Mouser
Reapers MC Book 9
Elizabeth Knox
Contents
Available Now
Coming Soon
Acknowledgments
Billings, Montana Charter
Las Vegas, Nevada Charter
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
Sneak Peek
Mouser
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Mouser. Copyright © 2020 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E. Knox.
https://www.facebook.com/elizabethknoxbooks
Cover design: Clarise Tan, CT Cover Creations
Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing
Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing
Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Photographer: Reggie Deanching, RplusM Photo
Models: Nick & Madena
Available Now
By: Elizabeth Knox
Series: Skulls Renegade
Reign
Redemption
Revenge
Relentless
Reckoning
Reclaimed
Regret
Reckless
Reclusive
Retribution
First Generation: A Skulls Renegade MC Boxset
Series: Steele Bros.
Tough as Steele
Stripping a Steele
Protecting a Steele
Steele her Heart
Series: Reapers MC
Scarred
Blackjack
Here Kitty, Kitty
Booger
Widow
Kade
Hawk
Bull
Cobra
Mouser
Series: Iron Vex MC
Enraged
Series: The Clans with Iris Sweetwater
Promised
The Trade
Cherished
Deceit
Love is War
Defiant
Shattered
Ruthless
Covert
Heretic
Sin City Fets with Linny Lawless & Aubree Valentine
Switched
Full Throttle with Erin Trejo
Against All Odds
Coming Soon
By: Elizabeth Knox
Twisted Steel: An MC Romance Anthology
Dixon
(Reapers MC #10)
Venomous
(The Clans #11)
Playlist
Wrong Direction — Hailee Steinfeld
Vulnerable — Selena Gomez
Give You What You Like — Avril Lavigne
Devil’s Don’t Fly — Natalia Kills
I Love Me — Demi Lovato
Acknowledgments
My Betas, Courtnay, E.C., Jai, Chas, Tania, Janet, Taneesha, Kim, Isabelle, Heidi, Cynthia, Jojo, Vikki, & Lisa— You ladies help me more than you can possibly imagine. Whether it’s brainstorming plots, helping me narrow down title options, or simply giving me opinions on which color I should go with on an upcoming cover design. I cherish each one of you that are on my team and I’m forever grateful that you continue to help me day in and day out.
My Cover Designer, Clarise— Thank you for always somehow understanding whatever it is I’m aiming to do, even if I suck at explaining it. You’re one of the best designers in this industry and an even better friend. Love you so much!
My Blogger Team— We’ve been in this for the long haul now. Thank you so much for dedicating the last three years to me and continuing to support and share my work, no matter what’s coming your way. I appreciate you all so much and can’t thank you enough!
My Editor, Kim and Proofreader, Jackie— Hands down I think the three of us make the best team. I know I always say this, but thank you both from the bottom of my heart for keeping up with my insane writing schedule. I know it can’t be easy editing and proofreading every night, and I hope you know how much I appreciate that you don’t mind accommodating my crazy writing habits. You two are an amazing team and even better friends.
Rae, E.C., and Raven— You ladies are the ride to my die. I’ve known one of you for over three years, one for a little over a year and a half and the other for just a few months and it’s crazy how our friendships have grown, but not only that, our business relationships too. In all honesty, I’ve found a sisterhood with you three that nothing can ever replace.
Rae— I can’t fucking wait for everything that’s happening. You have so much fearless determination when it comes to this industry and I’m just sitting back here watching as your success grows. Keep it up! On a side note: the stuff we’re brewing is making me more and more excited each day. I can’t freaking wait for our collaborations to release.
E.C.— You have come such a long way in a year and a half. Whether its writing, formatting, etc. I hope you’re proud of yourself, because you should be. Don’t let anyone ever make you think any differently.
Raven— It’s crazy that we’ve known one another for three years. It blows my mind to this day, how time can just pass us by in the blink of an eye. Over those three years you and I have grown so much, whether it’s personally or professionally. I know it’s not always easy to keep pushing through in this community, but I know we both have it; even when we’re having our hardest days. Thank you for always being my sounding board.
To the fighters,
Fight for what you want— always.
Even if it tears you apart, never give up on that happiness.
Grab it from the sky and clench it so tight with your fists. But most importantly, never let it go.
Trigger Warning
This book is intended for mature audiences only. If darker books are not for you, please do not move forward. After re-adjusting my trigger warning system, I will not be giving any spoilers. Please understand that this is not your run of the mill romance and tough subjects will be spoken about in this storyline.
Billings, Montana Charter
Fist — (Deceased)
Cracker – VP (Deceased)
Zane – Prez
Blackjack – VP (interim) – Ol’ Lady – Ashley
Children: Dex (Blackjack’s previous relationship) & Noelle
Bull – Enforcer — Ol’ Lady – Alexa
Grim – Sgt. at Arms
Tex – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Kat
Dracus – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Nova
Bolt – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Roxy
Children: Jordyn
Zorro
– Full Patch
Axel – Full Patch
Hammer – Prospect
Las Vegas, Nevada Charter
Damon — Prez — Ol’ lady — Kat
Amara – VP
Booger – Enforcer – Ol’ Lady — Camila
Dixon – Sgt. at Arms
Chaz – Full Patch
Widow – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Tania (A Jackal)
Children: Zoe (Widow’s previous relationship)
Cobra – Full Patch — Ol’ Lady — Izzy
Hawk – Full Patch — Ol’ Lady — Raven
Kade – Full Patch – Ol’ Lady – Ivy
Children: Orion & Fate
Mouser – Prospect
Prologue
Develop a strong mind and you will lead a strong life.
~ FearlessMotivation.com
5 Months Ago . . .
Sakura
Two screaming voices echo through the wide halls and I take in a deep breath, closing my eyes, wishing I was anywhere but here. This has been the cycle of my family for the last few months— yelling, every single night.
Both my father and my mother’s men act like they don’t hear it, but they do. They hear two people angered by the fact their eldest daughter is dead, blaming one another for her walking away from our family. Yet as they do so, they simply shove their own insecurities on the other person.
I pick up the oversized skirt of my white lace dress and sit up a bit straighter on the couch outside of my father’s office. You see, my father is Hiromitsu Kobayashi, the Emperor of Japan. Meanwhile, my mother is Sora, who plays the dutiful wife by day, constantly tricking the Japanese media’s eye. At night she doesn’t play the same part. Instead, she turns into the cruelest most vile of all women— the leader of the Yakuza, or in other words, the woman in charge of the Japanese Mafia.
Since I’m their prodigal daughter I’m required to have dinner with them every evening during the week unless I’m out of the country on business. Luckily, the weekends are for myself. We have a tradition to eat with one another and enjoy sake afterward. Although, tonight I won’t be drinking. Every evening I’m here, they both go into the office ahead of me and it’s always the same. They can’t even last five minutes alone in a room together without going at each other’s throats, ready to slice a jugular.
Months ago we discovered my sister, Asami, was murdered by a motorcycle gang out in America. When it came to my sister, things were complicated at best. She was eleven years older than I and honestly, she was the strongest one out of the two of us. Asami was a vigorous, determined woman. At first when she left I was scared, but I knew in my heart she’d be fine. Asami always found a way to get out of whatever threat was in front of her.
My mother and father usually undermine the other. However, this time things were different. They didn’t go behind the other’s back and hurt the people who she was staying with. The only reason they didn’t go after the Reapers MC is because I convinced my family they weren’t the ones who hurt her. They didn’t burn their entire clubhouse to the ground on purpose, that Asami was killed in the heat of war, and how we couldn’t go there and rip Sydney from the only family she’s ever known.
Sydney is Asami’s daughter, one who is dearly loved by the men and women of this club from what I can see. I’ve had my ex-boyfriend, Lucian, sending me satellite images of them as well as having one of his men located close by. Lucian is a hacker with undeniable talent. Someone who I wished things could’ve worked out with, but they never will. We’re two different people. Two different people who never have a problem falling back under the same sheets beside the other.
Things have been heated enough already. My godfather, Eduardo Diaz, got into a huge argument with my father. I don’t know what it was about, but my godfather did send me a text message apologizing for leaving so abruptly.
Unlike my father, my godfather isn’t a politician. He’s the type of man who uses his hands to get the job done. However, he’s just as deadly as my father. He’s the cousin of the current Mexican Cartel leader, Francisco Lopez. Before the Cartel was being run by a man named Rafael Ramirez, and he made a massive mess of things from what my godfather tells me.
I shift my eyes back to the dark bamboo doors, seeing the shadows of my parents throwing their hands up in the air.
I decide enough is enough after sitting here for over twenty minutes and approach the door. Sliding it open, I glare right at my parents, who always seem to act like children. “Unlike you, I have somewhere to be tonight.”
My father raises his brows while my mother shoots a glare right back at me. “What is so important that you would leave your family. Hmm?” She questions, walking up to me. “You have a fancy date or something?”
I roll my eyes, not even bothering to respond to her ridiculous question, “I’m going down to the women’s shelter this evening to give exams to anyone who needs it.”
“Why do you even bother going to that place?” My father asks, turning his nose up in disgust.
“The place you prefer to have media shots at? You know, with the battered women and children.” My father is sickening. Any time he’s ever seen in a low-income area or at a shelter is because he’s trying to make himself look better in the public eye. Meanwhile, I’m the one who attended college until I was able to be a fully certified nurse practitioner. Much to my parents’ dismay. You see, they prefer I’d simply be a public figure and completely reliant on them.
They might think I’m incoherent, although I know what they’re doing. They don’t want me to achieve anything in life because it will make me fully reliant on them.
Father sneers, while shaking his head in a disapproving way. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Yes, you’re right. I don’t understand why you don’t genuinely want to help them— your people. Do you even care that domestic violence has been the highest it’s ever been? Women and children leave their homes to go to shelters where they have to share a bed or sleep on the floor. How does that not matter to you?”
“What happens in someone’s home is none of our business,” He’s quick to respond.
“But what happens in ours, is. You must stop practicing medicine, Sakura. It’s only going to your head and we need you to be a Kobayashi, not a pretend doctor.” Mother is quick to interject. I assume she’s joking at first, but then I remember, she doesn’t know how to tell a fucking joke.
“Are you truly telling me to give up something that helps the people who need it most?” I bellow, angered beyond belief.
“I am. It’s something you never needed to do. We need you to be Sakura Kobayashi, daughter of the Emperor. Your job is to be a political cannon, nothing more. So, go off and treat these lower-class individuals tonight because it will be the last time you act as a vigilante, trying to make the world a better place. You are our daughter whether you choose to accept it or not. Us Kobayashis, we don’t make the world better Sakura. Surely you understand that.”
The cruel reality of what they’re both asking me to do cuts through me like a rusted out saw. They want me to give up the one thing that brings me joy, the thing that helps the ones who need it most . . . all to be their pawn.
I know my sister had her own reasons for leaving our family, but until today I didn’t understand them. I will go to the shelter tonight and help whoever I can, however, I’ll be calling my godfather on the way and getting the soonest available flight out to Mexico.
I can’t be here anymore, and I know the moment they realize what I’m doing they’ll come after me harder than they’ve ever hunted anyone down.
Chapter One
Family is supposed to be where we find our safe haven. Very often, it’s the place where we find the deepest heartache.
~ Unknown
Present Day
Sakura
I’m sitting in my house at the kitchen island, staring down at the steaming cup of coffee in my hands. It’s the first week of June and my air conditioning isn’t p
umping out cool air fast enough. Slowly, I’m sweating until I become a puddle on the floor— or so I think. We’ve hit a record of 117 degrees. One that hasn’t been hit since 2017. Fuck, I’ve never hated being in Las Vegas more than I do right now.
Everything has been pretty quiet here today, especially since Cobra and Izzy left early this morning to see his mom. It’s the first time Izzy will be meeting her, so fingers crossed it goes well. Knowing Izzy though, everything will go smoothly. You can’t hate a bone in that woman’s body.
My doorbell rings so I release the grip I have on my cup and walk out to the front, surprisingly seeing my godfather. “Uncle Eduardo?” I say in complete shock.
He smiles sweetly, placing a hand on my shoulder as he comes inside and shuts my front door behind him. “Hello darling, I hope you’ve been well.”
“W-what are you doing here?”