Reaper's Salvation: A Last Riders Trilogy Jamie Begley (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📖

“How am I supposed to be mad at you when you’re covered in bruises?” Reaper leaned forward to place a feather-light kiss over one particularly yellow bruise. “I’ve been in your position when I was in the service; most of us in the club have been. You share what you can when you’re on a mission. You went in, determined to beat Allerton. You did. Don’t apologize for that, not to me or anyone else.”

“I love you, Gavin.”

Reaper squeezed his eyes shut, throwing himself in front of the steel door in his heart where the last part of Gavin’s soul lay entombed, barricaded inside.

“You want me to wash your hair?” he asked thickly.

“Yes, please.”

Wetting her hair with the sprayer, Reaper lathered her hair with shampoo. Massaging her scalp as he worked the shampoo through her hair, he saw goosebumps rising along her skin. Leaning forward, he pointing the nozzle down to gently spray the warm water over her before he resumed washing her hair.

Finishing washing them both up, he got out of the tub and grabbed the towels from the towel warmer. Helping Ginny to her feet, he wrapped the towel around her before lifting her up and out of the tub. Ginny stood quietly and let him dry her off.

Sweeping her back into his arms, he carried her to the chair in his bedroom.

“Gavin, I’m not helpless. I can walk.”

“I like taking care of you.” Picking up his brush, he started brushing the tangles out of her hair.

“I’m going to need some clothes if we’re staying here. After my hair is dry, we can drive to Silas’s house and get them.”

“Silas is packing your things. He and Moses are going to drop them off in the morning along with Suki.”

Ginny looked at him from over her shoulder. “When was that decided?”

“When we were waiting for Viper,” he told her unapologetically.

“What’s wrong with me going there?”

“Safer for your brothers if we make it plain where we’ll be living.” Reaper hid his anxiety that she wouldn’t want to stay if he gave Ginny the opportunity. “We were just saving you the trouble. I didn’t know if you wanted him or any of your other brothers to see you in the condition you’re in.”

“Aw … that was sweet of you. Thank you.” Ginny looked toward the mirror, which was across the room, but she wasn’t able to see her reflection. “I look that bad?”

“Not now.”

“What about Trudy? I want to see her and explain—”

“She and Dalton are coming in the morning for breakfast. I told her you needed to rest tonight. I’ll be right back. I’m going to get my blow dryer.”

Striding into the bathroom, he took the blow dryer out from under the sink and when he came back into the bedroom, he found Ginny standing in front of the mirror.

“Thank you for thinking about my brothers and them seeing me this way. I’ll ask Jewell if I can borrow some makeup before they come over tomorrow.”

“They’re going to be glad you’re home.”

Taking her hand, he led her back to the chair, then plugged the dryer in and began blowing her hair out. He had just finished when there was a knock at the door.

“Give me a minute,” Reaper yelled out.

Going to his dresser, he took out a clean T-shirt and a pair of shorts. He gave Ginny the oversized T-shirt as she was about to go hide in the bathroom. “Don’t bother. Just stay where you are.”

Pulling the shorts on, Reaper went to the side of the door first, then opened it.

“Here you go.” Nickel held out a large paper bag and two plastic cups with straws.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime. Later.”

Reaper closed the door with his shoulder.

“Do you want to eat on the bed or the couch?”

Ginny sniffed the air appreciatively. “The couch is fine.”

Setting the food and drinks on the table in front of the couch, he sat down next to Ginny and started unpacking the bag.

“The food smells amazing. How did you know I was craving burgers?”

Unwrapping one of the burgers, he placed it and an order of fries front of her. “Either I’m psychic or it was how you practically climbed over me when we passed the bar,” he teased, setting his own food out. “You see that?” He waved a hand over his food.

Ginny looked up, about to eat a fry. “What?”

“These big boys burgers aren’t the size of a postage stamps, and we have the same amount of fries.”

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Maybe about the burgers, but not the fries.” Reaper picked up his monster burger, using two hands, giving a moan of satisfaction before he bit down.

He was almost done before he realized Ginny was silently eating her food without her normal banter. As he took a sip of his soda, he watched her; she seemed to be ruminating as she picked at her food. Now familiar with the way her mind worked, Reaper knew it spelled trouble.

“Something wrong with the food?”

“No. I’m just tired, I guess.” She shrugged.

Reaper started on his second burger, not buying her tired excuse for a second. Something was bothering her, but she wasn’t ready to tell him what it was.

“Then go to sleep,” he encouraged. “I’ll take care of the cleanup when I’m done. I need to do some work on the computer, then I’ll come to bed.”

When she got up off the couch, he grabbed her hand before she could move away. “Are you sure you’re okay? No pain anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine.” Pressing a kiss to his forehead, she slipped her hand from his to climb in bed.

Reaper didn’t want to press her, assuming she needed some time to process what Allerton had done to her. After he finished eating and disposed the trash, he looked at the bed, seeing she was pretending to be asleep.

Turning on the light beside his desk, he flicked off the overhead light. He settled down at the computer and went to work tracking the history of hurricanes near Sherguevil and Clindale