Taming Blade (Kings Reapers MC Book 5) by Nicola Jane (mini ebook reader TXT) 📕

BLADE

“Get talking,” says Riggs. I stare at him, then Blu, then Chains before sighing heavily.

“Yes, okay. It’s her. But in my defence, I was already trying to crack onto her before Cobra went and dropped the whole daughter bombshell.”

“Why are you still seeing her?” asks Chains. “You never see a girl more than once. Are you watching her cos of what Cobra said?”

I shake my head. As if I’d do that piece of crap any favours. “No. She told me her dad was alive and living in Scotland with her mum. I think Cobra got it wrong,” I say.

Riggs gives an unamused laugh. “She wouldn’t be the first not to know her real dad. Cobra came to London to check on her. He also asked us to keep watch over her. He wouldn’t do that for no reason. She ain’t the club's problem. If I was you, I’d leave well alone.”

“I am. There’s nothing between us. She ain’t like other girls, Pres.”

The men exchange a knowing look before smirking in my direction. “Oh fuck,” says Chains. “It’s finally happened.”

“Never thought I’d see the day,” mutters Riggs.

“What I mean is, she don’t put up with my bull. She pulls me up on shit,” I say.

“I remember saying the same about Anna,” says Riggs, grinning.

“Nah, it ain’t like that,” I argue. “She’s hard work. I like women who smile at my chat up lines and fall into my bed. She,” I rub at my jaw, “isn’t like that.”

“All I’m saying is, we don’t want Cobra’s drama on our door. Whatever shit he got into before we took him out this world might come back on her like he said it would, but we’re not getting involved. You better stay away so you’re not tempted to jump in there and save her,” says Riggs. “Unless you can’t?”

I straighten my shoulders and laugh at his absurd statement. “Trust me, I can stay away.”

Lake throws a box off the trailer and I catch it, placing it in the back of the van. These runs pay well because they carry high risk. Heroin isn’t the club’s bag, but we’re helping out Vinn Romano, head of London’s Italian mafia, and these boxes are destined for other parts of the world. “You planning on seeing Tillie’s friend again?” I ask casually.

Lake shakes his head. “She’s fun and all, but I don’t want her getting ideas of us becoming a thing.”

“She not your type?” I ask.

“I’m like you, brother. Not looking for anything serious. I don’t think her mummy and daddy would approve anyway. Sounds like they’re not short of a few. She said they own a huge property development place in central London.”

“Then why the hell is she working in a sweet shop?”

“They want her to feel the value of money maybe,” says Lake. “I don’t know exactly. She didn’t go into too much detail, just that she liked to earn her own money. They own her house, though, and she has to pay them rent. What about you? Are you seeing Tillie again?”

“No. She isn’t the type to have one-night stands,” I say.

“Didn’t she stay the night already?” he asks, confused.

“Nothing happened.”

I sound defensive and Lake pauses, mid-way handing me a box. “You shared a bed and didn’t do anything?” I shake my head and his eyes widen. “Shit, brother. She hooked you in.”

I scoff. “She did not,” I laugh. “What’s with you guys? Riggs and Chains said the same. I’m not seeing her again, so this conversation is pointless.”

“Fine,” says Lake, grinning. “You won’t want to know that they’re in the gym two streets away from the club then. Sara put it on her social media ten minutes ago.”

“Makes no difference to me, brother.”

“Why’d ya wanna try this gym?” asks Blu, confused.

I push open the door to the gym two streets away from the club. “I heard good things,” I say casually. Blu and I have talked about opening our own gym and going into partnership, but we’ve yet to find the perfect one. This one isn’t for sale, I checked, but everything has a price, and if it’s in the right location, like this, it could be a gold mine.

Once we pay the entrance fee, we head straight inside. It’s not too busy, which is why I spot Tillie and her friend straight away. They’re being shown how to work the machines by a gym instructor, so they don’t notice me. “Are you fucking kidding me?” snaps Blu.

“I didn’t know she’d be here,” I say innocently.

“Sure, you didn’t,” he mutters, throwing a towel over his shoulder and heading for the weights.

We start lifting, taking turns to spot each other. The gym instructor is flirting his arse off with Tillie and it gets my blood pumping. I’m on the bench when Sara sees me and nudges Tillie. When Tillie catches my eye and blushes, I smirk and go back to lifting.

“Stop being a pussy. Go and talk to her,” grunts Blu from beside me. “You dragged me here for her, so you may as well hit on her.”

“No, I told you, I’m not interested.”

“So it’s fate that keeps throwing you together?” he sniggers. I didn’t tell him that Lake tipped me off. After leaving Lake, I called Blu to meet me here. Seems I can’t resist her.

“Maybe, brother. Maybe.”

“Shit, after everything Riggs said to you about staying away, here you are.”

I’m resting on the edge of the weight bench when the girls stroll past me, deep in conversation. Without thinking, my hand shoots out, catching Tillie's. She stops and stares down at it in shock, so I release her. “Sorry,” I mutter. “You okay?”

“Good. You?” says Tillie, brightly.

“She’s better than okay,” butts in Sara. “She’s potentially got a date with a rich millionaire.”

Tillie nudges Sara. “Shush. We don’t know anything about the guy. Just because he buys nice flowers doesn’t make him a millionaire. And we haven’t mentioned a date. You’re jumping ahead,” says Tillie.

“You’re dating strangers