Dylan's Reaper: Soul Reapers #3 (3 page)

“
Maybe
I should try,
”
Logan offered.

“
Go
see Baxter first.
”
I
told them, knowing that they needed to see their father before Whistler came to
get them. I quietly crept back into the room, giving myself a few moments to
let my eyes adjust to the darkness.

The
girl lay in the middle of the bed still wearing nothing but my long sleeve
shirt. She slept half on her stomach and half on her side, with her one leg
bent and the other straight. The shirt had ridden up and over her perfect ass.
My cock thickened as I took her in. The way her legs lay left her pussy
completely exposed, giving me a bird
’
s
eye view of those pretty pink lips and her practically bare mound. I palmed my
dick to adjust for it lengthening. My jeans grew too tight as my dick became
well acquainted with my zipper.

She
shifted, breaking her body
’
s trance over
mine. I groaned in frustration as I tried to rein myself back in. What was I
thinking? This poor girl had been through so much already. She did not need
attention from my cock. Just as I was about to leave her in peace a quick
succession of gunfire exploded in the air. I dove for cover next to the bed.
Reaching up, I looped my arm around the girl as she cried out,
“
Knox.
”
My
name on her lips was the sweetest thing I ever heard. I wanted to relish in the
moment, but bullets breaking the glass made it impossible.

“
I
got you,
”
I
told her, meaning it. The need to shield her from harm was overwhelming, while
the demand to take out any threat against her was all encompassing.
“
Stay
here,
”
I
demanded her as I shoved her partway under the bed.
“
Don
’
t
get up for anyone but me.
”
Her
only response a nod as I placed a quick kiss on her forehead. I scrambled
across the floor to the door before quickly sliding through. Across the hall
Logan and Campbell were on the floor as the windows to that bedroom were shot
to hell as well.

Gun
drawn, I screamed,
“
Fuck. Everybody get
down. We are taking hits,
”
before
I took off down the hall. 

“
Gun,
Trig, Ax,
”
I called out to
my brothers. Three quick answers came back to me.
“
What
the fuck?
”
I yelled.

“
Looks
like Hellhounds,
”
Gunner
answered.

As
fast as the bullets started was just as fast as they stopped. Silence fell over
the house and surrounding area. The tension so thick you could cut it with a
knife. A minute, two ticked by.

“
Anything?
”
I
whisper yelled to Gunner who was peering through his scope out into the night.
A quick shake told me no. The slow rumble of motorcycles could be heard
approaching.
God I hope that
’
s
back-up.

The
bikes were laid to rest and within a few seconds gunfire started again. Too
afraid to shoot in case it was our guys we waited. Gunner took a few shots
until silence descended upon us one again.

“
Clear,
”
Colton
yelled from just beyond the darkness.

“
All
clear,
”
I
yelled back.

Colton
bounded up the steps and was through the house as he yelled,
“
Logan.
Are you in here?
”

“
Down
here,
”
she
called back as he took off down the hall.

“
God
damn it woman,
”
I heard him
yell.
“
Trouble
finds you everywhere you go.
”
I
chuckled knowing that statement to be true. Tank followed Colton
’
s
path and as I made my way to my girl, I saw Tank and Sunshine locked in a tight
embrace.
About time.

“
About
time brother,
”
Colton echoed my
thoughts.

“
Back
to business brothers.
”
I
hated to break up this little party, but it was time to get back to the
clubhouse.

“
Talk
to me,
”
Colton
directed as he tucked Logan back into his side.

“
Hellhounds.
About five of them. Three down for the count. Two rode off. I don
’
t
think they were expecting you two to come up behind them,
”
Gunner
informed us.

“
They
must have been scouting the place,
”
Whistler
said as he joined the group.
“
For them to have
known there were only a few brothers here guarding the place.
”

“
Maybe.
”
Colton
had that hard look in his eyes as he did a once over on each of us.

“
Either
way this place and those bodies need to get gone.
”
Stating
the obvious was stupid, but I was too worried about my girl as I walked through
the group and stopped outside her door.
“
I
will get her in the truck. You get Baxter,
”
I
said as I went to check on her.

CHAPTER FOUR

Dylan

“
Princess.
”
Knox
had come back into the room. I had managed to work myself completely under the
bed. My whole left side throbbed in pain. My fingers and toes were starting to
lose feeling, which told me I was hyperventilating. Any movement at all sent
black spots across my vision.

I
pried my eyes open to thin slits right as a small light came on by the door. A
small light, probably from a flashlight, lit the room as Knox
’
s
feet approached the bed. He laid his phone on the floor with the camera light
pointing up to illuminate the room. He easily pushed the bed aside giving me my
first good look at him. Dark thick hair crowned his head in what looked like a
faux hawk. A perpetual five o
’
clock shadow
graced his chiseled cheekbones to his strong chin. Eyes that caught and held
the light stared back at me. I was mesmerized by him.

“
Can
you see me princess?
”
His
voice a perfect match to his ruggedly handsome face. Knox wasted no time as he
lowered himself down, scooping me up in his arms. I ignored his question,
finding solace in his arms; a sanctuary in the most unlikely of places. I clung
to him as both relief that he was safe from the craziness that just transpired
and weariness that I found such comfort in him washed over me.
“
I
got you,
”
he
reassured me once again. If he was not careful I was going to start believing
him.

I
stayed buried in his chest as he carried me through the house. A truck idled
out front that held the shadows of other people in the back seat. As Knox laid
me down on the front bench I heard the murmurings and soft cries of two women.
Was one of them the next sacrificial lamb to the Hellhounds? God, I hoped not
for her sake. I would not wish what I went through on my worst enemy.

Before
long Knox was back in the truck, transferring me from the front seat to the
back as he rearranged me to his liking. The roar of motorcycles surrounded the
truck as Knox held me as once again I was being led into the great unknown. Yet
this time, in Knox
’
s arms, it did not seem
as terrifying as before.

Time
yet again let me escape her hold as I dozed in and out of sleep, nestled beside
Knox. Eventually the truck slowed as we pulled into a clubhouse. A dozen or so
men all dressed similar to Knox, leather, jeans, and shit kickers, waited as
the bikes quieted and Knox lifted me back into his arms. Anxiety began to take
hold of me as I tried to take in my surroundings without being noticed. Knox
must have felt my trepidation because he pulled me tighter against him. His
promise of having me once again a light in the storm of the uncertainty that I
was facing.  Voices and questions converged, some directed at those we were
with and others at Knox. Yet he remained silent letting the others explain what
happened. I kept my eyes closed and my face buried in his neck.

“
She
needs rest,
”
Knox finally
stated. Another instance where he put me first.

“
Take
her to Emma
’
s make shift station,
”
someone
instructed Knox. His body tensed as a few men said,
“
Whoa.
”

“
Ok
then,
”
came
the response to whatever look Knox had given them.
“
Take
her to your room then.
”
Knox
did not want to be told again as he walked away from the crowd, but the tension
did not leave his body.

“
Knox,
”
a
woman
’
s
voice called.
“
I need to take a look at her.
”

“
I
’
m
coming with you.
”
The
voice was from one of the women that were in the truck with me.

“
Ok,
”
rumbled
from Knox
’
s chest as he carried me inside and
up a flight of stairs.

“
Once
I check her out she will need a shower and food and rest,
”
instructed
the first woman.
“
For now just put her on
the bed.
”

Knox
did as he was told, laying me gently in the middle of his bed.
“
Emma
’
s
gonna look you over princess. I am going to go and check in and then be back
right after the exam.
”
I
nodded as I gazed up at him through small slits. The feel of his lips on my
forehead sent a wave of warmth through me.
“
I
’
ll
be back,
”
he
promised as he turned to leave.

OH.
MY. GOD. 
Soul Reapers graced the back of his cut, and if I
was a betting woman I would bet he stained his flesh with those same words.
Out
of the frying pan into the fire.

Knox

“
So
you and Cam huh?
”
I
asked Tank as we made our way over to the bar after church, where nothing was
decided and we beat more horses to death. I swore our meetings were getting too
fucking long. We needed less talk and more action. Once again we decided to
wait until we heard from Woods and Lefty before we did anything, but the more I
thought about it the more I believed Prez was just acting like he was sitting
on his hands in hopes of finding the leak before giving away what we would do
next.

“
Yeah.
Me and Sunshine.
”
Holy
Shit. Look at that.

“
Wow
brother. That was a full-fledged smile. You must be doing something right.
”
I
felt a twinge of jealousy at Tank
’
s
happiness in the mist of the chaos that surrounded us. Could I ever have that
with someone? Could it be with the princess that lay in my bed? As always Ax
was behind the bar and handed us both beers.

“
No
shit. For once in my life I am.
”
Tank
looked . . . giddy?

Colton
flopped down next to us.
“
Shit is about to get
real,
”
he
said, downing half his beer.

“
About
time.
”
I
was ready for this war. I slammed half of my beer.
“
I
can
’
t
wait to take my time with those Hellhounds for what they did to that girl.
”
And
I meant every last word!

“
Anything
new from her at all?
”
Tank
asked as I finished off the other half. Ax signaled me to see if I wanted
another and I shook my head no. I needed to get back to my girl.

“
Not
yet,
”
I
answered.
“
Her eyes are still so swollen she
can
’
t
open them yet. Gunner used to be an EMT so we kept her pretty comfortable. She
refused drugs. The Hellhounds probably pumped enough in her while they had her.
So we couldn
’
t really help with the pain, but
she never complained once. Not even when Gunner checked and wrapped her hand. I
feel better now that Emma has checked her out.
”
The
more I thought about it the more I was in awe of her and her silent strength.

“
Speaking
of Emma, here she comes,
”
Tank
said. Emma came marching over like the Hellhounds were at our gate. Tru must
have seen it as well for he was standing with her by the time she reached us.

“
Colton,
”
she
said,
“
grab
your dad and get to Knox
’
s room now. You both
need to talk to Dylan.
”

“
Who
’
s
Dylan?
”
Colton
and I said at the same time.

“
The
woman you brought in,
”
was
all she said as she went back the way she came, but this time with Tru
following close behind.

“
Well
shit.
”
Emma
got more out of princess, I mean Dylan, than I did in thirty-six hours. I
rolled her name around on my tongue testing it out.

“
Let
me grab Pop and I will meet you in there.
”
Colton
walked into Wesson
’
s office as Tank
followed me to my room.

As
we entered the room, I could not see Dylan at all so I side stepped everyone so
that I could see that she was alright. Emma had put an air cast on her broken
wrist. From her enlarged pupils, Emma must have gotten some pain meds into
Dylan. Logan and Sunshine sat on either side of her on the bed. The dirt and
grime had been washed from her hair and reddish highlights caught and held the
light. Bruises and burns still marred her skin, but she had a healthy glow
about her now.

She
was breathtakingly beautiful.

“
Emma,
we
’
re
here,
”
Colton
interrupted my thoughts as he walked into the room with Prez right behind him.

“
What
’
s
so urgent Emma?
”
Wesson
commanded the attention of the room, except Dylan still held mine.

“
HOLY.
SHIT,
”
exclaimed
Colton.
No shit brother.

A
collective gasp filled the room as tears filled Dylan
’
s
beautiful VERY grey eyes.

“
Honey,
what
’
s
your name?
”
asked Prez.

“
Dylan
. . . Dylan Price,
”
she
answered before her eyes looked from face to face finally landing on mine.  The
connection that I felt for her grew as she sought me for comfort.

Emma
began to clear everyone from the room rather quickly. I went to leave, but the
slight shake of Dylan
’
s head locked me in
place. Once the room was cleared of everyone, but Dylan, Colton, Wesson and me,
Wesson asked,
“
Are you Becky
’
s
daughter?
”

Her
head nodded yes, but her eyes stayed on mine, seeking the strength she needed
to get through this. 
“
Are . . . are you my
daughter as well?
”
Closing
her eyes, Dylan broke our connection and my heart seized as the question
settled over the room like a thick blanket, suffocating all of us. No one
moved. No one breathed as we waited for her answer. A lone tear slid down her
cheek. Longing for our connection once more, my feet carried me to her.

“
Shhh
princess,
”
I whispered as I
put my arm around her shoulder. I promised no one would hurt her again, and if
that meant I shielded her from this so be it.

With
strength most men would kill for, Dylan squared her shoulders, turned to Wesson
and looked straight into his eyes.
“
Yes,
I am.
”
A
collective gasp sounded in the room.