Beast (Book 3): Desert Reapers MC, #3

By Paula Cox

This is book 3 and the finale of the Desert Reapers MC romance series! 

 

One biker beast. One innocent waitress. One savage, sweaty night.

 

BEAST

 

A violent past has left blood on my hands.

Twenty-seven years old and I'm covered in scars, wounds, and tats.

It's all part of the game, and I'm going to win.

 

Shayna's got her whole life ahead of her, and I want to be part of it, but when I saw that guy put his hands on her...

The animal got out of its cage.

 

She shouldn't want me, but she has no choice. Women like her always need a beast.

And now I'm her only chance at staying alive.

 

In this outlaw life, I rule by force. The strongest will always have control and I don't intend to lose it now.

 

She invited me into her world, and now she's got a monster keeping her safe.

I'll do it, or I'll die trying.

 

SHAYNA

 

This wasn't my plan.

I'm in a mess that I didn't ask for, owing a favor to an entitled man who thinks he owns me.

 

And then I see Beast.

Now, I know what it's like to be someone's favorite possession.

 

A man whose chiseled, tattooed body is matched only by his cunning and savagery.

A man who confuses, arouses, and scares me.

 

And when he stares at me....

 

He's more animal than man.

I feel his rough hands racing all over my body.

His scarred, battle-tested torso pinned against my own.

 

And there's no way to stop hearing the words he growls into my ear:

"You're mine. And I'm never letting go."

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBook Publishing World
• Release date: Apr 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393400530

Book preview

Beast: A Motorcycle Club Romance (Desert Reapers MC Book 3)

By Paula Cox

One biker beast. One innocent waitress. One savage, sweaty night.

BEAST

A violent past has left blood on my hands.

Twenty-seven years old and I’m covered in scars, wounds, and tats.

It’s all part of the game, and I’m going to win.

Shayna’s got her whole life ahead of her, and I want to be part of it, but when I saw that guy put his hands on her...

The animal got out of its cage.

She shouldn’t want me, but she has no choice. Women like her always need a beast.

And now I’m her only chance at staying alive.

In this outlaw life, I rule by force. The strongest will always have control and I don’t intend to lose it now.

She invited me into her world, and now she’s got a monster keeping her safe.

I’ll do it, or I’ll die trying.

SHAYNA

This wasn’t my plan.

I’m in a mess that I didn’t ask for, owing a favor to an entitled man who thinks he owns me.

And then I see Beast.

Now, I know what it’s like to be someone’s favorite possession.

A man whose chiseled, tattooed body is matched only by his cunning and savagery.

A man who confuses, arouses, and scares me.

And when he stares at me....

He’s more animal than man.

I feel his rough hands racing all over my body.

His scarred, battle-tested torso pinned against my own.

And there’s no way to stop hearing the words he growls into my ear:

You’re mine. And I’m never letting go.

CHAPTER 1

Beast and Shayna stepped off the elevator and made their way to the poker room. They’d lazed between the sheets, snogging, until it was too late for breakfast and he was forced to drag her out bed by the foot as she shrieked and squealed in laughter. Two quick showers later and they had just enough time to grab a pastry before gameplay started for the day.

As they approached the room, two security men were at the door, wanding everyone before they entered the room.

I wonder what that’s all about... Shayna said quietly as they approached.

Beast didn’t have time to answer before they stopped in front of the door. He turned his phone in at the concierge table and then held his arms out to his side as the man expertly ran the wand over his body before waving him through. Shayna stepped up and the procedure was repeated. Inside the room there were four more men standing silently, but their eyes were in constant motion.

Something must have happened last night, Beast muttered as he and Shayna stopped at the buffet.

I wonder what?

He shrugged as he picked over the pastries and fruit. He was turning away from the table when Trevor entered the room looking pale and haggard.

Good morning, everyone, he said, his normal enthusiasm missing. As you might guess from the extra security, we had another incident last night. He held up a piece of paper with writing on it. This was given to me early this morning by Fawn LeMay. It was waiting for her on the floor just inside her door. It says, ‘This is your last chance. Lose today or die.’ Three others have given me the same threat. Anyone else?

Beast looked around the room and every hand went up except his and Shayna’s.

What’s this shit? Cliff said as he looked around the room. Everyone gets a threat except Boyd? Does anyone else find that slightly suspicious?

What are you suggesting? Beast asked. If it were me, I would have to be colossally stupid to not raise my hand, don’t you think?

Well, it’s obviously one of the players, Cliff responded. I’ve played with every man, and woman, he added with an acknowledgement to Fawn, in this room before except you and Orson. Nothing like this has ever happened in the past.

Yeah, Roger chimed in. I think, for everyone’s safety, Orson and Boyd should be disqualified.

Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Trevor called, trying to get control of the situation. Having to disqualify Conor would put a real damper on the ratings. There’s no proof it’s anyone in the room, much less Boyd or Orson.

Who else would it be? Cliff asked. And I still wonder why Boyd didn’t get a threat.

Shayna and I are the only ones in a suite. Harder to get to and more obvious with the glass elevator. We’re also changing rooms each night. Beast continued to meet Cliff’s eyes. I will remind you, the only person who has actually had an attempt made against them was Shayna. The rest have only been threats.

"That could have all been staged. Convenient, don’t you think, that the people who you said tried to kidnap her managed to get away?"

If you have something to say, say it, Beast said setting his coffee aside, his voice going cold and hard. But you better be ready to back it up with some proof because I don’t like being called a liar.

Everyone, calm down! Trevor snapped. Nobody is saying anything. Tops is providing extra security today. Everyone will stay together today so you can be protected. Tonight there will be only eight players left. With so few players to watch, each person will have their own member of security assigned to them. Even Boyd, Trevor said with a hard look a Cliff. "They will keep you safe and if it’s one of the players, they won’t have an opportunity to act on the threats because they will be under constant surveillance. Good enough? Trevor waited but no one spoke. If anyone wants to withdraw, I will refund their bankroll and fees."

Shayna watched the room. Trevor was playing the room like a fiddle, the cameras moving about as they captured the reactions of the various players, while others focused on Trevor, the room and the security men. If anyone quit, they would have to do it on national television.

Trevor stood silent for at least thirty seconds, letting the tension build, before he turned to Martin. Get them started, he said as he stomped away.

WHEN THE LUNCH BREAK sounded, Beast hurried to retrieve his phone from the concierge table as the rest of the players were herded into the adjoining room where all the production equipment was setup. He quickly dialed as he stepped to the side and faced the wall.

Hightower, this is Beast. I need you to run a deep check on Neil Orson, he muttered just loudly enough for his phone to pick up his voice, spelling the last name. "I want you to crawl up his ass and find out everything there is to know about him."

Okay. Why?

Call it a hunch.

Roger. When do you need this?

Now.

Hightower chuckled. You may be the boss, but that doesn’t mean you always get what you want. I’ll send you a text when we get something. I’ll get the entire logistics team on it but give us a few hours. What are we looking for, and why?

I don’t know. There was another threat last night and one of the pros made a good point this morning. The only two variables in the room are this Neil Orson and me. Everyone else has played together before, and they’re pros. If they got caught doing shit like this, they would be barred from every game in the country.

And since you’re not sending the threats...Got it. Give me two hours.

Beast nodded to himself as he hung up then handed the phone back the woman behind the table.

You okay? Shayna asked as he entered the production room. She’d stepped inside but was waiting on him to return.

It’s Orson, he said under this breath.

How do you know?

I don’t know for sure, but I’m about to find out.

How?

I have my team looking into him. They’re going to report back in a few hours with what they find.

Why do you think it’s him?

Remember what Cliff said, how he has played with everyone before except me and Orson? He’s right. It makes sense that it would be one of us.

And because you’re not doing it... She allowed the unfinished statement hang between them as he smiled grimly and pointed a finger gun at her in acknowledgement. She looked around the room until she found Orson, sitting with a few other players. She continued to watch him as she shuffled through the buffet line and watched as he burst into laughter at an unheard joke. While what Beast said made sense, he certainly didn’t act guilty, but then she reminded herself these were poker players and they gave nothing away. She also couldn’t understand how he managed to pull off a kidnapping attempt. How do you set something like that up? Do you go to the phone book and look up the phone number for Kidnappers Are Us? If it was Orson, he obviously had help.

They scooped fresh-steamed salmon steaks with lime butter, bacon braised green beans and crispy new potatoes onto their plates and took a table by themselves. A moment later Paul stopped by their table. Mind if I join you?

Not at all, Beast said, kicking a chair back so Paul could sit down. "I figured after