Kiss My Ass by M.G. Rayne

Chapter Eight

Reika

Pick up, pick up! C’mon answer the goddamn phone.

She needs me. I have to find her. How has this week ended up as crazy as a whore fucking themselves with a prickly dildo? I can’t catch a break. Why do people always seem to drop off the face of the earth when you need to speak to them? He is the only person who might know what shit my dad was into. Hunting his ass down will take too long. “Fuck!”

“What do you want?”

“Pete? Pete Marshall?” Please be him.

“Who wants to know?”

“My name's Reika Martins, I think you knew my dad.” I’m pacing so bad I think I have worn a hole in the carpet.

“Little Reaper? Is that you?” Oh, thank God.

“I haven't heard that since, you know. I need to talk to you. Can we meet up?”

“Everything ok? Are you sick?”

“No, No. I’m fine, I need to talk to you about dad.” Any answers I can get to point me in the right direction.

“You remember the barn? Be there in 30.”

“Yeah, I'll see you soon.” The phone goes dead. Grabbing jeans and a hoodie, I head to the bathroom.

Pulling up outside the old barn, I’m hit with deja vu. I haven't been here in thirteen years. Still looks like the same shithole. Ten minutes early, I chill in the truck when a shadow catches my eye on the left side of the building. Side to side it moves almost like it is unable to stay still. The saying curiosity killed the cat comes to mind. It stills at the sound of the cab door shutting and takes a step in front of its hiding spot. Oh, thank fuck.

“Jesus, Pete! I nearly had a heart attack.” My heart is racing uncontrollably.

“Sorry, Reika. I’ve not seen you since you were little. What’s up?”

“Be straight with me. What sort of shit was my dad into?” Anticipation burns through my veins. Shuffling from foot to foot he looks everywhere but me.

“Little Reaper. Don’t go hunting for answers. You won’t like the picture they paint.”

He will not leave here until I get some information.

“I have been following your fights in the underground. Your dad wanted things to be different for you.”

“Dad should've thought of that before he turned me into a weapon as a child.”

“Pete, don’t bullshit me. My friend has been taken and the people who have her say dad kept something from them. If I don’t find it, they will hurt her.” I feel sick at the thought of Mel being in their hands.

“Leave it alone, Reika.”

“Fuck you. She’s my family. You will tell me. If you don’t, we both know I can make you.”

“Don’t threaten me, little girl.” My muscles tighten throughout my body.

“I promised him I would keep an eye on you. Protect you from the shadows. So, you could have a better life.” What is he talking about? Not a single person other than Mel and Tom have had my back.

“Better life. I was shipped to a school for psychos by my foster parents. How is that better?”

“You were out of the way. You could have been anyone you wanted to be. It was a fresh start.”

“Out of the way?” There’s more to this than I thought, his voice is nervous.

“Leave it alone, please.” Flashes from my childhood play behind my eyes. All the times Dad disappeared and Mum telling me he had problems at his work.

“You say that you are protecting me from the shadows. What are you protecting me from, Pete?”

“I, Fuck! You aren't going to leave this alone, are you?”

“Nope.” What were you into dad?

“Your dad wasn’t who you thought he was. He was involved in some very shady dealings.”

“Like what?” Dread fills my body, everything is going to change, I can tell.

“I can’t tell you too much. But look into the Damned Drew leader and ask questions about The Butcher.” The Butcher? What the hell? That name strikes fear into the hearts of everyone.

“Why The Butcher? What does a psychotic assassin have to do with my dad?”

“They were friends at one point. Reika, be careful who you talk to.”

“I have heard of the Damned Crew but nothing more than that. Who is the leader of it?” The Damned Crew are infamous in this small town, as well as The Grimms who are the other crew. They are constantly at war with each other.

“Malcolm Southbourne. Ruthless bastard. There have been rumours he is taking a back seat and his son is involved.”

“Ok, thank you.” My dad was friends with a psycho and involved in dodgy shit. I need to think and figure out where to go from here.

I grab the truck's door handle. “Reika.” Looking over my shoulder I see fear clearly written over Pete’s face.

“Please, be careful. Knowing too much could get you killed.”

Emotions war within me on the ride home. Annoyance at the limited amount of information. Confusion - I feel like I didn't really know who my father was. Uncertainty - how the hell am I going to get her out of this. From everything today I feel emotionally exhausted. A shower and food is needed and loads of beer.

What the hell am I doing here? Staring at the doors of The Den, I sit in the cab watching all the people laughing and joking about their daily lives. A woman trips in front of the truck in a drunken state. I pay no attention to her. I sit for a couple of minutes deciding if I should go in or head home, when the guy who is helping the woman catches my attention. I recognise his face. Motherfucker! He was the one Mel was with last night.He helps the woman off the floor and she is all over him. What the actual fuck? What a complete asshole. Watching them both head into the club, I am furious. He was with my best friend last night and now he is with another woman? Fuck this shit! He was the last one to see her. He must know where she is. Checking my reflection in the mirror I hop out and head over to the club. I look like utter shit but it's worth a try. Luckily for me there aren't a lot of people outside now.

“Hey, pretty lady.” Following the voice, I notice the bouncer at the door from last night.

“Hey!”

“Where’s Mel?”

“I’m not her fucking keeper.” I don't want to be standing here talking to him.

“Wow, being a bitch much?”

“You gonna let me in or what, asshole?” Breath, Reika. If he turns you away, you’re screwed.

“Shit! Sorry man, crap day and all that. I kinda turn into an asshole.”

“Yeah, I get it. No worries.” He is looking at me, like someone would look at a caged wild animal.

“Thanks, dude”.

Inside is quieter, not as many people and the music isn’t trying to blow my ear drums. Scanning the club, I'm looking for signs of the people from outside. Heading to the bar to grab a beer, I notice there are different people working. Ordering a jack and coke I start my walk round. I dodge creeps that try to catch my attention and get halfway around when booming laughter and squeals catch my attention. Following the sound, I find who I am looking for, with a woman pressed up against the pool table. Neither of them have a clue that I was standing watching them, along with a couple of other people.

“Can you play?” Shit, I never heard anyone approach.

“Yeah, can you?” Shit, stooge 3 is standing on my right watching the couple like I am.

“Let’s play.”

“Maybe later. I need to have a word with fuck boy over there.”

“Bonzo.”

“Can’t you see I'm busy, man?” He looks at stooge 3 standing next to me and freezes. Stepping away from the woman he says, “Shit, sorry, man. I didn’t know you were here.”

Who the hell are these guys?

“Reika here wants a word.” How the fuck does he know my name?

Bonzo looks me up and down, licking his lips.

“Put your eyes back in your head, dude. You were all over my family last night.”

“Don’t know what you're talking about. I was on my own here.”

I growl. This fucker thinks he can bullshit his way out of seeing Mel. I don't think so. I move fast, grip his shirt and yank him, knocking the woman on her ass. I throw him up against the wall.

“Reika.”

“What the hell, Man?”

Wriggling like a worm on a hook, he’s trying to get out from under my arm.

“Listen up. You were all over Mel last night when I left. She hasn’t been seen since last night.” Stooge 3 and what’s his name look at me with confusion on their faces.

“What do you mean?” Stooge 3 asks.

I stare into the guy's eyes and ask, “Where the hell is she? You were the last one to see her.”

He violently shakes his head. “I don't know, we got into it and she left. I don’t know where she is.” He either doesn’t know, or is one damn good liar. I apply more pressure.

“You best not be bullshitting me. I have a habit of getting stabby when people lie.”

“I’m not lying!”

Dropping the fool on his ass, I look over at stooge 3.

“What’s up, Stooge?”.

“My name is Marcus, not Stooge!”.

“Ok, what you staring at, Marcus?” Sarcasm drips from my voice, I'm in no mood to play.

“That's the reason you came to see Kane?”

“No shit, Sherlock. I fuck his car up. Then Mel disappears. What do you think?” Honestly, am I even speaking English?

“We don’t have her. And you threatening one of the staff isn’t right.”

“Yeah, well, what would you do? She’s family.” My emotions are in chaos. I don't know why I’m talking to him like a friend, but I feel comfortable with him.

“You want a drink?”

Marcus.

Reika isn’t like I expected. Yeah, she is a badass on the outside. But talking to her, it’s obvious she is more than that. She has so much hate towards everything. But she’s broken. Anyone can see that if they are willing to look close enough. She’s laughing at something Cam has said, the shitbag came to talk to me about an issue at the front door and hasn’t left since. Watching him trying his damndest to flirt with Reika is funny. It’s like watching a bunny trying to make friends with a mountain lion. Kane’s interest in her worries me. He says he wants to own her. But his reaction to her dancing with another guy was more than that. He isn’t going to admit this to himself, but it is more of an obsession. He likes control in all things. The demons from our past have shaped us to the people we are today. He is volatile and easy to piss off. Something is pushing me to keep an eye on her. If he breaks her too much, she will never be the same again. My senses fire off. I should have known he would be watching.

Kane.

Standing here for the last four hours watching Marcus and Reika together has been pure torture. Watching Cam talk shit and her laughing has me grinding my teeth. I want to rip him away from her and take her to the office to teach her a fucking lesson. Have her on her knees begging me to fuck her. Marcus just watches like it’s the funniest thing he has ever seen. Fuck this shit. I storm over to their table. Cam is the first one to spot me, the colour drains from his face. Marcus has a smirk and Pretty Bird isn’t bothered by my sudden appearance.

“We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t. I’m having a good time now. Fuck off.” Oh, hell no.

“Yeah, we do. Now, I’ll ask once more. Don’t try me, Pretty Bird.” She stands and throws a wink to Marcus and rounds the table.

“I said no.”

Bending down, I throw her over my shoulder and march for the office. She's turned wild trying to get out of my hold. Marcus is howling with laughter from the table.

Pinning her to the wall, my knee in between her legs and hand on her throat, I can’t look away, seeing the defiant look in her eyes sends everything to my cock. Fuck me.

“You fucked with my car.”

“You deserved it, asshole,” she sneers. Damn, her eyes are beautiful. Kind of a smoky-grey color with a black ring around. Like storm clouds rolling in.

“You fucking bought me like a piece of meat.” Should've paid more attention to what was happening. She punches me in the jaw. I stumble backwards.

Fucking hell, she packs one hell of a punch. Looking at her with rage burning in her eyes and chest heaving, I can’t think straight. The deal, asshole. She knows. That’s why she fucked your car up.

“Either I bought you or Alexander sold you to Andre.”

“What the fuck? Why the fuck did he sell me anyway?” I can see the emotions running across her face: anger, betrayal, annoyance, confusion.

“He borrowed money from me, saying the fight was an easy win.”

“Yeah, I was supposed to lose, then Mason fucked himself over.” Rage shows itself on her face.

“How?”

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t be owned like a piece of property.”

This is jumping to a whole other level. She is pissing me off with her attitude.

“He sold you, to save his own ass.”

“That’s not my fucking problem, asshole. I do not owe you anything,” she screams, taking a step closer.

“You belong to me,” I roar, stepping into her personal space. The atmosphere is charged with all the emotions flaring between us. When is she going to get it through her head, I will not stop until she is mine.

“Fuck you!! I belong to no-one.”

Everything explodes, my lips are on hers. The kiss is brutal, our teeth are clashing together.