Page 9 of Viper (The Dark Angel’s MC #4)

Lake – Three Days Later

I rub my forehead, a headache starting to throb as I re-read the subpoena I’ve just been given ten minutes ago, some guy knocking on my front door with the three famous words ‘You’ve been served’.

Three hundred thousand dollar for emotional and traumatic damages.

“This has to be a joke, right?” I mutter to myself as I bounce my right leg, not understanding, while anger builds that the woman who should be burying her child is more interested in trying to get money from an EMT who was trying to do her job.

Dammit, I tried to save her daughter’s life, yet she’s suing me, seriously?

I read further down and my jaw ticks at the blatant lie, and I growl, “Her daughter could not have been saved, she was fricking brain dead!”

I screech, throwing the letter on the floor, along with knocking over three-quarters of my dinner. The plate shatters as it hits the floor, the cutlery clatters, and my tears fall as I wrap my arms around my head, leaning over the table and sobbing.

I know the woman doesn’t have a case, I know this, the doctor confirmed Trisha would have died within seconds if we hadn’t tried to intervene when we did. It wouldn’t have saved her anyhow, but dammit, I tried to save her, I fucking tried, and the woman is suing me!

I dig my nails into my arms, trying to control my sobs that wrack through my body, the need to call Jaylen consuming yet again for the millionth time since I couldn’t save the little girl.

A feeling I’ve given into four times, the fourth him cancelling the call instead of his voicemail being picked up.

My body shakes, my sobs hurting my chest and stomach, and I struggle to breathe.

I tried, I really tried.

I hiccup a few minutes later, my sobs calming before I take deep, slow breaths as a thought comes to me.

Maybe Callum received one as well?

Swallowing, I sit up and grab my phone, and ignoring the photos of Jaylen, I bring up Callum’s number before calling and putting my phone to my ear.

It rings five times before he answers, “Miss me already, huh?”

I swallow and mutter, “Funny, did you, er, look, this is going to sound weird, but were you given a piece of paper today?”

He’s quiet for a moment before he asks, “What kind of paper, Lake?” sounding more serious, and I know he can hear the tears in my voice.

I wipe my cheeks and answer, “A subpoena…”

“What?!” he shouts, and I move the phone from my ear in shock before putting it back as he demands, “Who in the fuck is suing you, Lake?!”

I sniffle and admit, “Vanessa Chillis.”

“Trisha’s mama?” he confirms, and I mutter, “Yes,” and he curses up a storm before banging echoes in my ear, and I slowly close my eyes.

He didn’t get one. She’s just suing me, the woman who was in charge of CPR.

“I don’t want you to worry about this,” Callum snaps, “She doesn’t have a case, her daughter was never going to survive, and honestly, I think her problem is more due to the fact she wasn’t able to pull her daughter back in time before the car hit her. The judge will throw the case out.”

I sniffle and nod even though he can’t see, and he says, “I don’t want to see this make you hesitant about your job either, you're one hell of a good EMT. You’ll make an amazing doctor.

That woman, while yes, is grieving, is being selfish, so don’t you dare allow this to make you second-guess your career path, got it? !”

“Got it,” I whisper, and he sighs, “Good, now, you still going tonight?”

I sniffle and admit, “I don’t know.”

He growls, “You need him. Go speak to him, get everything off your chest. You miss him, Lake, and honestly, you don’t have to go to the club to be with him.”

“He slept with my mother, Callum,” I remind him, and he clears his throat.

“Don’t shout at me for this, but it was before he met you, Lake,” he says softly, and I flinch, knowing he’s right.

I’ve been holding onto it because I knew I had no right to be mad at him for keeping the fact that he’s a brother from me.

Growing up Dad expressed how the brothers didn’t trust women.

Callum continues, “Not everyone kept such a tight hold of their virginities, sweetheart, and I get it, it wasn’t something you planned, but he had a life before you. You can’t keep punishing him for his past, and sweetheart, you know why he kept the fact that he was a brother from you as well.”

His mama was a patch chaser.

“Go get your man back,” he demands gently, and I sniffle as I squeeze my eyes tight, my tears falling, wondering if it’ll be a good idea because honestly, we’ve felt over since that day in the diner when he freaked seeing me with Ivy and Hudson.

***

I flinch as Cannon swings a fist at Jaylen’s face and connects with his jaw, his head moving sideways with the force before he gets a kick to the gut, and I look away, squeezing my eyes tight as the crowd roars in displeasure, their favorite getting his butt kicked.

I snuck in here without being seen by any club member twenty minutes ago after Callum spent an hour convincing me to do this, to fight for the guy I fell in love with.

I’ve never been to a fight before, he never let me, and now I understand why. But when Ivy let it slip that Jaylen was fighting tonight, I couldn’t help myself. I told Callum, and he encouraged me to come, to show Jaylen that I want this, that I want to fight for us despite the hurt and pain.

I look again when the crowd shouts in outrage again to see Cannon punching quickly at Jaylen, who takes it but is bent forward a little, his body bruised, and my heart races.

Why isn’t he fighting back?

“ Fucking hit him, Viper!” I hear yelled, and I turn my head to see Venom and Blade shouting along with some other brothers I’ve seen but not spoken to before. I look back at the stage as the crowd cheers to see Jaylen hitting the guy continuously, his face like thunder but full of determination.

Men shove into me in excitement as blood spurts out of Cannon’s mouth and my stomach tightens when his opponent sways on his feet. Jaylen takes a step back before twisting to the side and kicking him in the face, and Cannon falls backwards, knocked out.

The crowd goes crazy, jumping around, bashing into me even more, while Jaylen stares at his opponent, not celebrating, and fear rushes through me.

His face is bloodied and bruised, his hands fisted before the ref grabs his wrist and pulls him towards the crowd, lifting his hand, which of course makes the crowd get louder.

He doesn’t smile, he doesn’t show any emotion.

Where’s the man I fell in love with?

My tears build seeing he’s nowhere to be found, yet I knew that already though didn’t I? I mean the man who claimed to love me would never call me a whore or a patch chaser.

I go to look away, to leave, not wanting to see this new person, but I freeze when the ring girl with big breasts and light pink curly hair saunters over to Jaylen, and I bite my lip.

Push her away, please push her away.

The woman slides her hand up his sweaty, bloodied chest, and my heart shatters right before me as he wraps his hand around her waist, pulling her up against his body causing everyone to cheer louder.

My mouth parts with shock, my eyes tearing up, and I watch as she slowly licks her tongue up his neck, tasting him before biting his earlobe, then sucking it, and not once does he push her away. Instead, he holds her tighter while the announcer calls him the winner.

Allowing my tears to fall and to understand we really are over, I slowly turn and make my way through the crowd, no one paying attention to me.

He’s moved on.

He never did love me.

Bile builds in the back of my throat, burning me, and I pick up my pace to get out of the warehouse.

All the anger I felt, the fury, it’s turned into agony. I’m finally allowing myself to feel the heartbreak, something I’ve never had before, and it’s drowning me.

The little girl dying, the subpoena, and this, I don’t know how to breathe.

I push a few people out of my way who are trying to get to the ring, most likely to get photos of J… no Viper, and I rush out of the door, ready to get the hell out of here.

He stopped being my Jaylen when I realized he was a brother and not just any brother, but a Dark Angel’s brother at that. A club I haven’t trusted since I was ten years old.

I get four steps away from the door, walking past a brother's bike, most likely Blade’s, but freeze next to it when I hear, “I’ll give you one motherly advice, don’t fall for a brother.”

I try to steady my breathing and, already knowing who opened their mouth, I reply, “You’re no mother, you’re a whore.” without turning around.

She snorts, “That may be so, and I don’t deny it. I want to be a kept woman, and a brother is the perfect man. Wallet full of cash and good in the sack, what more can a woman ask for, but I am telling you now, don’t fall for a brother, they’ll only hurt you.”

I half turn my head to see her smoking, wearing a tiny dress that barely covers her, and I admit, “Too late, but you already know that, right, Cherri?”

She smirks, “Of course I do. I ensured he overheard a conversation with your grandmother, so he’ll never look at you again.

Viper is mine, so you need to learn your place and stay the heck away from the club.

I don’t want you, I never did, and neither does Viper, so keep walking and don’t come back. ”

“My pleasure,” I sneer, not shocked she’s claimed my ex and I curl my lip at her before walking away, her cackles following me, but I’ll do as she demanded.

It’s time I cut the club out of my life, and besides, I’ve got a court case to figure out, and it’s not like anyone will notice me missing, especially not Viper.