Page 21 of Viper (The Dark Angel’s MC #4)

Viper – Nine Days Later

I bounce my leg as I watch the large brown door, my nerves shot.

Fuck, what if she tells me to leave?

It’s been a week since Lake was transported to Graves Medical Facility for people struggling with depression after seventy two hours on suicide watch.

A week since I last saw her and fuck me, the feeling of being lost is ten times worse than when I was on the road for two months, traveling to different clubhouses that affiliate with our club while ignoring the clubwhores who eyed me up.

There’s only one woman I want, one woman I’ve always wanted.

I’ve been given updates, the hospital believing she’s my wife, but I haven’t spoken to her. That is something they don’t allow until the first visit. I’ll admit, for the past week, I’ve spent more time in the gym than I have sleeping.

No one in the club is aware of the circumstances yet, or of the baby. Blade decided it was for the best, especially since everyone believes she’s a patch chaser. Even now, they believe Venom and I are on a club run.

I won’t have anyone cause her to make another turn for the worse.

“Everything will be alright, brother,” Venom says, trying to soothe me, but it doesn’t work.

I’ve had a lot of time to think about shit, and Randy was right, our problems were fucking pathetic. I allowed my past to cloud me while she allowed her fear of the club to cloud her, though her believing I fucked Cherri was most likely the biggest downfall of us.

Fuck, I went nomad for two months while she was drowning.

“Will it?” I ask, “Everything just seems so fucking stupid now, all the arguments, the insults, the reason why I lost it and now look where we are, because of me and my stupidity…”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Jaylen. Years of being told not to trust Cherri’s daughter were bound to fuck you up a little, especially finding out you fell in love with her,” he mutters.

I shake my head and chuckle a little before admitting, “Even if I had known who she was, I still would have made her mine. I only walked away the day we met because of fear. If she hadn’t come after me, I can guarantee I would have gotten you to find her.”

I look at him, and he grins before I look at the door again.

“I’ve missed her, brother,” I admit, “And not just this past week, I’ve missed her for five months and the reason I was always a dick when we bumped into each other is because I hated how much I missed her. My head wasn’t able to understand she wasn’t after my cut like every brother claimed.”

“It will all be alright,” he replies, and I sigh, dropping my head.

I’ve wasted five months without her.

“Do you still see a future with her, brother?” he asks, and I swallow hard as I look at the door, his question echoing.

Do I still see a future with her, after everything?

I hurt her a lot, and she hurt me, but can we overcome that, be together again, raise our daughter as a family?

I guess the bigger question is, can I see her moving on with someone else, having his ring on her finger with a half-sibling on its way for our daughter?

Can I watch the woman I fell madly and deeply in love with, the woman who consumes my heart, body, and soul, fall in love with someone else?

I know I’ll never find anyone else, I know no woman will ever take Lake’s place in my heart, and yeah, fuck it, I know I can’t watch her with someone else, my whole fucking body tenses at the thought, and pure anger fills me.

She’s mine.

“I never saw a future without her, brother,” I finally admit out loud for the first time in months.

“Even though she slept with someone else?” he asks, and I growl, making him chuckle, “I’m just saying, can you get past that?”

I sigh, “Yeah, I can. I ate Kitty out, something I completely regret, and vomited afterwards, and I wasn’t even drunk like she was.

So yeah, I can get over it. I love her so fucking much, I was just angry that she never told me about her connection to the club.

Then, I was even more angry because I knew I blew it way out of proportion that day in the diner, especially when I knew she had no idea I was club and well, things just escalated too far. ”

I swallow hard and I admit, “I allowed my anger to take hold and I took it out on her instead of having a rational conversation, and now, I need to try and convince her that things will be different, that she can be a mama.”

“You will, brother, she loves you, and hopefully being here, that will make her realize it,” he replies before the door opens, and I quickly stand, making him chuckle.

Lake slowly walks in, her eyes going to Venom first, and they widen a little before she rolls them, making me grin.

He’s here because of Raya and also to ensure she’s good, and she knows it.

I tilt my head as she looks at me, and I swear to fuck, relief shines back at me as her gorgeous dark green eyes lock with mine.

“You’re here,” she whispers, and I smile as I reply, “Where else would I be, shorty?”

Her eyes tear up, and I walk over to her, getting into her space. Her hands go to my chest, fisting my tee, and my lips go to her head as I gently cup it while my other hand goes to her stomach, which feels bigger, our daughter moving a little.

I pull back first, but not my body, needing her close, and I look over her.

She’s gained a bit of weight, and relief fills me, but also some concern.

“You look tired, shorty,” I whisper as I cup her cheek, taking in her tired-looking eyes, and she smiles sadly as she admits, “I’m not sleeping very well…”

I frown and look over her, taking in her features, then her clothes, a long-sleeved t-shirt hiding her wrists, and leggings.

I remember my shirt on her pillow, something she isn’t aware I know about and my mouth parts.

Fuck, I know Raya decided not to pack it so I couldn’t see it, not realizing I already saw it but by the looks of things my girl needs it.

“Come take a seat,” I murmur, planning to grab it for next week and she gives me a tired smile, and I gently wrap my arm around her waist, helping her sit, while Venom watches her closely.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” he asks as she sits down and I sit on the table right in front of her, gripping her hands, needing to touch her, to feel her warmth beneath mine.

She was so fucking cold when I found her in her shower.

“Okay,” she whispers, and he replies, “Good, you look like you’ve gained some weight as well.”

I smile as Lake twitches her nose and replies, “You know you should never tell a woman she looks like she’s gained weight, especially a pregnant one at that, it’s very dangerous, Venom.”

I chuckle as I bring her hands to my mouth, kissing them.

Fuck, she has a little spark back…

“True, but with you…” His words trail off, and she sighs and admits, “Their cinnamon buns are to die for, okay, and I’m craving them every day.”

Well, I know what I’m bringing her next week.

“Have you had any other cravings?” I ask quietly, feeling out of the loop with her pregnancy.

Her cheeks heat, and I raise a brow, and she sighs, then relents, “Fine, your cologne…”

I grin as Venom snorts, and without a single thought, I stand while pulling on her hands, forcing her up to her feet, confusing her as she gives me a funny look but I ignore it and take her seat, then pull her back down on my lap, making her gasp and look at me with wide eyes.

Ignoring the look, I pull her closer to me and seeing what I’m doing, she quickly presses her face into the crook of my neck and inhales before her whole body relaxes, and fuck me, so does mine as I hold her close to me.

I press my lips against her head and close my eyes for a moment, enjoying this moment before Lake asks, “Did you draw the short straw to come with Jaylen?”

My body tingles with the use of my legal name, sounding so fucking sweet coming out of her mouth, and Venom clears his throat, making her giggle a little, a sound I fucking missed.

“Fine,” he groans, “What is it that Raya is keeping from me, from everyone? And what is her connection with the Hyenas?”

I look at him to see him looking at my girl intently, and I swallow hard, not knowing if she’ll tell him, you know, girl code and all that.

“What is it you want to know?” she asks, “Because there is only so much I will tell you, I won’t break her trust.”

He tilts his head and nods with respect and asks, “What can you tell me?”

I can hear the smirk in her voice as she says, “That she has been madly in love with you since she was like eight years old and that her sleeping with you was probably something she had always wanted.”

“What?” He chokes with shock, and I chuckle.

“Why do you think she was always weird whenever you were around, brother?” I say, and he glares at me and snaps, “You knew and didn’t tell me!”

“Everyone knew and everyone tried to tell you, but you refused to listen. Instead, you had it in your head she was off because she was using Ives,” I remind him, and he scowls.

“Venom,” Lake says, gaining his attention, “the more you treated her like crap because her family had money, the more you pushed her away. There is so much you don’t know about her, about her family, and I can’t tell you because I won’t break her trust, but what I will tell you is if you are expecting a baby with someone else, she’ll want nothing to do with you. ”

Ah fuck, Raya told the girls…

His jaw ticks as he looks down and mutters, “I don’t even know if there even is a baby yet.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she whispers, “She’s pulled back and it would take a lot more than a message from me, the woman who has distanced herself from her, to get her to talk to you.”

He sighs as he looks at her and reminds her, “It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart, you have a lot going on, and not one of those girls questioned your distance like they should have.”

“It’s not their fault either,” she replies, and he huffs before looking at me and asking, “Is she always this stubborn?”

I snort, “Pretty much, the woman refused to let me buy her lunch every time we went out in between her shifts, so I'd end up putting the money in her purse without her realizing,” and she gently pinches me, making me chuckle and tighten my hold on her.

I should have remembered that when I accused her of using me. Fuck I’m an idiot, I mean, don’t get me wrong, she fucked up as well, but still, I’m an idiot.

“You’re missed, sweetheart. My sister is demanding to see you,” Venom says, and Lake sighs as she gently traces my tattoo on my hand that’s on her leg, something she used to always do.

Wonder how she’d react to the extremely large one on my side – her name.

“I miss them too,” she replies, “But I don’t want the girls here.”

“They understand, shorty,” I reassure her.

She nods without looking up before she sighs and looks back at Venom and states, “The reason why she gets pissed every time you accuse her of using Ivy for a brother's patch to piss off Daddy,” she swallows as Venom leans forward and she admits, “Daddy is dead, Venom.”

Shit.

He sits back in shock, and she asks, “Did you ever hear about the firefighter who lost his life trying to save a little girl from a house fire roughly ten years ago?”

“Chase Wilson,” I say remembering that day well, and she nods.

“That was her daddy, her stepfather is Gregory Averie, the club's lawyer,” she finishes, and Venom stares at my girl, clearly not knowing what to say.

“Well, that explains a lot. The rumor was the Hyenas were the cause of the fire,” I mutter.

Lake replies, “They were and she’ll be mad I told you both but that is all I’m going to say, what you do with that information is entirely up to you, Venom.

I will warn you, you’ve got a lot to make up for because every time you brought her daddy into an argument, you tore her heart out, reminding her he’s dead and that man was her best friend. ”

“Thank you, Lake,” he whispers with pain, and she nods while I gently rub my hand that she’s not tracing through her hair.

“How’s therapy going, shorty?” I ask and she sags against me.

“Hard,” she admits, “Turns out Cherri not wanting me messed me up more than I care to admit.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing nothing else would help her.

I know the feeling well.

She nods before lifting my hand and placing it on her stomach. I furrow my brows, but then I feel movement, and a smile forms.

Our little girl…

I press my lips against Lake’s forehead and close my eyes.

I want to ask about the baby, to see if she’s still adamant about going ahead with an adoption I won’t allow, but I don’t. Instead, I keep my mouth shut, allowing her more time to realize she wants this baby, and I listen to her and Venom talk about med school.

I need a plan, one that won’t set her back but will ensure I get her back where she belongs, in my arms.

It’s fucking surprising how much childhood trauma can be silenced when you see your heart bleeding out in the shower to make you see the reality of life without them in it.

It’s time to win her back.