reunification?” I repeat.

“Means they’re slowly going to give the kids back to Esther’s parents,” Olivia explains, still pacing.

“I was supposed to take care of them,” Esther whispers. Tears slide down her cheeks.

I rub at the strip of hair on my chin, every muscle and nerve in my body on fire. Olivia is the kind of woman who doesn’t have many friends. She keeps to herself, staying loyal to the few friends and family she does have. Esther has been an angel in my Olivia’s life. When my girl has nightmares about Eli and I’m not there to soothe her back to sleep, Esther climbs into bed with her and holds her close. No questions asked.

To think that someone hurt this quiet woman who so sweetly holds Donny’s heart and tames Olivia’s sends a fresh surge of fire through my veins.

“We’ll take care of them,” I say, giving Donny a weighted look. He nods.

“‘We’ the club, or ‘we’ the three?” Olivia asks. She’s finally stopped pacing but her arms are wrapped so tightly around herself, there’ll probably be bruises later.

Esther holds up a hand. “We need to handle things my way. At least, we have to try.”

“What do you want to do?” Donny asks, sitting behind her and wrapping his arms around her.

Glancing at the digital display on the alarm on the nightstand, she takes a deep breath. “Well, I’ve officially graduated. I guess my first step is to meet with the social worker.” Her lip curls. “She was supposed to get TPR moving ages ago. I need to find out what’s up with that.”

“TPR?” I prod.

“Termination of parental rights.”

“We can put pressure on her,” I offer. “Just get me an address.”

Her lips part, probably to tell me to let her handle it, but Olivia speaks over all of us.

“We’ve got this, Cliff. We’re both in the system now, remember? We’re the good guys.” She sits next to Esther and squeezes her hand. “We’re gonna figure this out.”

I don’t trust the system. Everyone in this town looked the other way when my father was hurting Lucy. They’ve obviously been doing the same for Esther’s parents. Before I can say so, my phone rings.

I pull it out of my back pocket, wincing when I see who it is. “Yeah,” I answer, swallowing.

“Where the hell are you two?” Lucy demands, enough heat in her voice to let me know that she’s been stuck with her parents at the ceremony, and she’s pissed.

“Lucy,” I mouth to Olivia.

Our time’s run out.

Thank you for reading Chapter 3 of A Risky Prospect, Book 2 in the River Reapers MC series.

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A Risky Prospect, Chapter 3

I ask anyway.

Against my better judgement.

Because I know this story. The details might be different, but the structure is all the same. College was my ticket out, too. Still, I have to hear her say it. I can’t jump to conclusions. Not everyone’s story is like mine.

catch up

Chapter 3

Olivia

Cliff watches me for a long moment. I hold his gaze, realizing that he tied his hair back from his face. The sight of that ponytail sends a rocket of heat to my center—completely inappropriate timing, I know.

What I love most about myself is that I can feel like utter, terrible, absolute shit death, and still be thinking about the next time I’m gonna have sex. I’m a gremlin like that. I’m the same with food. I can always eat. I’ve got a healthy appetite and I love that about me.

What I don’t love is the way Cliff is looking at me: all soft brown eyes, so dark they’re almost black, brows furrowed just enough to put a slight crease in the middle.

Despite the fact that shit just hit the fan for Esther—his brother’s old lady—he’s looking at me with a tenderness that pools in those eyes, so transparent I can see straight through it.

I frown, too.

That’s not supposed to happen.

“I’m taking her inside,” Donny says.

I use Esther as an excuse to break away from Cliff, although I still feel his eyes on me. Taking one of her arms, I hoist her to her feet, Donny supporting her other side.

Once we get her sitting in Donny’s room upstairs, I run back down to get her a shot of vodka. The bottle comes with me, just in case. Mark can yell at me later. Handing her the shot, I sit next to her, tucking my legs underneath me.

She holds the shot between two fingers, staring through it. Both men stare at me. I occupy myself by rubbing her back.

Donny kneels in front of her, each big hand clasping one of her knees. “What happened, baby?” he asks, voice calm on the surface but steely underneath. There’s a reason he’s the club Enforcer.

She downs the shot, shuddering as the sharp vodka slides down her throat. I hold the bottle out to her, but she shakes her head. “Maybe in a minute.” She sucks in a deep breath. “That call I got,” she says, looking at me, “was my grandma.”

I nod, trying to be patient. This isn’t some drama queen. It’s Esther.

“The kids,” she breathes, closing her eyes and holding out the shot glass.

I bite my lip as I pour her another one. For the past four years, her grandparents have been fostering her younger siblings. There’s some sort of unspoken agreement that when she graduates, she’s supposed to become their guardian. I don’t know much more than that.

She throws the vodka back, closing her fingers around the empty glass. Her hand curls so tightly around it, I’m a little concerned it’s going to bust. “They’re going to give them back,” she whispers. “My grandma didn’t want to wait ’til after the ceremony to tell me.”

Donny gives her a stricken look. “I’m sorry, Essie.”

“That’s good, right?” I ask, glancing from her to Donny.

She laughs, a bitter sound from those sweet lips. “It was all I could do to get DCF to take them out of there.” Her hand tightens.

Gently, I pry her fingers from the glass and take it away. “Doesn’t that mean that your parents got their shit together?”

“Damn, Olivia. You of all people should know people never change.”

I think of Bree, of all the men she paraded in and out of our apartments. Suppressing a shudder, I shove down the memories. Esther knows more about my past than I know about hers. That’s because, all throughout college, she plied me with Netflix and wine, and I gave up little pieces here and there. All this time, she’s sat next to me on that couch, being my friend, when I’ve done shit for her.

“The system is bullshit,” she continues.

“Yeah,” I agree. Before Cliff’s aunt and uncle adopted me, I bounced from family to family. No happy memories. I don’t want to press Esther, but we’re both social workers now. If anyone can figure this out, it’s us. “Look, I know I’ve been a shitty friend, but let me help. What exactly did DCF tell your grandma?”

“You’ve been a wonderful friend.” She pats my knee. “Especially if you give me that bottle.”

I hand it over.

“Essie, there’s still some time, if you want to walk,” Donny says.

Between chugs of vodka, she gives Donny a dirty look.

He holds up his hands in surrender. “A’ight.” Standing, he nods to Cliff. “Let’s step out, have a smoke.”

“It’s okay,” Esther says. “He can stay.” She closes her eyes again and sighs. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you guys. I just don’t want to talk about it.” She swallows.

“If you’re gonna fight for these kids, you better get used to it,” I say.

Cliff nudges me with his elbow. “Jesus, Olivia.”

“What? It’s true.”

“She’s right.” She draws her knees to her chest, her dress pooling around her waist. She keeps the bottle in her lap. “When DCF finally took the girls out of there, they hadn’t eaten outside of school in weeks. Cierra tried to make ramen for herself and Abril. She didn’t know what to do for the baby. She ended up burning herself. Ximena’s diaper hadn’t been changed in a few days.” She shakes her head.

“Where was your mom?” I ask.

She snorts. “Bitch was right there the whole time. Just didn’t feel like it.”

“And your dad?”

Her face pales by several shades. “My father,” she says, her voice cracking. Her eyes dart toward Donny, then close. He places a hand on top of her head, his mouth a tight line.

“College was my ticket out,” she says, a pleading edge to her voice.

My hands go numb, dread pitting in my stomach. I don’t want to hear this. “Your ticket out of what?” I ask anyway.

Against my better judgement.

Because I know this story. The details might be different, but the structure is all the same. College was my ticket out, too. Still, I have to hear her say it. I can’t jump to conclusions. Not everyone’s story is like mine.

“I can’t say it.” She takes another drink from the bottle.

I want to ask her to pass it over, but I don’t. “You have to,” I hear myself say. “You keep it a secret, you give him power. Shine your light on the truth—on what he did to you.”

I’m a hypocrite.

“My sisters, and me. All the time. He’d leave for a little while, and things would be okay. My mom would slack off, but I’d pick up the pieces. She always let him come back, though. She’s just as much of a monster as he is.” Her lips tremble.

I think of Bree’s boyfriends again. Statistically speaking, they should’ve been the biggest threat to me. They never touched me. Most of them barely even acknowledged my existence. They were too busy getting high with my mom.

I lick my dry lips. “Your father sexually abused you and your sisters?” With each word I speak, my blood boils a little higher.

Esther nods. “Not the bab—Ximena. I mean, she’s five now. She isn’t his—his words, not mine. That’s why he let her be.” Her voice rises with each word, the tears flowing faster.

My stomach curdles. I want to dart into the bathroom, slam the door shut behind me.

“Jesus Christ,” Cliff says, reminding me that Esther and I aren’t alone.

I have to get my shit together. If not for Esther, then for Cliff. It’s bad enough that he looks at me so tenderly.

I don’t need him to look at me the way he’s looking at Esther. Like he feels sorry for her. He can never, ever look at me that way.

Thank you for reading Chapter 3 of A Risky Prospect, Book 2 in the River Reapers MC series.

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A Risky Prospect, Chapter 2

“There’s something going on with the girls,” I tell Donny.

He slides me a dark look. “If it’s those two, I don’t wanna know.”

With what I’m planning for tonight, I’ve got enough on my mind. But it’s Olivia. She’s my girl. If something’s going on with her, I’ve got her back, no questions asked.

And something’s wrong.

catch up

Chapter 2

Cliff

“Everything good?” I lean into Mark’s office, gripping the doorway.

He nods from his desk. “Don’t you worry your pretty, grizzled—” He glances up and the words cut off. “Face,” he finishes, blinking at me.

I run a hand over where my beard used to be. Now there’s just a chin strap—a short beard accenting my jawline. I even let Abraham trim my hair—a little bit. Just enough to keep it healthy.

He whistles. “Tell me she didn’t make you do that.”

“Yeah right.”

Olivia likes my beard, as long as I don’t let my mustache get too out of control. She says it pokes her in the nose when we kiss. I’ve let it all grow out so long, I don’t know any different.

Today is a special occasion, though.

More than just Olivia’s graduation.

“Well, you look good, son,” Mark says, eyeing my black jeans, black T-shirt, and the cut I hardly ever take off. That piece of leather marks me as a River Reaper until the day I die. “Just don’t change anything else, or I won’t recognize you.”

“You worry about tonight, and I’ll worry about my face.” I fish out a cigarette and light up, then hold out the pack to him.

He waves it away. “We’re all set. The band playing, Oh Vile Eye, will be here to set up around four. Bar’s stocked. Caterer starts setting up at three. I think that’s everything. I’ve never thrown a graduation party before.”

“How about the cake?” I suck in a long hit of nicotine.

“Beer Can was all over that. Let’s just hope it says ‘Congratulations, Olivia,’ and everything’s spelled right. He was a little lit when he put in the order.”

“It’s gotta have Esther’s name on it, too, brother,” I say, glancing into the club behind me. “Donny’ll slit all our balls off if we forget her.”

“I’ll check on it.” He lifts the phone out of its cradle, then puts it back down. “You good for this afternoon?”

I bow my head, moving it back and forth to work the kinks out of my neck. “No, but there’s no helping it. I’ve done all I can.”

“Including making yourself look like a twelve-year-old boy.” He laughs, getting even louder as I thumb the strip running down from my lower lip to my chin.

A hand clasps my shoulder. “We’re out of here,” Donny says.

“A’ight.” I point my cigarette at Mark. “Check that icing.” Turning, I fall into step with Donny.

“That soul patch is making you bossy,” Mark calls after me.

I shake my head and make my way through the club, Donny at my elbow. “You got plans after?” I ask him. We break through the doors and into the heat. It’s going to be a bitch riding in this weather.

“Nah,” he says, striding toward our bikes. He straddles his and straps his helmet on. “Essie’s having lunch with her grandparents, and I ain’t ready for that shit yet.”

“I hear you.” I hold my helmet in my hands, bike between my legs. I’m not ready to meet the parents, either. Meeting Olivia’s means facing my aunt and uncle for the first time in twenty years. I’ll have Lucy there as a buffer, but that won’t make things much easier. While I was away, they adopted Olivia, and that complicates our already tense relationship now.

“Why are the girls still here?” Donny nods toward Esther’s car.

I follow his gaze. It’s empty. No sign of Olivia or Esther. “No idea.”

Dismounting, I pull my phone from my pocket. I glare at it before typing in my password with a thumb. Ever since the last update, the thing’s been acting like a Y2K crash test dummy. Texts show up out of order. Calls don’t go through—either in or out. For a smartphone, it’s pretty fucking useless.

I punch in Olivia’s number and hit the call button.

“Walking fuckin’ phone book, right here.” Donny grins.

“Faster than scrolling through,” I tell him. Olivia’s phone rings and rings, but she doesn’t pick up. “Jesus Christ.”

Donny and I exchange glances.

“Should we go to the campus? Or just say ‘fuck it’ and have a beer?”

“Esther was in a hurry,” I say.

“I know,” he agrees, “which is why I kinda don’t wanna know.” He gives me a pointed look.

“Amen to that, brother.”

With those two, it could be anything. Especially Olivia. I reach for my beard, then remember it’s gone. I grab another cigarette instead.

I hold the flame to the end, inhaling. As the flame goes out, movement from the other side of the building catches my eye.

“Over there.”

I approach at an angle, giving me a wide enough view to spot Olivia kneeling in front of Esther.

“Shit!” Donny takes off toward them.

I follow, scanning the parking lot and watching Donny’s back. It’s empty except for River Reapers’ bikes—typical for ten in the morning at The Wet Mermaid. My shoulders drop a half notch, my hackles still up. Call it prison sense, but something doesn’t feel right.

Maybe it’s the weight of the air, or the crows cawing from a nearby telephone line. Maybe it’s the knot in my stomach that tightens every time I think of seeing my aunt and uncle.

Maybe it’s flat out paranoia.

I approach slowly, flanking Olivia as Donny kneels next to her. She slides over, giving them some space.

“What happened?” I ask, dropping my voice.

She reaches for the cigarette I’ve forgotten about. Putting it between her lips, she takes a long drag.

“Plans have changed,” she says.

Thank you for reading Chapter 2 of A Risky Prospect, Book 2 in the River Reapers MC series.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 18

We order in and leave our clothes off. His cock slides home, reclaiming me. I don’t worry about cooling it, and he doesn’t tell me we shouldn’t be together.

We just are.

Then Cliff gets the call. “Ravage wants to see us.”

“How fucked are we?” I ask.

“Let’s find out.”

catch up

« Chapter 17
A Risky Prospect »
Olivia

Dawn rises, and with it Cliff returns. He’s wearing different clothes, and his face is haggard. I snuggle into his arms.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “It looks good in here,” he says over me.

I nod. Beer Can did most of the work, but I helped a little. We used meat tenderizer and some enzyme soap to get the stains out of the carpet, then he peeled it back and scrubbed the concrete underneath. Luckily it wasn’t stapled—whoever did the carpeting just tucked it in a little around the kick molding. “Apparently my landlord’s even more of a cheapskate than I thought,” I say to Cliff.

But it worked in our favor. Beer Can collected everything—including my beloved MSI T-shirt—and put it all in a heavy duty garbage bag, promising that he’d take care of it. I didn’t ask how, and I don’t want to know.

Cliff ducks his head, meeting my eyes. “Are you okay?” His voice is husky.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 17

Once we wash off the blood and dirt of tonight, we won’t be able to rinse the memories or walk away from each other. Whatever happens next, this night has bound us together. For better or worse.

catch up

« Chapter 16
Chapter 18 »
Cliff

The shrill ring of my phone jerks me out of a dead sleep. I sit up in bed, sweating. The club rooms are hot, as if the hormones from downstairs rise, permeating the ceiling that separates the two floors. Swinging my legs over the edge, I get up and crack a window. Cold air rushes in. Heavy lidded, I tip my head back and enjoy the wave.

My phone rings again. Silently cursing Lucy for choosing such a bone shattering ringtone, I scoop it from the nightstand.

The name on the display makes all of the blood drain straight out of my head. Before I even answer, I already know. Something is wrong.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Cliff,” she gasps. “Please.”

There’s no need for her to say any more.

I pull on clothes as I make my way through the small room, shrugging into my cut almost as an afterthought. I pound down the stairs and fly out the door. It’s as if my body has taken control, leaving my brain in my bed. By the time my head catches up, I’m flying down 63.

I ignore the speed limit and get to Olivia’s in under ten minutes. It’s probably more like five. Practically knocking the motorcycle over, I dismount and break into a run.

The apartment door is unlocked. I push my way in and look around wildly for her. My brain processes the scene in small increments.

Blood on the carpet in the entryway.

Shattered knick knacks strewn across the floor.

Olivia huddled next to her bedroom door, a gash oozing from her temple.

The Glock in her lap.

A man splayed in the center of the living room, a hole between his eyes.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 16

He’s fucking with me. Probably out there right now. I stare at the blinds. If I peek through, will I find him standing out in the yard, waiting for me to make a mistake? Does he realize he’s the one in danger?

catch up

« Chapter 15
Chapter 17 »
Olivia

By the time Lucy gets home from work, I’ve composed myself. I’ve even fixed my makeup and fed Dio some canned tuna. Watching him wolf it down soothes me in more ways than I can list. I sit at the table reading for one of my classes on my phone when she walks in.

Despite my efforts, though, she takes one look at me and clucks her tongue. “I’ll kill him. What did he do?”

Big sisters always know.

I’m not even sure where to start. I look down at my hands. “Hope you don’t mind that I brought a date.” I nod to Dio, who’s passed out in a heap of towels on the floor.

Lucy’s face transforms from concerned sister to laser-shooting rage dragon. “Cliff did that?” She looks from me to Dio, appalled.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 15

“I got him on the floor, beat his face in with my fists.” I can still hear my flesh connecting with raw meat. “And I kept hitting him. I killed him, Olivia. And I’d do it again. I’d do anything for you,” I confess.

catch up

« Chapter 14
Chapter 16 »
Cliff

Olivia kicks against me, the ball of her foot smashing against my shin. I release her, and hold my hands up, palms out. She whips around, fists up. They drop when recognition dawns on her face.

“You did work,” I say, grinning through a wince.

She sags against the closed front door, though, face pale. She sinks to the carpet and draws her knees to her chest.

“Liv?” I cross the distance between us and sit next to her.

Blinking away tears, she shakes her head over and over again. It’s a steady hand that brushes her hair out of her eyes, though, and I know my girl’s going to be okay. Still, I wrap an around around her and pull her close.

“Sorry I scared you,” I whisper into her hair.

Her head snaps up, though, as if she’s already showed too much vulnerability for too long. Those eyes ice over—a look I’m more than familiar with. Olivia is trapped in her own prison.

She lifts her chin. “What do you know about Mercer Reynolds?” A cold, calculating gaze searches my face.

“The name doesn’t really ring a bell,” I say, “but isn’t that your last name?”

“Mercy, then?” Her face is as hard as white marble, the usual contours of her cheeks gone.

I shrug. “Olivia, what’s this about?” I hug her closer, even though her body is rigid.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 14

I still have no idea how he got into my apartment. The thought of my kitten, mangled and bloody in my bed, sends chills down my spine. Nah, I’m not scared. I’m pissed.

Whoever he is, however he got in, I’m coming for him.

catch up

« Chapter 13
Chapter 15 »
Olivia

The sunlight slanting in through the front windows of the veterinarian’s waiting room does little to calm me as I pace the small area. Somehow, Dio survived the night. They were able to set his tiny bones and, after several imaging tests, determined that no damage was done to his internal organs. At least, none that won’t heal in time.

I just want to see him. The assistant already warned me that he’s heavily sedated so that he can get better, but I don’t care.

I didn’t sleep last night, and not because I was scared that Eli would come back. No tiny bell tinkled intermittently, letting me know Dio was prowling the apartment. It felt strange not having him there.

My phone vibrates in my bag. I tug it free and read the text from Esther: “We found tires. Waiting for the guys to put them on. Be back ASAP.”

But my shoulders only sag with partial relief. Esther was cool enough to let my rent slide for the month, that way I could afford both Dio’s care and the tires. But between that and stopping at Walmart last night to buy a new lock set for the apartment, I’m officially tapped.

Then there’s school to think about.

I resume pacing. I should be at my internship right now. For the most part, it isn’t really a big deal. I’m already behind. But eventually I have to return to campus, and I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to handle this.

The gun is a comforting weight in my purse, but it’s not like I can shoot Eli in the face in broad daylight. Nor will he try anything during the day, surrounded by hundreds of people on campus. Besides, as far as he’s concerned, right now I have no idea who’s stalking me. He’s still the nice guy from my photography class who let me borrow a camera and hangs out with me at lunch.

Which doesn’t make any of this any less disturbing.

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A Disturbing Prospect, Chapter 13

I missed a meeting with my parole officer, and if I don’t get down there right now, he’ll send me back to prison. The snow drifting from the sky doesn’t care that my only vehicle is a motorcycle. I’ve gotta haul ass.

catch up

« Chapter 12
Chapter 14 »
Cliff

When I wake up the next morning, the house around me is quiet. Rolling onto my side, sheets sliding against my naked body, I pat around on the nightstand for my phone. It’s after ten. I haven’t slept in this long in ages.

There are no missed texts or calls, but that’s no surprise. Only a handful of people have my phone number. One of them is at work, another is in class, and the rest of them are probably sleeping off hangovers. I smirk, thinking of my brothers’ somber faces as they headed into Church last night, drinks clutched in their hands. Someday I’ll be a part of that, too.

It feels good to belong to something again.

It feels even better to belong to someone.

Even if Olivia and I haven’t exactly called it, I feel it. Maybe it sounds sappy, but there’s a connection between us that I’ve never felt with anyone before.

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“I Have to Tell You Something” | River Reapers MC Summer Miniseries: Part 6

“I have to tell you something, something you can never, ever repeat, because the whole club and everyone else we love would be at risk. It’s just—” She blinks away tears. “I can’t hold this secret, not on my own. I promised, but I just can’t.”

author’s note

You’re reading the latest episode in summer 2024’s River Reapers MC miniseries. If you’re already caught up on all six episodes, stay tuned.

If you’re just coming in now, you don’t need to read the books to follow along, but you do need to catch up on Parts 1-5!

catch up

Cliff

Something is wrong. I can tell by the way Olivia shrinks into Lucy’s condo, making herself smaller with each step inside. She closes the front door and leans against it, rose red lips sighing softly. I don’t want to push her but I don’t want to leave her lonely in whatever she’s going through. I don’t want to scare her, either—last time I startled her in Lucy’s living room, she went all MMA on me. Which was hot, not gonna lie. I love that my girl can take care of herself.

Sometimes I just wish she’d let me take care of her, though.

So I stand real slow and say, real soft, “Hey.”

She walks into my open arms, resting her head and its soft curls against my hard chest. In prison, there wasn’t much else to do other than workout and read, so I went in scrawny and walked out stacked, with a lot of interesting but ultimately useless knowledge.

They don’t exactly want people to better themselves, not really.

“Something happened,” I say more than ask.

She nods, the slightest movement that I wouldn’t have caught if her head wasn’t right on my chest. My heart slams against my sternum and I know she can hear it. All I can do is pray to a god I don’t even believe in that the something that happened isn’t the something I fear most.

There are now three women in my life that I love more than anything: the fiery redhead who I still think of as my baby cousin, her green-eyed daughter who is no longer a baby but will always be Baby, then there’s Olivia, my baby, the love of my life, the one I want to build a future with. If anything happened to any of them, I’d rip the earth apart with my bare hands until I’ve beaten everyone responsible back to dust.

Olivia pulls away from me but slips her hand into mine, leading me back to the couch. “I have to tell you something, something you can never, ever repeat, because the whole club and everyone else we love would be at risk. It’s just—” She blinks away tears. “I can’t hold this secret, not on my own. I promised Ravage, but I just can’t.”

A growl rises in my throat. I’m sick to death of Ravage and his secrets. So much so that I’m wondering if maybe it’s time for a change in leadership. Because we can’t all keep fumbling in the dark, not if we’re going to survive. Not while he keeps all the club’s secrets, only telling the rest of us when he deems it necessary. Someone’s going to get killed that way.

Maybe even one of the women I love most.

But I swallow my rage and say to Olivia, “Tell me.”

“The club makes its money three ways: flesh, drugs, and guns. Ravage, Mercy, and your father Bastard wanted to do better than other MCs. Instead of helping sell women and children into sexual slavery, they founded The Wet Mermaid, where women of age could voluntarily dance for a living. We work with Shannon’s Haven, offering jobs to survivors of sexual and physical abuse in not just dancing, but also bartending, waitressing, and management. We essentially give survivors a way to reclaim their power. I’m proud of that. I’m proud to be a part of it.

“We also sell drugs, literally under the bar counter. I’m… I’m not so proud of that. My foster parents—Lucy’s parents, your aunt and uncle—are big cokeheads, and they get their coke through us. Not me—they don’t ever come in here when I’m working. But they’ve always been a part of this club, all while pretending to look down their noses at it.

“I’ve sold coke, pills, and weed at that bar, while pouring drinks. I’m not proud of that, not at all, and if I was President or even VP of this MC, I’d change that in a heartbeat.

“But it’s not so simple.

“Because we also deal in guns. Every single one of us has a piece. Even you, Cliff. The serial numbers have been filed off, making it obvious they weren’t acquired legally. The Wet Mermaid not only serves as our clubhouse and a licensed strip club, but also as a front for laundering that drug and gun money. And today I learned where those drugs and guns really come from.

“Just like I learned what happened to Tommie’s mother.

“Ravage was dating her—well, I say ‘dating’ loosely. Shannon had kicked him out because he was fucking this other woman: Tommie’s mother. She was one of the club hangarounds. She really liked her coke, Ravage says.

“So my first thought, when we were sitting in his office and he told me all this, was that maybe she died of an overdose. Maybe she accidentally OD’d and he panicked and dumped her body. But that… that’s just not Ravage. I know he’s a killer. I know what he’s capable of. I know he can be colder than ice. But he’s not that cold. Not at all.

“No, what really happened is so much worse, Cliff. So much worse.

“Because we’re in bed with the mafia. The Violante family, specifically. And Tommie’s mother saw something she wasn’t supposed to, all because Ravage couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. So they got rid of her. They got rid of her, Cliff, and then Ravage and everyone else pretended they’d never even heard of little Tommie’s mother.

“Tommie went into the foster care system,” Olivia says with a sob. “She went to horrible people in horrible homes who did horrible things to her, and she never ever knew what really happened to her mother. But I know. Ravage knows. And now you know, too.

“And we can never, ever tell her, because the Violantes will make us all disappear. Us, and Lucy, and even innocent little Bunny. Tommie, too. All because Ravage couldn’t keep his dick to himself.

“And now I’m not proud at all,” she finishes with tears flowing down both sides of her face, and my heart breaks, the cracks filling in with rage, burning through me until all I can see is red.

To be continued…

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