Page 85 of Reaper

Raised voices down the hallway have me jumping to my feet and judging by the sound of multiple heavy boots echoing off the wood flooring behind me, I’m not the only one.

“He’s just with you out of pity! No one wants to be with your crispy french fried ass!”

The sound of skin against skin has me walking faster.

As I round the corner and push open the door to the women’s restroom, I find Lark pinning Brandy face first to the wall and she’s got her arm pinned behind her back.

My anger rises when I notice there’s a bright red palm print on Lark’s face along with a couple dribbles of blood from multiple scratches.

The fucking bitch slapped and clawed her face?!

My gaze roams over the rest of her, but because of her clothes, I don’t know if she was hurt anywhere else. Rage simmers in my veins, but I rein it in. Even if I wanted to, and I do, I can’t hit the bitch.

“You listen to me, and you listen good, you fucking bitch. If you ever come at me like that again, I will make you feel pain six ways to Sunday. You may even have a few extra holes decorating your body. Reaper is my man, and despite what you think, you have no fucking say in our relationship. Just because he’s never taken you does not mean you are entitled to his dick.” Lark pauses as she leans closer in. “And that goes for any of the other brothers as well. If I find out you’ve messed with any of their relationships, you’re not going to like the consequences.”

It’s then that Brandy realizes I’m there. With the way Lark has her pinned, she’s facing away from the door, but she can see me in the mirror. Instantly, Brandy’s eyes fill with tears.

“Reaper, this bitch attacked me for no reason. She’s making up everything. I didn’t touch her, I swear. I just needed to go to the bathroom.”

“Oh, so that isn’t a handprint on Lark’s face with an indent in the exact same spot as your gaudy assed ring? Or claw marks from your nails on her face?” Devil asks her, his voice cold as ice.

A sliver of fear shines in Brandy’s eyes before she masks it. “S-She attacked me first.”

“Reaper,” Python grits out as he hands me a tablet.

I look down at it, notice that he’s pulled up our security footage and has it paused. Wanting to know Lark’s side before I press play; I look back up at Lark. “Darlin? What happened?”

Brandy screeches in outrage as she squirms in Lark’s hold. “You seriously going to askher? She’s new here and can’t be trusted! She attacked me and I defended myself.”

Lark shifts and puts more weight against Brandy’s arm that she still has pinned behind her back which has Brandy crying out in pain again.

“What happened is that I was washing my hands when she came into the bathroom. When she saw me, she immediately started ranting about how I needed to take my fried fat ass out of here and never come back. You’ll probably be able to catch everything on your cameras because at that point she was still holding the door open but was blocking it so that I couldn’t leave unless I wanted to push her aside. When I told her our relationship was none of her fucking business, she started coming at me, spewing more of her hate as she tried to corner me in the bathroom. I won’t repeat what she said because with the volume she was screeching everything at, your cameras were probably able to pick it all up through the closed door. WhenI repeated to her that our relationship was none of her fucking business and to get over herself, that’s when she slapped and clawed me. I got a hold of her wrists, pinned her against the wall and then pinned her arm behind her back. That’s when you came in.”

“S-She’s lying, Reaper,” Brandy whimpers and Lark’s eyes flash in anger again, but she doesn’t react to her taunt.

“Play the video, Hercules. Let’s see who’s actually lying,” Lark tells me and Brandy’s face pales.

Looking down at the tablet, I hit play.

The video shows Lark walking down the hallway and into the restroom. A minute or so later, Brandy walks in, and like Lark had said, was blocking the door while holding it open.

“You need to leave and never come back. Reaper doesn’t need you, he has me.” She pauses as she gestures up and down Lark’s body. In the mirror, you can see her lip curling in disgust as she looks at Lark. “We all know you were burned to a crisp. Why the fuck would he want to be with a french fry? You need to get your fried fat fucking ass out of here and never come back. I’ll be able to take care of all his needs better than your fat ass. You’ll never be able to satisfy him the way I can and have.”

Lark sighs as she throws away the paper towel that she used to dry her hands and turns around, leaning back against the edge of the vanity. “For starters, I know Reaper has never been with you because you just started here last month. Second, our relationship is none of your fucking business. Third, despite what you think, being a club bunny does not entitle you to your pick of the club brothers. In fact, I can guarantee you that now that you are a club bunny, none of them will never take you as an Old Lady because you’ve spread your legs for all of their brothers.”

Brandy huffs. “You don’t know that. It won’t take long and then Reaper will realize what he was missing. Then I’ll be hisOld Lady, not some dried out husk like you,” she spews as she walks forward, letting the door close behind her. “Like I said,” Brandy continues, raising her voice enough that the cameras were in fact able to still pick up what she said, “there’s no way your fat ass can please him. He’ll be back in my bed before you know it and I’ll take great pleasure in wiping your memory from him as I take care of his every need.”

“You need to fucking get over yourself,” Lark says, her voice dark and with a hard edge to it. “Just because you’re skinny, have a big rack, dyed your hair blond, cake on a pound and a half of makeup, and dress like a whore,does notmean that’s what Reaper or anyone else is looking for in a partner. In fact, your vile personality alone would have them running for the hills if they know what’s good for them. You have absolutely no say in mine and Reaper’s relationship, but since you brought it up, even though it’s still none of your business, I am more than able to take care of his needs. You need to get over yourself and if you ever come at me like this again, you are going to regret it. Now move your skanky ass out of the way before I make you move.”

Brandy screeches in outrage. “You are nothing! You’re just a waste of space! You might as well off yourself because no one wants you here! Reaper is mine and as soon as I get rid of you, he’ll realizeI’mthe woman for him, not your fried, fat fucking ass!”

The sound of skin hitting skin has my rage boiling again as my hands tighten on the tablet, but I keep myself in check. A moment later, I walk into the frame with my brothers behind me and open the door right as Lark finishes pinning Brandy’s arm behind her back.

I hit pause again and raise it over my shoulder. Someone, most likely Python, grabs it from me and I straighten, crossing myarms over my chest. The blood in Brandy’s face drains when she sees the rage in my eyes.

“Devil and Punisher, take Brandy to my office. Python, go with them. You know what to do.”

I step aside so they can come in, and as soon as Lark lets Brandy go, I pull her into my arms. Devil and Punisher grab a hold of Brandy’s upper arms and march her out of the bathroom and down the hall. My chest rumbles with a growl when she holds her head high like she isn’t the problem here. Doc turns toward me and tilts his head in the direction of his medical room, silently telling me to meet him there before he turns and walks down the hall.