“I’ll find a place to break ground,” Reaper says before disappearing into the forest.
Rain pelts my head, saturating my hair and matting it to my face. I’m glad I cut it off for the summer. Usually, I keep it long, but I was sick of how it would poke me in the fucking eye every time the wind kicked up. It made riding a real bitch. I’ll grow it out again in a few months when fall starts.
“Found a spot. Want to check it out?” Reaper asks, emerging from the dense bush.
“Nah. You know your shit.”
“Damn right.” A ghost of a smile lights his eyes before they return to their normal darkness.“I want heads this time.”
“Have at it.” I gesture toward the rug.
We carry the body into the woods to a great spot. A wild thicket of thorny bushes forms the perfect barrier to anyone who might be nosing around. It’s far enough away from the road that I doubt anyone would stumble across it. And even if his body were found, no one could pin the murder on Trina.
I pick up the shovel from where Reaper set it down. The earth gives way easily. All the rain we’ve been getting helps in these cases. I love the summertime. Hiding bodies is so much harder in winter when the ground’s too frozen to dig.
Halfway to the six feet we need, I hand the shovel off to Reaper. He finishes the grave and steps back.
“Should we keep the rug?” I ask.
“Let’s burn it.”
“Can’t. Too wet outside.”
Reaper grunts in agreement.
“We can find somewhere else to ditch it,” I suggest.
“Yeah.”
While he finishes burying the dead guy, I carry the carpet back to my bike. We end up tossing it from an overpass into the raging river below. Even if someone finds it, and even if it’s still stained, no one will ever connect it to this murder because we’re a hundred miles from the scene of the crime. Sure, it’s a bit sloppy for my taste, but everything can’t be perfect all the time.
“Ready to party?” I ask Reaper.
“Fuck yeah!” He revs his bike but waits until I’m on mine before taking off.
The ride back to the clubhouse feels so much shorter than the drive to Trina’s house. I’m always filled with anticipation when we’re on a mission to save someone. Afterward, I guess I crash a little. I’m not like Reaper. He’s ready to fuck anything with a pussy and a pulse. I just want a beer and a good ball game on TV. But knowing my brothers, it’s going to be one hell of a party at the clubhouse, so I can’t wait to get home.
Chapter 2: Jessica
The neon sign of The Rusty Tap flickers in the twilight as I nudge the door open. Sienna, my best friend, follows closely behind. I just finished another long day of asking for donations for the animal shelter. A drink with my bestie is the perfect way to end the day.
“God, I need this,” Sienna sighs as we settle into our usual booth. The worn leather creaks as we slide across the seats. She runs her fingers through her fiery red hair before reaching for the menu.“What are you having?”
“Same as always—whiskey sour.” I flash her a tired grin. I’m already savoring the tangy bite of the cocktail. The first sip will be glorious.
“Ah, yes, the classic Jessica drink.” Sienna chuckles, signaling the waitress to come over. We place our orders and lean back, taking a moment to enjoy the familiar atmosphere of the bar.
“Speaking of classics, did I tell you about my latest date disaster?” I grin.
“Oh God, not another one!” Sienna’s bright green eyes widen with anticipation.“Do tell.”
“So, I met this guy online, right? His profile seemed decent enough: He’s a veterinarian, loves animals, yada yada … Anyway, we agreed to meet up at that new sushi place down the street. Everything was going great until he started sharing his conspiracy theories about how the government is using cats as spies.”
Sienna bursts out laughing, almost knocking over her newly arrived Moscow mule.“You’re kidding me!”
“Dead serious.” I take a sip of my drink.“He even had diagrams on his phone to prove it. I felt like I was in some sort of twisted spy movie.”
“Wow, your dating life is like a never-ending parade of weirdos,” Sienna teases, wiping tears from her eyes.“But, hey, at least it’s entertaining!”
