Page 43 of Gypsy Angel

“But?” Viper’s hurt voice sounded into her ears.

At the sound of hurt in his voice, she moved so she could look down into his eyes. “I’m scared that after this, you’re going to want to part ways because my family’s poison will have changed your mind. I meant what I said, Dean. I want to see where this goes. I never thought I would say that about anyone after what they’ve put me through. I’ve always prided myself on my don’t give a fuck attitude and just dealing with fuck boys, because I didn’t have to care. I even did what I could to keep myself distant from my own team. But they fucked that all up to hell by loving me as I was no matter what…”

“Cheryl, babe, I’m not going to change my mind. You didn’t have anything to do with my sister’s disappearance. You never harm other people. You became someone better than they ever could have imagined. You are worth the love your team gives you. I’m here, because I want to be. I see the real you. The one who has a quirky side, a side that makes you weird and loveable. The nerd who hid that from her team out of fear only to find out they did know that about you and loved you anyways. You love as fiercely as they do, and you deserve it. No matter what happens with this assignment, I’m not going anywhere. I’m beside you one hundred percent.”

“No matter what?” Diesel asked shyly, her fingers playing in his chest hair, not able to meet his eyes.

“Yes. No matter what. Even with whatever you and your teammates are planning will have my hand itching to tan your ass, once said ass is tanned, I’m still going to be by your side, one hundred percent.”

“What makes you think we have something planned?” Diesel asked, looking up into his eyes, attempting to look sweet and innocent, biting her lower lips.

She growled slightly when he chuckled as he pulled her lip from her teeth. “For starters, you hate Twilight. Highlander let it be known you considered it a cross between necrophilia and bestiality. He also let it be known you and your friend’s made fun of the movie on a regular basis when you’re dealing with criminals.”

“Fucking SEALs and their memories.” Diesel huffed as she flopped onto her back, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Spill it, trouble!”

Diesel sighed heavily before moving to lean her back against the headboard, her knees to her chest as she thought about what to relay to Viper. This would make or break them as well as the case. She wasn’t sure how to talk about her feelings. With her friends, her teammates, they learned to read her like a book. Something that still unnerved her somewhat. She always thought she’d been good at hiding what she was really feeling. Now she was afraid if she couldn’t fool them, would she really be able to fool her brother?

“Cheryl, please talk to me.” Viper asked softly, turning to his side, his hand going to her knee as he massaged it with his thumb.

Diesel looked down at Viper, a tear sliding down the side of her cheek. “I was originally planning on sneaking out tonight, going to check out the location. I am afraid for you or the others, to be around Symen. He’s pure evil. He would quickly know that he could do anything to me, and it wouldn’t phase me. But if he was to lay a hand on you or the others, that would be the way to make me crumble. I survived the hell they put me through as a kid. That alone is a slap to their egos.”

“Do you honestly think myself or those three women in there would easily fall at their feet?” Viper asked, his hand reaching up to wipe away the tears falling from her eyes.

“No! Those three would give their dying breath for me. That’s what scares the hell out of me,” Diesel admitted, her breath hitching at the thought.

“Would you not do the same for them?”

“Of course I would! Unlike them, I don’t have anyone who would miss me, grieve for me…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Diesel found herself flat on her back with a very dangerous and angry Viper staring down into her eyes. “Do not finish that sentence or I will spank your ass so hard until it bleeds, then turn you over to your teammates to have what’s left of it. That statement diminishes what any of us are doing here in Los Angeles. Those three women, both teams, your captain, Highlander, me, my men…none of us hesitated to be there for you. Soon as we found out what was going on, we dropped every fucking thing on our plates to be here for you! Your own team rallied around you! You know damn good and well if you had disappeared, those three women would have hunted your ass down. Every fucking one of us would burn this fucking world to the ground and end anyone and everyone who caused you harm. That statement you just made, that takes every bit of that away from us!”

When Viper moved to get out of bed, Diesel grabbed him, holding on for dear life as the tears flowed more freely now. It petrified her that if she let go, he would walk away from her.

“They figured it out. Laura, Amanda and Renee. What I was going to do and came after me. They threatened to hog tie me to the bed and have you guys fuck with my bike if I didn’t confirm what they already knew.”

“That’s what was going on when I knocked?” Viper asked, staring at the wall.

“Yeah. I told them I was afraid for them to go in. If this Darren/Jetson guy is truly connected to the Golden Fangs, then Krieger and Symon already know I’m alive. The douche canoe may not have known who York was initially, but Sampson had to have told him who she was and about the team. If they know about Alpha Squad, then they know about Bravo Squad because they hate Sampson almost as much as we do.”

“Have you heard from Nadia yet on meeting with the adoptive parents?”

“No. The plan was to wait until after dinner, when you three went either into the garage or take your showers after you do your perimeter checks, we were going to sneak out and head to the team’s safe house and call up the captain to deal with Sampson and find out who Darren was associated with. Be it the Dragons or the Fangs. With the unknown going on, we can’t send Peaches, Duong or Gigi in until we know who or what is known. We also talked about bringing in Toi and Angel.”

“Who are Toi and Angel?” Viper asked, moving closer now that he was getting her to open up to him.

“Toi O’Roark and Angel Moretti are from Delta Squad. It’s a newer team, but they are damn good. They would also meet the requirements to get in and would probably compliment Showalter if we can’t make it in just yet.”

Viper thought for several minutes before nodding. “Ok. But shouldn’t we find out from Raven’s parents what we can about her disappearance and what we can about the other girl she’s friends with? Get a photo of the other girl?”

“That’s what else we had discussed. I was going to reach out to Nadia, with the team listening to set up a meeting with them. I was hesitant about meeting with them, but the others think it would be a good idea, to show that no matter what, I’m going to do whatever it takes to bring her home and that I have an army behind me to help me. We talked about Sarge, Raso, Taz and Oz dealing with the missing girl’s family so they can gage from a neutral standpoint if the parents are clean or not.”

“I think that’s a good plan. I would have backed your plan if you had talked to me about it instead of trying to sneak out.” Viper advised, picking at a loose thread on the blanket.

“I was trying to save you, Dean. I’m literally petrified of what can happen to you if Krieger or Symon come after you. I can handle them hurting me. But you…if anything were to happen to you, it would crush me. It would totally ruin me.”

At Diesel’s tears, her hiccups, gasping breaths, Viper pulled her into his arms, holding her as he rocked her sobbing body that clung to his in desperation. He knew nothing he said would change her fear. He could only show her with his actions that he wasn’t going anywhere.

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