Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 140795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“Don’t forget your promise about my mirror. I’ll be waiting ….” Ginny’s voice broke.
Opening the back door of the vehicle, he put his suitcase inside before going to the front. When his hand went to the door handle, Ginny moved closer. “And don’t you ever forget … I love you.”
Opening the door so fast, Reaper was surprised it didn’t come off in his hand.
Inside, he turned toward Viper. “Let’s go.” Keeping his gaze on Viper, he refused to look toward Ginny or the men watching him leave. “And don’t say a fucking word.”
When Viper started backing down the driveway, he couldn’t prevent himself from taking another glance.
Any idea of his heart just being an organ that only provided oxygen to the cold blood pumping through it was a lie. Ginny was standing in front of the vehicle with tears streaming down her cheeks, heartache and longing visible to Viper, her brothers, and him. Hope shone on her face that he would get out of the car and hold her; it was plainly written across her expression. As the SUV moved farther away, she began walking down the hill.
Taking all his willpower not to shout to Viper to go faster, Reaper memorized every facet of her face, the dress she was wearing, and the fact that Silas was behind her each step of the way.
When Viper made the turn onto the road and he saw the last glimpse of her and her hopeful expression die, he almost reached for the door handle but didn’t. He couldn’t go back. To renew her hope would be cruel.
The future before him didn’t involve Ginny. It couldn’t. All the things that had been done to him, what he had done, what he planned to do, plus every fucking videotape of him, he needed to put more distance between them than it took to drive to the club.
Some distances were insurmountable ….
* * *
“You can’t keep doing this.” Viper put his foot down on the barbell Reaper was about to lift. “Your body can’t take this abuse.”
Reaper moved to the leg press machine, refraining from telling Viper that his body had tolerated far more abuse than lifting weights.
He added ten more pounds to the weights than Shade had pressed. “Fuck off.”
Viper moved to stand in front of him. “Don’t talk to me that way.”
“Then leave me the fuck alone!” he snapped.
“You only come out of your room to work out. It isn’t healthy.”
“I don’t look healthy to you?” Reaper turned his head toward Jewell. “Do I look healthy to you, Jewell?”
Jewell picked up her laundry basket. “I’m going to fold my clothes upstairs.”
“Don’t drag Jewell into our discussion.”
“Then don’t discuss my personal shit in front of her!”
“You’re right.” Viper strode toward the basement stairs. “By the way, I came down here to tell you that Lucky’s been calling you for the last hour. He wants to meet at the church.”
“Who else will be there?”
“He didn’t say. I was just relaying the message.” Viper left the bottom step to come back. “Talk to me, Gavin. Please.”
As Viper walked back, Reaper got a good look at his face. He had undergone a drastic change in just the amount of time he had been back. Viper’s haggard appearance placed another leaden weight of responsibility on Reaper’s back. His brother had been better off when he believed him dead.
“I would beg you to tell me what’s going on, if I thought it would do any good. Ton said that when he came here yesterday, you left after five minutes. He was only trying to talk to you.”
“Because he’s saying the same shit you are.” Getting off the machine, Reaper picked up a clean towel that Jewel had put out and started wiping the machines down. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m fine and dandy.”
“No, you’re not. Reaper, you’ve been in a dark place since your escape. I understand your need for revenge, but it’s eating you alive.”
“I’m not the one who looks like he’s lost ten pounds. Quit worrying about me. If you hadn’t been worried about me, I wouldn’t have been kidnapped in the first place!”
Viper staggered back as if he had been struck.
Reaper wanted to shoot himself for causing the pain he witnessed at Viper’s reaction. Unable to repair the damage, though, he went to the stairs, going up two at time, practically running to his room to lock himself inside.
Going to his nightstand, he grabbed his phone, seeing the missed calls from Lucky. Texting him that he would be there in an hour, he went to his bathroom to take a shower.
Taking off his shorts, he threw them in a hamper before getting in the shower. Turning the water on, he stood under the cold water, fighting back the torment of emotions that were driving him insane because they couldn’t get free.