Page 81 of Viper

Viper and his brothers found him passed out under his bike, injected with a powerful sedative. It looks like they toppled it on top of him, and it was slowly crushing him, despite him being a large man. He’s currently on his way to the hospital, one of the brothers with him. I just hope to God he’s okay, because I don’t think I can live with the guilt if he’s not.

The cops at least can easily see it was all self-defense, including Archer’s statement of events, though I notice he leaves out the part about his mother. I know Viper was conflicted but I told him to stay with his son who needs him more. Instead, Bullet stayed with me the entire time, a foreboding presence behind me. Hell, the officer getting my statement looked like even he was nervous.

Of course, we can’t stay at the apartment now that it’s a crime scene, and Viper loads me and Archer into the truck. Archer insists I sit in the front, and I do, but I don’t say much. Bullet steps outside the truck window, looking in at me, and says, “We’ll talk at the clubhouse, alright?” I nod, though I don’t know why he wants to talk to me. He reaches in and puts a hand on my shoulder. “You did good, Eden. I’m grateful to you.” Then he gives it a squeeze and steps back. He nods at Viper, and then he turns and walks away.

Viper keeps glancing at both Archer and I every so often while he drives, like he’s sure we’re going to break or shatter. Archer and I both are just quiet, and when I glance back at Archer, he’s got his eyes closed, and head leaning against the window. I glance worriedly at Viper, who just takes my hand and gives it a squeeze, refusing to let go.

When we finally reach the clubhouse, Viper brings us both in, where Rose immediately rushes forward, and B-line for Archer. He goes to her without a word, sobs tearing from his throat. This kid is huge, and Rose isn’t very big, but this woman manages to pick him up in her arms and walks him over to the couch, sitting down and cradling him like a baby as he sobs against her. “Shhhh, you’re safe now, baby,” she soothes him, as Viper and I watch helplessly. The other women back off to give them and us space. Though they all look at me, and their expressions are clear they are all worried about us both. I give them a small nod and they relax slightly.

Viper pulls me into him. Bullet comes up on the other side of him, having just pulled in with the others. “Let him be for now, son,” he says gently to Viper. “He’s shook up, and Rose knows how to calm him down.” Viper looks like he wants to argue, but then he looks down at me and nods. “Come sit down in the Church room, both of you. Eden, we need to hear from you what happened without cops listening in. We’ll leave the door open in case Archer needs either of you.”

Viper and I both look at Rose and Archer, but neither of them seem to notice us as Rose continues to rock and comfort him. Reluctantly, we follow Bullet and the rest of the men to the other room. Once in there, Viper takes a chair closest to the door, and pulls me onto his lap. He holds me tight, like he’s afraid I’ll disappear on him. I lean in to him tiredly. God, I’m so exhausted.

“Alright, Eden, can you tell us what happened please?” Bullet asks me. “Any information you can give, no matter how small, could be helpful.”

I nod and recount the night, leaving out the discussion with Archer, since that’s his story to tell, but Viper goes still when I recount what the man said to Archer. “That fucking cunt,” he hisses in a tone I’ve never heard him use. “I’ll kill her myself.”

“No, you’re not,” Bullet growls at him. “Eden, continue please.” I nod and keep going, and as soon as I’m done, Bullet nods. “Thank you. All of that is very helpful. Viper, we’ll talk after you get her and Archer settled.” It’s an order, not a request. I bite back a tired smile at it, and don’t fight when Viper scoops me up and carries me out of the room without another word.

When we enter the common room, he stops when he sees Archer sleeping against Rose. Her eyes are hard as she stares forward, unseeing, and I can see the anger vibrating through her. I know the feeling. “Put me down,” I order Viper. “You need to see to Archer.” Viper hesitates. “Viper, he needs you right now. I’m alright, and he’s going to need his dad if he wakes up, alright?”

He doesn’t move for another few second, but then he finally sets me on my feet and cups my face in his hand. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Eden,” he whispers.

“You don’t need to,” I whisper back, smiling and leaning into his hand. “I’ll always protect him.” He leans down to take my mouth in a soft kiss, and there’s so many words and emotions in it that my heart stutters in my chest. When he pulls away, he kisses my forehead and then he moves to Rose. She looks at him, nods when he murmurs to her, and then presses another soft kiss to Archer’s head, before she leans away as Viper scoops up his son and carries him toward the stairs. Maybe another woman might be jealous that her man wasn’t seeing to her, but not me.

It’s better if he’s not here right now. This, I don’t need him around for.

I look over at Rose and see her watching me, a look in her eyes I know all too well. I jerk my head toward the door and she nods wordlessly. No one is really paying attention to us too wrapped up in whatever is going on in their Church room. When we get outside, Rose says, “We’ll walk down to my place and get my SUV.”

Before I can reply, I hear, “No, they’ll expect that.” We turn to see the other women standing there. Sage steps forward and continues, “The guys will be on our asses as soon as we hit the gate, and Carson is on gate duty so he’s not going to let us out without a fight.” She looks at Syn. “Can we use your spare car?”

Syn nods. “I’ll go with you,” she offers.

“Nope,” Rose says firmly. “You and Quinn stay here and keep an eye on things. And where we’re going, I’m not risking you or your babies. Not to mention, if Macy wakes up, she’s going to need her Mom.”

Quinn nods. “This isn’t my kind of thing, but I’m with you in spirit.” She gives a wry smile. “So if you’re kicking ass, make sure that you add in one extra punch for me.”

Sage grins. “You got it.” She looks at Izzy. “You in?”

“I’m in,” Izzy says firmly.

Syn sighs and pulls out keys from her pocket. “Loki and Ebony are free in the house, but if you need back-up, Loki will go with you.”

“Nah, then I’ll be tempted to use him,” Sage chuckles. “And I know you frown on that. Let’s go ladies.” Myself, Rose, Izzy, and Sage all head down the steps and across the road to the fence that follows the driveway.

As we head through the trees, Izzy asks, “Where are we going exactly? Mostly so I can prepare myself.”

“We’re going to go and show a bitch what happens when she fucks with my kid,” I say forebodingly. Because Archer is mine, nothing is going to change that. He needs someone in his corner besides his father that he can count on, and it’s going to be me. Though, after this, Viper might not want anything to do with me, but that’s fine. Family isn’t always through blood or couples in relationships, and I’ll handle whatever comes.

“Are we going to need that bail fund of Shadow’s?” Izzy asks in amusement.

“Possibly,” Sage says, sounding downright gleeful.

“You’ll need it when your men find out you’re gone,” a deep voice drawls, making us all stop and turn to see Sniper standing there. His dark eyes pin me with a look, but I just hold his stare. “You really think that your man is going to be happy to find you gone after everything that’s happened?”

“He’s with Archer,” I point out. “And we’ll be back before he notices as long as you don’t stop us.”

He looks at the other women. “Did you all not learn your lesson the first time you snuck out? You’re creating a huge target on your backs right now by leaving without protection. Are you trying to have him take you?”

---