Page 129 of Reaper's Rival

“Kade, your phone is ringing.”

Nothing.

“Kade, your phone is ringing.”

Nothing. I could hear him sleeping behind me.

“REAPER, YOUR PHONE IS RINGING!” I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned. Still nothing.

Twisting in his arms, I whacked him in the chest, and his eyes sprung open.

“Phone!”

He grunted and rolled over, feeling for it on the ground. Finally, he just threw the blankets back and got out of bed, searching his pants pockets for the noise machine.

“What!?”

Finally, he answered it. I rolled back over and closed my eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, tell them I said for them to get their asses moving.”

Silence.

He groaned. “Fine, I’ll be there in an hour.”

He dropped the phone on the bed, and I rolled over just in time to watch him run two hands through his hair.

“What is it?” I put a hand on his back.

“The boys aren’t listening to Brad after last night. They’re still half drunk and pissed off. Brad thinks it’s better if I lead them to Kelly. They’ll stay in line for me.”

I sat bolt right up in bed. “Kelly? Are you kidding me? That’s forty hours away!”

I knew they had a gun ride, but I also thought that was why there was a Vice President, so the actual president didn’t have to go on long rides like this.

“I know. It’s a four- to five-day ride. Then we stay to recover for a few days and then ride back.”

“Can’t Brad just threaten them,” I muttered while watching Reaper get up.

“No. For some reason, they only listen to their President.” Reaper gave me a pointed look and I sighed.

“So this means I won’t see you for weeks.”

“Come on, babe, you know this can happen.” He gently cupped my cheek. “You’ll be fine.”

I didn’t see weeks without him as ok or fine. I sighed and took his hand and got up.

“When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I ride in.”

“So you really meant an hour on the phone then?”

“Yep.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’ll pack and leave.”

So I was going to face weeks without Reaper. It really didn’t sit well with me.

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