Page 73 of Reaper's Rival

Taking two steps, I pushed Abby behind me and into Drake. I caught his hand before it whipped across her face.

“Don’t even think about touching her,” I snarled. “I put up with you yelling at her, but if you think I’m going to let you touch her, you have a death wish.”

That was my woman he was about to hit. The woman pregnant with my kid. I held his fist in my hand, liking the fact that as I crunched it, his face screwed up in pain.

“Get out of my way, Reaper.” He went to pull his fist away but I just held on tighter.

“This argument is over.”

“It’s over when I say it is.” He might have towered over Abby, but he wasn’t towering over me. So I met his furious eyes. He had been pissing me off since he started laying into her like she was a member and had to take it.

“And I’m telling you it’s over.”

“You love her so much, huh? You want to take responsibility for her? Take responsibility for when her shit brings this club down?”’

He thought he could scare me off by giving me responsibility of her. He was wrong. I wasn’t the same man that ran from responsibility. When it came to Abby, I wanted all of her.

“Fine. I will.”

“Reaper-” Abby started speaking behind me.

“Next time you have a problem with her, come to me. I’ll handle it,” I said before she could say another word.

If that meant I wouldn’t have to sit back and watch her being abused again, then I fucking take responsibility over and over again of her.

Roach nodded his head. “Have fun in your early grave, son.” He backed off and I let go of his fist. “Doing me a fucking favor.”

He turned and stormed back off to his office, slamming the door behind him.

“I’m not letting you take the heat for my shit,” Abby said behind me.

But I wasn’t about to fight with her. It wasn’t a big deal. So what if I kept her old man off her back? I could handle Roach. I couldn’t handle him abusing her or hitting her. My control over my temper was thin when it came to someone hurting Abby.

I turned around and was not surprised to see her blue orbs looking at me with regret. “The last thing I wanted was for you to get involved. I can handle Dad.”

She was putting her walls back up.

“You should head out for lunch.” I glanced at Drake. Time for him to do what I called him here to do. “Knowing you, you haven’t eaten today.”

She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes. “How do you know me so well?”

“Easy to read, babe.” I gestured with my head for them to get out of here. “Go.”

“I really need to work on that,” she muttered under her breath. She looked at Drake. “You still want to go out for lunch?”

“Didn’t come all this way not to spend time with my best friend.” He threw his arm around her shoulders. “Come on.”

He shot me a wink. I had told him all about Abby’s behavior. How she was withdrawing from me. How she was dating a gang leader. How she was up to something and I didn’t know what the fuck it was. She had locked me out. But slowly I was getting in. I knew Drake had a way with her to get answers.

“Can I drive?” Abby said, and I didn’t need to see her smile to know she had one on her face.

“Like hell I’m letting you drive my GT.”

She was going on about how her driving had improved when the clubhouse door shut.

“I know what you’re up to.”

I turned, seeing Kim giving me a knowing smile.

---