REAPER: GOLDEN SKULLS M.C. by Rebecca Joyce (elon musk reading list TXT) 📗

The fucker grinned. “Didn’t know she was religious. Did you know Grimm?”

Grimm slightly shook his head.

“There is nothing wrong with being religious,” I said, getting to my feet. I wasn’t going to let them needle Remi or me for the matter.

Savage and Vicious chose at that moment to walk into the kitchen. Both looked like shit, but when they saw me, they smiled and said, “Morning boss.”

“Shut up,” I groaned.

“What?” Savage replied, looking hurt. “I just said morning.”

Dumping my coffee in the sink, I was just about to make a clean exit when Massacre and Smoke walked in. When Massacre grinned evilly, I knew I wasn’t going to get my clean getaway. That fucker could needle a sloth into action. He never let up.

“Hey boss, did you know Remi believes in God?”

“Shut up, Massacre.”

“I thought she was an atheist.”

“Shut up, Massacre.”

“I mean, she was praying pretty hard last night. The whole club heard her. Her praising God had me thinking of joining a church.”

“Mass leave the boss alone. He’s about to blow,” Ghost said, trying to stem the violence that was about to happen. I loved Massacre, I really did, but the man was a dog with a bone. He wasn’t going to let up until he finished what he started. Good at fights, not so good with running his mouth.

“Max?”

I turned, and there she stood, standing in one of my shirts that fell to her thighs and nothing else. She looked beautiful yet tired. Going to her, I wrapped my arms around her. “Hey baby. What are you doing up?”

“I’m hungry.”

Massacre snickered as Smoke smacked him upside the head. I glared at the giant beast, daring him to utter another fucking word. It was okay if they wanted to fuck with me, but not Remi. Never her.

Grimm stood and went to the oven and took out a pan. He placed it on the stove and reached for a plate. After putting some food on it, he placed the dish on the table and grabbed some silverware. He said, “I made breakfast casserole Remi. Want some orange juice or apple juice?”

“I’d like some coffee, please,” Remi smiled, moving out of my embrace to sit where Grimm laid her food.

“Coffee isn’t good for ya, babe. Pick a juice.”

Remi sighed and nodded. “I forgot. I’ll have some apple juice.”

Moving to grab it for her, I filled a glass and handed it to her.

No one said a word as she started to eat. After a few bites, she looked up and stared at all of us. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

And just like that, the room erupted in conversation as if nothing were ever wrong. Over the next hour, I watched as Remi laughed and joked with my brothers, each making her feel loved and wanted. When Shamrock finally showed to see her in the kitchen, he ran, engulfing her in a hug. I understood Sham’s reason and need to hover and protect Remi. He felt as if he let her down, that what happened to her was his fault. Most of us tried telling him it wasn’t, but the big softy wouldn’t listen. Hell, most of us felt some sort of guilt for what happened, but we couldn’t dwell on it. We had bigger things to worry about, to deal with. Emotions would come later.

As the days followed, life started to return to normal for the Golden Skulls. Remi continued to heal and get stronger, but what I enjoyed was that we started talking more. I still hadn’t come clean about how the club was involved with Darrin Reynolds and the whole mess. I wasn’t sure I could. Admitting my guilt while looking at the very woman it affected would enrage my demon, so I kept quiet for the time being.

Healer finally took off the bandages around Remi’s head, and though her scars had healed enough that they were barely pink, Remi cried when she saw what she looked like. To me, she was the most beautiful woman in the world, but that was no consultation for a woman who had been tormented, raped, beaten, and had her hair cut off. Healer tried to soothe her by saying her hair would grow back, and when it did, none of the scars would be visible, but that only made it worse. In the end, Remi spent two days in our room, refusing to come out until my sister Mia showed up and saved the day.

Though I would never tell her, Remi looked different with my sister’s wigs to make life easier for her. I, on the other hand, couldn’t wait for her beautiful curly blonde hair to return. In the meantime, my sister bought all shades, different cuts, and styles of wigs for Remi to use. She said a girl needed a variety in her life to spice things up. I didn’t understand, but Remi loved them. However, when the boys started making bets on what shade Remi would wear, my sister lost it and took Remi to the salon. That was where she was at now, as I sat in church waiting for her return. I didn’t understand why Remi needed to go to a salon when she didn’t even have any hair and when I said just that, the look Remi and my sister gave me made me shut my mouth instantly.

I hated her being gone, even knowing that four of my brothers went with her. I was going to go, but Mia said no. She said I wasn’t allowed. She blamed me for the betting, saying I was the ringleader. Of course, when Remi left the compound, I turned on the culprit and punched him in the face, which felt good.

Looking at my hand now, it was itching to hit someone again. My need for violence didn’t dissipate with Remi’s return. It imploded. I needed to find Darrin Reynolds. I wanted that fucker wiped off the face of the earth. I was still having a hard time