AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
My friends quietly bickered while I fought off the memories bombarding me. I’d never been in this room, but I’d spent countless hours in this building, and the walls held dear so many moments from my childhood.
Playing hide and seek with kids my age. Holding a baby for the first time. Birthday parties. The tree outside where I used to do my homework.
In addition to the home I’d grown up in, this clubhouse was the epicenter of my childhood. And I couldn’t stand to be here for more than a few minutes. When it got to the point where I swore the walls inched closer, the door finally opened, and Reaper’s hulking form filled the doorway.
“Peyton.” I ignored the way his deep voice washed over me and how his gorgeous shoulder-length hair shone even in the dim light. It wasn’t fair for a man to have such glossy golden-brown locks. Asshole.
He didn’t even glance at my team; he only had eyes for me. I slipped a blank mask over my face, refusing to give him anything. The other night in the bathroom had given him enough already. I shouldn’t have reacted. Shouldn’t have let him get to me.
I wouldn’t make that mistake again. From now on, he would see only what I let him see—that I didn’t care about him or Redemption.
“We’ll just, um…” Jessen clicked her tongue and gestured over her shoulder. My team filed out without meeting the glare I shot their way, leaving me alone with the one person I didn’t want to be around.
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to find my center. To relax the muscles strung tighter than a bow string.
“Prez said you needed me,” he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest and stretching his faded navy shirt to its limits.
I blinked.Focus.“Yeah. We have a situation with some of the women we’ve rescued. I need to connect with the brothers who traveled with them and get a list of every stop they made.”
“What’s going on?” he asked, taking a step closer.
I forced myself to remain still and explain the situation in as few words as possible. When I finished, the pulse behind my eyes reminded me I’d forgotten to eat again, and I rubbed my forehead.
“You have a headache,” Reaper said, eyes narrowing.
“Focus,” I snapped. “I need all the guys who traveled with the women to come by the office sometime in the next two days with the phones they had on them during the transport.”
I needed to get out of this place, get some food, and put a cold compress on my eyes in a dark room.
“Stop by tomorrow morning,” he said, his eyes dragging down my body. His appraisal was slow and assessing, like he was trying to pinpoint other areas that were bothering me.
My neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips, thanks for asking.
“It’s easier if they come to me,” I countered.
“If you want to talk to them, you come here. It’s the only way I can guarantee you’ll get everything you need. You know they’ll never come to your office. Even if Prez demands it, they’ll drag their feet, which will only slow you down.”
I hated that he was right. The brothers would eventually do what my uncle demanded of them, but they’d make their displeasure known in the form of making me wait. These guys ultimately did what they wanted when they wanted.
Like stalking the woman they’d cut out of their lives with surgical precision ten years before.
“Tomorrow morning,” I said, giving in. “They better all be here or I’ll make you regret it.”
The pain was getting worse, blurring my vision. I needed to get out of here. I moved toward the door, giving him a wide berth.
Reaper’s smile reached ear to ear. “Looking forward to a wonderful partnership, Einstein.”
My snarl had him lifting his hands and taking a step back. “My name is Peyton. You don’t get to use a nickname with me. The only reason I’m working with you is to get what I need from your guys. We aren’t friends. The faster you realize that, the better it will be for both of us.” With that, I stormed out, barely resisting the urge to take another shot at his balls.
ChapterTen
PEYTON
Reaper reached out,snagged the duffle bag from my hand, and led me into the clubhouse. I walked behind him, trying to not admire the way his bare back rippled, but I noted a few scars and the Redemption logo taking up most of the real estate.
That was new. Not that I cared. Or imagined where else he had ink.
