Page 30 of Daddy Sees Snakes

"I should snap your pretty little neck for leaving me," Lyon snarls, his face a twisted mask of rage. "Teach you what happens when you disrespect me like that."

I scrabble uselessly at his wrist, trying to break his hold, but it's futile.

He's too strong.

As my lungs scream for air, I feel myself starting to fade...

Suddenly, a metallic click pierces the blood roaring in my ears.

Lyon stiffens, his grip slackening just slightly.

"Let her go. Now." Viper's voice is pure steel, sharp and unforgiving as a knife's edge. "Before I redecorate the walls with your fucking brains."

Lyon barks out a harsh laugh, but I can feel his hand trembling against my skin. "You wouldn't dare. This place belongs to the Crimson Reapers."

"Does it look like I give a shit?" The cold barrel of a gun presses against Lyon's temple, digging cruelly into his flesh.

Viper's blue eyes are twin chips of ice. "I said. Let. Her. Go."

For a taut, endless moment, no one moves.

No one even breathes.

Finally, with a muttered curse, Lyon releases me.

I slump against the wall, gasping and coughing, my lungs burning as blessed air rushes in.

Viper never wavers, keeping his pistol trained on Lyon.

When he speaks again, his words drip with lethal promise. "If you ever lay a fucking hand on her again, I will end you. Slowly. And trust me..."

His smile is downright feral. "It'll be the last goddamn thing you ever do."

The VIP room door bursts open with a resounding bang, startling us all.

In the doorway stands a towering man with dark hair and cruel eyes, his leather cut emblazoned with the Crimson Reapers' emblem.

It’s Lyon's older brother and President of the club, Jaxon.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Jaxon's gaze flicks from Viper to Lyon, a single brow arched high. "Mind telling me why you've got a gun to my baby bro's head, Viper?"

Viper doesn't even blink. "Your 'baby bro' needs to learn some fucking manners. Thought I'd give him a little lesson in that respect."

Jaxon chuckles, but there's no humor in it. "Is that right?"

He strolls into the room, his very presence seeming to suck the air out. "How 'bout we all just take a breath, yeah? I'm sure we can come to an...arrangement."

My skin prickles with unease.

I don't like the calculating gleam in Jaxon's eye.

This man is used to getting what he wants, by any means necessary.

Viper's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

But slowly, reluctantly, he lowers his gun. "Fine. Let's talk."

"That's more like it." Jaxon settles into a plush armchair, looking for all the world like a king on his throne. "So, Viper. Besides the obvious..." His gaze slides meaningfully to me. "Why are you darkening my doorstep?"

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