Page 1 of Reaping Havoc (Royal Bastards MC Tonopah, NV #21)

“ W hat are you hungry for, Nylah?” I asked, lowering my head to kiss Nylah’s swollen belly. She was weeks from giving birth to our third child, although this was her second pregnancy. The twins, my rowdy boys, had come first. Gavin and Gage were a handful, but I loved those little troublemakers.

“I’m not sure.”

She thought about it as I rested on my stomach between her thighs, enjoying being close to her and my unborn daughter.

Yeah, a daughter. Me, the father of a little girl.

Man, I was going to fuck up the first person who ever tried to steal her smile or joy. Anyone who dared to make her cry would meet my Reaper. I honestly didn’t give a fuck. Mess with my babies or ol’ lady, and I will unleash hell.

“Babe, you gotta feed our little one. Nothing sounds good?”

She sighed. “Oh, it sounds good until I get heartburn.”

“Aw. What if we get you some Tums or something?” Our little girl had grown in her belly to the point that Nylah couldn’t eat much anymore without getting acid reflux. I felt bad for her, but there wasn’t shit I could do until our daughter was born.

“Yeah, maybe.” Nylah gave me a wicked smile. “Motivation would help.”

“That’s what I’m talking about,” I responded as I reached for her panties, ready to tug them off and feast on her pussy before we went out for a late lunch.

That was the plan... until I lowered my head and Nylah’s belly pushed outward, a clear impression of a tiny foot filling my gaze before it kicked at my forehead. Surprised, I blinked, hopping up as Nylah bit her lip.

“Uh, she just kicked me.”

My ol’ lady giggled before she slapped her palm over her mouth. “Rael.” My name came out slightly muffled.

“Nylah, I just got cock-blocked by my daughter.” I wasn’t even mad about it, just sort of... shocked, then impressed because my little girl was fucking strong.

Nylah tilted her head back and laughed, a full-bodied sound that floated around us, filling our bedroom with its melodious sound. Her hand dropped to her swollen stomach as she patted the surface. “Oh, you’re already feisty, huh?”

Goddamn, I loved my woman.

Seeing her interact with our babies meant everything to me. Because of her, I experienced emotions I didn’t think were possible before we met. Now, I found contentment and love where once my heart had been cold and filled with vengeance.

“She’s as fierce as her mama,” I agreed, leaning over to kiss Nylah’s sweet lips. “Come on. We’re getting food. You can decide what you want while I stop at the store for Tums.”

We finally decided on breakfast food, and I led her into the local pancake house, finding a booth with enough space to accommodate her without the table pushing against her stomach. Once we placed our order, I sat back, draping my arms over my seat as I ticked my chin at my ol’ lady.

“What?” she asked after sipping on her hot tea. “You’re giving me that look.”

“What look?” I knew exactly what the fuck I was doing.

“Rael.”

“What?” I couldn’t help the grin that twitched my lips.

“Stop it. That’s how I got pregnant both times.”

She wasn’t lying. However, my Reaper had a lot to do with it since he liked to show up and flirt with her while I slept. Sneaky fucker.

I snickered. “You’re just too fucking beautiful not to stare at,” I admitted. She needed to hear it. My woman got self-conscious about her body during this pregnancy, and I wasn’t having it. Every chance I got, I told her how much I wanted her. She always turned me on.

With a sweet smile, she slid her hand toward me, and I took it, giving her soft fingers a light squeeze. “Thank you.”

“It’s the truth. I’ll never stop wanting you. You make my cock hard, kitten.”

The waitress arrived as I said it, placing our food down with a look of disapproval.

I didn’t give a fuck. Never censored my words before I met Nylah, and I certainly wasn’t going to start now.

Well, only if my babies were around. Gavin and Gage repeated what I said often enough to make me want to try, especially when Nylah glared at me when they did it.

Nylah bit her lip to keep from laughing as the waitress huffed and walked away, losing her tip the moment she decided to judge me while I took my woman out to eat. People needed to fucking relax. Everyone fucked, and they all cursed. Why act so goddamned shocked when someone else did it?

Hypocrites.

My woman didn’t seem upset about it, so I let it go, digging into my heaping plate of sausage gravy, biscuits, bacon, and hashbrowns. It didn’t hit the spot like it usually did, probably because we didn’t go to our usual restaurant.

“Should have gone to Millie’s,” I mumbled, sipping on coffee that didn’t have the usual kick.

“It was full, remember?”

“Yeah.” I didn’t want Nylah to stand with her swollen ankles, and suggested we come here instead. While she didn’t have to wait to eat, the food was just okay, and the service sucked. No one at Millie’s would ever judge us or serve bad coffee.

There were two reasons Millie’s was the preferred spot.

One, Millie was a doll. Her home-cooked meals rivaled the finest chefs in Vegas.

Two, Mammoth, our club’s V.P., co-owned Millie’s Diner.

Members were always welcome, and we seldom ventured anywhere else, preferring to support Millie and Mammoth, not to mention he also shared his family recipes with the diner—best goddamn food in Nevada if not the whole country.

And the coffee? Fanfuckingtastic .

I pushed my mug away, drinking fucking water with the remainder of my breakfast.

Nylah gestured to my mug. “Coffee from Millie’s to go?”

Thank fuck she suggested it. “Yeah, I’ll fill out the online order form.” I should have done that and picked up our breakfast, but it was hot as fuck out and I didn’t want Nylah to suffer in the heat. “You want anything else, kitten?”

She shook her head. “I’m full.”

After I placed my order for Millie’s, I paid for our tab and didn’t leave a tip. Didn’t care when I caught the waitress side-eyeing me for it either. Give good service and I’ll tip you well. If you don’t, you won’t get shit. If that made me an asshole, so be it.

As we approached the door, Nylah paused. “She’s on my bladder.” Her slender fingers tapped her belly. “I can’t wait.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“No need. I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she assured me, walking quickly toward the restroom.

Even if she said it, we both knew I wouldn’t go far.

I pushed outdoors but kept the front entrance in my line of sight as I pulled out a smoke and lit up, taking in nicotine before I got in the Range Rover with my woman.

I never smoked around her or the boys, but I did get cravings that were hard to ignore.

Some days, I didn’t smoke at all, but today I felt a bit antsy and needed the hit.

After sucking as much in as I could, I flicked the cigarette to the ground and stomped out the cinders, knowing Nylah would exit at any moment.

I saw her through the windows as she left the ladies’ room and walked toward the entrance.

She had to pause when some dude stopped right in front of her as he stared at his phone, oblivious to everything around him.

Nylah tilted her head, and I saw her walk around him, but she only got a few steps closer before he stuffed his phone in his pocket and cut her off, heading toward the doors.

I was already pissed at this motherfucker for doing that to her, but when I saw him push through the doors and not bother to check behind him before letting them slam backward, I got livid.

The wooden doors nearly smacked Nylah in the stomach.

She had to step back out of the way and then open them herself, glaring at the rude stranger as she left the restaurant.

One glance at her face and I knew I wasn’t going to keep my mouth shut. As my ol’ lady reached me, I guided her toward the door of our Range Rover and helped her inside.

“Rael? What are you doing?”

“I’ll be right back,” I promised, kissing her forehead before I closed the door. There wasn’t a need to explain; she’d see soon enough.

Spinning around, I stomped toward the guy who had been rude to my woman, approaching him with all the rage I felt. “Hey, asshole.”

He spun around, eyes widening when he noticed me. Maybe it was the cut I wore showing the Graven Bastards MC logo or the skeletal makeup I wore, but he immediately lifted his hands and took a step back. His phone slipped from his fingers and hit the ground, the screen cracking as it landed.

“Fuck,” he blurted. “What do you want?”

I pointed to the restaurant. “I took my pregnant ol’ lady out to eat, and you nearly slammed the door in her face and into her stomach.”

He swallowed loudly as he glanced at the restaurant. “What?”

“Are you fucking stupid?” I pointed to the Range Rover where Nylah could see us.

“She was right behind you, you fucking prick. Watch where the fuck you’re going in the future.”

He blinked a few times. “Uh, sure.” A sneer stretched his lip.

Oh, attitude, huh? I hoped he was going to test me.

I got in his face, pushing close enough to back him into his sports car. For added fun, I let a little bit of my Reaper come through as I growled my words. “Don’t make me hunt you down or bring my entire club to your fucking doorstep.”

That did it. Amazing how quickly fear could dominate false bravado.

“Shit. Yeah, okay. I hear you.”

“We’re going to walk to my car, and you’re going to apologize to my woman. Right the fuck now.” I didn’t give him a chance to argue as I dragged him toward the Rover.

Nylah, already knowing her man and his wild, protective tendencies, rolled down her window. “Hi,” she greeted the guy. “You should be less involved with your phone when you’re in public.”

This stranger wasn’t some kid. He looked older than me, which meant he fucking knew better. “Uh, yeah. Sorry about that.”

Nylah nodded. “I accept your apology.” She rolled her window back up, but I saw the corner of her mouth curl a tiny bit. It wasn’t that the situation was funny, just that she got amused when I let the Reaper out to play. Unless, of course, it was dangerous or deadly. Or I had to spill blood.

That didn’t happen often. Well, unless I got pissed.

I leaned forward, invading this fucker’s personal space. The Reaper growled the words that I spoke with venom. A warning he needed to obey. “Don’t make a habit of doing shit like this. If you do, I’ll find you.”

He bobbed his head and practically ran to his vehicle, hopping inside and speeding off like the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels. He wasn’t that far off.

It was at that moment that my gaze shifted around the parking lot, sensing something was off.

Maybe it was the reason I felt antsy all morning.

Across the street, standing on the sidewalk, stood a man dressed in jeans and a dark jacket.

It wasn’t his clothing that stood out to me, but the skeletal makeup he wore on his face. The same I almost always wore.

Hell, I had it on right now.

The strange part was that he continued to stare, not moving as I opened my door and slid behind the wheel.

Not much creeped me out, but this did. It wasn’t like people walked around wearing Day of the Dead-themed face paint outside of the holiday and Halloween.

The fact that it was almost identical to what I wore sent a chill through me.

My Reaper sensed it too. I could feel his agitation.

As I drove away, I wondered who the fuck the stranger was, why he decided to be so obvious as he stood across the street, and how long he’d been there, watching.

I didn’t mention it to Nylah, and I didn’t think she noticed him. She had closed her eyes, resting her head back against the seat. It was a good thing.

If that motherfucker had spooked her, he would have met my Reaper. And I didn’t give a fuck if it was still daylight out either. No one messed with my woman.

Frowning, I hoped he didn’t decide to follow us. I didn’t want to park the car and kick his ass when I had my ol’ lady with me, since she was so close to our daughter’s birth. But I would.

The stranger never moved. He stayed in place, still watching, until I no longer saw him in my rearview mirror. It didn’t alleviate the unease spreading across my shoulders and tensing my muscles. If anything, it made it worse.