Page 57 of The Vipers' Vow

He shakes his head. “We have rules in our world, and if you are given a gun, you will be treated the same as any of the men. Without one, as a woman, they aren’t going to shoot you.”

I narrow my eyes. “They might do worse than that to me if I’m unarmed and unable to defend myself if this goes to shit. I need a weapon.”

I look to Saint, who says nothing. In exasperation, I turn to Zane, and he nods at Phoenix who doesn’t respond, but his jaw tenses. Zane smacks the back of his hand against his palm, to get Phoenix’s attention, points to the guns and to me. It’s pretty clear what he means.Give her one.

Eventually, after a long beat, Phoenix relents and passes me a handgun. I tuck it into the side of my waistband and cover it with my leather jacket.

Phoenix takes a gun and messes around inside the rucksack. He takes out a bag with some food in it and tips the contents out onto the ground, and then wraps the weapon in the bag and sticks it firmly into his waistband.

“You want to cover your piece with plastic or something,” he says to Zoo. “Otherwise, it will get wet through. It should still work, but it’s best to keep it as dry as possible.”

Zoo rummages around and sighs as he pulls out a black bag with two tie handles. “A dog poop bag. Really?”

Saint laughs. “It’s empty. What are you bitching for?”

Zoo shoots him a pretend pissed glance, but his lips are twitching. This easy camaraderie between Saint and the guys from Dad’s club is the last thing I expected, Zane, too, if the puzzled glances he’s throwing between them are anything to go by.

Finally, we’re all ready, and we board the boat. Zane hops onto the tender first, as if he owns it, and goes straight to the controls. He takes some keys and spins them around his finger with a grin.

The screen in front of the controls is high and curves over into a cross between a sunshield and a rain protector. It’s made with tinted glass. That is brilliant for us, as it means we can hide Phoenix and Zoo when we approach.

“If we three make sure to stand the entire time,” I say, “Phoenix and Zoo can lie down at the edge of the boat by the side, and if we slow as we approach, they can slip into the water, hopefully unseen.”

Saint goes to take the controls, but Zane pushes him out of the way and signs something. I glance at Saint for a translation.

“He used to pilot the family boat back in Greece.” Saint rolls his eyes.

Wow, Greece. I’d love to go there one day and spend my time on a boat on the ocean for a week or two. I wonder if Zane would take me one day.

Zoo and Phoenix get down and lie as far under the shading of the screen as they can, taking care to press themselves against the side of the boat. The boat rumbles to life, waves slapping the sides, and we’re off, speeding through the water, toward the yacht.

Toward Lex.

20

LEX

Ihear the boat approaching, and my heart picks up speed. Jarl’s men have looked for me twice, searching the yacht, and the stupid fuckers never thought to look under the tarp covering the small lifeboat hanging off the side. From their discussions, they definitely think I escaped and swam back to shore.

My left hand has swollen to twice its size and hurts like a motherfucker. It throbs in time with my pulse, and I’m doing my best not to focus on the pain.

I overheard Jarl telling his men not to kill anyone when they arrive. He says he wants to talk with them first. I wonder what his play will be now he doesn’t have me as a bargaining chip. Not that I intend to give Jarl the chance to put whatever plan he has into action because I’m going to fucking kill that pig, Apo, the minute the others get here. For two reasons—one, to create a distraction and weaken Jarl’s hand, and two, because I fucking want to.

The boat draws nearer and nearer, and then the engine cuts out. Jarl speaks loudly enough for me to make out every word clearly.

“I know you are going to be armed, but I’d rather you didn’t board my boat with your weapons. It would be awful for us to spill blood. These floors are teak.”

A sarcastic laugh follows.

“I don’t give a fuck about your floors.”

I almost let out a sob at my brother’s familiar voice. God, it’s good to hear him.

Saint continues, “We’re not about to step foot on your yacht unarmed. Show us Lex, and we will hand over the cross from here. How about that for compromise?”

“I’m afraid there’s an issue with that.” Jarl sighs as if he’s truly sorry. “We can’t seem to locate him.”

There’s a long stretch of silence, then Saint speaks, and his voice sounds unholy. “Is he fucking alive?”

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