“The couch opens into a bed. I could stay ….”
Opening the balcony door, Reaper walked out, not giving Ton the opportunity for him to change his mind. Taking a deep breath, he had to remind himself that, while he would be watched here, he wasn’t being held here. He was free. It was a mantra he had to keep reminding himself over and over to keep from going ballistic and no longer feeling trapped in the godforsaken Road Demons’ clubhouse.
“How’s the room?” Viper asked, coming outside to stand next to him.
“Fine.”
Reaper looked at his brother when Viper closed the door.
“Taylor called when I was filling out your paperwork.”
“What’d she say?”
“She wants to see you.”
The joy at hearing that was muted by the awareness of his tenuous health, both mentally and physically. He wasn’t the same man she had said goodbye to.
“Tell her that we should wait until I feel better.”
Viper shook his head at him. “You can tell her yourself. I gave her your number. I told her to wait until tonight. I didn’t want to spring her on you without any warning.”
“I’m not ready to talk to her,” he snapped, annoyed that Viper had given her his number without his say-so. Viper shrugged, unperturbed by his anger. “That’s your call to make. You don’t want to talk to her, it’s simple—just don’t answer.” He moved back to the sliding door. “Now, if you’re ready to come inside, there’s a couple of people waiting to meet you.”
Reaper half-turned, then frowned seeing a man and woman talking to Ton. “Who are they?”
“Calder is a friend of Killyama’s, and the woman is her mother.”
“Why are they wanting to meet me? Is Killyama here?”
“No. They offered to take turns staying with you.”
His lips tightened. Reaper should have known that Viper had a backup plan when he hadn’t agreed to let him or Ton stay.
“Before you say no, just meet them, okay? Neither of them were told about the Road Demons. You can tell them as much or as little as you want.”
“What good would they do—”
“They’re both recovering addicts.” Viper’s voice became gruffer as he spoke. “Give me and Ton a break. It’s hard for us to leave you, knowing that if it gets bad you won’t tell us. At least we’ll know that you have someone to turn to—”
Reaper raised his hand to stop him. “I’m not making any promises, but one of them can stay a couple of days.”
Viper gave a sigh of relief, then went to the door as he started to wrap his arm around Reaper’s shoulders, but Reaper hurried forward before Viper could complete the motion.
Nodding at the introductions to Calder and Peyton while avoiding eye contact with his brother, he ended up making the meeting uncomfortable.
“Ton and I will leave you to get settled in. I’ll see you in a couple of days.” Viper grinned, holding the door open for Ton.
Reaper pinned him in place. “A couple of days?” He recognized the determined expression that filled Viper’s face all too well.
“I’ll be by at least twice a week; one will be on the weekend so that Aisha and Winter can come. Ton has his own car, so expect a couple of visits from him. The brothers will give you a few days before they start stopping by to visit.”
His father hurried through the door, seeing the battle about to erupt between him and Viper.
“I don’t want visitors until I’m ready,” he growled out.
“They aren’t visitors,” Viper said, going out the door. “They’re brothers.”
Reaper stared at the door as it closed, then angerly jerked his head to the side at the laughter coming from the couch.
Calder had his long legs sprawled over the coffee table and started fiddling with the television remote, while Peyton studied him for a moment before saying she was going to search for his nurse to get him something to eat. She left the room before could tell her he wasn’t hungry.
“I have one of those myself.” Calder laughed harder at Reaper’s irritated expression.
“What?” he snapped. “An overprotective big brother or a pain in the neck?”
“Viper’s not that bad.” Amusement showed in Calder’s eyes.
The amusement had Reaper losing control of his tongue like he hadn’t been able to with his brother. “Try living up to a brother who never screws up. I got mad at him and gave my cut back, lost our company thousands of dollars, got my ass kidnapped, and everyone thought I was dead for over nine years. The woman I was supposed to marry is now married to another man and is going to have his kid, and I’m stuck here because, as much as I want to get on a bike, I don’t have enough strength to keep a full meal down much less walk out of here on my own steam.”