Page 17 of Quadruplets for the Vipers

“I wish a lot of things could be different, but that doesn’t change the way they are,” he replies with a sigh.

“Is that why you hate me? Because you regret kissing me? Or do you think I’m doing something wrong? That I shouldn’t have agreed to get pregnant and give up a baby for money?” I blurt out, desperate to know why he’s so aloof with me.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you, it wasn’t fair of me to…” he pauses, searching for the right word. “…complicate things like that for you,” he carefully settles on.

I’m not sure what to say. Part of me would like to tell him that I don’t regret our kiss at all, that I can’t stop thinking about it, but he’s right in saying it complicated matters.

“But I don’t hate you, and I definitely don’t judge you, not even a little. I’m grateful you agreed to help. I’m glad you’re here,” he adds for good measure, an olive branch.

“Thank you, I’m glad I am too,” I reply earnestly.

After a heavy moment, both lost in contemplation, Axel asks, “Are you ready to leave? We need to get back to the club and tell the others. I don’t think the Hellhounds will strike again tonight,” he assures me.

“Why did they do this? Why did they kill them?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. We’re rivals, but nothing like this. This kind of attack is completely unprecedented and out of the blue. Whatever the reason, they’ll pay for it,” he swears darkly, his eyes clouding over.

“Good, I hope they rot in hell for what they’ve done,” I reply with venom.

“Oh, I’ll make sure of it,” Axel replies with a conspiratorial look.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so alone anymore.

Chapter 10

Leah

It’s been decided that we will keep my pregnancy a secret from the rest of the club for the time being. The guys are concerned that there could be a traitor among their ranks—how else would the Hellhounds have known to ambush us there? Therefore, lies or evasive answers are given when we’re questioned by our own. In the week since Zeus and Donna were gunned down in cold blood, the atmosphere in the clubhouse has been tense.

Despite the guys spending most of their days hunting down those responsible and waging war with the Hellhounds, we’re no closer to finding the people responsible for the murders or why they did it. The Hellhounds have been lying low, or perhaps they’re waiting for the club to collapse without its leader. There’s a definite disconnect within the ranks, a new president will need to be elected soon.

As expected, the police came to interview the club members in the days following the attack. They’re no closer to punishing the perpetrators than we are. My interview was brief. I played dumb, pretending to be just another waitress. We all agreed it wouldn’t help to admit I was there. Most of the members are cagy and uncooperative, they’d rather dish out their own vigilante vengeance. The police seem unsurprised, if not a little frustrated, by the lack of help.

With the evidence gathered and autopsies carried out, we can finally bury our friends at a funeral befitting the president of the Steel Vipers.

The sheer number of bikes in the procession is staggering. People from all over who knew, and respected Zeus have come out for the funeral. Not just from the club but from neighboring counties and states. The funeral itself is a somber affair. The church is packed with mourners. The only clear difference between this and any other funeral is the attire of the guests. While they’re all wearing black, instead of suits, it’s leather jackets and vests with the club emblems emblazoned on. The Steel Vipers are in their full regalia, members showing off their loyalty to the club with pride.

I’m sitting between Axel and Jace in a pew near the front, with Knox next to us. Rider stands off to one side, surveying the crowd. When I asked why he wasn’t sitting with us, Axel simply said, “Rider doesn’t like to feel trapped.”

Since the day Zeus and Donna died, the guys haven’t let me out of their sight, working in constant rotation to keep an eye on me while the others are out working. For the most part, I’ve kept busy helping out at the club, so I haven’t had much time to speak with any of them beyond superficial small talk. Knox keeps his distance when it’s his turn to babysit me; he no doubt still blames me for Donna and Zeus’ deaths.

Knox gets up to address the room, he looks tired with dark circles under his eyes.

He pauses for a moment, composing himself before he speaks.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming. I know Zeus and Donna would be proud to know they’d touched this many lives,” he says, clearing his throat. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Donna and Zeus’ adopted son.”

He pauses before continuing.

“My biological parents were addicts, we spent most of my early years living between crack dens and the streets, and for me, occasionally, foster care. I knew Donna and Zeus through their son, Levi. Levi and I first met at the park when we were young, around eight or so. For those of you who knew Levi, you know how quickly he made friends, especially with an underdog. He took me under his wing and invited me around for dinner, no doubt noticing how malnourished I was. Believe it or not, I was a scrawny little kid back in the day,” he says with a small smile.

“Our playdates became a regular occurrence and Levi’s home, a sanctuary, in no small part due to the kindness of Zeus and Donna. When Zeus and Donna realized how bad my home life was, I more or less permanently moved in with them. My parents didn’t seem to know or care where I was. They tried to clean up their act when I was a teen and forced me to come home; it turned out that it was just that they wanted me to help them score and provide for them. The judge took away their custody rights, and Zeus and Donna formally petitioned to adopt me,” he explains without a trace of bitterness, simply acceptance.

“It’s safe to say I owe Zeus and Donna my life. Without them, who knows where I’d be today? They were taken from us too soon, and the world is a darker place without them,” he finishes, taking one last look at their coffins before walking back to the pews and sitting next to us.

I feel the urge to reach out to comfort him, but I don’t know how that would be received, so I hold my hands tightly in my lap. I study Knox’s face, noting how he’s trying to hold back tears and be strong. My heart breaks for him, for the little boy he was. Without thinking, my hand goes to my stomach, thinking of the life inside. Knox notices me watching him, and his gaze fallsto my stomach as if he’s echoing my thoughts, wondering what the future holds for this child.

I realize that I’m crying when Axel squeezes my hand and wordlessly hands me a handkerchief. I smile at him gratefully, he nods before getting up to give his speech. His strong, commanding voice booms out as he speaks clearly and powerfully. His message both honors the dead and boosts the morale of the club. He reassures the crowd that all is not lost. They might be leaderless, but they are not alone.

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