Page 19 of Reaper's Claim

“You know, Dad,” a grin slowly spread across my lips, “you can’t cancel our party that easy.”

A deep laughter rumbled from his chest. “I guess you’re right, kiddo.” He gave me a wink before getting up.

Dad said something about a late tea and heading out for a while before he left me alone once again in my room.

I was too young and perhaps too stupid, or maybe I was just so sure that nothing could or ever would really tear our family apart, so I didn’t take Dad’s ‘loose ends’ seriously.

It would take something huge to tear the Harrison family apart, and that something huge was coming. It was a hurricane of broken glass, and it would shatter and slice our lives into pieces beyond repair.

But I didn’t know that then.

Chapter 5

Abby

Pink and more pink. I had never seen so much pink in my life. I was sure Barbie had come around and spewed up all over the joint. So when Kim asked for my opinion, I couldn’t help but voice my honest reaction. “I hate it.”

Kim pursed her lips and took a deep breath. “You hate everything. Do you have any idea how much time we have put into this?” She waved her hand around the pub, and her minions that were slumped on bar stools looked more like overworked slaves.

I screwed my nose up when I noticed the pink cups as well. “Well, I never asked you to turn Dad’s pub into Barbie’s paradise.”

“There isn’tthatmuch pink!” She stomped her foot and as if on cue, Dad walked up behind her.

“Fucking hell,” he hissed, looking around his once-manly pub. “This… this… this is rubbish.” He pointed around at the pink balloons. “Better be gone by tomorrow morning.”

Kim muttered something under her breath but didn’t argue. It was the night of the big party, and by the moody expression on each of our faces, it was easy to see we were all just flipping jumping for joy for Kim’s pink party.

“I’m not lifting a finger. I had no hand in turning this into....” I looked around the joint and then shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t think there is a name for this much pink.”

Dad grunted in agreement, and Kim just shot me her classic ‘fuck you’ glare. She really is just smothering me with sisterly love.

Reaper

She hadn’t shown her face once. I took another gulp of my beer and looked over the crowd. How can she not show her face at her own goddamn party? It was after midnight, and the party was in full swing. Lots of teens drinking and lots of grinding, but still there was no Abby.

Kim danced on the top of the bar with another blonde, and Trigger didn’t even try to hide the fact he was watching her every move.

Roach, from what I had heard, passed out sometime earlier in the afternoon. I don’t blame him; Kim’s whiny voice would drive any man to the bottle.

“I’m going to get some air,” I yelled in Liam’s ear, who was more interested in flirting with the young chick on his arm than listening to what I had to say.

I needed some fresh air, a smoke, and a break from the noise. At first, I hadn’t planned on walking over to the clubhouse.

It was stone quiet when I entered the club pub.

If she wasn’t at the party, she would have to be here. I took the stairs quickly, and I had already knocked on her door before it hit me: what the fuck was I going to say to her?

Her door flung open and there she was, my own personal minx. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, her cheeks flushed, and those shorts she was wearing would cause a priest to fall down to his knees in front of her.

“Reaper.” Her eyes widened slightly as she stood in the doorway with a shocked look on her face.

“Did I piss you off or something?” I leaned against the doorframe, feeling a lot more comfortable seeing how nervous she was. “Not like you to call me by my biker name.”

“I...” Her lips pursed and her long lashes fluttered. Slowly, she crossed her arms. “Why are you here?”

“Came to wish you a happy birthday.”

“Liar.”

---