Death Reapers MC: Angels to Ash

iii.

Angel
"If I cannot bend heaven, I will raise hell."
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It had been a few days since Riley freaked out over whoever sent her the roses. She locked herself away in her room for days, doing God knows what. I had asked Trace what the deal was but he said she wouldn't talk to him. Wolf hadn't been around either. He'd been in a foul mood, obnoxious and smashed at the clubhouse the last few days.

I hovered outside Riley's bedroom door, drawn to it like a magnet. I don't know what I was thinking would happen if she came out of her room right now. If she wanted to talk, that was great. If she wanted to sit in silence, that would be okay too. If she wanted to make out, shit, that would be a fucking dream. I rolled my eyes at myself, feeling like a creep. I raised my hand up to knock on her door for the umpteenth time. Trace had asked me to try and get her to return to the real world. Return to the MC.

I pressed my ear to the door, straining to listen for any sounds. Darkness was clear under the door. It was early afternoon, and there was a party tonight at the clubhouse, followed by a run in the morning. I just wanted to see her before I was gone on MC business for a few days, I reasoned with myself. Needed to make sure she was okay.

The smell of smoke began to slowly leak into the hallway. I looked around, confused. "What the shit?" I whispered to myself, realizing the smoke was coming from under Riley's bedroom door.

I stalled, at a loss of what to do. Arson was my specialty, and what I was known for in the MC. There was no other high like it.

"Riley! Is there a fire?" I shouted, knocking frantically on the door. I was met with silence. Terrible flashbacks from my civilian firefighting days ran through my mind, of not being able to save people, of burns, of fire destroying everything in its path...

I growled, banging harder. The door was locked. "Riley, open up!!"

Radio silence again. I lifted my heavy black boot and started kicking at the door, adrenaline and fear to get to her coursing through me.

The door splintered a bit, slamming open after a few good kicks. My alert senses searched the blacked out room, finally honing in on Riley's silhouette in the window. A small trash can next to her was in flames. I rushed in, my arms wrapping around her and pulling her away from the small fire.

"Oof!" She grunted as I threw her back on the bed. "Angel, what the hell!?" Her earbuds were ripped from her ears.

I reached for a vase of wilting tulips on the dresser. I paused, watching the beautiful flames lick up the side of the trash can. I shook my head, taking the tulips out and using the flower's dirty  water to sizzle out the fire. I peered down into the trash can, seeing the note card from the black roses and several destroyed pictures, their surfaces bubbling up at me.

I turned my head slowly, my eyes nearly popping out of my head at Riley sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, wearing nothing but a large black Sons of Anarchy t-shirt and black lacy underwear. She was smoking a cigarette, her eyes glued to mine. My words became thick in my throat.

She arched an eyebrow at me, smirking slowly. She stood, walking over to the wet trash can and tossing her cigarette inside. It fizzled out loudly.

I cleared my throat, wanting to reach down and readjust my jeans. "What the fuck was that?" My voice was hoarse, seeing her bare legs looking so damn inviting. I was amped up from the small fire she had created. Pyromania was a hell of a thing.