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Chapter Eighteen
Alex
AFTER MEETING REAPER’S grandmother two days ago, I forgot my nerves and decided to just embrace getting to know her and accepting her into my life. Elenor reminds me so much of my mother’s mom in many ways. She’s loving, soft-spoken, smart, and loves to laugh and tell jokes. Even if Reaper is the butt of most of her jokes. And the stories she told me about Reaper as a young child and growing up was hilarious. He didn’t appreciate her spilling all of his childhood secrets either. Especially when she pulled out the picture albums and started showing me every single embarrassing picture ever been of Reaper from the time he was born until very recently. I’ve never laughed so much in my entire life.
His grandma is an amazing woman who still lives on her own, bosses the men of the club around as if she were royalty, and still make dinner as if she were hosting her entire family instead of it being just the three of us. We had homemade lasagna with garlic bread and a salad. According to Elenor, Reaper doesn’t eat enough vegetables, and she wants me to ensure that aspect of his life changes. She’s so proud of him and respects what he does in his life. To hear her talk about him, even in his role as President of a motorcycle club, his grandma can’t do enough to sing his praises. It’s definitely refreshing to see a family who loves and supports one another. Something I wish I got to experience growing up.
Now today is a different story altogether. Today is the day I have to get up in front of Troy, my father, a jury, a judge, lawyers, and whoever else shows up to share my story to ensure he goes to jail. And stays there. I didn’t sleep at all last night, and you can tell with the bags under my eyes and how pale my skin is—and the way I’m trembling no matter who’s surrounding me. Even Reaper can’t calm me down the way he normally does. I’m not filled with peace and calmness, only inspired by Reaper’s arms around me. Last night, Reaper tried all night long to take my mind off what today is, but nothing worked. Not even when I was screaming out his name through multiple orgasms throughout the long night.
When I was awake, Reaper was awake. If I tried to sleep, he would fall asleep and get some rest. Still, as I tossed and turned all night, the man I fell deeper in love with on a daily basis was right there with me. He got me warm milk, took a hot shower with me, and did anything else he could think of to help me relax and not think of what I was about to do. Now I’m standing in the shower again, washing and conditioning my hair before moving on to my body. I made Reaper stay out this time as I knew what would happen if he stepped inside; he’d have my body again to distract me, and we’d be late.
As it is, we made the trip down yesterday and stayed in a hotel for the night; my treat. With Troy in jail and my father already knowing where I’m at, there’s no reason for me to leave it alone. So, I withdrew some money as soon as we got into town and am in the process of moving the funds to a bank in Clinton. This way, it’s even further from my father and anyone else looking to get their hands on my money. Plus, I can use it whenever I want and do what I’ve always dreamed of doing; opening a dance studio and sharing my love of dance with little girls and boys who want to learn.
Anyway, I have enough to cover the rooms for us and the few men who made the trip with us, I bought them all a steak dinner in a nice restaurant, and they’re all eating breakfast before heading to the courthouse while I get ready. I needed some time to myself, and it was the only way I could make them leave me alone for a few minutes to process everything that was about to happen today. I used this time to make myself as presentable as I could. I carefully dressed in a black dress that rested just below my knees. I paired the dress with a pair of black high-heeled shoes and a sweater to help cover up the marks still fading on my arms. With my hair, I put it up in a tight bun and made sure not a single hair was out of place. It’s how I was raised to dress; always having to look perfect.
With nothing more to do, I make my way from the bathroom and head for the main room of our hotel suite. There’s a tray of food I ordered, thinking I would be hungry, but I’ve left it untouched with zero appetite. I’m too nervous and scared about what’s going to happen in the next few hours. Plus, I haven’t exactly felt good the last few days. Too much stress and fear of the unknown has definitely gotten the better of me.
As I’m looking around the suite, the door opens to reveal Reaper and the men who came with us. They’re not the only ones here, though. Every single man I’ve seen at the clubhouse and around the compound one of the two times I’ve stepped foot inside is here. Each man is dressed in their normal attire of jeans, boots, and cuts. The only difference today is they’re wearing a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off their muscled arms and the tattoos filling the skin covering those muscles.
“Darlin’, you look beautiful. I know you’re nervous. We all do. So, the rest of the guys decided to make the trip to show you’re supported no matter what’s goin’ on and what you’re goin’ through. We want to ensure your safety and let you have a set of muscles of your own when you go after the man who has put you through hell for so long,” Reaper informs me, stepping up even closer to me as he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls my body closer to his.
“I don’t know what to say,” I say, looking around at each man. “Thank you all so very much.”
“No thanks needed, Alex. You’re our Queen, and we’ll be here for you no matter what’s goin’ on. Just like Reaper said,” one of the men I haven’t met yet, says, stepping forward as I take in the patches of his cut.
Yes, Reaper did correct me on that when we were with his grandma. This man is Eagle and the Vice President of the club. He’s a gorgeous man but still doesn’t compare to Reaper. Not a single man in the club, or anywhere else, will ever compare to the man offering me his comfort, support, and strength. These men are my family now, and I can’t wait to get to know each of them and find out what makes them the men they are. I plan to make sure each of these men knows how much I support them and will return the favor for them supporting me here today when I need them the most.
“Are you ready to head out?” Reaper questions, looking down in my eyes as I look up at him.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Reaper takes my hand and leads me from our room with the rest of the men following us. Titan and Jameson are in front of us, making sure no one gets to Reaper and me. Getting on the elevator, we have to take three of them down to the lobby because there are so many of us. And the men are so large not very many of them can fit in one small box at the same time. Titan, Jameson, Jay, and Eagle are with Reaper and me. I begin fidgeting as soon as the doors slide closed until Reaper’s hand lands on the small of my back. I still don’t calm down, but it does help settle my nerves as his heat seeps into me.
When we leave the elevator, we make our way to the SUV waiting for me. Reaper didn’t want me on the back of his bike for such a long trip when I’ve only ridden with him twice so far. So, we traveled in the club’s SUV here. Personally, I’m glad to be enclosed in a vehicle instead of out in the open on his bike. There are too many dangerous unknowns with my father and Troy’s asshole squad being so close to me.
Reaper and I slide in the backseat with Titan and Jameson up front. The rest of the men are on their bikes as they’re parked on either side of the SUV. As one, they all straddle their bikes and start the engines, causing a thunderous rumble to fill the air and vibrate the ground underneath us. It’s an awesome thing to witness. I wish we were doing it for other reasons than to travel to the courthouse so I can testify against my husband. His lawyer will also serve him with divorce papers to get this marriage sham done and over with.
Looking out the window, I stare at the scenery passing by even though I don’t see anything. My mind is a whirling mess of all the possibilities that can happen today. There are just too many unknowns to make me comfortable even with the club showing up. I’m not nervous about sharing the hell I lived with my husband for almost two years. The thing making me so nervous is not knowing what Troy is going to pull in the courtroom or if he’ll have some of his henchmen try and do something either on the way to or from the building. Or what my father will do. He’s so explosive when things aren’t going his way, and I stood up to him just days ago. This isn’t going to go over well at all.
“Darlin’, we’re here,” Reaper says, his voice rumbling in my ear as his voice sends a shiver through me.
“Okay,” I murmur, my voice wavering as he slides out his door and holds his hand for me to take so he can help me out.
As I step from the vehicle, Reaper’s men surround us. There is no way someone is getting past any of them to get their hands on me. Yeah, a bullet could still take me out, but my father won’t get close to me with these men around. For the first time, I can take a somewhat deep and even breath. Reaper holds my hand as we make our way up the steps of the courthouse and inside through the metal detectors and everything. Each of us takes our turn and makes it through before being led to a large room where I’ll wait until it’s my turn to testify. My man is the only one to remain in the room with me as two of the Prospects stand outside the closed door, and the rest of the men file into the courtroom for when it’s my turn to testify.
“What’s got you such a mess?” Reaper asks, pulling me into his body and rubbing his hands up and down my back.
“I don’t know what Troy and my father have planned. With them wanting to get their hands on my money so bad, you can’t tell me they’re not going to try something with me being on their turf,” I tell him honestly as I breathe in the scent of the man I love.
Leather, oil, the faint smell of smoke, and a subtle earthy smell fill me. It’s a scent I’ve come to associate with Reaper. Most of the guys smell of leather and oil, but only Reaper smells with the earthy scent of his body wash and any type of cologne he wears. I’ve never seen him put any on, but that doesn’t mean anything. Most of the time, he’s up, showered, and dressed before I’m out of bed. Between the club and garage, he gets up early so he can get home to me early. One more thing I have to get used to because Troy sure as hell never wanted to spend any time with me. Not unless it suited his needs and he needed to appear professional or attend some event.
I’ve been in to give my testimony against the monster I married. Even when his attorney tried to fluster me and get me to retract a statement or change my story, I didn’t. I gave my truth of the hell I’ve lived the last two years. Including his last kidnapping of me, torture and beating of me, putting me in the hospital in a medically induced coma for two weeks, and everything else I could think of. Including hearing him talk to my father about selling me. Anything Reaper has told me, I didn’t share with the court because I didn’t have proof or want to get anyone from the club in trouble with digging into Troy or my father. All I know is what I lived through, and that’s the story I told.
My gaze never once left Reaper as I talked and shared with the room full of people, including my father and mother, who sat on Troy’s side of the courtroom. He listened intently to every word I shared, and there were multiple occasions I almost stopped because he was going to get out of his seat and beat either Troy’s lawyer or Troy himself. With a red face, tendons, and veins sticking out of his neck and face, I could read the thunderous thoughts filling his head. Still, I continued with my story, got through the cross-examination, and was finally told I could leave the stand. They were done with me. Someone would call me with the verdict when it’s reached.
“You did so good,” Reaper tells me, his voice full of pride as he walks me from the courtroom.
“I was so nervous.”
