Page 20 of Viper
For the whole four hours and forty-five minutes back home, he’s ridden side by side with me.
Some brothers come out to welcome us back, Luna right in front, her stomach getting bigger and bigger by the day with her twins, but Blade ignores them all as he snaps, “Viper, my office now!” shocking everyone.
I shake my head and state, “No can do, Prez, I have a fight to train for,” before revving my bike and speeding out.
“Viper!” Blade shouts as I drive out of the gate before the prospect can shut it, with one place in mind.
I need someone to hit me hard in the face, I need to numb this fucking pain.
“Jaylen,” Lake giggles as she runs away from me, and I state, “You started this, shorty,” and rush after her into her living area, butt fucking naked and cold, might I add.
The little minx decided to turn the shower cold, claiming it’s the same feeling when I climb into bed with her and put my cold feet on her.
Fucking bullshit.
Lake runs around her coffee table in nothing but my shirt, and I quickly wrap my arm around her waist, yanking her to me, and she squeals as I lose my footing and we fall to the floor, my body taking the brunt of it as a grunt leaves me. She laughs her ass off, making me grin.
“I fucking love you,” I choke on a laugh, and she replies, “I love you too,” before turning her head, and I meet her, my lips crashing down on hers, and I know, we won’t make our reservations.
My eyes tear and I speed up, not giving a shit about my safety.
Yeah, going nomad is the right route.
Chapter 7
Lake – Three Days Later
I rub my forehead, a headache starting to throb as I re-read the subpoena I’ve just been given ten minutes ago, some guy knocking on my front door with the three famous words ‘You’ve been served’.
Three hundred thousand dollar for emotional and traumatic damages.
“This has to be a joke, right?” I mutter to myself as I bounce my right leg, not understanding, while anger builds that the woman who should be burying her child is more interested in trying to get money from an EMT who was trying to do her job.
Dammit, I tried to save her daughter’s life, yet she’s suing me, seriously?
I read further down and my jaw ticks at the blatant lie, and I growl, “Her daughter could not have been saved, she was fricking brain dead!”
I screech, throwing the letter on the floor, along with knocking over three-quarters of my dinner. The plate shatters as it hits the floor, the cutlery clatters, and my tears fall as I wrap my arms around my head, leaning over the table and sobbing.
I know the woman doesn’t have a case, I know this, the doctor confirmed Trisha would have died within seconds if we hadn’t tried to intervene when we did. It wouldn’t have saved her anyhow, but dammit, I tried to save her, I fucking tried, and the woman is suing me!
I dig my nails into my arms, trying to control my sobs that wrack through my body, the need to call Jaylen consuming yet again for the millionth time since I couldn’t save the little girl. A feeling I’ve given into four times, the fourth him cancelling the call instead of his voicemail being picked up.
My body shakes, my sobs hurting my chest and stomach, and I struggle to breathe.
I tried, I really tried.
I hiccup a few minutes later, my sobs calming before I take deep, slow breaths as a thought comes to me.
Maybe Callum received one as well?
Swallowing, I sit up and grab my phone, and ignoring the photos of Jaylen, I bring up Callum’s number before calling and putting my phone to my ear.
It rings five times before he answers, “Miss me already, huh?”
I swallow and mutter, “Funny, did you, er, look, this is going to sound weird, but were you given a piece of paper today?”
He’s quiet for a moment before he asks, “What kind of paper, Lake?” sounding more serious, and I know he can hear the tears in my voice.
