Page 25 of Quadruplets for the Vipers (Never Just One #3)

Leah

T he guard leads me into the depths of the building until we reach an emergency exit.

“I’m not leaving without Rider.”

“He’s in there,” he says, pushing the door open.

Instead of opening out into the street, the door opens into a small room. It’s pitch black, and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust as the light from the corridor streams in. I notice Rider, huddled over in the corner.

“What did you do to him?” I demand, rushing over to his side to check for injuries.

“Nothing,” he snorts in disgust. “Maybe your pussy biker boy is scared of the dark.”

He’s right, there are no obvious signs of injury on Rider, but he seems terrified, flinching, and cowering away from me.

“Rider, it’s me, Leah. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

“Leah,” he says, really seeing me for the first time.

He allows me to lead him outside, and I instruct him to get into the passenger seat.

He’s in no fit state to drive. I drive home steadily, stealing glances at him the entire way.

He returns to his almost catatonic state, and I feel sick with worry.

What did they do to him? Did they drug him? Or injure him in some way I can’t see?

“Axel,” I shout as we enter the house. “Knox? Jace?”

The house is silent, they’re not here.

Shit. I need to figure out what’s wrong with Rider alone.

“Perhaps I should take you to the hospital?” I ask.

“No. No hospital.”

I’m so grateful that he’s speaking, I don’t argue with him.

“Rider, please tell me what’s wrong. Did they hurt you? What happened?”

He takes long breaths, slowly calming himself down. “Come with me.” He manages to say the words with an effort as he fights off whatever internal struggle he’s battling.

I follow him upstairs to his room, where he turns on some music. In his familiar environment, with the music soothing him, he begins to calm down, and his breathing becomes less rapid. It occurs to me that he might have been having a panic attack.

“Talk to me, Rider, what happened? What did they do to you?”

“Absolutely nothing,” he says, his voice filled with disgust at himself. “They tricked me and locked me in that room in the dark.”

“So why… why did…”

“Why did I react like a baby? Because I freak out when I’m trapped anywhere. The last time I was held captive, this happened…”

He pulls his jacket off and unbuttons his shirt.

He winces with disgust at himself, unable to meet my eyes as he removes it to reveal his bare chest. Every inch of his skin is covered in pale scars that shimmer in the light.

I gasp at the sight, there are so many scars, each varying in size and depth, but it’s clear that whoever did this to him tortured him for a long time.

He mistakes my gasp for disgust and moves to cover himself. I place my hand on his, stopping him. He flinches but doesn’t pull away.

“No. You don’t need to hide them from me.”

He looks almost mythical, like an immortal being who’s survived countless wars. I can only imagine the pain he’s suffered, the mental fortitude he must have to go on. He watches me curiously as I trace the lines on his body, each scar telling a story.

“Do they hurt?”

“Not anymore. The mental damage is the only thing that affects me now. PTSD, according to my shrink. I was held captive by enemy forces,” he says by way of explanation. “If my squad hadn’t rescued me when they did, I wouldn’t have made it. I owe them my life.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say softly.

He shrugs. “I just hate that it makes me weak. They did nothing to me tonight, and I went to pieces and curled up in the corner like a fucking coward.”

“Did they say why they locked you in there?” I ask, curious as to what Tony’s plan was.

Perhaps they were just holding him out of the way while Tony spoke to me. I should be grateful that Rider is unhurt, but it’s not Tony’s style. I fully expected his men to beat Rider up to send a message.

“No, they’d told me I needed to move the car and led me to the door. I stepped through, and they shut it on me before I could react. By the time I realized I was trapped and the door wouldn’t open from the inside, it was too late. What did they say to you?”

Now’s my chance to tell him everything, to come clean about Tony, so we can come up with a plan.

The words get stuck in my throat.

If I tell him, I’m admitting that I’ve brought trouble to their door. I’d have to tell them that the Steel Vipers have a new, more powerful enemy than the Hellhounds because of me. I don’t want to do what Tony asked, but maybe it’s the only way to keep them all safe.

“They just said some bullshit about how you weren’t the kind of clientele they wanted in the club and that they’d left you someplace that you couldn’t cause trouble until I was ready to leave.”

The lie rolls easily off my tongue, and I hate myself for it, especially as Rider accepts it without a doubt. I’ve added to his belief that he’s a monster who isn’t welcome. I feel like shit, and I just want him to know that I don’t see him like that at all. So, I show him the only way I know how.

I kiss him.

Rider freezes for a second and I worry I’ve made a huge mistake, that I’ve ruined the tentative trust we’ve built.

But then he kisses me back like a suffocating man being given oxygen.

He kisses me like his life depends on it.

It consumes me with a passion that feels almost ferocious.

I place my hand on his chest and his hand whips out, grabbing my arms and pinning them behind my back, his grip firm.

A small moan of surprise and arousal falls from my lips and he pulls them tighter, holding them firm with just one hand.

He uses his last shred of control to pull back. He looks at me, his eyes ablaze.

“Leah, I can’t… I don’t want to hurt you,” he chokes out, his voice filled with shame and an animalistic side of him he’s barely holding back.

“You won’t. Please, I want this, tell me what you need.”

“I need to tie you up. I can’t… I can’t be an equal with you, I need to be in complete control.”

“I trust you.”

Still, he can’t look at me, he’s breathing heavily, trying to control himself, to talk himself out of this.

“Rider, look at me.” He finally looks into my eyes, and I try to convey just how serious I am. “I want this. You won’t hurt me.”

Finally, he gives in. He kisses me with a passion that takes my breath away. My arms are still pinned behind my back but he’s applying just the right amount of force to hold me firm without hurting.

“I’m going to need both hands,” he mutters. “Stand up. Take off your clothes. Don’t move,” he demands.

I do as I’m told, enjoying this authoritative side of him.

“Have you heard of shibari?” he asks me.

“I think so? It’s bondage, right?” I reply, a thrill of excitement rushing through me.

“A type of bondage, yes. It’s where one partner is tied up using rope and special knots.”

“And that’s what you’re into?”

“Among other things. It’s the safest one I’m willing to try with you… if you want to. You can say no… I won’t mind.”

“I want to try.”

He nods and moves to get the rope. He gently and firmly commands me, moving me and positioning me until I’m tied up, completely unable to move.

I watch his face as he works, deep in concentration, like a sculptor creating a work of art.

His touch is gentle, which combined with the sensation of the rope against my skin and the fact he isn’t touching me sexually yet while I’m completely naked, serves to turn me on more than I would have anticipated.

The rope hooks between and around my breasts forming a type of harness, and my nipples are hard and aching to be touched. The harness then holds my arms tight in place behind my back, I can’t move or touch him. I’m completely at his mercy.

“We’ll start like this with your legs free for now,” he says as he attaches my harness to a rope that hooks up to the ceiling.

While I like the idea of trying more, I appreciate him easing me in.

“Do you mind if I blindfold you?”

I want to watch Rider. For him to know how much I want him, and that not only do I not mind his scars, but I think they’re attractive. But I know that he needs this.

“No, I don’t mind.”

He carefully secures the silk blindfold around my head, blocking my vision and making me rely on my other senses.

My skin tingles with anticipation as I listen to him moving around me.

I’m completely at his mercy, an idea that both thrills and scares me.

Not because I am scared that he’ll hurt me, but because I’ve never given myself over so completely before.

His fingers gently trace their way along my chin, exploring down my neck, over my breasts, skimming just past my nipples without touching them, which somehow feels more arousing, the lack of contact.

He continues to explore my body in the same way, caressing me everywhere yet nowhere at the same time.

When his mouth finally finds my nipple, nipping and sucking it hard, I let out a moan of bliss.

His warm, strong hand cups me between my thighs possessively, as if to say, ‘You’re mine.

’ As he strokes my slit the heat builds and I lean heavily against my restraints, wanting to touch him too.

He slides a finger inside me, and I push back on him, burning for more.

“You have no idea how perfect you look like this, Leah,” he growls, his voice low.

I moan and grind myself on his hand, every sense is on overdrive and I’m desperate for more, but he keeps me wanting, taking his time.

He’s in control. My pussy is slick with desire as moves his fingers in and out of me slowly, his thumb circling my clit.

Abruptly, he stops, moving away from me completely.

I can hear him standing close, watching me.

The cool air of the room caresses the damp voids that were burning under his touch seconds ago. It only makes me want him more.

“Don’t stop,” I beg. But he’s the one in control now and he’s going to take his time.