Hellbound MC - When Broken Hearts Collide

77. Reaper

It felt like I could breathe properly for the first time in days.

She stayed. My woman stayed for me.

The thought had my heart soaring. It took every inch of willpower I could muster to leaver her, but I had a few things I needed to sort before AJ and his family arrived.

The old ladies were still cleaning up from late breakfast when I got into the dining room, and made my way straight to them.

"Hey Jenny, I need a favor..." I didn't waste any time.

"Reaper honey, you're back, its so good to see you" she said, ignoring my comment and pulling me into a tight embrace.

"What can I do for ya hun?"

"AJ's coming home today..."

I could see the shock on her face, and the clatter of a pot dropping from Deena's hands told me she'd heard me too.

"He has a wife and kid. They're just back for Grunters service, but I was hoping you ladies could get the apartment above mine ready for them? I'd ask one of the prospects, but I don't really trust their... attention to detail."

"Oh honey, it'll be my pleasure. Gosh I haven't seen him in what..."

"About 5 years..." I finished for her.

We chatted for a little while longer before she insisted on heading off to make a start on the room.

Just as she was about to walk out the door, another thought hit me.

"Oh shit, Jenny?"

"Yeh" she replied, pausing in the door and looking back at me.

"I'm gonna need a cut made up for Alexis. I wanna do it the same day I get my President patch."

Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store."

"Holy fuck Reaper, you asked her? She said yes! Thats fucking amazing I'm so bloody happy for your two!" She ran back over to me, flinging her arms around me as best she could once more.

"Yeh, well, I guess I just needed to make sure she was as sure as I was" I said with a shrug, and she gave me a knowing smile.

"You did the right thing sweetie. Your mom would be so fucking proud of you."

The thought comforted me. I hoped she was looking down on me. I hope I made her proud.

Next, I had a call to make.

"Boomer" I said when he finally picked up the phone.

"Shit, boss how are you? Where are you?" came his reply.

"Home. Something came up and I had to rush back. Need you to finish up and get back here quick as you guys can. I'm about to call church, but I'll have someone fill you in on the details once your back."

"Uh, shit. Roger that boss" he responded, the suprise evident in his voice.

After ending the call, I entered into the group chat for the club.

'Church in 10' As I sent the message on my way to the bar, I heard a few pings of the message being received my my fellow brothers.

There was one particular member I needed to deal with first though, and it wasn't a conversation I was particularly looking forward to be having, but it needed to be done.

"Tank, my office now" I called across the room as I spotted his giant figure perched at the bar.

I heard him sigh, and then he was put of his seat and walking towards me, his face troubled and mind lost in thought. It set alarm bells off in my head. He was a far cry from the grinning, cocky bastard he usually was.

As we walked into my office, an uncomfortable silence settled between us, one I'd never felt before. Id know the fucker for so long AJ was right, he was more of a brother to me than my own blood. Hence why it was going to hurt all the more if this conversation went the way I hoped it wouldn't.

"What the fuck happened man?"

I decided to just jump straight into it, rip the bandaid off.

He hesitated, trying his best to avoid my gaze, which earned a growl from me.

"Nothing happened man, I swear. She just needed someone to be there for her...?"

"And your saying i wasn't?" I sneered, instantly on the defensive.

"Well, I get why you did it man, I really do. But you should have seen her Reaper. It fucking devastated the poor girl. She was a mess. And I felt responsible for taking care of her, you did tell me too after all..."

"I asked you to look out for her, not get her shit faced drunk and try to turn her against me!" I roared, but he didn't flinch.

"Fuck you Reaper it wasn't anything like that and you know it" he retorted, getting heated.

If it was anybody else who spoke to me like that I woulda knocked their fucking teeth out on the spot.

"Look, maybe I encouraged her a little, and I probably shouldn't have fucking done that. But I couldn't stand to see her fucking unhappy anymore. I woulda done anything to put a smile on her face and I won't fucking apologize for that."

I watched as his face contorted into an expression I didn't recognize, and it looked like he had some sort of internal struggle going on inside his head.

Realization hit me hard.

"You fucking love her don't you?"

He didn't say a word, and his silence told me enough. I slammed my fist down on my desk.

"She's mine" I growled. Sure we'd shared a woman or two back in our prime, but my old lady? Fuck no.

"She agreed to be your old lady then?" he asked, quieter this time.

I nodded, and I saw his face drop, before he quickly tried to hide any emotion.

"Congrats man. I'm happy for the both of ya."

We sat silently while I contemplated what to say next.

"I can't say I blame you for feeling the way you do about her." I finally said.

"She's something else alright, one in a million..." I continued, earning a chuckle from Tank.

"But she's off limits. Mine. If I ever found out you acted on these...feelings of yours, I'll skin you alive. Understand?"

"Loud and clear" he answered.

"And if you were anyone else, it woulda fucking happened already. So don't fucking push your luck."

He nodded, and then a small smile crept over his face.

"But if anything ever happened to you, I'd be more than happy to be her shoulder to cry on..." The grin on his face made him look much like his usual self, and I couldn't help but laugh at the big fucking idiot.

I threw the closest thing on my desk at him, a stapler of all things, and managed to clock him smack in the forehead.

He grunted, rubbing the spot that was now slowly turning bright pink.

"Let that be a warning to you. Don't fuck with my girl" I said heartily, before standing and walking around the desk.

"Come on you big fuck, church."

He got up and followed me out.