Page 18 of Viper (The Dark Angel’s MC #4)

Viper

Anger, that is what I feel right now as I look at her from across the way, anger mixed in with pain and sorrow as she and Randy talk. Her head on his shoulder is mixing jealousy into my emotions, which is just fucking pathetic considering he’s her dad.

Two months, and she was all I could think about.

Every picture I have, every message between us, I’ve obsessed over them, trying to see if it was all a lie, and for two months, I couldn’t find anything, and I realized what I already knew but didn’t want to see, allowing my fucked up childhood to cloud my judgment.

She’s not a patch chaser, she’s a woman who didn’t want to speak about a woman who birthed her and didn’t want her.

I can’t really blame her considering said birth mother has done nothing but try to get me to fuck her since I got back into town this morning, even now her fucking eyes are on me from across the yard.

But Lake still fucked Joey , the voice in my head reminds me, and anger pulses through like it always does when I remember.

This is supposed to be a happy occasion, yet I feel anything but.

Being away for two months was supposed to help me get my head in check, to realize what I want, and to center myself, but it didn’t. If anything, the longer I was away from Lake, the more dangerous I became.

I watch as Lake says something to her dad, who replies, but I focus on her and not on what he’s saying, though I know it's most likely about the garage.

“If that fucker thinks he is leaving the garage next week, he has another thing coming,” Blade says as he slides up next to me, and I snort.

“I take it Gary spoke to you?” I confirm, and he hums and admits, “He called me this morning to give me a warning that the dick stated he is returning next week.” he takes a sip of his beer, then mutters, “Not fucking happening.”

I chuckle and look back at Lake, who is watching the happy couple, and I eye her features, taking in her light pink off-the-shoulder bridesmaid dress that basically hangs off her frame.

She’s lost even more weight, and I don’t like it.

“Did it help?” Blade asks, and I raise a brow, so he adds, “Going nomad, did it help?”

“No,” I admit as I look back at my girl.

He growls, “You’re not riding back out, brother,” and I snort as I take a sip of my drink. He snaps, “I fucking mean it! As much as I love your dad, he isn’t you. I want my sergeant back, my best friend, and being on the road won’t make you forget about how much you love her.”

“I didn’t go nomad to forget how much I love her, brother, it was to try and figure out where my head was but it didn’t work.

She was on my mind every second of every day, all of our memories together, the hurt, the anger, it fucking floated around my head until I thought I was going insane and became even more dangerous than I was when I beat that fucker to death,” I admit.

“So what are you going to do then?” he questions, and I shrug as I take in Lake, the urge to go grab her pulling me.

“I love her, Leo,” I admit quietly, “When she asked me out, I thought we could just date. I didn’t want an old lady, not after witnessing the shit we did growing up.”

He snorts, “Yeah, between brothers who settled down cheating and watching women try and trap brothers, it does fuck you up a little. Heck, right now Skull is lucky to still have his old lady and his balls after what he did.”

I nod with a snort.

Apparently he told his girl everything and while he’s still in the dog house, he still has his girl with him. He was warned if he ever does it again, she’ll walk, taking their two year old with her.

I confirm, “It does, and the fact that my mama tried to trap my father, then killed herself accidentally to gain his attention, it was a hard pill to swallow. I swore I’d never have a woman for life.”

He butts in, “And then Lake bumps into you.”

I smirk, “Yeah, and fuck, I was so pissed because she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, but as soon as we locked eyes, I knew she was mine, so I walked away.”

“Guess you didn’t expect her to come after you,” he chuckles, and I shake my head with a small smile, remembering that day.

“She was nervous,” I admit as I look at him, “She admitted she had never asked a guy out before, and I don’t know why, but I felt compelled to say yes.”

“You knew she was your one,” he adds, and I nod in confirmation as I look back at her.

Sadness etches off her. The anger I felt towards myself over the months is gone, and nothing but sorrow surrounds her, and I hate it.

“I did, and over the months we were together, the thought of letting her go killed me. I was going to tell her I was a brother, but then she bumped into me yet again, not watching what she was doing, and I flipped instantly, believing she used me. Cherri’s phone call, I overheard, just made my suspicions worse,” I mutter.

“So what now?” he asks, and I sigh as I tilt my head watching her.

“I don’t know,” I admit before I swallow hard and mumble, “She slept with someone else brother, I mean, I know she was drunk but still.”

“And you licked Kitty’s pussy,” he reminds me, and I shudder in disgust.

“Thanks for the reminder fucker,” I mutter, and he chuckles, “You're welcome.”

Shaking my head, needing to change the subject, I ask, “How’s Venom doing?”

He groans, “Not too good. Clara has a fucking death wish showing up here the way she did.”

I hum, not taking my eyes off Lake.

Clara, his mother, who had tried selling his sister to the Hyena’s leader, Hayden Gillies, even knowing she was pregnant with Psycho’s child, showed up out of the blue last week after going MIA.

She was smart enough not to go near Glock but she did contact Ivy who wanted fuck all to do with her.

The bitch then tracked down Venom, claiming she’s frightened for her life after borrowing more money which got her into the situation to begin with, the club paying the fuckers off.

The bitch wanted cosmetic surgery and decided to lie to Ivy and claim to have cancer and needed the money for hospital bills.

Of course, Ivy fell for it before Psycho stopped the wedding from happening, and now the bitch is back.

Venom, well, he’s fucked up big time after she told him some shit.

He screwed a woman who is now claiming to be pregnant with his child, and according to Ivy, Lake hasn’t been there for Raya at all in the situation.

“She shows up here, the bitch is dead so don’t worry brother and as for Venom, the woman claiming to be pregnant isn’t actually pregnant.

They had unprotected sex yes but it doesn’t mean anything yet,” Blade says and I look at him and remind him, “He’s in love with Raya,” and he winces and says, “I know, and once it all comes out the woman isn’t pregnant, he can come to realize his feelings instead of running from them. ”

“And if she is pregnant?” I ask already knowing he’s come to realize his feelings, had done months ago and he winces again and replies, “Then he’s most likely fucked his chance at them being together.”

True that fucking shit.

I heard the rumors, he slept with Raya, but both are denying it. For different reasons apparently, but if this girl is pregnant, he’ll fall apart because Raya will walk away.

I shake my head, looking at my drink, before Blade mumbles, “Fuck,” and I look at him to see his eyes on my girl, and I look, but tense seeing Cherri saunter over there.

“I swear to fuck, Blade, my anger is still at its highest, and I don’t want to kill someone in front of the kids,” I warn.

“She won’t start anything, not with everyone around,” he says, but not very convincingly, and I remind him, “The whole club believes Lake is just like Cherri,” and he winces, knowing I’m right, so the bitch will try and get away with more than she would normally do.

He mutters, “Fuck,” before looking at Randy, and I look just as he nods a little to say he’s got it, and my jaw ticks.

“Just try and stay calm, brother,” Blade tries as he grabs my arm to keep me in place, and we watch as Lake says something that causes Cherri to tense, and he says, “That’s it, Lake, stand up to the bitch.”

“We really need to kick her out,” I mutter as I watch her walk away with a huff while Lake looks ahead with pain.

Fuck. Don’t kill the bitch, I repeat, don’t kill the bitch.

“The brothers won’t vote for it, brother, she’s too good with her mouth,” Blade grumbles, and I hum, knowing he’s right, plus the way I’ve treated Lake, it just gives them more ammunition to keep her around, not knowing the full story of our relationship.

I’ve hurt her just as much as she’s hurt me, all because we both omitted some truths, and we let it fester and build into anger.

I watch as Lake kisses her dad's cheek, then says something before walking towards the gate, and I mutter, “Fuck’s sake,” especially seeing the concern on Randy’s face, but I soon step forward when I see Cherri following her with a sly smirk.

“Go, brother,” Blade says, and I pass him my beer before following, the brothers looking my way with a frown when I rush past them.

As I get near Randy, he says, “Don’t go after her if you’re just going to hurt her, Viper.”

I ignore him and the threat in his voice and rush out the gate a bad feeling filling me just as I hear, “I guess you’re more like me than we all thought, huh? You know, fucking Joey at The Dive like a whore.”

Now, how would Cherri know that?

I pick up my pace just as I hear squealing tires, and I notice Lake’s truck spinning out of the parking lot. Our prospect, Dylan, just opened the gate in time for her, and Cherri cackles like hurting her daughter was the funniest thing in the world.

My anger takes hold, and as she turns, not realizing her danger, I bring my hand up and grasp her neck hard, making her gasp, her cackles halting.

“V-Viper,” she chokes, and I squeeze her neck tighter.

“Brother,” I hear Psycho, not shocked that he followed me, but I don’t turn to look at him, instead, I question, “Now, how would you know about Joey, Cherri?”

I feel her pulse quicken in my hold as her eyes, much like my girl’s, widen with fear, and I tighten my hold, making her grab my wrist, and I demand, “Fucking how?!”

“You better answer him, Cherri, before he kills you like he did Joey,” Psycho warns, and Randy demands, “Who the fuck is Joey?”

I narrow my eyes at a now red faced Cherri who is struggling to catch her breath as Psycho reluctantly answers, “The man Viper beat to death before going nomad after finding out he took advantage of Lake when she was drunk.”

Cherri’s body trembles with fear as Randy roars, “What the fuck!?”

I ignore them and I demand, “How do you know about Joey, Cherri?” and I let go of her neck a little and she chokes, “H-he told me after-after the deed, s-sending me the footage…”

My nostrils flare, and Psycho mutters, “Brother,” in warning, and I growl as I throw her back, knowing I can’t kill her with all the people in the yard, causing her to fall to the floor with a gasp, and I storm past her.

“Where are you going?” I hear Blade ask.

When in the fuck did he join us?

Shaking my head as I mount my bike, I admit, “To see a certain red-haired beauty, I think it’s time we hash shit out. Get Venom to go through the bitch’s phone.”

“About fucking time,” Randy says, and I pull a middle finger as Blade nods to my instructions.

I start my bike, then spin, ensuring gravel hits Cherri, who screams, causing the men to laugh, and I take off out of the gate.

Ten minutes later, I pull up next to her truck outside her bungalow and climb off before grabbing my key that I just couldn’t make myself throw away.

Walking to her front door, I put the key into the lock, then quietly let myself inside, closing the door behind me as my eyes take everything in.

It all looks the same, including the photos of her and me on the wall and near her TV, and I swallow hard as I put my key back in my jeans pocket, not willing to take the chance she’ll take it back.

I hear the shower running, so I walk down the hallway and into her bedroom, but pause when I notice my old t-shirt lying on her pillow, a picture of me on her nightstand.

Damn…

My heart skips a beat, and my stomach tightens as regret builds higher and higher, and I slowly walk over to her bathroom, the door already ajar.

My stomach tightens but for a different feeling, something just not right and I slowly push the door wider before everything in me stills.

True fear overcomes me as Lake, my beautiful girl who owns my heart lays on her shower floor in her dress unconscious, the water raining down on her, blood pouring from her wrists and I roar out in agony and rush into the bathroom.

I open the door and climb in as I turn the water off and bend, picking Lake up bridal style, her head lolling to the side, her face pale, her lips blue.

I can’t lose her, I can’t.