Reckless Fear (The Black Vipers #1) Read online

  He grabbed for me, crushing me against his chest. I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He softly ran his fingers down my hair, whispering he wasn’t going anywhere and promising we were both finally safe.

  He had never been more wrong.

  I held onto him for my life and for the life of the baby we never got to have. The sobs refused to stop, the waves of pain crashing over and over. He held me tight. Never wavering, never questioning. Just steady and strong arms, holding me while my memories delivered the type of punishment that only happens when life has been brutally torn from your body.

  “Baby, you have to calm down. Please, I don’t know what to do. Tell me what you need.”

  I synchronized my breathing to the beat of his heart, wishing this had been our story. For the first time I felt it.

  What we could have been.

  What was taken from us…from me.

  I saw it all in my head. A tiny baby, lying against his chest and me tucked under his arm. His protection surrounding us and we were together, as a family.

  I was a danger to him, although he would never see it that way. He could never be safe with me in his world.

  I tucked the image of our little family away, silently saying goodbye.

  The sun peeked through the curtains and I knew I had no more time to waste.

  I cleared my throat. “What I need from you is to stay as far away from me as possible.”

  His face turned ghostly white.

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying yes, I know we have a crazy chemistry. But I don’t want you in my life. There is too much history with you. Too much pain whenever I look at you.”

  He intertwined his fingers, putting them on top of his head.

  “It was because of me, wasn't it?”

  I nodded. “The one beating my dad gave me was after I was with you.”

  He moved his hands to his hips, looking down at the ground.

  “Why,” he whispered.

  “I’d been promised to someone. I was to be delivered on my 17th birthday to someone in exchange for something my father had always wanted.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “The deal was I was to be delivered as a virgin.”

  “Your fucking dad sold you?”

  “When he found out I was not longer a virgin, he went crazy.”

  “Why didn't you just lie to him?”

  A heavy silence settled between us, giving him time to work the situation out in his head.

  His face fell, eyes blinking down to my stomach and then back to my face.

  “I didn't tell him. I just couldn't hide the evidence anymore.”

  He ran his hands through his hair slowly as it all sunk in, not wanting to ask the question hanging between us.

  “You were pregnant? We have a kid?” The hope that raised his voice was almost my undoing.

  “Yes, I was pregnant. No, we don’t have a kid.”

  He backed away from me. I felt a coldness blanket over me. I welcomed it, knowing it was the only way for me to make it through this again.

  “I couldn't hide it anymore. He beat me until I lost consciousness. When I woke up, my back was nothing more than ripped up skin and the baby, the baby was gone.”

  He ground his teeth while flexing his fists at his side. “What the fuck do you mean, gone?”

  “Gone. Aborted. Murdered.” My heart fluttered madly in my chest, wanting to scream out but the cold shut it down. I stared at him, emotionless.

  His eyes flashed with a level of pain that shot into me and straight to my heart. He was realizing the only person in his life who had been completely his to guard, had been killed and he hadn’t been there to stop it.

  He grabbed the side table and threw it across the room, screaming as he punched the wall over and over. He paced back and forth flexing his bleeding hands and pulling at his hair.

  His agony was so intense I felt as if I would die all over again. I stayed motionless, only allowing the tears that slipped out to fall. I couldn't give in to his pain too. I couldn't hold him or comfort him. I was too selfish with my own pain to make his important enough to react in any way.

  I watched as all the feelings he thought he had for me, faded from his heart. Blame for the death of his child replacing any other kind of emotion he’d attached to me.

  This was working. He would have no other choice but to push me away now.

  My heart began to give out, just beating out of habit. There was only so much pain I could endure before existing was the best I could do.

  “Who the fuck is your dad? Who does that? I will kill him slowly. I will rip his flesh from his bones! Tell me, tell me right now where he is.”

  Within seconds of each other, my cell phone, his cell phone and the room phone all rang.

  He tore his red rimmed eyes from mine, reaching for his cell.

  “What,” he barked out.

  His eyes clouded for a second, trying to understand what was being said on the other line and then flashed to the door.

  ”Are you sure?”

  I tried to reach for my phone that hadn’t stopped going off. But he grabbed the back of my arm roughly, pulling me toward the door.

  I jerked my arm away from him. He turned, his face red with anger.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He grabbed me again. “The fuck you’re not. I don’t have time for this, now move.”

  The door to his room flew open and he thrust me behind him. Nancy stood in the doorway, face flushed and breathing heavy. She paused when she saw me standing there, but quickly recovered.

  Reaching into the closet, she grabbed Tights bag of belongings and shoved it against his chest. Quickly he undressed and slid into his jeans and black t-shirt. All the while, Nancy watched the hallway.

  “They’re here. Maverick and Rip. I saw them in the parking lot.”

  My heart galloped into my throat and my head started to spin. I reached for my phone, seeing the message on the screen and shoving it quickly back into my pocket. I needed to get the fuck out of here and as far away from Tight as possible. I refused to let either one of us die today.

  “I heard”, he growled. He put the phone back up to his ear but I could hear everything Braxton was saying.

  “Get the fuck out of there now. Dane said it looks like half the fucking club is riding in. I don’t know how they found you, but get your ass to the safe house and lay low, damn it. Don’t be a fucking hero. Just stay alive.”

  He hung up before Braxton was done talking. Nancy reached into the waistband of her scrubs and handed him a gun.

  He clicked off the safety, reached back and threaded his fingers in mine.

  “Time to go, ladies,” he said, pulling me along with him.

  Nancy stood her ground. “I’m going to stay here. Maybe I can throw them off your trail, give you a few more minutes to get out of the hospital.

  “That’s a bad idea. You should come with us.”

  “Just go,” she said.

  “I’m staying with Nancy.”

  He reached down and grabbed me by the legs, lifting me and throwing me over his shoulder.

  “You fucking go where I go.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Tight

  Fucking Maverick. My skin tingled with the need to have his blood on my hands. My predatory nature began its slow crawl inside of me, plotting and twisting my mind with thoughts of death. The only thing I wanted more than castrating the bastard with my own hands and suffocating him with his balls, was making sure Sasha got out of this hospital alive.

  She pounded her knuckles against my back, begging to be put down. I ignored her. This was not the time for her to be difficult.

  My heart thundered in my chest as I looked back at Nancy one more time. This situation was a powder keg just waiting for a spark and I was seconds from being the match.

  “Come with us.”

  Her eyes were wide but strong with courage. She jerked her he
ad in the direction of the hallway.

  “Unless you plan on taking me out on the other shoulder, you’d better go. I’ll be fine, it’s you they want.”

  I gave her a hesitant nod. “Thanks for everything. Pops will be in touch.”

  I slipped out into the hallway, heading the opposite direction of the nurse’s station. I tried the first door, twisting the knob like a mad man, hoping it would give.

  “For fuck sake, Tight. Are you trying to rip the door off its hinges? Put me down,” Sasha whispered.

  The supply closet knob gave and I cracked open the door slowly. I checked the hallway, making sure there were no threats closing in, before stepping inside.

  Sasha jumped off my shoulder, shoving my chest as her feet hit the ground.

  “Don’t ever do that again.”

  “Are you okay?” I asked as I checked to make sure I had a round in the chamber.

  “Do you mean other than being taken hostage by some crazy ass biker who has an entire MC here to kill him? Other than that, I’m super.”

  “Good,” I said, grounding my teeth together. “I’m glad to see you’re not going to give me any sass about the situation because it would be so unlike you.”

  I crouched down, grabbing the knife from by boot.

  “Well excuse me if I don’t feel like dying today.”

  I stood quickly, locking my eyes on hers.

  “I will kill every person in this hospital to get you out safe.”

  Her mouth dropped open, her eyes snapping with disbelief. She took a step away from me, fear flashing across her face.

  I held my hands up in front of me, hoping to calm her nerves. I quickly lowered them when I realized I had the gun in one hand, the knife in the other.

  “Listen to me. Believe me, fucking trust me, please.”

  Her eyes searched mine.

  “I understand if I’m scaring you. I’m not exactly for the faint of heart. But think about it. I make you nervous because nothing I say is an empty promise thrown out to impress. I would walk through a blood bath to protect you.”

  She jumped as her phone vibrated in her pocket. Typing out a quick text, she shut it off and shoved in back where it came from. I wanted to grab the damn thing and find out who could possibly be important enough to be responding to right now, but I had other things to worry about. How I was going to fight my way through the entire Dark Riders MC and get us both to the safe house alive was first on the list.

  “Did you drive here? Where are your keys?” I asked.

  She looked at me like I’d grown another head.

  I ran my hand down my face, groaning. “Listen, either we both leave here together or I die today. Pick now, because I’m not leaving without you.”

  She inhaled deeply. “I keep my key with me.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a single key and headed toward the door. “Follow me.”

  I thrust my arm in front of her, stopping her before she was able to open it.

  “I’m going first.”

  “Are you freaking serious right now? Do you even know how to get off this floor, let alone out of the hospital? Follow me or we will both die today.” She poked me in the chest. “Now, you pick.”

  I hated she was right but didn’t have the time to be a dick about it so I moved my arm. She lifted an eyebrow at me and smirked.

  If I didn't think there would be a flood of Dark Riders flowing through these hallways in about two minutes, I’d picked her up and fuck that look right off her face.

  She cracked the door open, checking down the hallway each way like a pro. Motioning for me to follow, she slipped out and crept along the wall toward the stairwell. Once inside, she turned to me.

  “Listen,” she said breathlessly. “We’re going down to the main floor, out the door and to the left. There’s a side entrance that leads into the back hallway. My car is parked in the underground parking garage. If we get split up, I’m in spot A-4. There’s an extra key in the driver side wheel well. I will meet you there.”

  I held out my hand. “Fuck that. We won’t get separated. Give me your key.”

  Her face hardened. She glanced at my out stretched hand and back at me.

  “Not a chance in bloody hell you are driving my car.”

  “Do you know where the safe house is?”

  Her face tightened, knowing she was pushed into a corner.

  “Because if you do, by all means…” I made a sweeping motion toward the steps.

  Reluctantly she put the key in my hand, but not before pointing a finger in my face.

  “Don’t wreck it.”

  “Whatever, let's go.”

  We started down the stairs, careful to be quiet but also moving at a quick pace. We had six flights of stairs to go down before we hit the ground level.

  We made it to the lading of second floor when a door, a few floors above, opened and closed. We both froze.

  We weren't alone.

  I pressed a finger to my lips as I pointed in the direction the noise came from. We still had two floors to go and if the jackass above us told his buddies he’d found us, there would be a welcome committee waiting.

  Her scared eyes found mine. I pulled her to me, pressing my lips to her ear and whispered, “I have to go see who’s up there.”

  She shook her head at me, her eyes wide and frightened. “No. No, please. Let's just run.” She grabbed a handful of my t-shirt. Her eyes darting back and forth between me and the stairs above us.

  “Sasha, look at me.” I put my hands on either side of her face. “You need to go. Just get to your car and drive to the city. Don’t stop until you get to The Pit.”

  Her eyes shot back to the stairs. I shook her shoulders, trying to keep her attention. “Baby, listen. Go to The Pit and ask for Stash. He knows about you, he will keep you safe until I can get there.”

  She shook her head wildly at me, reaching for me and trying to stop me as I turned to climb the stairs. The door opened and closed again. We stood in silence.

  “He’s gone,” She whispered.

  “I think you’re right but I need to check for sure. You go to the car, I will be right behind you.” She moved toward the door and I strained around the staircase, trying to see if anyone was there. It didn’t make any sense. Why wouldn’t he be coming down the stairs?

  Panic flooded into me as I realized what was happening. I jumped down the two steps but not before the door behind Sasha flew open, clanging against the wall behind it.

  Rip, VP of the Dark Riders stood in the doorway. Surprise flashed on his face for a second before his lips turned into a devilish snarl.

  Sasha lunged toward me but he caught her by the back of her hair, pulling her in front of him and wrapping his other hand around her neck.

  I made a move for him, lifting my gun and aiming at his head but he squeezed her neck even harder. She gasped her hands clawing at his wrist.

  I froze, knowing he could snap her neck in the blink of an eye.

  “Well, look what I’ve found. A lost Viper. You’re not so tough outside of The Pit, are you?”

  “Shut the fuck up Rip, let the nurse go. She has nothing to do with this.” I lifted my hands up, letting him see I was giving up. “Let's take care of this man to man.”

  A smirk lifted his lips and he tightened his hold.

  “You mean give up this beautiful, fuckable bitch?”

  He gripped her chin, turning her face to his. Sliding one hand down her body, he gripped one breast and squeezed tightly.

  “No, I think I’ll keep her.”

  “Get your damn hands off of her.” A rush of electricity surged through me, preparing me for the damage I was about to rain down on this bastard.

  “If she has nothing to do with this, you won't mind if I do this.”

  He ran his tongue from her jaw to the corner of her mouth. Sasha let out a small whimper, her eyes never leaving mine as a tear escaped.

  Everything inside of me exploded. I zeroed in on every place
this dirty bastard was touching her, touching what was mine. I committed to memory every spot on her beautiful skin that he’d tainted, promising a cleansing with my own blood if necessary.

  The thin wire of sanity that made it possible for me to live in society snapped, releasing all the beasts of my past. I dropped my hands to my sides, a curtain of red clouding my sight. A smile stretched across my face as I shook my head slowly at him.

  “What’s so funny, asshole?”

  I licked my lips, tasting the death in the air.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you.”

  Time slowed for me like it always does when I’m about to take someone’s life. I watched his pupils dilate and noticed the small tremor in the fingers wrapped around her neck.

  His eyes were crazed with adrenalin, his nostrils flared and lips parted slightly as his breathing quickened. A small bead of sweat slid down his face.

  I knew where his mind was. He was blood thirsty and I loved it.

  He blinked and it was all the time I needed to send my knife across the space between us. He screamed as it embedded itself into the soft tissue of his shoulder. Falling forward, he released her and reached toward the knife.

  I caught him against my chest, pressing my hand over his mouth to quiet his screams of pain. I twisted the knife purely for my pleasure and his face paled from the pain. I pushed him to his knees in front of me.

  His eyes glassed over from fear or pain…maybe both.

  I leaned in, whispering in his ear. “Every finger you touched her with,” I grabbed his hand, bending his fingers back as far as I could without busting them, “is going to be mine.” He cried out, trying to twist his hand back into a normal position. I grabbed him by the jaw, squeezing until the bones shifted under the pressure.

  “Every inch of your skin that touched hers, I’m going to tear off.” I forced his mouth open with my gun. “I’m going to rip your tongue out and make you watch me burn it for even thinking you could taste her.”

  A small sob caught my attention. Sasha was pressed against the wall. Her hand covered her mouth, eyes pleading with me. She was seeing the monsters I unleashed. A small part of me longed to comfort her…to gather her into my arms and promise her this was as bad as it would get. But that was a lie and I promised to never lie to her again. This wouldn’t be the worst she would see me do if anyone ever touched her again.