Page 80 of Viper

“You really think that you, a tiny woman, is any match for a gun?” he sneers at me. “Clearly these bikers pick women with no brains. Take him,” he orders the other man, nodding at Archer.

“Don’t you fucking touch him,” I scream, lashing out at the man as he rushes towards me. I manage to land a punch to his nose, and even though my hand is smarting, I yell at Archer, “Run!” The man trying to get to me curls in on himself in reaction, cupping his face as he groans.

“Fucking bitch,” he garbles out. “I’m going to kill you.” He tries to launch himself at me again, but I dodge and he goes toppling past me into the wall, slumping against it.

Thankfully, Archer doesn’t need to be told twice. He launches himself away from me, and around the couch, narrowly avoiding the man with the gun going to grab him. He’s out the door as fast as his little legs can carry him, while the other man rushes to try and follow him. Panic engulfs me and I manage to grab onto the man’s suit coat and haul him back before he gets out of the apartment. I struggle to contain him, but thinking of him getting ahold of Archer is enough to give me the extra strength I need.

He must not have thought I was strong enough to do that, because he stumbles back, and I use the momentum to pull harder and send him falling to the floor. Only, I do the same, and I land hard, the wind getting knocked out of me when he lands on top of me with a hard grunt. The gun goes flying from his hand and slides across the floor toward the kitchen. Shit.

I struggle to my feet, but before I can take a couple steps, the man lets out a low snarl and knocks me to my knees, before he’s over me, his hand on my throat as he slams me to the floor again, straddling me. “Fucking cunt,” he grunts as he tightens his grip. I struggle, fighting and kicking, bucking my body, even as I try to gasp for air, to get his hands off me. No, I need to get away. I need to get to Archer. I need to protect him, make sure he’s safe. “Vlad said he didn’t think it was you, but I knew it was from the start,” he continues to say as he strangles me.

Black spots fill my vision, and I desperately throw my hand out, trying to grab the gun. But it’s just out of reach. Panic fills me.

Suddenly, he goes still above me, and his grip loosens enough that I can draw a breath. The man lets me go and then turns his head, his eyes dark and fearsome. I look and see Archer standing there holding what looks to be a broom in his shaking hands as he stares wide-eyed at the man. “Archer!” I rasp. “No. Run.”

Archer doesn’t take his eyes from the man. “Don’t touch her,” he warns him in a voice that sounds an awful lot like an imitation of his father’s.

“I was told to keep you alive, but no one said you had to be in good shape,” the man says darkly as he shoves away from me and gets to his feet. Archer backs up a step and while he looks scared out of his mind, he tightens his grip on the broom. I try to move, but my body doesn’t want to work as it tries to get oxygen back in my veins. “Put that stupid fucking thing down and try to fight me like a man instead of a little boy,” the man taunts him, advancing slowly.

“Stop,” Archer orders, lifting the broom.

“You think you’re going to stop me with that?” he sneers. He’s not paying attention to me anymore, and I desperately try to roll over to my side. I manage it, and inch my way along the floor toward the gun. “You’re a pathetic little boy. By your age I was already handling my father’s enemies for him. You Americans are so fucking soft.”

“My father is coming,” Archer warns darkly. “And he’ll make you pay for hurting Eden and trying to take me.”

“Your father? You really think he’s going to get here in time? You stupid boy. And then what, next you’re going to say your mother is going to help you too?” He scoffs out a laugh. “Well, let me clear that up for you. Your mother sold you to us. All for some cash and her favorite drug of choice. Said she doesn’t want you around. So, if you think that anyone is going to come after you, you’re mistaken, boy. No one cares enough about you. You think your father and this bitch will want you around once they have kids of their own? No, you’ll be out on your ass. Though, it won’t matter, because you’re coming with me.”

I grip the gun in my hand and get to my feet. “I don’t fucking think so,” I say as I hold it pointed at his back. He stops and turns to look at me. He merely arches a brow when he sees the gun pointed at him. “I will shoot you,” I rasp out, my throat raw and burning, but I ignore it.“And that boy right there knows half that bullshit you said isn’t true. Now get the fuck out of this apartment and never come back. And if you even think about touching him, I’ll kill you where you stand.”

The man laughs at me. “You’re not going to do anything, whore. You won’t risk missing me and shooting him.”

“Archer, come here,” I order. “Go around the couch and hop over so you’re behind me.” Archer does as I say, and this guy doesn’t move toward him. Instead he focuses on me. “Get out,” I growl at him.

Suddenly, he pulls another gun out from behind his back, aiming it at me, but I don’t hesitate. I pull the trigger, the sound muffled thanks to the suppressor that he put on the end, and while I would have preferred a heart shot, I’m a bit off and hit him in the shoulder, making him drop the gun he just pulled out with a cry of pain. “Fucking cunt,” he screams at me. But before I can say anything else, we hear the roar of the motorcycles filling the air, and I can see the indecision on his face as he grips his shoulder. Then he shoots me a hate-filled look and snarls, “This isn’t over, bitch. I’ll be back to finish the job.”

“And I’ll shoot you then too,” I warn him. “Don’t touch my man or my kid.” He goes to launch himself at me, but I fire off another shot. This one misses him and lodges into the wall by the door. He turns and takes off out the door, and I round on Archer. “Are you alright?” I gasp out, checking him all over.

He’s shaking like a leaf but he nods. “Are you okay, Eden?” he asks, tears in his eyes as he looks at my throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop him.”

“No, you did, baby,” I tell him as I pull him in to me, careful to keep the gun in my other hand and pointed at the floor and away from him. “You saved me, and I’ll never be able to thank you.” My own tears of relief spill from my eyes knowing he’s okay. God, I have never been so scared in all my life.

Suddenly, movement out of the corner of my eye has me seeing the other man with him rousing and getting to his feet. He staggers, bracing against the wall, blood streaming from his nose. “‘Uckin’ ‘itch,” he garbles out. He raises a gun, and I don’t think. I shove Archer away, lift my own gun, and fire. This time—though I’m sure it’s complete luck—it lands directly in his chest, and he stares at me wide-eyed as he slumps against the wall, sliding to the floor.

“Archer! Eden!” Viper’s panicked voice screams as I hear multiple footsteps come thundering down the hallway. Relief fills me when I see him burst through the shattered doorway, panic in his eyes.

“Dad!” Archer screams, dropping the broom and running for him. Viper scoops him up and hugs him tight, his eyes closing in relief. Then his eyes open and they look at me, and even holding his son, he’s moving toward me. I carefully set the gun down on the counter, making sure the safety is on, and I sink into him, my own body trembling with adrenaline and relief. Tears leak out of my eyes as I hold him.

“Thank you,” Viper grits out. “Thank you for saving him, baby girl. I’m so fucking glad you’re both okay.”

Yeah, me too. I have to hope that he’s ready for the fallout, because knowing what we do now, shit is about to hit the fan. I have to hope I’m strong enough to stand up for it all.

THIRTY

EDEN

She’s going to pay because I will never let her get away with what she did to Archer.

The next few hours are a blur of getting checked out by paramedics, answering police questions, and trying to calm down Archer and Viper while assuring them I’m fine. Archer was checked out by paramedics too, but he doesn’t even have a scratch. I’m going to be talking funny for a few days thanks to the strangulation, but I’ll heal. Though my other worry is for the Prospect who was watching us.

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