Page 9 of Reaping Havoc (Royal Bastards MC Tonopah, NV #21)

I never slept deeply anymore. It just wasn’t possible with late pregnancy.

My daughter pressed on my bladder, and her movements would wake me.

Since Gavin and Gage were born, my body had tuned in; a part of me was always alert, even when I slept.

Most mothers probably experienced something similar.

We would wake up the moment our kids needed us.

Perhaps it was something biological, but I always knew when one of them was up and about or sneaking out of bed.

I also knew when Rael came home. His presence in the house was powerful.

I felt it the instant he opened the door to our bedroom and remained still while delicious anticipation grew as I thought of his skilled tongue and all his wicked promises.

But tonight, he lingered beside the bed instead of climbing in right away.

He watched me, only his breathing confirmation that he was still there.

With my eyes closed, I couldn’t see his expression.

Since it was so dark, I wouldn’t be able to anyway, but a part of me knew he was fighting some inner demon and not the two who shared his body.

This wasn’t the Reaper or the Berserker. Something was bothering Rael.

I didn’t have a chance to ask because I heard him undress, carefully draping his cut over a chair as I peeked.

His broad back and strong shoulders carried burdens I couldn’t begin to fathom.

His position as Sergeant at Arms of the club required sacrifice, bravery, and secrecy that few men could handle.

One of the many reasons I loved him. His heart was huge, even if he was duty-bound to reap souls for the devil.

The bed dipped as he joined me, sliding beneath the covers as I rested on my back. Without his nudging, I opened my thighs wide, feeling him settle between them.

“I love you, Nylah.”

He said those words to me every single day. But tonight, they were spoken with a fierceness and conviction that nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Something happened. I knew that for sure now. It probably resulted from whatever he learned about the man who showed up at our home and wore the same skeletal face makeup. It was jarring to think about.

Rael’s hands wrapped around my stomach, and he kissed it, nuzzling his nose to the surface of my skin. “I know you’re awake. You can’t fool a Reaper.”

“I was giving you time,” I whispered, which wasn’t a lie.

“I know.” He kissed my stomach again and lifted his head. “Lie back and relax. Let me love you.”

My biker usually used crude words and dirty talk. I loved it. But at this moment, his tenderness and his volatile emotions required my obedience. I listened, lifting my hips as he tugged off my panties and pajama shorts.

“Pink,” he growled. “Wet. Perfect. Mine .”

I nearly jolted when I expected soft licks and instead, he speared me with his tongue, eagerly fucking me with his fingers too as he added two of them. I gripped the sheets, unable to hold back a moan as he teased my clit with his other hand, not coaxing my surrender and orgasm, but demanding it.

I reached the peak and toppled over faster than I anticipated, my hips riding his face as I heard him feasting on my release.

There was something addicting and erotic about how he devoured me, as turned on by my taste and reaction as he was to getting me off.

I panted as he rose, gently picking me up and moving me lower in the bed until my bottom rested against the edge of the mattress.

“Need inside you. Deep.”

“I want that too.”

“I’ll try to be careful, my love.” His hand cradled the side of my face as he bent over me, careful not to put pressure on my stomach. “Beloved. My lifeblood.”

“I love you. Every part of you, Rael.”

His chest rumbled as he kissed me and then began to stroke his cock as he stood, pumping his fist over the thick length. I never grew tired of watching him or the power that rippled through the bulky muscles and hard lines of his body. He was magnificent.

He knew I was still wet from his mouth, so he didn’t bother to check before he lined up and plunged deep inside me, groaning as he sank to the root.

We both stilled as I gripped his hand. Rael laced our fingers and held onto my hip with his other palm.

His hips began to piston as he glided between my thighs, immediately locking us into the throes of pleasure.

I couldn’t say how long it lasted. With him, it was always too quick and just right at the same time. Not because he didn’t last. Quite the opposite. My man had plenty of stamina.

But I never wanted this connection to break when we combined like this, becoming almost one soul instead of two.

“Mine,” he suddenly declared with a growl, moving faster, pushing deeper.

God. This felt too good.

“Always,” I agreed.

“Come for me, my lifeblood. Clench my cock so I can fill you.”

Oh, the Berserker was in charge now. He didn’t do that often. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time it wasn’t Rael or his Reaper doing the fucking. It turned me on to know the Berserker still desired me.

“It’s you.”

He knew what I meant.

“I didn’t think you wanted this.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

He snarled. “Never think that. Always with you, wanting you, needing to fuck you.”

Okay then. That was settled.

“This pussy is mine.”

“Then make me come and prove it.”

He picked up his pace, pressing on my clit and rubbing in tight circles that sent me over the edge. I cried out as I felt my inner walls spasm around his girth.

Rael, my Berserker leading, shuddered as he pumped a few more times, and then his head tilted back, and he roared his climax to the ceiling. The whole house probably heard him, including his club brothers outdoors, but I knew he wouldn’t care.

It stroked his ego and pride. Loving him, I didn’t mind.

“You’re my everything, Rael.”

He pulled out, slowly lifting me as we headed into the bathroom. He took his time cleaning me up, being incredibly gentle before I was carried back to bed and wrapped in his warmth.

I fell asleep within seconds.

I WOKE UP TO THE FEELING of being wet, and not in a good way. The sheets beneath me were soaked and clung to my skin. I shivered as Rael snored in my ear.

“Babe.” I shook his shoulder, but he didn’t budge.

When I tried to move, he tightened his embrace.

I opened my mouth to call out his name when a contraction hit so hard that I almost screamed. My hand gripped his arm, and my nails dug in, and I tried to breathe through the pain. “Rael,” I managed to say through clenched teeth.

He still slept but began to stir.

I decided to call out to the one who wouldn’t let him rest if he heard my panicked voice. “Berserker!”

Rael’s eyes popped open, and he turned to me, realizing I was in pain. “Nylah.”

“I’m in labor,” I gasped, holding my stomach. “It hurts.”

He swept my hair out of my face and brushed his lips on my forehead. “Your water broke.”

“Yes.”

That spurred him into action. Within minutes, I was cleaned up, dressed, and sitting in a chair as he pulled the bedding off and tossed it on the ground. He hurriedly tugged on his jeans, boots, shirt, and leather vest before scooping me into his arms.

The house seemed to buzz with energy as the other Reapers learned I needed to get to the hospital.

When Chrome dashed from the spare bedroom, carrying Cameron, I knew she was in labor, too.

Wow. Talk about weird timing.

“I’ll stay with the young ones,” Shadow informed us.

“So will I,” Jigsaw added.

Spook joined them.

We headed to the hospital and drove an hour away to reach it. Tonopah only had an Urgent Care. I knew this since I worked there, only recently taking a leave of absence to prepare for my daughter’s birth.

It was chaos when we arrived. Cameron was breathing through her contractions that had grown closer together, and mine were nearly the same.

The staff rushed us upstairs to the labor and delivery wing, where we were ushered into the same room.

It made sense since we were both going to push about the same time.

And we did.

Cameron’s son entered the world about a minute before my daughter. I only pushed twice before her shrill cry filled the air. Rael stood in awe, staring down at the tiny infant placed in my arms. She was pink, perfect, and beautiful.

“Hi, baby girl,” I greeted her, tears stinging my eyes as they filled and spilled over. “I’ve waited so long to hold you.”

Rael sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to gently caress her tiny face. She turned her head and tried to suck his finger. “Hungry, huh?”

“Aw. I’ll feed you soon,” I promised as she somehow managed to wrap her hand around one of Rael’s fingers.

I never saw anything so amazing as her tiny face. Maybe her brothers, but that was it.

“We need a name for our daughter,” Rael murmured, enraptured with her tiny hand that gripped his finger.

“Gianna,” I declared. “Gavin, Gage, and Gianna.”

I never intended to give all my children names that began with G, but it worked out that way and made sense.

“Gianna Braxton. I love it.”

Perfect.

My eyes fluttered and began to close as I felt Rael take Gianna from my arms.

“I’ve got her. Sleep, my love.”

I must have rested for too long. When I finally opened my eyes, I felt groggy.

A nurse stood beside my bed. I saw her stick a needle into the port of my IV and press the plunger. My muscles instantly relaxed. I felt as weightless as a cloud. Everything around me seemed to appear in a haze, like a dream.

But something was off. I shouldn’t be receiving heavy drugs like this, especially since I was breastfeeding.

It was hard to focus, but I saw her stare down at me. “You should have listened. Tell the biker.”

The biker? Huh?

“What?” I tried to speak, but I couldn’t. The word came out garbled. I was losing control of my body. I tried to fight it, but I failed.

Nothing made sense until I saw her pick up my baby... and walk out the door.

Pani clawed at my throat. I tried to scream, but no sound left my throat. My mind rebelled as I attempted to thrash and move, all to no avail. It was useless. I couldn’t fight an enemy that invaded my cells and took over.

My eyes closed, and a black fog rolled over, suffocating my conscious thought. I heard nothing. Saw nothing.

I was a void.

One word echoed in my head, exploding with terror.

Nooooooooooooo!

Rael. Reaper. Berserker!

I need you!

They would be too late.