Page 14

Reaper

I hated this motherfucking city. Everything about it was a fucking lie, right down to the fuckers who lived here.

As soon as that son of a bitch, Baranov, was dead, I was leaving and never coming back.

I smirked at that.

Even I knew that was a lie.

I will be back someday. And when that day came, I wouldn’t be leaving empty-handed. I had a score to settle with Montana and his fucking club. Maxim would get his when I was damn good and ready.

Fucker thought I didn’t know.

Well, he was in for a world of hurt when I let that nugget of truth out into the world.

“Reaper, you sure about this, man?” Bullseye asked while we all sat around in a motel going over the plan one more fucking time. It wasn’t just me and my brothers in this room. I had Sypher reach out to Ace, knowing his team needed to be clued in on the truth also.

It wasn’t just my brothers’ lives on the line anymore.

The closet door was open and all the skeletons were storming out.

I fucking plotted and planned for this day for years.

I knew how everything would go, but no one fucking believed me.

Maybe now they would.

“We do this and there is no going back.”

Looking at my blood, I sneered, “Nothing but death will stop me.”

“Good enough for me,” Savage chuckled, leaning back against a pillow. “Just point to where you want me, man. I’m tired of this shit and want to go home to my wife.”

“Preach,” Ink and Player said.

I played a long motherfucking game, and in a matter of hours, it was going to be over. I fucking knew it, and so did my brothers. For the last few years, we’d endured hardships and pain that would kill the average man, but not us.

We were fucking Golden to the core.

Not even the Grim Reaper himself could stop us from our endgame.

Looking at the kid, I said, “Tell them everything, Sypher. The whole truth.”

The kid nodded and began, “I’ve been tracking all the players since the Golden Wedding.”

Several eyes turned and glared at me.

Yeah. I fucking knew they wouldn’t like that part.

Another fucking secret I would have to atone for, but not today.

Today was the day I secured my woman’s freedom.

“Anyway.” The kid gulped. “Like I was saying, I’ve been watching everyone for a while now. Reaper knew the wedding wouldn’t stop the Society , so he asked me to find the middleman. I didn’t understand at first, but I agreed. It took me some time, but eventually I found him. The middleman is none other than Boris Petrovitch. The same man who kidnapped Remi and tortured her. But more importantly, the man Petrovitch works for, Konstantin Baranov, is the man who’s been after Remi all this time. To make things more interesting, Petrovitch is Maxim’s brother. Something the Bloodletter failed to disclose to Reaper when they made the blood pact. What you also need to know is that Montana wasn’t exactly forthcoming either, because I also found information that Montana’s father, George Stone, has worked with Petrovitch and Baranov in the past. But that’s not even the worst of it.”

“How much worse can it get?” Matthew Law asked.

Looking at his baby brother, Ace groaned. “Jesus Christ, Danny, just tell us.”

“I found another player.”

Leaning forward, Bullseye asked, “What do you mean, another player? You said you’ve been watching all the players since the wedding.”

“Let him finish, Dylan,” I said, nodding to the kid.

“Devlin Scott.”

“Who the fuck is that?” Player asked.

“The owner of the Trick Pony.” Ace groaned, shaking his head. “I fucking knew that contract would come back to bite us in the ass. Devlin Scott is a psychological, methodical, sadistic dick. He runs a BDSM Club in Miami, Florida. He’s also Gideon Scott’s father. What does he have to do with this shit?”

“He was working with Baranov and George Stone to bring down the Golden Skulls.”

Savage laughed heartily. “Fucker can try.”

When Sypher didn’t say anything, Ace sat up and growled. “Tell me you didn’t, Danny?”

“I’m sorry, Ace.” Sypher sighed. “I had to.”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Ace roared, jumping to his feet. “You knew he contracted with Harbor Security. If he finds out you hacked his system and that you are my brother, he will sue us!”

“Ace, he killed Dad!”

“What?”

Bullseye slowly stood. “Danny, I’m going to need you to explain that right now.”

“That day at the motel,” Sypher said, his voice trembling. “You said you saw three men exiting a black SUV. One man had tattoos running up his neck. All three were dressed in expensive suits. Remember, Dylan?”

“Yeah, I remember,” Bullseye whispered. “Vain handed him an envelope, then the man with the tattoos slapped Vain. They left shortly after. Then Jekyll shot Vain. But it was Jekyll that shot Uncle Moonshine.”

“Exactly. Inside the envelope was a picture of Remi,” Sypher quickly said. “But the three men there that day were George Stone, Konstantin Baranov, and Devlin Scott. They knew Vain was a dead man walking. So, they made a deal with Jekyll. Said he could have Layla if he killed my dad.”

“But why?” Ace muttered, shaking his head. “Why did they want Dad dead?”

“Because Baranov knew Dad was aware of the real identity of Aunt Donna. Baranov wanted all links to Aunt Donna gone. He didn’t want Maxim to find out he had a niece and nephew. But more importantly, Devlin Scott wanted Dad dead because Dad knew the truth about Ravage.”

Bullseye looked at Ace before both men turned to me, neither saying a word, waiting for me to reveal anything.

Sighing, I muttered, “Moonshine asked James Doherty to look into Ravage’s past. It’s bad, and I’m not discussing it without telling him first, but just know, Moonshine protected Ravage with his life.”

Both men sat back down, saying nothing more. What could they say? They both knew I wouldn’t reveal anything until I had a chance to talk with Ravage first.

Eventually, Ravage’s truth would come to light, but not today.

Today was for securing Remi’s future.

“Anything else we need to know, Sypher?” Player cautiously asked.

“Only that the Soulless Sinners are not what they claim to be. So be careful if you say anything to them. Especially Montana. That fucker still sits at the table and can make our lives a living hell if he wants to. He already doesn’t trust Reaper. So don’t give him any more ammunition.”

“So, keep your fucking mouths shut,” I ordered, getting to my feet. “After this shit is done, we are going home with a clean fucking slate. I don’t know about any of you, but that’s been a long time coming and we could all use a fucking breather before shit hits the fan again.”

And it would soon enough.

This life was anything but predictable.

Later that night in a warehouse...

I watched from the shadows while Illyria got her revenge, and when the Soulless Sinners dismembered Boris Petrovitch, even I had to admit I smiled a bit.

Fucker got what he deserved.

But I wasn’t there for him. I wanted the fucker Baranov. The cause, the reason, the truth behind all of my woman’s problems. I had been waiting for years to get my hands on that fat fucker, and I wasn’t going to be denied my justice.

It had been a long, bloody war and I was determined to get my revenge.

No longer would my wife fear the unknown. If it was the last thing I did, I would give her the peace and comfort of knowing her tormentor was finally dead.

It was the least I could do.

“Enough of this. I’m bored,” I heard Bullseye say before a loud whistle echoed around the warehouse. Slowly getting to my feet, I snubbed out the cigarette I was smoking, took a deep breath and grinned.

The door creaked when I opened it and made my way toward the man now sitting in a chair in the middle of the warehouse. My eyes focused on the evil that plagued my wife’s dreams. Taking my time, I allowed my blades to drag against the hard cement floor, the sound ominous, distinctive, while the man I glared at flinched.

“Did you honestly think I would forget about you?”

Several heads turned my way, shocked at what they were seeing. If they knew what was good for them, they should have been afraid. I was in a killing mood and I would not leave until I got my fill. My demon was starved, hungry for the feast sitting handcuffed before us.

It would not be denied.

This son of a bitch was mine.

“You’re dead.” The fucker gulped as sweat beaded on his brow.

Montana took a quick glance at Maxim before he took a few steps back. Yeah, I’d run away like a pussy bitch too if I’d gone back on a blood oath. Time was on my side. Eventually, I would come for Montana and demand reparations. Even if I had to take it all the way to the table. I would get my revenge.

Until that day, the fucker better stay the hell out of my way and pray I can fix what he broke. Because if I couldn’t, there would be no place on this fucking earth he could hide.

The Reaper always collected his soul, and right now, I only wanted one soul.

Konstantin Baranov.

“I was fifteen years old, you sick fuck. A kid who only wanted to play video games with his best friend when you had your fucking goons yank me off the street. All so you could get leverage on my club and the Society . But it didn’t work, did it? You tried for days to break me, but you couldn’t do it. I was the one fucking wild card you couldn’t control.”

The fat fucker never took his eyes off me as I took my time walking over to him. I enjoyed watching him squirm, seeing the fear in his eyes, knowing that I was about to take his life and send it straight to hell.

“I should have killed you then,” the fucker sneered angrily, trying to break the bonds that bound him.

“That was your first mistake. Letting me live.”

“When I get out of here, I’m going to tear your fucking wife and kids apart. That’s right. I know exactly where they are. I’m going to show that little bitch what a real man is like right before I snap her fucking neck.”

Vladmir moved fast to haul off and punch the fucker in the face, breaking his nose. Old man moved fast. I had to give him that.

“Would you like to know your second mistake, asshole?” I asked as the fat fucker spat blood on the floor while I continued, “Having one of my men kidnap my woman and deliver her into the hands of the very fuck who tortured her for years? But that wasn’t enough for you, was it? You wanted to sample her too. That way, you could force her father’s hand and have him kill Maxim. But that didn’t work either, did it? You never considered Vladmir’s loyalty to the one man who stood beside him his whole life.”

“What’s he talking about?” Maxim asked, looking at Vladmir, who shook his head and silently cursed.

When he glared at me, I simply shrugged.

Yeah, there wasn’t much I didn’t know. These stupid fuckers didn’t know shit. Oh, they played a good game for a while, but the truth always eluded them. Well, the time for secrets was over. The game was over and I was tired of it all.

Looking at Vladmir, I waited while he took a deep breath and explained, “I made my choice twenty-four years ago on the side of a road the night she was born, when I decided to give her up. Boss, you know I looked everywhere for her after she disappeared from the hospital. When I couldn’t find her, I thought that was it. I felt a sense of hopelessness when I realized that she had slipped away from me forever and there was nothing I could do about it. Then, a few years ago, I started getting text messages. Pictures of a young woman in California. I didn’t know who she was, though I had my suspicions, but I didn’t know for sure until I flew to California and saw her for myself. God, Maxim, she looked so much like Nina. That’s when I knew my daughter survived. She was alive, happy and in love with Reaper. Knowing she was safe, I returned to New York and tried to ignore the need to protect her. Until the Pakhan started threatening her. He wanted me to kill you and take over the East Coast. I knew no matter what I did, he would always use my daughter to get me to do what he wanted, so I refused. The next thing I knew, I received an email with a video attachment of my daughter being raped by Reynolds, Petrovitch, and the Pakhan . I recognized the room and rushed to the Gentlemen’s Club, but by the time I got there, they were gone. I looked everywhere for her, then I learned Reaper found her in Louisiana.”

“Why didn’t you come to me with this?”

Vladmir shrugged. “You were having your own troubles with Illyria and like I said, I made my choice the night she was born. I had no claim to her. She doesn’t know me. I’m just the genetic material that links her to me. She doesn’t want some old man who abandoned her hours after she was born. She had a life with Reaper, and I wasn’t going to ruin that.”

The fat fucker laughed maniacally. “You are all stupid fucks. God, you make me sick. The real Bratva doesn’t have families. Family will be the destruction of the Bratva!”

Lifting my blade off the floor, I placed the tip of the blade at Konstantin’s neck and clearly said, “My woman survived hell and lived to tell the tale. You want to know what she told me, asshole?”

Not waiting for his response, I sliced down Konstantin’s chest, cutting through the fabric of his shirt, exposing the large black sparrow tattooed on his chest as several men gasped.

Yeah, I fucking knew all along. From the very beginning, I knew all the players. I knew who to kill and over the years I systematically and methodically eradicated them all, ending with the very man before me who gave the order to destroy my wife.

From the moment my woman returned to me after escaping her captors all those years ago and showed up at the clubhouse beaten and torn apart that fateful night.

Hours passed while I sat next to Remi’s bed in Healer’s clinic. I stayed, never leaving her side. Healer ran every test he could, even taking more blood and cultures. Through it all, Remi never woke. Hellhound came down a few times, only to get angry all over again. I made him leave until he could control the urge to punch the wall again.

I was at a loss.

I didn’t know what to do.

I couldn’t help her. I didn’t know who to hunt, who to find, who to kill until she woke up and told me. I needed to kill something—someone—badly. The demon inside me roared violently, wanting to avenge her. Instead of giving in to my basic instincts, I sat and waited until her little hand tightened in mine.

Looking up, I stared into her beautiful green eyes and smiled. “Hey, Remi.”

“Hey, Max,” she replied, her voice scratchy. Reaching for a cup of water on the table, I lifted the straw to her lips, and she took a sip. When she was done, I placed the cup back on the table.

“Remi, who did this to you?”

Remy shook her head, her eyes instantly watering.

Reaching over, I patted her hair and said, “It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t have to talk about it right now.”

“You got bigger.” She nodded, looking at me.

“So did you.”

“No. I’m still tiny. Just a bit taller. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“The demons found me, Max. There were so many of them this time. I tried to fight them, but he wouldn’t let me go,” she cried, curling herself closer to me. Sitting on the bed next to her, I pulled her into my arms and held her while she wept.

In that instant, I vowed to kill all her demons. Regardless of who, what, or where they were. I would hunt them all over the world to kill those who threatened her. Never again would she live in fear.

Death was coming... they had unleashed the Reaper.

Her arms tightened around me when she whispered, “The black bird, Max. I’m afraid of the man with the black bird.”

Holding her close, I kissed the top of her head.

“I’ll find this bird, Remi. I swear I will, and I will kill him for you.”

“Promise?”

Holding my hand up, I extended my pinky and watched when she linked her pinky with mine.

“I pinky promise.”

“Go on then!” Konstantin shouted. “Kill me!”

I leaned down and whispered, “Oh, I will. Right after I hear you scream.”

“Bratva doesn’t scream.”

I grinned.

In the end... he did scream.

Standing there, I stared at the lifeless body while blood dripped down my blades. I wanted this moment seared into my brain so when I went to Remi, I could tell her everything, that her nightmare was over.

My woman could now live her life in peace.

“Reaper?”

Turning, I watched as Maxim cautiously approached.

“Where is my wife?”

Maxim looked at Montana, who sighed. “Dakota moved her to Lawton, Oklahoma, along with the kids. They are with the Diamondbacks.”

I shook my head, lifting my blade as I ran my hand down the hilt, wiping blood off the blade, before flicking it away with my hand.

“You still haven’t learned anything.”

“Learned what?” Montana snipped as his VP, Mercy, stood beside him.

“That you can’t keep her from me.”

“I wasn’t trying to,” Montana growled. “I got word that the therapist I hired for her worked for Petrovitch. He knew where she was. I had no choice but to move her.”

“She wouldn’t have needed a therapist if you two fuckers had just left me alone and kept your fucking word.”

“That’s in the past now, Reaper.” Maxim sighed, trying to ease the fury burning inside me that refused to be contained. Neither fucker understood. The only person who could make me see reason was the very person they turned against me. “We know we messed up and we’ve tried to fix it. She knows everything now. What happens next is up to you.”

Turning to the Bloodletter, I sneered, “Is that what you think? Because of you two fucknuts, my woman fucking hates me. She doesn’t trust me. She thinks I’m the vilest son of a bitch on the planet. You did that. Not me!”

“Reaper, come on, man,” Bullseye said, walking over. “They aren’t worth it.”

“Yeah, brother.” Massacre hobbled over on crutches. “These fucks don’t get it. They never will. Let’s go home, brother.”

“Get what, Massacre?” Montana challenged. “We kept our oath. We kept you and Remi alive.”

“You didn’t do shit, Montana,” Massacre growled. “Because of you, I now have a fucking bullseye on my back. I’m a hunted man, but you knew that before you sent me into the lion’s den, didn’t you? You hoped I wouldn’t survive it. Just like you hoped Reaper wouldn’t, either. Well, take a good fucking look, motherfucker. Your day of reckoning is coming.”

Montana growled, taking a step forward, when he swiftly found my blade at his neck. Sneering, I whispered, “I’d be very fucking careful of what you say next.”

“Boss,” Mercy muttered, placing his hand on Montana’s shoulder. “Don’t say a fucking word.”

Shrugging him off, Montana sneered, “Don’t threaten me, Reaper. I still have your wife in my custody.”

Mercy groaned, and Maxim and Vladmir closed their eyes when several of my brothers whistled, and Phantom shook her head. “Wrong thing to say, dumbass.”

Glaring at the fucker, I vowed, “I’m going to make you a Golden Promise, Montana.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“That someday soon, you will be on your knees begging me for help, and when that day comes, you better pray to fucking God that my wife is standing beside me, because if she isn’t, I will kill you and take everything you own.”