Page 50 of Viper
He sighs and replies lowly, “Shorty, I found you drenched in your own blood in the shower.”
My tears fall and I sob, “And I’m so sorry for that, I never wanted you to see that.”
He lets go of my hand and cups my cheek, forcing me to look at him, and our eyes connect, his shining with unshed tears.
“I messed up,” he admits with a croak, “I never should have reacted the way I did that day, I never should have accused you of something I had no proof of. I should have remembered who you were, your heart,” more tears fall and he wipes them away with his thumb and he whispers, “I was scared, shorty. I never wanted a woman, never trusting them, not with what I’ve seen over the years at the club, with who my mama was. I’ve seen so much shit with the brothers and their pain, I mean, look at Venom, his mama was a patch chaser fooling everyone, and even now she’s returned for money.”
He gently leans forward and places his forehead against mine and I sob at the pain he’s showing me.
He rasps, “I never should have left to clear my head, I should have stayed and for that I am so fucking sorry but please, shorty, I am begging you, please go to the program,” I shake my head, the thought of being there scaring me and he pleads, “For three weeks, just three weeks, to get your fears, your emotions out, to talk through what makes you want to hurt yourself this way, to-to give our daughter to strangers, please, Lake…”
He gently moves his hand from my bump to my hand, his fingers gently touching the bandage, and he whispers, “Please, Lake, please go to rehab, if not for you, then do it for your dad, do it for me… do it, do it for our baby.”
My body trembles and I sob, “I don’t want the baby, I don’t know how to be a mama.”
He leans up a little, keeping his face near mine as he declares, “But you know how to be a good parent, how to love a child. Look at Tate, who adores you, Hudson…”
He cups my cheek and states vehemently, “You are the most caring, beautiful person I have ever met, and even through all the pain, the hurt, the anger, I always knew that and so did Tate. That little girl absolutely adores you, and you treat her like she’s your own. You can do this, Lake, you can be a mama and while yours is the biggest bitch out there, she taught you one thing,” his eyes race between mine, “She taught you what not to do to our daughter while your dad, he taught you how to always be there for her, to show her your love everyday just like he does with you. And Mama Lopez, she taught you kindness, that blood doesn’t mean you are not family as well as the girls.”
My tears fall again, and he whispers, “So many people in your life have taught you how to love, how to put others before yourself. Don’t give up because you’ve gone into this depressive state that I sent you into.”
Nothing but guilt and heartbreak shines off him, and I try to look away, unable to handle it all. He doesn’t let me for long as he cups my cheek tighter and he pleads, “Just three weeks, shorty and I’ll come visit you every week, to allow you to unwind, to tell me how you really feel…Please.”
The door opens, but Jaylen doesn’t move, instead, he keeps his eyes on me, and my dad's voice rings out, “Listen to him, pumpkin, you need this, and you never know, you may change your mind about the baby.”
I don’t see that happening, I refuse to be selfish like Cherri was, and as great a father as my dad was, staying in the area where I was labelled a whore because of who birthed me was his downfall.
I didn’t get to experience high school or make friends organically. I couldn’t even walk down the street without people calling me a whore.
“Please, shorty,” Jaylen begs again, and my tears fall, and I slowly close my eyes before nodding. I whisper, “I’ll do it, but I need to continue with my studies,” and he sighs with relief before pressing his lips against my forehead, while my mind begins to whirl.
He only wants this because of the baby.
So much hate and hurt is between us, so much toxicity, and he even left, proving we were done, that there was no coming back.
I’ll do this, but more to appease him and my family, then I need him to see that keeping this baby is not the right route for us. That being part of the club or anywhere near it, or Cherri, is not possible. If he doesn’t see it, then I’ll have to leave until the adoption is finalized.
He’ll thank me in the end.
Chapter 19
Viper – Nine Days Later
I bounce my leg as I watch the large brown door, my nerves shot.
Fuck, what if she tells me to leave?
It’s been a week since Lake was transported to Graves Medical Facility for people struggling with depression after seventy two hours on suicide watch. A week since I last saw her and fuck me, the feeling of being lost is ten times worse than when I was on the road for two months, traveling to different clubhouses that affiliate with our club while ignoring the clubwhores who eyed me up.
There’s only one woman I want, one woman I’ve always wanted.
I’ve been given updates, the hospital believing she’s my wife, but I haven’t spoken to her. That is something they don’t allowuntil the first visit. I’ll admit, for the past week, I’ve spent more time in the gym than I have sleeping.
No one in the club is aware of the circumstances yet, or of the baby. Blade decided it was for the best, especially since everyone believes she’s a patch chaser. Even now, they believe Venom and I are on a club run.
I won’t have anyone cause her to make another turn for the worse.
“Everything will be alright, brother,” Venom says, trying to soothe me, but it doesn’t work.
