Page 27 of Quadruplets for the Vipers

“I keep wondering if those guys came after you tonight because of me…” he says, his eyes filled with anguish.

“No, Knox, you can’t blame yourself. You were protecting me. If they were trying to finish what they started, that has nothing to do with you,” I assure him.

He nods, seeming relieved that I don’t blame him.

“You can sleep in my room,” Knox offers. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch. Unless you plan to stay with Axel in his room.”

He says this with a trace of hurt in his voice that confuses me. I’m unsure why Knox would have a problem with Axel and me hooking up. Perhaps it’s purely out of concern for the baby. Regardless, until I’ve spoken with Axel, I have no idea what he thinks about what happened between us. With how Axel acted toward me in the past when we kissed, I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to forget the whole thing even happened. No way am I about to move into his bedroom without speaking to him first.

“No. If you don’t mind me taking your room, that would be great.”

“She could stay in my room, I wouldn’t mind,” Jace interjects, his voice insinuating he wouldn’t be taking the couch.

Knox shoots him a filthy glare, and Jace chuckles, having gotten the reaction he wanted.

“I’ll go get my room ready for you now, Leah,” Knox says before heading up the stairs.

Knox is in the process of changing the sheets when I join him upstairs.

“Thanks for giving up your room. I’m not sure that I could stay in that house. It was bad enough feeling the absence of Zeus and Donna, but now…” My voice trails off as I think of what might have happened if Axel hadn’t been there.

“It’s no problem. The room is yours for as long as you need it.” Knox gathers some of his things and turns to leave, stopping in the doorway to look at me. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he says softly. “If you need anything, I’m right downstairs, and the others will be back soon.”

I get the impression that there’s more he wants to say. But he simply closes the door and leaves. I hear him and Jace talking quietly downstairs as I take a long, hot shower before climbing into bed. Dawn is almost breaking, and I think there’s no way that I can sleep after everything that happened; my nerves are too frazzled. Yet, as the cool sheets embrace me, I find myself drifting off into an exhausted slumber. With the guys downstairs, I know I’m in the safest place I can be.

Chapter 14

Knox

Idon’t sleep. My mind is filled with thoughts of Leah. What did those men want with her? If they were there to harm her simply because I reacted so violently against them, then it’s all my fault. However, the logical part of me realizes that, given their connection with the Hellhounds, their visit was likely far more sinister. As much as I’m pissed with Axel for sleeping with her—doing the one thing he forbade us from doing and taking advantage of her while she’s in a vulnerable state emotionally—I’m grateful that he was there to protect her.

I know my anger toward Axel is more directed at myself. I’m frustrated that I wasn’t the one to protect Leah and if I’m being honest, I’m a little jealous that she chose Axel. Not that she’d want anything to do with me after the way I’ve treated her. I blamed her for Donna and Zeus’ deaths. It would be so much easier if I could still feel anger toward her, but instead, I have this burning desire to protect her, to be near her, and I know it comes from more than just wanting to protect my adoptive parents’ grandchild.

I think of her upstairs in my bed as I lie there on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Is she sleeping, or is she also lying awake, worrying about what the future holds?

With Axel having hooked up with her, Leah is now more off-limits than ever. Sure, we share women, but Leah doesn’t seem like that kind of girl. I just hope Axel doesn’t see her as just another chick. Though, given how he broke his own rule for her and the way he looks at her, I can tell he’s as smitten with her asI am. I should back off. My brother deserves this, deserves her, and she deserves better than me, yet I can’t stop thinking about her.

I picture what it would be like to hold her and kiss her. To be looked at the way she looks at Axel. I imagine what having sex with her would be like, and I can feel myself growing hard. I know that Rider and Axel won’t be back home for hours and Jace is asleep, so there’s no chance of anyone walking in on me, and the house is silent. So, unable to get her out of my head and hoping I can relieve some of the tension I feel, I touch myself. My hand strokes a familiar path as I think of Leah. My thick cock is painfully straining in my hand as I try to find release. Somewhat satisfied but nowhere near satiated, I clean myself up and head to the kitchen to make myself a coffee.

I’m careful to move as quietly as I can. I’ve no concerns about waking Jace, the man sleeps like the dead; he didn’t even hear the gunshots earlier, we had to shake him awake, but if Leah has found some peace in sleep, then the last thing I want to do is wake her.

Although the sun has risen, it’s still early. The majority of the club members who live in our little community aren’t early risers, especially not after last night. Those who heard the gunshots and came to help went back to bed and likely won’t be up until late, so I enjoy the peace and quiet. I’m standing, drinking my coffee, and gazing out of the window at the deserted street when I hear it.

A cry of terror.

Leah.

Immediately, I race upstairs to where Leah is sleeping.How could someone have gotten past me?

I burst through the door, gun drawn, only to find the room empty. Leah’s asleep, tossing and turning, the covers thrown aside to reveal a pale leg, her hair disheveled, and her brow furrowed as she’s lost in a nightmare.

I perch on the bed beside her, gently shaking her shoulder. “Leah, wake up, you’re having a bad dream,” I whisper soothingly.

I don’t want to startle or scare her more with my presence, but I can’t leave her like this either.

“Knox?”

She’s confused and sleepy, but unafraid of my presence, which is a relief. Seeing her like this in my bed is not an unwelcome sight, and I try to push down the images it evokes, picturing what it would be like to wake up beside her every day.

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