Page 24 of Gypsy Angel

SEVENTEEN

Viper watched as Diesel straddled her bike, taking a few minutes before they started revving their engines and took off. They rode for a bit in the city limits before changing course.

For the next several hours all they did was ride. They rode the scenic route around San Diego, stopping once to get gas and a quick bite to eat. They talked about nothing and everything. Viper tried to think back to a time he’d done this with a woman, and he came up empty. Yeah, he’s done it with some of the guys in the club, especially Kermit and Texas after a bad mission or with Jacko when he’d come home for a visit and just needed to get away.

When it started getting dark, Viper led them back towards town and towards the home of Pratt and Highlander. He hated ending the day by dealing with the inevitable, but it had to be done. Part of him wanted this case to drag out since that meant Diesel would still be with him for a while, but then he also wanted her to choose him for him. He knew they said they would give this a chance. He wanted to see where this could go.

When they arrived at Pratt’s, he pulled his bike into the driveway between Pratt and Highlander’s vehicles, Diesel pulling in behind him, dismounting. He watched her shake out her hair, unzip her jacket and shake out her jeans. Them bitches weren’t going anywhere. They were painted on her. He realized quickly he needed to think about something else when he felt his dick starting to stir just looking at her.

Shaking his head, he reached out his hand when Diesel got closer. Hand in hand they walked up to the front door which opened as they stepped onto the stop step.

“Sorry, heard the bikes pull up. God, I’m so happy seeing you two holding hands. So happy for you, Cheryl. You deserve happiness more than any of us!” Pratt said, teary eyed, pulling Diesel in for a hug.

Viper bit the inside of his cheek. He knew, from conversation, that Diesel, Pratt, York and Showalter had been friends for years. All four women went through the academy. Together, they worked in the jails for Riverton County Sheriff’s Department for three years before switching to become deputies.

Diesel had told him some of the shenanigans that they would get into during their time together, the clubs, trips and girl’s nights at each other’s houses if Pratt couldn’t get a babysitter for Cody. They were tight and only grew tighter through the years. According to Diesel when they became deputies, their band of merry friends just grew to add a larger group of women, all who are now part of the Human Trafficking Task Force, Alpha Squad and Bravo Squad. Diesel explained that they were a true family in the sense of the word. A family she never knew could have truly existed for her.

Viper startled back into reality when Pratt pulled him in for a hug. When he looked over at Diesel, she just shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Um, thanks. I didn’t know if I needed to bring anything. If anything is needed, I can run to the store really quick.”

“It’s all good. We have everything. Dom, Jack and Jenn came and got the kiddos. They wanted to go see the new Avatar movie, so we have four hours to do what we need, and Aurora is down for the night.”

“Um, Dom and Jack handle Cody, Willie and Ryleigh for four hours at a movie theater?” Diesel asked, laughing as she looked at Pratt.

“For four hours! Cody isn’t the one I’m worried about. He’ll be glued to Jack and Jenn, but Willie and Ryleigh are the two they need to keep an eye on.” Pratt exclaimed, leaning into Diesel laughing.

“Now, come on those two can’t be that bad?” Viper said, making it into a question as he looked at the two women.

Highlander came into the room, followed by Showalter and York, Viper assumed when he heard Diesel and Pratt break out into heavy laughter to the point both women were on the floor holding their stomachs. Viper looked up at Highlander and shrugged his shoulders when the man looked at him in question.

“Babe, he…thinks…Willie…and…Ryleigh…are…innocent…spawns…” Pratt said between bouts of laughter that had Diesel cackling even harder.

“Lass, are ye calling my wee children spawns? Highlander asked, hands on his hips, staring down at his wife.

“Well, you are the devil himself…” Diesel answered for Pratt, causing the two women to laugh to the point of tears streaming down their faces.

“Stop! Oh my God, stop! You’re going to make me pee my pants woman!” Pratt pleaded, smacking Diesel on the arm.

When Highlander reached down to pull Pratt up off the floor, Viper followed suit and pulled Diesel off the floor, both women wiping their faces from the tears that had fallen down during their laughing spree. Before either man knew it, all four women burst into fresh bouts of laughter, making both men throw their hands up in the air and walk out of the room.

Viper followed Highlander into the kitchen where he opened the fridge. “What will ye have to drink? I have Coke, water, beer and whiskey.”

“Since I’ll be here for a bit, I’ll take a beer for now.” Viper said, nodding his thanks to Highlander when the man handed him a beer.

“How is she holding up?”

“Right now, she’s being strong. She hates that it took her this long to tell them.” Viper admitted, watching the women from his seat as they talked and laughed some more.

“Laura feels like she let Diesel down…”

“How the fuck did she let her down? She has been Cheryl’s rock since the moment she told everyone.” Viper asked, confusion clearly in his voice.

“From what my wife has said, they’ve been friends for more than thirteen years now. She feels like she didn’t let Diesel know that she was safe and that she would always have her back. I had to remind my wife of the secrets she held back from her team about her family and her marriage until we had met each other.”

“I’m glad Cheryl has them. I can’t say I’m pleased about them going into the lion’s den in LA, but I’m glad she’s got them going in with her.” Viper took a drink of his beer, sighing deeply at his admission.

“I know exactly what ye mean. I’ve already spoken with my commander and requested time off. I don’t want to get called up and then find out somethings happened to my lass or to one of them and I can’t be here for her.” Highlander admitted, taking a drink of his own beer as he watched his wife laughing and talking with her friends.

“How is Joker doing?” Viper questioned hesitantly, looking Highlander in the eyes.

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