Page 74 of Reaper's Claim

Abby

I couldn’t understand love. To be honest, it completely threw me. I guess that was fair considering my upbringing. The only version of love I had ever seen was Dad keeping the same club whore in his bed longer than a week.

I wished I could remember Mom and Dad together. Maybe then I could understand love better or at the very least know what it looks like.

My stomach clenched as I continued to watch Reaper and the female. Kim had offered twice to shoulder the bitch, but I told her I was taking the higher ground. I wasn’t going to let Reaper and his brunette get the better of me. Even if he had his arm wrapped around her and kept giving her that smile that once used to knock the air from my lungs.

“Why a brunette?” I yelled in Kim’s ear over the music.

Kim’s eyes traveled back to the pair. “You really want to know?” she yelled back in my ear.

I nodded my head. If she had any insight, I wanted it.

“To piss you off.” She smiled broadly. “Clearly.”

Well, if his mission was to piss me off, he was definitely doing a good job of it. My stomach was so twisted up it wouldn’t even hold my liquor.

“Have you seen Dad yet?”

Kim shook her head, “Nope. I still can’t believe he isn’t around. Is Dad bailing on his own charter party? Typical.” Her eyes wandered around the party while she took a long sip of her beer.

“I’m going to take a walk.” I sighed. My eyes drifted over to Reaper again. I really needed to put some distance between us.

“I’ll join you.”

“Nah, don’t be silly. Stay, keep an eye on your man.” I wasn’t stupid. I saw the way she kept looking in Trigger’s direction.

“Righteo then, don’t be too long.”

I gave her a quick nod and began to weave through the crowd. Being back here was harder than I expected. Not because of Reaper, but because it felt like I was home. As wrong as it sounded, I hated admitting that this placestillfelt like home.

The noise of the party softened as I stepped into the clubhouse, the door spinning shut behind me.

“You lost, sweetheart?”

I spun on my heels, trying to see through the darkness. I made out a bulky shadow at the bar.

“Drinking with the lights off? That isn’t normal, you know,” I spoke while moving closer towards him.

He grunted out a bark of laughter. “Keeps the drunks away.”

“The sign on the door saying ‘Do Not Enter’ doesn’t do that for you?”

“Most bikers can’t read.”

“Most bikers aren’t moths, either.” I pulled out a stool and sat down in front of him. “Who are you?” I dropped my head to the side and studying his barely visible features. “I don’t remember you.”

“When a girl doesn’t remember her own father, you know the relationship isn’t a good one.” Dad placed his glass down. “Didn’t expect to see you here, Abby.”

My mouth dropped open, “Dad?”

“Don’t be too surprised, darling; you are in my bar.”

I inched closer, narrowing my eyes to get a better look at him. “I didn’t recognize you.”

“Blame it on the lack of lights.”

Guilt flooded through me. “Yeah, I suppose I could blame it on that.” It was easier to blame it on the light than the real reason. “Sorry about... well, you know... last time.” I chewed on my lip. “How I acted wasn’t acceptable.”