Page 1 of Merciless
Prologue
REAPER
TWO YEARS EARLIER
Apounding headache, a parched throat, and a queasy stomach. All three of which were becoming a lot more common these days.
Can’t drink like I’m in my twenties anymore,I thought, rolling over slowly in bed so the room wouldn’t start spinning.
I slid out of bed quietly so as to not wake up my flavor of the night. She wanted to get all cuddly last night and I was not having that. Most likely, she’d want to stick around once she woke up and I’d have to be an absolute asshole to make her leave. My hangover would help with that endeavor, at least.
A quick glance at the bed over my shoulder had me stifling a groan. Her makeup was smeared all over my pillowcases. I fucking just had them washed too.
I wasn’t crazy about leaving her in my room with all my shit, but I sure as hell wasn’t about to be here when she woke up. Somehow I managed to pull pants on without losing my balance or making a huge amount of noise. Grabbing yesterday’s shirt, I held my breath as I opened the door. I didn’t dare release it until I was down the stairs and out the front door.
The sun was already high on my short walk to the clubhouse, the sunlight damn near blinding. People were up and chatting, and the smell of food cooking on the grill had my hungover body salivating. I hoped Daren and Jandro pulled out all the stops for breakfast this morning.
“His Majesty graces us with his presence,” my brother announced, white cigarette bobbing in his mouth as he pumped a lever on a citrus juicer.
I caught a whiff of menthol and turned my head, nearly gagging. While we had plenty in common, Daren and I couldn’t be more different when it came to our taste in smokes. I liked my cloves and couldn’t stomach that menthol shit. Why the fuck would I want to constantly suck on the flavor of toothpaste?
“Where you been?” Jandro turned some sausages with a pair of tongs while stirring up hashbrowns in a cast-iron pan with the other hand. “That girl wring you out?”
“Nah, I got so bored I fell into a deep slumber.” I collapsed on a deck chair and threw an arm over my eyes to shield against that oppressive sun.
“You’re an ass,” Noelle informed me from somewhere nearby.
“So what else is new?”
I felt a kick on my shin. “Kara’s nice. She hooked me up with free shots at the Shady Lady.”
“That doesn’t negate the fact that she’s a boring lay.”
Something cold touched my forearm that was thrown over my eyes. “Drink this,” Daren’s voice told me. “You’ll feel better, Grumpasaurus.”
I took the drink with my other hand, not bothering to look as I brought it to my lips. “Fuck, Daren! Did you just give me something withfruit?”
“Calm down, it’s a screwdriver. The orange juice will help with your hangover, dick.”
“You’re lucky he didn’t put a little umbrella in it,” Jandro chimed in.
“He knows I’d disown him, that’s why.” I sat up to down the rest of my drink, my stomach actually settling and my eyes adjusting to the brightness of day.
The jarring sound of glass breaking made me wince, although it wasn’t a terribly unusual sound for a biker club. But it was the heavy thump of a body collapsing and Noelle’s, “Daren!” that shot me to my feet.
He was convulsing on the ground. Noelle rushed to grab his head so he wouldn’t smack it on the concrete floor. I went to grab his arms while Jandro went for his legs.
“Shit, it’s a bad one this time.” Jandro frowned, his worried gaze on my brother’s face.
He was right. Daren’s arms tore out of my grip, every muscle tight and contracted. Even his fingers had curled into claw-like hands. “Did he eat or drink anything?” I fought to restrain him again before he hurt himself.
“Yeah, we should put him on his side.” Noelle already had his face turned toward the floor, petting his hair and flushed cheeks while she stared down at him. “We got you, baby bro. It’s gonna be okay,” she cooed at him.
Daren never recalled us talking to him during his seizures, but she always did anyway. It seemed to work, in any case. His movements slowed, reducing to jerks and twitches for a minute before he was still.
“Hey.” Noelle placed his head in her lap, smoothing her fingers over his forehead. “You okay, bud?”
Daren rolled up to a sitting position, yanking his arms and legs out of my and Jandro’s grips. “Easy,” I told him, holding my palms up. “Take it easy, bro. You know how these fuck with you.”
