Page 13 of Viper (The Dark Angel’s MC #4)

Lake

I swallow, trying to dislodge the bile that wants to come up and take deep breaths as I grip my sink, squeezing my eyes tight, all while trying to ignore the tightening of my stomach.

I feel light-headed, nauseous, and weak, and have done for a few weeks now, and the urge to vomit every day keeps rising.

I know I haven’t been eating right, but I’m still eating enough to stay functional, especially with work, so why on earth do I feel like I’m about to pass out from hunger?

Taking another deep breath, I stand straight but wince at the sharp shooting pain in my lower stomach, and I take a few more deep breaths before I look in the mirror.

Well, hello, horror movie looking girl…

Bags line under my eyes, I’m pale, and my cheekbones are more prominent. I’ve lost a lot of weight since finding out about Viper being a brother, since he broke my heart and made me see he didn’t really know me at all.

Anger hits me suddenly…

I mean, who loses it with their girlfriend all because she’s friends with someone from the club and didn’t mention it? It isn’t like I knew he was a brother, if anything, it should have been me pissed off because he kept half of his life from me.

I sigh. My emotions are confusing me. One minute I’m angry, the next depressed, and then just plain sad. They keep running through me, and it doesn’t matter what I do. I can’t seem to shake my funk.

My phone rings, gaining my attention, and I swallow again before turning away from the mirror, which shows the state of how I look, and walk into my living area, following the tone.

Grabbing my phone off my wooden coffee table, I check the ID but frown as I quickly answer, concern hitting me.

“Fury, is Skylar okay? Tate?” I answer without saying hello.

The man never calls me…

He chuckles, “Yeah, sweetheart, both are good. I uh, have a favor to ask of you,” he clears his throat and asks, “I was wondering if you’d pick Tate up for me from preschool, and my dad will pick her up at yours around six?”

I clear my throat and look down. I haven’t seen the Tate in a while, not with everything that has happened with Viper and the fact that she’s gone through a lot. I should decline. I’m not feeling one hundred percent, and given how low I’ve been feeling, watching Tate may not be the best idea.

“I know it’s short notice, but not only has she been asking to see her Lake, her words, not mine, but I want to uh, I want to finally propose to Sky...” He says when I don’t say anything and my mouth parts, my eyes widen.

“You’re proposing?” I confirm with a gasp as I place my hand on my stomach with anticipation.

He hums and admits, “I am, and Tate still can’t be around the brothers with their cuts on, so I thought why not get Auntie Lake to pick her up as a surprise.”

He’s proposing. Skylar is finally getting her happily ever after…

My eyes tear, and without meaning, I let out a sobbed squeal in delight, happiness like no other filling me, and I cry, “You’ve finally got your head out of your ass!”

Fury laughs and confirms, “So, you’ll get Tate then?”

“Of course I will,” I shout, “ Go make that woman yours, you idiot!”

Laughing he replies, “Yes, ma’am,” before hanging up and I pull my phone from ear before my smile slowly leaves my face.

The happiness I just felt leaving me and suddenly I wish he was still on the phone so I can keep hold of the happiness, instead a little bit of jealousy and resentment fills me and I hate it instantly.

Skylar gets her happily ever after and honestly, I can’t think of a more deserving person.

Especially after the horror she’s had to go through but as selfish as it makes me, I know I won’t get mine.

I won’t get that white wedding or picket fence with two point five kids because I can’t see myself with anyone else.

I could say it’s all me, that I’m holding back from Viper, from speaking about everything.

Apologizing for not mentioning names, not trusting him enough to tell him about Cherri instead of giving him the basic, ‘my mama didn’t want me,’ speech but it isn’t.

It’s both of us and now we’re toxic and I feel like I’m slowly drowning without the man I fell in love with, a man I know has moved on.

Shaking my head, I walk over to my kitchen table and grab my purse and keys before heading to the door.

You never know, maybe an afternoon with Tate would be uplifting.

Sighing, I pull into the preschool’s parking lot, quickly finding a space and parking before taking a big breath, trying to get myself ready to become ‘chirpy’ again.

It’s getting harder and harder to hide, though, and I don’t even know why I hurt so much. We weren’t even together for a year.

Shaking my head, I climb out of my truck and walk over to the large colorful building.

“Hi, I’m here to pick up Tate Johnson,” I say as I walk inside and over to the desk, where the brunette sitting behind it looks up at me.

“Lake Marshall?” she confirms, and I hum, “Yes.”

“Can I see your ID, please?” she asks, and I nod, getting my purse out of my bag before we hear, “Auntie Lake!” and I chuckle, looking behind the desk to see Tate jumping up and down near the large window, waving at me.

The woman behind the desk grins, and I show her my ID, knowing she’ll still want to see it even if Tate has called out for me, because you can’t be too careful.

She checks over my details and picture thoroughly before handing them back to me and says, “I’ll go grab her before she tries to break out,” and I nod, smiling as I notice Tate jumping up and down now near the door with excitement.

“Auntie Lake, Auntie Lake!” Tate calls excitedly, her brown hair swishing in a ponytail as she rushes over to me.

“Hey little darling,” I say as I catch her, lifting her in my arms before hers go around my neck, squeezing me tightly.

“I missed you,” She whispers, and guilt builds inside that I haven’t been there for her lately like I normally would be.

“I’m sorry, Tate,” I whisper before she leans back and cups my cheeks.

She demands, “Have you been saving people?”

I grin and reply, “I have,” minus the little five-year-old whose mother is suing me, but I don’t say that, and she nods and replies, “Okay, then you are forgiven,” and I chuckle while the receptionist giggles at Tate’s antics.

Shaking my head, I ask, “Would you like to go to the park?”

She squeals, “Yes!” and I laugh as the receptionist hands me her bag, and I say, “Thank you,” before I walk out with Tate still in my arms as she tells me all about her day.

“Ms. Lovely said I was the bestest at sitting,” Tate gloats as I walk towards my truck, my sole focus on her.

Bestest? Pretty sure that isn’t a word, but I don’t tell her that, her smile is so big, I don’t want to correct her.

“Is that so?” I ask instead, and she nods seriously, making me chuckle before my whole body tingles and my stomach tightens.

I know that feeling, it’s one I get whenever he’s around.

Without a second thought, I look towards my truck and pause in my steps at the vision before me, and my stomach tightens, my legs feeling weak, which isn’t good considering I’ve got Tate in my arms, who’s still talking about being the ‘bestest’.

Tight white t-shirt, his cut, jeans, and biker boots, Viper sits astride his matte black bike with white scrolls over the tank, right next to my truck. His dark blonde hair is messy from the wind, his hazel eyes hidden behind his shades, though I can feel them on us.

I swallow hard. I may not be able to see his eyes, but I can feel his anger from here, anger I don’t understand. Fury asked me to pick her up, and I did. He can’t be mad about that, and he certainly isn't taking her from me either, so his showing up here is just stupid.

“Auntie Lake,” Tate whispers, breaking my connection with the man I’m pretty sure wants to shoot me for holding her, and I look at her and ask, “Yes, little darling,” but I notice her attention isn’t on me, it’s on Viper, her body shaking with fear and I tense.

Damn…

Realization hits me. Fury didn’t just call me, he called Viper as well to pick her up, knowing Tate should be alright with him wearing his cut if I’m here. The ass also knows we won’t argue in front of Tate.

Not only is he proposing, but he’s also trying to get us to talk and help his daughter overcome her fear of brothers.

Awesome.

Softening, I continue my path to my truck again, Tate’s body shaking harder as we get closer, and I notice her eyes on the leather he’s wearing.

“Little darling,” I whisper as we get closer to Viper, who tilts his head. I say quietly, “You know your uncle Viper would never hurt you, right?” as I stop next to him.

Tate nods her head hesitantly, her eyes still on the leather, and I whisper, “Just because he’s wearing that leather, doesn’t mean he will ever hurt you or put you in harm’s way.

Your daddy, your uncle Viper, Uncle Venom, and Uncle Blade have all made sure you are safe, so every brother that is wearing that leather, they will never hurt you, especially this one. ”

Tate sniffles but nods, and I say, “Why don’t you give him a cuddle? I bet he’ll make everything feel perfect again.”

Shaking, she bravely nods again, and I carefully hand her over to him. He takes her instantly, our fingers touching accidentally, and sparks shoot up my arms, but I quickly pull back, not allowing myself to embrace it.

He slept with someone else, and honestly, I don’t think there’s any coming back from that.

“Hey sweetie,” he murmurs, and Tate throws her arms around his neck, and I swallow hard, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest as I look down, my eyes going to the brace on the front of his bike for her.

Guess he wasn’t aware I was here either.

“It seems we’ve been set up,” Viper says with a hint of boredom, but I don’t look at him, refusing. He continues, “I’ll meet you at the park, let you spend some time with her before I take her back to the club.”

Jackass.

He’s taking away my evening with her, and honestly, that just makes him a dick.

Ignoring him, I lean forward and take her from him, ensuring I don’t touch him and she comes willingly, wrapping her arms around my neck and I turn, before opening the passenger side of my truck, then placing her in the pink princess car seat I bought especially for her, then click her in.

“Ready for the park?” I ask and she nods excitedly, making me smile as I shut the door.

Without looking at Viper, I walk around the hood, but I tense when he says, “I’ve got shit to do, so you’ve got an hour,” and my bottom lip wobbles at his coldness.

Things to do, as in a person?

Why can’t he go ‘do’ whatever he has to and leave her with me.

Swallowing back the tears, I nod once, then climb into the driver's side of my truck before starting her up, then gently pulling away.

The roar of a bike echoes, and I look in the rearview mirror to see Viper riding behind us, and I quickly look back at the road, trying my hardest not to cry.

He’s so cold and closed off.

What happened to the man who told me I was his forever?

Guess he’d rather have the ring girl.