Eli's Triumph: A Reapers MC Novella Read online

  Eli’s Triumph

  A Reapers MC Novella

  By Joanna Wylde

  1001 Dark Nights

  Eli’s Triumph

  A Reapers MC Novella

  By Joanna Wylde

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2019 Joanna Wylde

  ISBN: 978-1-970077-21-6

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Eli’s Triumph

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanna Wylde comes a new story in her Reapers MC series…

  Peaches Taylor spent the last seven years slinging drinks and dodging drunks at the Starkwood Saloon. Some might call it a dead end job, but to her it was an investment—another six months, and she’d have enough money to buy the place.

  Life would've been perfect if Eli hadn’t come home.

  Eli King is ready to settle down. He stood by his brothers when they needed him, paying the price for their freedom with his own. Now it’s time to claim his reward—the Starkwood Saloon. He’s got the cash to buy the bar, the skills to run it, and just one person standing between him and his dream: Peaches Taylor.

  She’s been driving him crazy since they were kids, and not in the good way. When she was six, she shoved a spider down his pants. When he was ten, he locked her in a closet overnight. Then she hot-wired his car at seventeen, and things got ugly…

  They’re adults now, and the Starkwood isn’t a toy to fight over—it’s the hill they’ll die on. No prisoners. No compromises. No mercy.

  Peaches Taylor and Eli King are going to war.

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

  About Joanna Wylde

  Joanna Wylde started her writing career in journalism, working in two daily newspapers as both a reporter and editor. Her career has included many different jobs, from managing a homeless shelter to running her own freelance writing business, where she took on projects ranging from fundraising to ghostwriting for academics. During 2012 she got her first Kindle reader as a gift and discovered the indie writing revolution taking place online. Not long afterward she started cutting back her client list to work on Reaper's Property, her breakout book. It was published in January 2013, marking the beginning of a new career writing fiction.

  Joanna lives in the mountains of northern Idaho with her family.

  Also from Joanna Wylde

  Click to purchase

  Reaper's Property

  Reaper's Legacy

  Devil's Game

  Silver Bastard

  Reaper's Fall

  Reaper's Fire

  Reapers and Bastards

  Shade’s Lady

  Rome’s Chance

  Dedication

  For Liz Berry, Rebecca Zanetti, Margarita Coale, and Tina Gephart.

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  I'd like to thank Liz Berry and M.J. Rose for including me in 1001 Dark Nights, and for the grace and kindness they offered me during one of the most difficult years of my life. I'd also like to thank Kasi Alexander, Chelle Olson, Dylan Stockton and Kim Guidroz for the time and effort they put into producing this book. To say they went above and beyond is an understatement. It is appreciated.

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Click here to explore

  COLLECTION ONE

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  COLLECTION TWO

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION THREE

  HIDDEN INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham

  SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst

  DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice

  ROUGH RHYTHM by Tessa Bailey

  DEVOTED by Lexi Blake

  Z by Larissa Ione

  FALLING UNDER YOU by Laurelin Paige

  EASY FOR KEEPS by Kristen Proby

  UNCHAINED by Elisabeth Naughton

  HARD TO SERVE by Laura Kaye

  DRAGON FEVER by Donna Grant

  KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  STRUNG UP by Lorelei James

  MIDNIGHT UNTAMED by Lara Adrian

  TRICKED by Rebecca Zanetti

  DIRTY WICKED by Shayla Black

  THE ONLY ONE by Lauren Blakely

  SWEET SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FOUR

  ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

  ADORING INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  SWEET RIVALRY by K. Bromberg

  SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

  RAZR by Larissa Ione

  ARRANGED by Lexi Blake

  TANGLED by Rebecca Zanetti

  HOLD ME by J. Kenner

  SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

  TOO CLOSE TO CALL by Tessa Bailey

  HUNTED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EYES ON YOU by Laura Kaye

  BLADE by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON BURN by Donna Grant

  TRIPPED OUT by Lorelei James

  STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

  MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

  HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  NIGHT GAMES by CD Reiss

  NO RESERVATIONS by Kristen Proby

  DAWN OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FIVE

  BLAZE ERUPTING by Rebecca Zanetti

  ROUGH RIDE by Kristen Ashley

  HAWKYN by Larissa Ione

  RIDE DIRTY by Laura Kaye

  ROME’S CHANCE by Joanna Wylde

  T
HE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT by Jennifer Probst

  SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton

  INKED NIGHTS by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENVY by Rachel Van Dyken

  PROTECTED by Lexi Blake

  THE PRINCE by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  PLEASE ME by J. Kenner

  WOUND TIGHT by Lorelei James

  STRONG by Kylie Scott

  DRAGON NIGHT by Donna Grant

  TEMPTING BROOKE by Kristen Proby

  HAUNTED BE THE HOLIDAYS by Heather Graham

  CONTROL by K. Bromberg

  HUNKY HEARTBREAKER by Kendall Ryan

  THE DARKEST CAPTIVE by Gena Showalter

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

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  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Joanna Wylde

  Also from Joanna Wylde

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Six

  Discover More Joanna Wylde

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Prologue

  Hallies Falls

  Washington State

  24 years ago

  ~Peaches~

  “Do you really think he can get away with it?” I asked, glancing toward Lemur. “I mean, I know he’s evil enough…but I don’t think Gus would let him, would he?”

  The grubby little stuffed animal stared back at me, glass eyes cracked from hitting the floor too many times. His pink teacup sat on its saucer, untouched. He didn’t say anything out loud, but I saw the answer in his face.

  He didn’t trust Eli King.

  Neither did Eden, the doll sitting next to Lemur. She hadn’t touched her tea, either, and who could blame her? Everything had been wrong since Eli moved in with us. Even our imaginary tea tasted wrong. Now it was nothing but water, and my special cakes were only chunks of bread.

  My eyes slid toward the fourth place setting, set carefully on the old bandanna. The blue cup. That’s where Gus was supposed to sit. It should be me, Lemur, Eden, and Gus.

  Always.

  But Gus was too busy to play with us today. He was working on his motorcycle, and he’d asked stupid Eli to help him. Sliding on my butt across the porch’s battered boards, I peered through the railing to study the two of them.

  They crouched in the driveway next to the bike—my giant, grumpy, snuggly Gus and a stinky boy who liked to think he was so much older than me, but he wasn’t. Eli was only seven, and they were making him do first grade over again. Maybe he’d flunk this year, too. Then we’d be in the same class.

  Gus poked at the engine with one of his tools. I couldn’t see what kind because Eli was between me and him, which was pretty much where he always was.

  Between me and Gus.

  And if Lemur was right, Eli was doing it on purpose. Eden agreed… Sometimes, Lemur was wrong, but Eden? Eden was almost always right, and the two of them together had never been wrong before. There was only enough space for one kid in this house, and Eli was ruthless.

  He’d already taken over half my bedroom.

  My eyes narrowed as I considered his messy brown hair, hanging too long across the back of his neck. Maybe I could Superglue it to the bed while he was sleeping.

  “Eli, go grab me a beer,” Gus said, his deep voice rumbling across the yard. His bike rumbled like that, too. It needed a tune-up because the motorcycle club was doing something very important later this week.

  Fixing the bike was worth canceling the tea party. I was okay with that. But when Gus needed a helper, he should’ve called me. I was the one who should be running toward the kitchen door to fetch a bottle.

  “I’ve got to get rid of him,” I whispered softly, trying to think of something. There had to be a way to make Eli go away. “I wonder if he’s scared of spiders?”

  My toys didn’t answer. Turning around, I looked at them, biting my lip. I could tell that Lemur had an idea, but Eden seemed to be shaking her head at me. Her eyes had opened wider than usual, and I realized she was afraid.

  She thought Eli might hurt her and Lemur.

  My tummy flipped, and I felt sick.

  I could see why Eden was afraid. Eli had already broken one of my teacups, and nobody but me knew that Eden and Lemur weren’t just toys. They were alive. Not only living, but the best friends a girl could ever have.

  Suddenly, this wasn’t just about my room.

  This was about protecting my best friends.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll hide you,” I told them, swallowing hard. “Before I do anything else, I’ll hide you. And then I’ll go find some spiders and put them in his bed. Or maybe
a snake. I’ll keep us safe from him. No matter what it takes, I’ll get rid of Eli King. I promise.”

  Chapter One

  Starkwood Saloon

  Washington State

  Present day

  ~Peaches~

  “What do you think those bikers are talking about?” Megan asked, leaning next to me against the railing.

  “Which ones?” I said, locking eyes with a man sitting across the room.

  Eli King.

  The only guy on Earth with the power to drive me absolutely crazy just by existing. Not the good kind of crazy, either. More of a plotting-vengeance-at-four-in-the-morning-because-you-can’t-unhear-him-fucking-his-girlfriend-through-a-wall kind of crazy.

  My nemesis sat enjoying a beer with three of the five Reapers who’d sauntered into the bar thirty minutes earlier. They’d taken over one of the far tables, settling in for the duration while the other two disappeared into the back with Gus.

  Eli had abandoned his post to join them—apparently, club membership came before his job, which shouldn’t have surprised me. His uncle always put the club first, too. That annoyed me, but what’d annoyed me more was the way Eli had asked for a beer when I took their order. Like I was his serving wench, and he wasn’t the damned bartender who was supposed to be pouring those beers instead of drinking them.

  Now, he leaned back in his chair, all relaxed and smug. Watching me. Probably pretending he was a king for real. Maybe I should start a rumor that he needs to wear a plastic crown to get it up…

  Eli cocked a brow as I narrowed my eyes. Then he raised his bottle in salute as if to say, “Hey, Peaches, having fun working while I sit on my ass drinking?”