Page 9 of Quadruplets for the Vipers (Never Just One #3)

Leah

A s with our previous visits to the fertility clinic, Axel is waiting outside in the hallway for us.

He takes one look at Zeus and Donna’s faces, and his permanent scowl breaks into a smile that lights him from within.

Perhaps he broods so much because when he smiles, people can see he’s more god than man.

“It’s good news?” he asks them.

“The best, Levi’s gonna finally have his baby,” Zeus says, clapping Axel on the back.

“I’m so happy for you both,” Axel replies warmly, squeezing Zeus’ arm and hugging Donna.

“Thanks, son,” Zeus replies.

I feel awkward watching the exchange as if I shouldn’t be there.

“Guess you’ll be stuck with us for a while then, Leah,” Axel says, finally acknowledging my presence. He doesn’t sound too happy about the fact.

I try not to feel too hurt by his indifference.

We shared one kiss that clearly meant more to me than it does to him, and now I’m carrying a baby, so why on earth would he want to get involved with me romantically?

I need to get over this schoolgirl crush and start focusing on the job I’ve committed to.

I’m about to come up with some sort of witty retort when he earnestly adds, “Thank you. It means a lot to all of us that you’re doing this for Donna and Zeus.”

I nod in reply, unsure how to respond. I find myself looking into the green pools of his eyes, searching for something; I don’t know what. Unsurprisingly, he’s the first to look away.

He clears his throat. “Shall we?” he says to the room, gesturing to the exit.

As we leave the clinic, we notice that Rider and two other guys I recognize from the club have arrived on their bikes.

The car that drove me here is nowhere to be seen.

I’d argued that I could drive my truck, but Zeus was having none of it.

“If you’re carrying my grandbaby, there’s no way I’m letting you drive that rust bucket, I’d sooner have you on the back of Axel’s bike.

Either we drive you in one of our cars, or he takes you,” he’d insisted.

I’d chosen the car. I’m not sure I could handle being pressed against Axel’s muscular back with my arms wrapped around his waist without having all kinds of thoughts I shouldn’t.

“What’s going on? Why are you boys here?” Zeus asks now.

“Sorry, Prez, Buzz told us where to find you. We got wind that there’s going to be an attack at one of our places today from the Hellhounds. We came to get you so we can go handle it before they can strike. Jace is gathering our men now,” Rider explains.

“Alright, Donna rides with me, Leah with Axel. Let’s get the women home safely as fast as we can, and we can move out,” Zeus responds.

Everyone springs into action. I want to protest that I don’t want to go on Axel’s bike, that I’ve never been on one and that shouldn’t I be in a car now we know I’m pregnant, but there’s a clear urgency that tells me they’ve been anticipating this, and my words would fall on deaf ears.

Axel tosses me a helmet, and I reluctantly climb onto the back of his bike. I try to keep as much distance between our bodies as I can, not touching him.

With a sigh, he asks, “Leah, have you ever been on the back of one of these before?”

“No,” I admit.

“Well then, hold on tight,” he grunts, grabbing my hands and forcing me to wrap them around his waist.

The protest dies on my lips as he kicks the bike into gear, and all of a sudden, we’re flying.

All I feel is sheer exhilaration as we race along.

The wind whips at us, making me snuggle closer to Axel—something I enjoy far more than I care to admit.

I can see now why they all love riding so much.

Unadulterated joy washes over me as I enjoy the experience.

With Axel’s confident, expert riding, there’s no room for me to feel afraid.

That changes the moment the other bikes pull up alongside us.

“Shit,” Axel mutters over the noise of the engines.

They’re a rival club. The insignia on their jacket says ‘Hellhounds’. From Axel’s tense body and their aggressive riding, I know this isn’t a coincidence.

In the distance, I can see more bikes approaching us. We’re outnumbered. There’s no one else around, and the Hellhounds are hot on our heels. With the rest coming in the other direction, we can’t outrun them. We’re trapped.

“It’s an ambush!” Axel shouts in warning.

“Leave us. Get Leah to safety!” Zeus yells in command.

Axel hesitates only for a moment before peeling off the road, taking a sharp turn off the highway down a small side road.

He’s going so fast that I worry we might crash or that my knees will scrape the floor.

The trees grow denser, the road more deserted.

I turn around to check that he others are following and see only Rider’s bike behind us.

“Shit,” Alex curses as he notices the same thing in his mirrors.

It takes me a few moments to realize that we’re not being followed by the Hellhounds either. The relief I feel is quickly outweighed by the grim knowledge that if they aren’t following us, there’s more of them for Zeus and the others to deal with.

That’s when the gunfire starts. I can hear it in the distance, and I’m not foolish enough to hope it is just some hunters. The Hellhounds have launched their attack.

“Oh my god, Axel, we have to go back! We have to help them!” I shout.

But Axel doesn’t stop, he speeds up. Away from the danger. Away from our friends. He’s following orders.

“Axel! What are you doing? We have to go back!”

“No,” Axel replies, his voice brokering no argument.

After a while, we start seeing other cars as we head into more populated areas. People are going about their business as if nothing has happened, which to them, of course, it hasn’t. Axel slows his speed, and Rider pulls up alongside us.

“Let’s go to Sal’s,” Axel calls to him.

Rider gives him the thumbs up in response.

Sal turns out to be a mechanic. A red-cheeked man with a strong Jersey accent. He greets us warmly and happily agrees for us to use his office, handing over lukewarm coffee in chipped novelty mugs before leaving to resume his work.

“What are we—” I start to ask, but I’m cut off by Axel.

“Rider, call Knox,” he orders as he pulls out his phone and makes a call to Jace.

The pair relay what happened during their brief calls. From what I can tell, the plan is for them to go with some of our men to help the others while making sure the club is left secure in case of an attack there.

“What do we do now?” I ask.

“We wait,” Rider replies.

“Shouldn’t we do something to help?” I say, feeling helpless and not knowing exactly what it is we should do.

Axel shoots me a glare, one that says he would be doing something to help if it weren’t for me. That he doesn’t like being here, not knowing if his friends are okay, any more than I do.

“No. Zeus ordered us to protect you. Right now, that means we sit here and wait for the others to update us.”

“Do you think they’re okay?” I ask, my voice small.

“Zeus has survived worse,” Axel offers, a speck of hope that I cling to like a life raft.

“Maybe they managed to get away,” I add.

Axel doesn’t reply, and we fall into an uneasy silence. Unconsciously, my hand moves to my stomach as I worry about the fate of the baby inside me. Before they’ve even been born, they have already lost both parents.

Surely fate can’t be cruel enough to take away their grandparents, too?