His phone vibrated on the workbench and pulled his attention away from thoughts regarding how to mangle the beast permanently. He walked over and scooped it and his longneck bottle up. The name on the screen had him sighing and taking a long pull on the bottle before answering. “What?”
“I couldn’t reach Dad. I’m sorry. I need help.”
While Krista Richmond might not be his favorite person on the planet, he would never ignore a call for help from any club member or their family. “Where are you?” he asked. The bottle hit the workbench hard before he scooped up his keys. He tossed the rag from his back pocket onto his tools and waved over a prospect. When Viper gestured at the tools, the kid gave a nod and went to work packing everything away securely.
“By the Patterson house,” she said. Her voice was softer than before.
“Krista, are you safe?” he demanded. Slinging his leg over his bike, he hefted it into position and then slipped the Bluetooth device onto his ear. He pocketed the phone while sticking his brain bucket in place with his free hand, quickly fastening it under his chin a second later.
“I don’t know.” Her voice was now barely a whisper.
Viper cranked the engine over. “Stay with me, Krista. Keep talking if you can. If not, I want you to hit a button on the keypad every thirty seconds.” It would let him know she was still there even if she couldn’t talk. “Who is there with you?”
“I don’t know. I was coming back from Donny’s place dropping off the plate Mom made up for him. A tire blew and I pulled over. When I got out to take a look, I found the passenger-side tires shredded. It wasn’t a nail or anything. Shit,” she muttered.
“Krista, are you still there?” A beep sounded in his ear. “Good girl, turn the volume down on your phone. You don’t need them hearing the tone out there.” At that time of night and way the hell out there, easily two miles from town, sound travelled. Giving the bike more gas, Viper took back and side roads. He needed to get there fast, and without having the locals light him up. While they likely wouldn’t ding him, they would delay him. Unacceptable.
Another beep sounded in his ear. “I hear you. Keep breathing nice and easy. I’m on my way.” Clearing the houses, Viper gave his bike more juice, the surge sending muted pleasure coursing through his veins. Even with her in danger, he couldn’t stop the reaction to the freedom he felt when riding.
Once he was outside the town’s limits, he went the fastest he could while keeping control. He knew each road and trail like the back of his hand. But nature had a way to even out the odds. No way was he going to crash because a rabbit had leaped into his path. He’d never live it down. Another beep sounded in his ear.
The next two miles sped past under his wheels. He slowed when he caught a glimpse of a vehicle, quickly identifying it as Krista’s Jeep. Slowing more, he made the turn onto Patterson’s land and revved the engine up. They would hear him coming, but maybe that would be enough.
“They’re leaving,” Krista told him. “Is that you?”
“It’s me,” he said. After pulling up to the house, he dropped the kickstand, and swung off the bike. The .45 he preferred was in his hand the instant he cleared the seat. He swept it slowly over the yard before calling out to her.
Viper ended the call and slipped his Bluetooth earpiece into a pocket while keeping a wary eye on the dark grounds around the Patterson house. Relief coursed through him when Krista came jogging his way. She was pale and visibly shaken, but unharmed. It was pure instinct to wrap his arm around her shoulders, tugging her in close to his body while he kept slowly circling to see everything he could. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.”
Her arms had slipped around his waist to hold on tight. She was squeezing him hard enough he could feel the fine tremors running through her body.
“We’re going to lock up your Jeep, and then I’m getting you to your parents. I’ll call the shop to have the prospects come out and collect your ride.” He felt her nod against his chest. After putting the .45 away, he unbuckled the helmet from his head and stuck it on hers. Viper tightened the straps to ensure it stayed in place. While he would risk his life without thought, he wouldn’t a passenger’s—ever.
He urged her toward his bike, and she reluctantly let go long enough for him to climb on. The moment she was on the back, Krista wrapped her arms around him tight again, her body flush against his. “Where’s your cut?”
Shocked by her question, he looked down. He didn’t have it on. Holy shit. He’d left it at the shop he’d been in such a rush to get to her. Never before had he ever left his cut behind for any reason. “At the shop,” he muttered. Shaking his head, he got the engine going and then pulled away from the house.
After they’d secured her Jeep and Viper had put in the call to the shop, he tried Duke again. No answer. Odd for the man who never left his phone more than a foot from his side. They could be asleep, but Viper didn’t think that was the case. With everything currently going on, there was no way Duke wouldn’t answer a call, especially from a member.
He pointed the bike toward Duke and Nadine’s place, winding along the back roads while Krista held on. Halfway there, the shivering stopped and he felt her rest her head to his shoulder. “Don’t go falling asleep back there.”
“I won’t.” He wasn’t exactly convinced, given that she sounded partway there already.
Ten minutes later, they pulled into the drive leading to her parents’ house. Viper pulled to a stop and stared at the house. Every room was lit up. His gut clenched in warning; something was wrong. He dug out his phone and put in a call to Marcus ‘Bones’ Harcourt, the club’s VP. “Bones, are you at Duke’s?”
“No, man. I’m sitting on my fat ass at my place watching a movie. Why?”
Shit, not good. “The place is lit up right now.” Bones let out a curse. He knew that wasn’t normal. After dinner, Duke always went through the place shutting lights off and leaving only the back section, and the light in the stairwell to the basement, on. If anyone hung around after the weekly dinner, they would sit out back on the deck, or in the kitchen. Viper’s gut was practically screaming now.
“Call the others. Get out here,” Viper said.
“Already moving, brother. Wait for us.”
Yeah, like that’s going to happen. Viper didn’t bother answering since Bones knew him well enough to know Viper wouldn’t be sitting on his ass twiddling his fucking thumbs for the troops to arrive. It wasn’t in his nature.
“What’s going on?”
He shot Krista a look over his shoulder. “I need you to stay here. It could be nothing, but given your trouble tonight, my instincts say it’s damn well something.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Krista…”
“No, I am coming with you. I’m safer with you than sitting here in the dark on a deserted road surrounded by trees where anyone could be hiding, Viper.”
Fucking female had a valid point. And he didn’t know if the guys who had disabled her Jeep were here, or if they had friends here. Hell, he didn’t know if anyone was there. Grunting, he waved her off the bike and then wheeled it to the side. He took the helmet from her and left it sitting on the fuel tank.
He caught her chin and made her look up at him. “You do what I say, when I say, and stay right fucking behind me. Clear?”
“I will be glued to your back.”
Viper had to stifle a groan, and then felt the urge to slap himself. He and Krista did not like each other; he should not be thinking about her being glued to him. He’d damn well gotten over his infatuation years ago. Shaking his head, he pulled out his gun and headed toward the house. Her small hand landed on his shirt and her fingers wrapped into the fabric. Which did not help his current situation. Damn it, this is not the time to have to lecture my fucking libido!
Chapter Three
Krista kept a tight hold on Viper’s shirt. She had to bite her lip to keep from panting in sheer terror. While she knew the
club was into some shady business, never once had her father or any member ever let it touch her life. Tonight might well have nothing to do with the MC, but if it didn’t, she had no idea what was going on.
Quite frankly, she was stunned that Viper had even picked up his phone. She’d only had his number in her phone because it came standard in all her burners. He was the club’s sergeant at arms, after all. Being a member that sat at the table meant he was a go-to guy. Tonight had been the first time she’d called him in nearly eight years. The last time had been—no! She couldn’t start down that memory path. It would do her no good, and the timing seriously sucked.
She knew why Viper was being cautious. First her “accident”, and now her parents’ place was lit up like it was during dinner but shouldn’t by at that hour. Dinner had ended over an hour ago; no way would her father have left all the lights burning. The man had a specific routine and never deviated. She should know; she’d lived in the house for nineteen years and learned her father’s routines well.
Viper eased through the front door and swept the path with his gun held firmly in hand. Krista could not believe how hot it was to see him like this. He’d always pushed her buttons, but she’d sadly never done the same for him. He’d adamantly told her that and it was why she avoided him whenever she could. When she couldn’t, she was always polite but brusque. She couldn’t help it. She’d thought back then that he was a friend and that maybe one day in the future he could be more.
Silly girlhood dreams that were crushed under his boot heel with no care for her. Looking back, she knew she’d pushed at the boundaries he’d clearly laid out. But she’d thought she was different. Oh, how wrong she’d been.
When Viper stopped she felt the tension in his body. She wanted to ask what he saw but knew better than to open her mouth. Krista fought down more panic and focused hard on her breathing while Viper swept his gun around. When they started to move forward again, she was tempted to release a relieved breath but knew not to. They were only through a couple rooms with several more to go.
One by one, they cleared the rooms and moved on. Only when they got to the hall leading to the bedrooms in the wing nearest the pond did Viper stop again. “Stay here,” he mouthed.
Krista firmly shook her head. No way in hell was she staying out in the hall. While Viper scared her on some visceral level, likely because she knew he could be dangerous if the situation called for it, she felt safer latched onto him right then than she would standing alone to wonder about the absolute worst-case scenarios. God help her if the house let out a creak or something like that. She’d probably go out through a wall like a cartoon character.
His expression changed to annoyance before smoothing back out. All in a single breath. It was rare to catch anything on his face other than his normal laid-back calm. Not a first for Krista, as she seemed to push his buttons. She’d ruffled his feathers over the years in several attempts, most on purpose, to get a visible emotional reaction from him. Even her mother, who Viper got into regular arguments with, didn’t elicit such a reaction.
Viper mouthed something else she didn’t catch, but she had the distinct impression it was not complimentary. Didn’t matter; he wasn’t insisting. Biting her lip, Krista followed on his heels into what was her younger brother’s room when he was home from school for the holidays. Empty.
Next they went into her former room at the house. Perfectly neat and tidy, exactly like she’d left it on her last trip home. The room closest to her parents’ bedroom was her mom’s home office. It was more chaotic than any other room in the house. Her mother’s online business making unique gift wrap, cards, and other pieces was booming and the room showed that with half-finished pieces waiting patiently to one side, and others ready to be boxed and shipped when ordered.
The last room in this wing of the house and the door they now faced was the master bedroom. Viper stopped with his hand hovering over the knob. If her parents were asleep, all hell would soon break loose. It was possible, but unlikely given that the entire situation was plain wrong.
Tightening her grip on Viper’s shirt, Krista pressed in closer to him. She felt a sudden chill sweep down her spine, a sense of foreboding gripping her tight. He moved his hand from the knob to grip her hip quickly. He gave a squeeze to steady her before he reached out again to turn the knob.
The bedroom was dark. The only light filtering in came from the back deck lamps and the hall lights at their backs. It was strange, given it should have been lit up at that hour. His pause this time was to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, she knew. When her eyes adjusted, Krista couldn’t stop the gasp that broke free. The room had been trashed.
This time when Viper moved, she let go, unable to take a step, her feet rooted to the floor. Time seemed to slow, and each breath she drew was painful and harsh. Staring at the broken lamp, the overturned chair, and other ransacked items, she felt lightheaded. Her mind couldn’t seem to fully comprehend what she was seeing, but her clenching heart knew it was bad. Really bad.
“Krista.” Viper’s call to her broke her trance.
Whipping her head around, she blinked at him before moving. He stood in the bathroom doorway, the light on at his back throwing his face into shadow. Once she reached him, she looked in and cringed. Her knees wobbled and she likely would have gone down if he hadn’t caught her around the waist.
“Breathe,” he ordered.
She was trying. Each gasped breath hurt her entire body. Blood. That’s blood on the floor. “Oh God,” she got out. A whimper followed and she knew she was on the verge of a breakdown.
“That’s not enough blood to worry. A small wound, nothing more.”
“Then where are they? Who the hell did this, Viper?”
“I don’t know,” he muttered. He pulled her out into the hall. “I’m going to call the sheriff. It looks like an abduction, Krista.”
She could only stare up at him when he nudged her through the house to the front door. “You’re thinking it’s the same guys that came after me, aren’t you?”
“Seems a little too coincidental for my taste that this happened tonight. The same night someone tried to get you. What I don’t get is why. Or who would have the balls to go after the Scoundrels’ president in his own home. That is the shit that starts wars.”
Another shiver coursed through her. Viper pulled her closer to his heat. Forcing her arms to unwrap from her own body, she slipped them around his waist and held on. “How are you so damn calm right now, Viper?”
“Getting pissed off without any facts isn’t going to help us. We need details before we fly off the handle. Believe me, when I find out who did this they will pay.”
Oddly enough, she didn’t shiver at the chill his voice held. It was strangely reassuring to hear that bite to his tone. It let her know he wasn’t as unaffected as she’d originally thought. He was beyond angry, but Viper was the sort that didn’t allow it to show and give others power over him. He was a smart, dangerous man. It was yet more proof he was not for her, no matter how much her body begged her to reconsider.
Krista rested her cheek to his chest and closed her eyes. She could hear motorcycle engines and the crunch boots made on a gravel drive. The club had arrived. She should probably let go. When she tried, Viper only tightened his arm to hold her even closer to his body. Unable, and unwilling, to fight it, she melted into him.
“Sheriff, it’s Viper. I need you at Duke’s place.” There was a short pause before the large biker she was wrapped around heaved a sigh. “There’s been trouble. Bring the crime-scene team.”
Turning her head slightly, Krista took a peek at the men walking their way. Those closest had stopped and wore shocked expressions that quickly morphed into anger. The others following behind were soon told something was up, and pretty quickly everyone but the man holding her had the same murderous expressions. There would be hell to pay and those that had dared to hurt their president would pay in blood.
Chapter Four
Dragging his attention back to the sheriff, he nodded at the question James had asked. “That’s right, did the sweep and found the bathroom. Once I saw that, I got us both out and called you.”
“Not before calling the club, I noticed,” James said. The guy understood, but was off on the timing a little.
“Nah, I called them when we got here and I saw the place still lit up. My gut said something was off, but I didn’t know what to expect. Besides, you know our rules, Copper. Club business gets handled by the club. This may still be club business, but it’s gotten bigger, and we don’t have your resources to find out who was hurt and who may have done this.”
James rocked back on his heels and scrubbed a hand over his nape. “You do realize that if we find anything, it will be under our jurisdiction to find the perpetrators, right?”
“Doesn’t mean the club can’t help out, Sheriff. And if we happen to get there first, so be it. If you do, then I hope like hell you have enough evidence to get the fuckers sent to prison.”
“Fuckers. Plural. Why do you say that?”
Viper shot him a look and snorted derisively. “You know Duke. While he might be getting older, the man is still a fucking bear in the gym. No way could one person take him down. And even if they had Nadine at gunpoint, there’s no way his old lady would stand idly by. She’s a fucking wildcat even on her best behavior.”
Viper (Scoundrels MC #1) Page 2