CHAPTER 5

REAPER

I had gone for a run early before coming back to jump in the shower. Then, before heading to the hospital to check on dad, I would pop into the café for breakfast with Bella and Maggie.

Last night I had managed to get hold of Dragon and was surprised to find out they were on their way home and would be getting in late that night. We had all had enough leave left to muster out right away. Our discharge papers would all be arriving soon.

I was feeling better about having them all home with me. I had wanted to do some recon tonight, but they had asked me to wait until we could all go. It was too dangerous to go without some backup. They had agreed with me on bringing the girls into the MC, and as Dragon had so eloquently put it, If fuckers who want to join don't like it, they can fuck right off.

I mentioned that Noni had organised for Bright Spark Electricity to come and have a look at the barn and get it up to spec. Noni said she knew of a good carpenter too. She and her son would be arriving about three-ish to have a look.

Draco knew who I was talking about as he had been the last home on leave nearly sixteen months ago.

He agreed that having them do the electrics was the best plan as their company had great reviews and was local. He then told me that her son was only thirteen or fourteen and that Noni and Avy were the boys' godmothers. That surprised me as they were in their twenties, and I wondered how they had made friends with a woman who had a teenage son. I did recall mention of her over the years, now that I thought about it. But I had never met her. Not unusual as I hadn't made it home often in the last few years. I would wait until that afternoon and meet them then. I didn't care who did the work as long as the price was right and the work was well done. I was concerned about all this and how much it would cost. While the businesses were doing well, they weren't as flush as I would like. I understood it was because my family had refused to bow to the bullies who insisted on providing security for a price to stop the businesses from being broken into and vandalised. That would be the first thing that I would put a stop to.

I had warned the guys that they would hit the ground running. Our first meeting was set to happen in two days on Friday to discuss doing recon, so we knew what we were dealing with.

We needed to open the pub again, and with the others arriving, we could set up a roster so that Avy was never alone at the pub in the evening. We'd need to see if we could hire a bartender to run the eleven to six shift and set up more cameras and better alarms. Our security was about fifteen years out of date.

I had sat down to make notes on everything I had discussed last night with the girls and then again with the guys. By the time it was finished, I had covered two sheets of paper with what needed to be done.

Looking at my watch, I saw that the morning was nearly gone, as it was now ten o'clock. Grabbing my helmet and keys, I left the house and walked out to where our bikes were parked. Swinging my leg over, I sat down and instantly felt better. Starting her up, I took off down our road heading towards the next town and the hospital.

The ride wasn't nearly long enough. As soon as the guys were back and all this shit with the drugs was sorted, we would plan to go on a long ride.

I was pulling into the hospital car park. I parked up and went up to visit with dad. Sitting by his bedside, I told him all our plans and what was happening. I could have sworn that I felt him squeeze my hand, but maybe it was just wishful thinking. Before leaving, I leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Hey, old man. The boys are coming in tonight, and we will start cleaning up this village. You need to wake up so that you can watch."

Squeezing his hand, I turned and left his room, passing Gunny as he walked in.

"Any change?" he asked.

Shaking my head, I paused before replying, "I'm not sure. I could have sworn he squeezed my hand just now. But it may just be wishful thinking."

"I'll mention it to the doctor when they do their rounds this afternoon and see what he says. It could just be reflexes but let's hope he's coming around. The swelling has gone down significantly in the last day or so. So hopefully, he is coming through the other side."

I clapped him on the shoulder and took my leave for the café and some food. I'm starving, and chicken pie and chips sounded good right now. Leaving the hospital, it was drizzling slightly, pulling my zip up all the way on my jacket. I put on my helmet, got on my bike and headed out.

Pulling up to the café, I noticed how quiet it was for lunchtime, but then again, I didn't see many people out on the street like there usually were. It was the school holidays, and the village was generally heaving. It seemed like the drug issue was not just hitting our businesses.

Getting off my bike, I walked into the café and saw Bella behind the counter. She greeted me with a wide grin that lit up her face. I couldn't believe she was sixteen already. Bella was about five foot six or seven, with long black hair and bright blue eyes.

Taking note of who was in the café as I walked up to the counter. The only other person was a lanky young lad with dark hair and olive skin, about sixteen or seventeen. He watched as I walked towards the counter, and then I noticed his gaze seemed stuck on Bella.

"Hi, Kane. Are you here for lunch?" Bella asked.

"Hey baby girl, yep, I have a craving for chicken pie and chips."

"I'll let mum know. Do you want anything to drink?"

"Just water, hun. Bring it to the family table, yeah."

"Will do," she nodded before turning and entering the kitchen. I sat at our family table, back to the wall where I could watch the comings and goings.

The lad at the table in front of me had finished his lunch, cleaned up his space and taken his plate to the counter. He had said something to Bella, and she had blushed prettily before nodding and handing him a bottle of water.

Definitely, something to be keeping an eye on, I thought to myself.

I had just finished my lunch when a group of four lads ranging from mid-teens to early twenties entered, laughing, shouting and pushing each other. I straightened, as did the lad at the counter.

Bella was serving a young mother and her children but turned when they walked in. I noticed how she tensed and paled when she saw them. Her eyes flicked to me as she walked towards the safety of the counter.

She didn't make it. One of the lads grabbed hold of her and licked up the side of her face before thrusting his hips against her. The others were jeering and laughing. He then shoved her at a blond-haired lad who didn't look like he wanted to be there, but he grabbed hold of Bella and held her tightly. She kicked down on his foot and hit back with her elbow, cursing at him. It wasn't shifting him.

I got up as soon as they grabbed her, but the lad in front of me got to her first and let a fist hit the lad holding Bella right on the sweet spot and knocked him out. Pushing Bella behind him, he shoved her towards the counter and Maggie, who had come out from the kitchen.

The lad that had handed out the punch had given no warning before he let loose with his fists. The looks of shock on the faces of the others as their mate hit the floor were fantastic to see.

He looked at the remaining three. They all seemed to know each other.

Bella's protector cocked his head slightly, looking at the rest, "I have warned you before about touching Bella. You don't listen. How many times do you have to hit the floor before it gets through your thick heads? You don't touch Bella ever, any of you."

I was looking over at where Maggie was now holding Bella. Maggie was looking at me with raised eyebrows. I got comfortable leaning against a table just out of their view. I wanted to see how this would play out.

If it were just teenage agro, I would leave it, but if it wasn't, I would step in. However, it looked as if the lad had it in hand. I would love to know who taught him to throw a punch.

"Yeah, who's going to stop us. You and what army, bro, huh? You going to fight against us when we have these," he pulled up the front of his shirt, showing off a handgun tucked in his pants.

I shook my head, as did the lad in front of them.

"You're lucky you haven't shot your dick off. Have you got the safety on?" He shook his head in disgust. "You are a bunch of morons."

I couldn't help but smirk behind my hand. I had to hand it to this lad. He had balls. The gun didn't seem to phase him at all. I noticed a small smile on Maggie's face. Bella was wiping her face with a wet cloth, a look of disgust on her face, her eyes never leaving the scene in front of her. Worry was clear on her face.

"We may be morons, but we have money, and there are more of us than you. Who's to say we don't visit your mama when she's alone or catch your little plaything in here when she's alone closing up, huh? You can't be everywhere, dude. There are more of us than you. I bet your mama would like some of this," he said, grabbing hold of his dick and thrusting his hips.

I expected the lad in front of me to go ballistic at the mention of his mother. But, instead, what he did was worse. He laughed, and it was a deep belly laugh.

"Chad, I would like to see you try it with my mother. She would eat you for breakfast and still have enough energy to bury your body. Please try it but let me know first because I want to watch her put your arse in its place." He shook his head, hands on his hips, making himself look bigger.

Good tactic, I thought to myself, having used it a few times myself.

The lad that had been knocked out was waking up, and as he got up off the floor, I saw a flash of a knife as he swung it towards the lad who had knocked him out.

Pushing off the counter, I knocked the dark-haired lad into the counter. Grabbing the hand with the knife, I twisted it until the lad was on his knees on the floor. Disarming him, I handed the knife to the lad by the counter.

"Hold on to that for me," I told him.

"What the fuck?" the one that had licked Bella exclaimed. "Where did he come from?"

The one in dreadlocks that had been mouthing off to the lad I had handed the knife to and seemed to be the leader spoke up.

"Man, you don't want to get involved, yeah. Just piss off back to where you came from, and this won't go any further."

The one on the floor was whimpering. It hadn't been his day, I thought to myself with an inward chuckle.

"Really? It's not my problem that you are threatening young girls and women with sexual assault?" I questioned, keeping my tone mild.

They all shook their heads, "Dude, this is ACES territory, and the boss doesn't take kindly to strangers interfering in his business."

I nodded my head slightly as if I was surprised by this news.

"Huh, I thought this was Crow territory."

There was sniggering from all of them.

"Who the fuck are the Crows, man? They're a bunch of old geezers that have had their time. ACES are in charge of this village now.

"Hey, do you want to join us? We could use a man like you that knows some moves. The money is good. Just say Chad sent you."

I let him finish his spiel, helping the lad up from the floor. I dusted him down.

"So, you guys are recruiting? Interesting."

I finished dusting the lad off. All of them were carrying except this one. I wondered if this was some type of initiation.

Holding him by the lapels of his jacket, I pulled him towards me and up on his toes, so my face was right in his. Softly I asked him, letting him see in my face why they called me Reaper. "Tell me, was this your initiation?"

He nodded at me, his eyes wide in terror.

"And what were you going to do to Bella?"

There was a bunch of muttering from the others. Then, raising my eyes from the lad I was holding, I looked at the others.

"I want to know what I would have to do if I decided to join your gang. What my initiation would be."

The lad I was holding was shaking so hard I thought he would come out of his skin.

From behind me, I heard the lad who protected Bella say in disgust, "Christ, Ben, you've peed yourself. What the fuck made you think you could be in a gang?"

"Sam, language," my Aunt Maggie berated him.

Well, at least I now knew his name.

Turning my attention back to the lad in my hold, I shook him slightly, "So, what was your initiation."

"They make us do stuff we don't want to do. I was to rape Bella. I have sisters that I have to keep safe. They know that would be the one thing I would struggle to do. If you pass your initiation doing the one thing you hate doing the most, you are in. They film you, so they have proof."

"And you thought the middle of the day would be a good time?" I asked in disbelief.

"Nobody was supposed to be here with her except her mum. We knew Sam would be out with his mum on a job and the lunch hour was dead. The ACES had made sure of it."

"What did they threaten you with?"

From the gang behind him, I heard one of them caution him, "Ben, you do this, and you are out. You know what they will do, dude."

"Don't listen to him, Ben. Tell me what the threat was."

"They were going to use my sisters as whores. Ellie is only eight, and Bren is twelve. I couldn't let them be hurt," he mumbled.

"No, you couldn't. Where are your folks?" I questioned.

"Drunk or high, mostly. They don't give a shit about the girls or me."

"How old are you, Ben?"

"I'm fourteen, nearly fifteen."

Letting him gently back down until his feet touched the floor. I had felt how thin he was under his clothes.

Meeting the gaze of the leader of this little posse over his head. "This is what is going to happen, lads, so listen well, I'm only going to say this shit once."

"You will wait an hour before checking in with your boss. When you do, tell him this is Crow MC territory. Anybody entering this village starting shit will meet with my brothers and me.

"You tell him Reaper, or if he wants my legal name, then Kane Crow says this ends now before any more people get hurt. This is the only warning he gets. He continues to send little fucks to harass my family, and he will get what's coming to him. My brothers and I have just spent fourteen years in every shithole the military wanted to send us to. Going to war on home turf will be a breeze compared to Afghanistan."

No one said anything.

"Did you get all of that?" I asked, still talking quietly.

They all nodded.

"Right, well fuck off then, but remember one hour before calling, and I will know if you call one-second sooner. I have eyes on you."

They scurried out the door, and I grabbed Ben as he went to leave.

"Not you."

He was still shaking, but as I watched, I saw him pull back his shoulders and straighten up, ready to take whatever I was handing out. He was a good-looking lad, if a bit dirty and smelly, in ill-fitting clothes with hair so blond it was almost white and clear blue eyes.

"First, you will apologise to Bella for what you did. And to Sam for trying to stab him. Then you will go with my uncles Gunny and Dog, pick up your sisters, and we'll take them back to the manor where you will all be safe. But before all that, I want you to hear me and hear me good. This is the only chance you get. I find you bringing shit into my family home, then I will see you in the ground. Do you understand me?" I warned him.

"Yes, sir. I just want my sisters safe."

"Okay then," turning around, I looked at my family to ask them to call Gunny and Dog.

"Already on it, Kane," my aunt said, holding up the phone.

Ben walked up to Bella, who was now safe behind the counter. I couldn't help but notice how Sam tensed when he got closer to her.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have gone through with it if it is any consolation. I just needed to keep my sisters safe. They're still babies."

I could see Bella's face soften.

"Apology accepted, Ben. You should have come to us rather than trying to sort this out yourself. That's why Kane, my brothers and cousins are coming home."

Ben snorted, "Bells, no one can get near you between Sam and Alec. They have everyone warned away from you. Everyone knows not to mess with you."

Bella turned to glare at Sam and yelled at him, "What the hell Sam? I'm older than you. Where do you get off warning people away from me? I can look after myself."

I gave him props. He didn't back down from Bella and met her glare with one of his own.

"You're too nice, Bells. If Alec and I weren't watching over you, people would keep taking you for granted and using you. You can't say no to anything, so we do it for you."

"Ugh, you are so frustrating," Bella shouted, throwing her tea towel at him and storming off into the kitchen.

I chuckled, bringing his attention to me.

Holding my hand out to him in greeting, "I'm Reaper. Thanks for stepping in. Quite a right hook you have there."

"Tell me about it," Ben muttered, rubbing his chin.

"I box at the gym down the road with my mate Alec. My mum enrolled me. She thinks it will keep me out of trouble," he grinned at me.

We chatted for a bit so that I could get a feel for the boys. Ben didn't strike me as a bad kid. My gut wasn't going off with any warning signs. The more I spoke to him, the better I felt. I found out the boys are the same age. Sam's age surprised me as I put him at seventeen just because of his size. Alec was Sam's best friend.

Bella came out with a hot drink for Ben and threw him a pair of tracksuit bottoms to change into. She slammed a chocolate cupcake in front of Sam, and he grinned at her making her roll her eyes. I guessed he was forgiven. It was the first time I had ever seen her so feisty. She had changed now that she was grown up. She used to be pretty quiet.

"Here's my number," I said and gave each of the boys my phone number just before Gunny and Dog arrived to pick Ben up.

"Dog, Gunny," I greeted them as they entered the café door. "This is Ben. He's had some trouble," I explained what was going on to them, and they agreed to pick up the girls and clothing for the next week or so. Aunt Maggie had already spoken to her contact at the council and explained the situation. She and Dog were emergency foster carers so that the children would be put under their care. We couldn't keep them forever, but a couple of nights shouldn't be a problem.

"My parents won't even realise were not there. They'll be too high to care," Ben said.

My uncles made a sound of disgust as they took their leave. As they were pulling out of the parking lot, another vehicle pulled up, and a horn hooted from outside the café. In the driver's seat, I was a dark-haired woman. My cock perked up and took notice. As Sam grabbed his stuff and shouted out to Bella and Maggie he was leaving, I realised this must be his mother.

Putting a hand on his shoulder as he went to leave, I said quietly, "If you need me for anything, use my number. I don't like the threats those boys made."

He nods, "Will do, Reaper. Mum and I will be over to see you at three, anyway. We're just going to do a quick run to get some money owed by a customer."

He opened the café door and jogged to the van waiting for him, then he got in and started talking.

Her head snapped up at something he said, and my eyes were held by the deepest, darkest, prettiest brown eyes I had ever seen. She wasn't classically beautiful or even pretty. If anything, she had an arresting face with prominent cheekbones and lush-looking lips. There was something about her, though, that hit me just right. I wondered what the rest of her looked like. She blinked, and the spell was broken. She shifted the van into gear and pulled out onto the main road.

I was suddenly looking forward to our meeting this afternoon.