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

before dragging me off to an abandoned warehouse and killing a man in front of me.” Her eyes suddenly widen, then she takes a few steps back from me and gasps. “Oh my god. Are you going to kill me?”

I grin at her cuteness. “No, Sunshine, why would I do that?”

“This is not funny. You can’t joke your way out of this!” she snaps.

I straighten my face, realising she really is pissed. “Okay, I’m sorry. Look, a clean-up team should be here any minute. I’ll take you home as soon as they come.”

I watch her stomp towards Riggs’ bike and lean against a wall. She clearly doesn’t wanna be around me right now, so I give her some space.

Almost an hour later, I stop the bike at the clubhouse. Tillie steps off and glares at me, shoving the helmet against my chest. She’s still raging, I can feel it pulsating from her like a red mist. “What are we doing here?” she hisses.

“I can’t let you go home after witnessing what just happened, sweetness. I gotta check you’re okay.”

“You’re gonna keep me here as a prisoner?” she screeches.

“No,” I mutter, stepping off the bike too. “You really have a low opinion of us bikers.”

“Do you blame me?” she snaps.

“You’re in shock. Come inside, I’ll get Frankie to take care of you, then I’ll drop you home tomorrow once you’ve calmed down and are less agitated.” Maybe by then she’ll be less likely to tell someone.

Inside, I take Tillie to Anna and Frankie and explain in a rushed whisper what happened, out of ear shot of Tillie. I leave her in their capable hands and go to see Riggs. I show him the picture, but he doesn’t recognise the dead man.

“If it was a setup, it means Mercy hasn’t got my money,” Riggs seethes.

“We gave him two days to pay up,” says Cree. “I think we should bring Vinn in on this. The streets are getting out of control.”

After I met Tillie’s ex, we did some digging, and I was right, he shouldn’t have been dealing on our patch. It means Mercy has to cut us in on his profits or move on. So far, it’s not working out.

“Another thing,” I say. “My date was with me, and she saw everything.”

“Shit, brother, what were you thinking?” groans Cree.

“That I was doing a simple pickup!” I snap. “How was I supposed to know it’d go wrong?”

“Is she likely to tell anyone?” asks Riggs. “How well do you know her?”

“Not too well, but I think I can win her around.”

“You either gotta marry her or threaten her,” says Cree bluntly.

“I can’t marry her,” I scoff.

“Threaten her it is then,” says Riggs. “Use her family or anything else she loves, and you tell her we’ll come for them if she even thinks about going to the cops.”

“Man, I don’t think I need to go that far. She’s nice. Wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“And you think she’s okay with you killing a man if she wouldn’t hurt a fly?” asks Cree, raising a brow.

I head for the door but stop when Riggs says, “This date, wouldn’t happen to be with Cobra’s daughter would it?” I wince, hoping we wouldn’t get in to that part. “Fuck, Blade. It’s almost like you wanna surround yourself with drama. Go fucking sort it out or I will!”

Chapter Seven

TILLIE

I sit quietly amongst the women I met earlier in The Windsor. There’re a few more in the group now, but I didn’t take in their names, even though Anna introduced us. My mind is completely fixed on tonight’s events. I’ve never seen a dead body before, and I’m not sure how to even process what happened. I shudder and wrap my arms around myself. At first, I was angry. How dare Blade put me in that situation! Now, I just feel numb. I could have died tonight. That man could have shot us and left us to die. All I wanted was a date with the mysterious man who’s been coming to buy red liquorice from my shop for the last few months.

“It can be a shock to the system,” says Anna gently. “When you’re not used to being in danger or witnessing . . . things, it’s normal to feel sick and upset.”

“I just want to go home. Sara will wonder where I am.”

“Call her,” comes Blade’s voice, only this time it’s cold and firm. I glance up into his steely eyes and wonder why he’s suddenly changed. “Tell her you’re staying the night.”

“But I don’t want to,” I protest, standing and squaring my shoulders. “If you don’t take me home, I’ll call the cops and tell them you’re keeping me here.” Blade glances over his shoulder and I spot Riggs and Cree staring at us. “I’ll tell them what you did tonight,” I add. Blade’s hand shoots out and he tangles it in my hair, tugging me close to him and glaring down into my eyes. He doesn’t look like the same guy from the sweet shop, and for the first time since meeting him, I feel fear—not because I think he’ll hurt me, his grip isn’t tight, but because I don’t recognise him like this.

“That wouldn’t be a good idea,” he growls in a low whisper. “I know where you live. I know what Sara looks like, and I know exactly where your grandmother lives. You talk to anyone about this evening, I’ll come for them first.”

My eyes fill with tears and I try desperately not to let them spill down my cheeks. “Blade,” says Anna, carefully. “What are you doing?”

“Am I clear?” he growls, not taking his eyes from me.

“Crystal,” I snap. He releases me and I shove hard against his chest as tears trickle down my cheeks in anger. How dare he grab me like that! “Now, let me make some shit clear to you!” I yell. “Don’t ever touch me again! Don’t call, don’t turn up where I am, and