Dylan's Reaper: Soul Reapers #3 (19 page)

“
I
agree.
”
Logan
’
s
voice was clear over the stillness in the room. Even Emma had stopped crying as
we all listened to Woods and Crazy Z
’
s
conversation.

“
Oh
goody,
”
Crazy Z
’
s
voice so sweet I could feel my teeth rotting from it.

“
It
’
s
not gonna happen,
”
Woods interjected.
“
She
is not leaving this clubhouse if I have to tie her down myself. This is far from
over.
”
Woods ended the call
before rushing over to where Logan stood at the entrance to the hallway. He
grabbed her arm as he yelled,
“
Are you fucking
insane? Colton would kill me if I ever let you walk out that door.
”

“
But
it could save lives,
”
Logan argued.

“
Are
you really that naive? You know Z has as much control over the Demons as I do.
You stay here. It sounds like he made a deal with them anyway to keep you
alive. So you stay here, alive, with me.
”

“
But
if I can help . . .
”

“
You
can, by manning a window and keeping those fuckers out of this clubhouse. We
just need to buy some time and hopefully we can wait them out. Fuck, you need
to stay up here with me, because now I am afraid your stupid ass will run out
the back thinking you are helping. Hell, you may be the only thing keeping them
out and us in here. We just don
’
t know. YOU.
STAY. HERE. Got me?
”
Woods finally released Logan
’
s
arm and she immediately rubbed the spot where he had held her in a death grip.

“
Got
you,
”
she grumbled.

“
Just
stay up here, ok?
”
She nodded her compliance. Emma
’
s
hiccup drew Logan
’
s attention as she
raced over to her friend. They whispered to one another as Logan took Emma in
her arms, rocking back and forth. Emma
’
s
cries filled the room once again. Reclaiming my space next to Sam, he reached
out and squeezed my hand letting me know he was there for me.

“
This
is insane,
”
I
whispered.

“
Welcome
to the MC life,
”
he whispered back.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX

Dylan

The
question that had plagued me since entering this very clubhouse came roaring
back to life. Did I want this life? But the answer came much more quickly than
it ever had before, even with a gun locked and loaded in my hand. YES. A
resounding yes as I took in Logan with Emma and Woods standing guard. Knowing
that Ax and Cam had our back and Mica our side made me feel a part of
something. That feeling started in my chest and expanded out as the love I had
for this group of people, this family, my family grew inside of me. I knew I
would do anything to save these people, just like they would do for me. I
wanted this life. I wanted these people in it. And I wanted Knox by my side.
Conviction washed over me as I stood there.

Death
might come for me tonight, but I would be damn sure I took a few Demons with me
to hell. I shook out my shoulders and cracked my neck. A feeling of rightness
settled deep in my soul as I knew I was where I belonged, something I had
searched my whole life for and never found until now. I laughed, finding it
ironic that I found the place right as it was about to get shot to hell.

“
What
are you laughing at?
”
Sam asked as he looked at me from the
corner of his eye.
“
You losing it on me?
”

“
Nah,
I am finally getting it together.
”

“
Perfect
timing.
”

“
Yeah,
something like that,
”
I joked. Gunshots sounded at the back of
the house, silencing our banter. Not sure if it was ours or theirs, everyone
stood listening. A large crash sounded, spurring Woods into action as he ran
towards the back. I started to follow, but Sam grabbed my hand stopping me.

“
We
need to hold down the front,
”
he said.

“
You
’
re
right,
”
I responded. But we did
not have to wait long as Ax, Lefty, Cam, and Woods came down the hallway.
“
What
happened?
”
I
asked as Logan and Emma got to their feet.  Lefty and Ax started pushing the
couches towards the hallway.

“
They
drove one of our trucks through the back door. So we need to block the hallway.
”
Oh shit!
Woods pushed an arm chair over. Logan ran over to the pinball game and
unplugged it as Emma joined her unlocking the wheels. They pushed it together
across the room.

“
Ax
and Lefty, cover the back. Cam join Mica in the kitchen. Ladies,
”
Woods called up to the
second floor,
“
you alright up there?
”

“
Yes,
”
echoed from above.

In
the split second of silence that followed their answer, the bar phone rang. We
all jumped not expecting the familiar sound in the craziness that was
unfolding.

“
Hello,
”
answered Cam, being the
closest one to the bar.
“
Woods,
”
was all she said as she
held out the phone.
“
A guy named Ryder wants
to talk to you.
”

“
Ryder.
”
Woods
’
deep voice echoed in the quietness.
“
Yes.
”
The pause as long as my
heartbeat.
“
One.
”
Thump thump.
“
Tru.
”
Thump thump.
“
Everyone
is in the main room, with fallback to the second level.
”
Thump thump.
“
How
long?
”
Thump thump.
“
If
the Reaper is willing.
”
Woods hung up the phone, his head bowed
as we all waited for him to relay whatever Ryder had said.
“
The
Iron Knights are here.
”

CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN

Dylan

If
my life was a soundtrack, P.O.D
’
s
“
Boom
”
would be blaring from
the speakers.
“
Here comes the boom. Here comes the
boom. Ready or not. How you like me now.
”

Explosions
started at the front of the compound letting us know that the Iron Knights
truly had arrived.

“
Hold
your fire,
”
yelled
Woods as everyone ran to the windows.
“
We
don
’
t
want to shoot any friendlies.
”

“
Stay
behind me,
”
Sam
said as he pushed his way past me and stood between the window and me.
“
Stay
low.
”

“
Ok,
”
I said as we both
crouched down to the corner of the window. Sam continued to look out while I
wedged myself between the wall and his hard body. Even as gunfire erupted all
around us, all I could think about was Knox. How much I wanted him beside me.
How much I wanted everything to be alright.

I
glanced around the room and saw Emma still covering Tru
’
s
body. Even in death, her love for her best friend was evident. Logan, by her
friend
’
s
side as all hell broke loose. I knew Cam went into the kitchen to help Mica if
he needed it. Ax and Lefty were guarding the back, while Woods watched the
chaos from the other front window, prepared to be the roadblock that stopped
anything from getting to the rest of us.

Sam
. . .

I
looked at my best friend. His muscles tight with the tension of what was
happening around us. I knew without seeing that his eyes were taking everything
in like they always did, waiting, watching for the moment to strike. Sam was
like a cobra, lying in wait. Muscles coiled and at the ready to strike when it
was the most advantageous to him. I knew I was safe with him by my side, but he
was not the man I really wanted there. Not anymore.

“
You
okay?
”
Sam turned his head
slightly so he could see me and the action.

“
I
am,
”
I answered truthfully. 

The
time between gunfire grew longer. The roar of a few angry bikes could be heard
until silence reigned. It built and built, filling the room with tension so
thick you could cut it with a knife until there was a knock on the door.

“
Housekeeping.
You want mint for your pillow?
”
Woods laughed, full blown belly
laughed as he stood to answer the door.

“
Please
go away let me sleep, for the love of God.
”
In his best Chris
Farley impersonation.

Knock
knock.
“
Housekeeping.
You want me to jerk you off?
”
The whole room now laughed as Woods
opened the door, grabbing the man in the doorway in a giant bear hug.

“
Ryder,
you son of a bitch! You are a sight for sore eyes.
”

“
Was
it the explosions or the Tommy Boy reference that gave me away?
”
Ryder joked as he
walked through the door. Ryder was a mountain of a man with the stance of a
solider. Even with the remnants of a fight clinging to him, he was a strikingly
handsome older man. With eyes as green as moss, he surveyed the room taking it
all in.
“
Sorry
to hear about Tru.
”
His voice echoed.
“
Emma,
”
he said, walking over
to her. She immediately stood and went into his arms. He bent over as he
whispered in her ear. She nodded against his chest while he held her.
“
And
you must be Dylan.
”
Ryder
’
s
green eyes now on me.

“
Yes.
”
My cheeks blushed under
his attentive gaze.

“
Wesson
speaks of you often.
”
The thought that my dad talked about me
made me smile.
“
And I can see why Knox
is so taken with you.
”
That thought warmed me from the inside
out.

“
How
did you know we were in trouble?
”
Lefty asked.

“
Wesson
called a few days ago and asked us to stay in Blackberry, putting us about an
hour away. He called right as your brothers headed out, and he called again
when he needed us here. The club felt pretty awful the ways things were left
after we took your girls,
”
Ryder said looking at Logan and Cam.
“
Sorry
about that ladies. Things would have been done differently if we had known. But
they weren
’
t and Wesson called in his favor.
”

“
I
can
’
t
say thank you enough,
”
Woods said as we all agreed.

“
We
’
ll
stick around for a day or two to make things right before we head off again.
The ladies should stay inside while we go clean up. Hopefully the rest of the
Reapers will be back soon.
”

“
Have
you heard from them? Are they okay?
”
I asked, needing to
know if Knox, Colton, or Wesson were hurt.

“
That
’
s
not for me say ma
’
am,
”
replied Ryder as he did
a quick nod before turning and walking out the door.

“
Don
’
t
worry,
”
murmured Sam.
“
Everything
will be ok.
”
I
nodded as I looked back to Emma, seeing the heartbreak on her face as Lefty
pulled a sheet over Tru.

“
God,
I hope so.
”