by Sam Crescent
Pepper raced to get dressed, dancing into her clothes. She had to do something to stop him. Or was it too late?
The entire time she prayed he was just out getting food. She wanted him to walk through that door, his larger than life presence standing in the foyer.
She remembered the last time she’d gone in search of him, and how badly that had turned out. This time she’d be more cautious. Pepper cracked open the door and peeked outside. There were two huge men in dark suits on sentry duty. She eased the door closed and locked it tight. Her heart pounded, her adrenaline surge making her dizzy. Her stepfather had found her. Had he already killed Viper?
What am I going to do?
They were on the first floor so Pepper rushed around the suite, checking for any other exit. The bedroom window faced a busy street, and she couldn’t see any sketchy men lurking around. She needed Viper, needed his strength and confidence right now.
I have to do this myself.
Pepper slid open the window and struggled to get her leg out first. Why couldn’t she have cat-like stealth? She ended up falling onto the lawn in a heap, bruising her hip in the process.
As she got to her feet, brushing the dirt off her pants, she noticed a set of shiny black shoes. She held her breath, and looked up.
“Stay away from me,” she warned. Pepper eyed the street and then the stranger. If she had to she’d scream or make a break for the road.
“Relax. I’m here to keep an eye on you. Viper’s orders.”
Her mouth fell open. This hulking guy didn’t look friendly, but at least he wasn’t there to kill her. She nearly sank in relief. “Who are you?”
“I work for Killer of Kings. That’s all you need to know.”
She huffed. “Where’s Viper?”
“Like he’d tell me.”
Pepper crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn’t stay here and do nothing. “I’m not your prisoner. I can leave if I want to.”
He didn’t say anything, and he certainly didn’t look intimidated by her threat.
“You realize he’s probably off getting himself killed right now? We can’t just stay here and do nothing.”
The man scoffed. “Trust me, he can take care of himself.”
Pepper shook her head. “Not this time. Look, I’m catching a cab, and if you try and stop me I’ll scream. I can scream so loud, the entire block will hear.”
When she started to march to the street, feigning confidence, he grabbed her arm and held her back.
“Hey!”
“You’re not leaving. You can scream all the fuck you want. I’ll put you over my shoulder and tie you up if I have to.”
She was no match for this brute of a man, but she loved Viper too much to give up now.
“Can’t you do anything? Send back-up? Call him?”
He began to lead to her around the building by the arm, like she was some toddler who’d been up to no good. Her requests were in vain. “When he left last night, he was strapping enough firepower to take out a small army. If anyone needs to worry, it’s whoever pissed him off.”
This guy’s confidence in Viper’s ability gave her a measure of reassurance. It was just that she loved him so damn much. The thought of him getting killed or even hurt just to ensure she could live without looking over her shoulder was too much. Tears pricked at her eyes as he escorted her back to her hotel room.
If he’d left in the night, why wasn’t he back yet? Pepper had a really bad feeling. She needed to know before she drove herself crazy. She stood in the entrance of her suite. “Can I pay you? How much would it take for you to drive me to my old house? You’d still be babysitting me, so no harm done, right? I just need to check on Viper. I can wire you five grand in two minutes.”
He laughed without humor, not falling for her deal, and she noticed gun handles when his suit jacket shifted. The guy’s cell rang, and he turned his back to her when he answered it. “No, he’s gone, but the girl’s here.” She could hear angry garbled words coming from the phone. “Boss, you think I could stop him once he had his mind set? He wanted to go alone. Yeah, I still have the stuff. Okay, I’ll follow through.”
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“Viper’s gone rogue, so I have to clean up his shit trail, that’s what. I’ll meet you in the front. Navy SUV. Two minutes. Looks like you’re going to get your wish after all.”
Both men stormed off, leaving her alone. Pepper hoped these guys from Killer of Kings could be trusted. She needed protection. Her stepfather had killed her mother, murdered a whole news crew, and put a worldwide hit on her head. It was all for greed, and it made her sick. She wanted to forget it all—the wealth, the status, the mansion, and everything else her stepfather was ready to kill for. All she needed was Viper and a simple life far away from all this madness.
When she met the men at the front, one was waiting with the rear passenger door held open like a limo service. She tentatively sat in the leather seat, feeling nervous and uncertain. When they pulled out into the traffic, the guy she’d spoken with turned around in the passenger seat. He had a wicked grin on his face. The next moment he moved so quickly she didn’t have time to react. Pepper looked down at her leg where he’d poked her with a needle.
“Have a good sleep,” he said.
Then her eyes were too heavy to hold open.
Chapter Eleven
It didn’t take him long to get the main building that Pepper owned, and should rightfully be hers, Henshaw Corporation. The building was large, and tall, and it was still night. Crouching down, Viper quickly looked at the building and saw two guys chatting. Sutherland was a fucking waste of space. He couldn’t even hire decent men. Even though he’d hired him, it didn’t matter. The bastard was so desperate for money, he’d gone far and wide. This was the only way he was going to be able to keep Pepper safe.
This wasn’t a suicide mission—at least he hoped it wasn’t. He intended to get back home to her, but there was a chance he wouldn’t come out of this alive. One week was all he had of utter perfection. She was perfect for him. All of his life he had dreamed of someone like her, believing with all of his heart he’d never get to hold, to cherish, to love. He had gotten everything his heart desired and more, and yet he felt greedy. He wanted more time with her, but he’d gladly die if it meant she got to live a full and long life. It was the first time that he’d not been a selfish bastard, and that in itself was a shock to him. He was more than willing to kill every single person who stepped in his way.
Years of training had brought him to this moment, and he never thought he would be happy to see death, but this was how it was going to be.
Closing his eyes, he pictured Pepper’s beautiful smile. The way she looked at him as he was deep inside her would stay with him forever.
It was now or never.
He moved from his wall, crouching down behind the potted plants corporations seemed to love. When the guy moved near him, he pounced, wrapping his arms around his neck, and snapping it, firing his gun on the man opposite, who went down instantly. The two guards were dead, and wouldn’t be able to call it in. He was heading for the door when his cell phone started to buzz. At first, he ignored it, and then tensed. What if Pepper had woken up and she was scared? He had to keep her in the hotel room, safe.
Cursing, he moved away from the window, providing himself with enough cover that no one would catch him.
“Hey, baby, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Well I have to say I’ve been called many things by my men, but baby isn’t one of them,” Boss said, causing him to curse.
“What the fuck do you want?”
“Unlike you, I have a plan that gets our ass out of there. You on the other hand are going to be dead.”
“Look, I don’t have time to deal with this shit. What the fuck do you want?” He really didn’t understand Boss at times. The man was a ruthless killer, probably more dangerous than the whole group of men he employed. Viper didn’t know h
is story, nor did he wish to. Something in his gut told him that anyone who knew anything about Boss, didn’t live long enough to fucking breathe.
“You’re hurting my feelings right now. I did tell you the plan, and you think this little war mission you’re on is going to save you? You’re fucking wrong.”
Viper paused. They had a plan, but he didn’t agree to it. He refused.
“What did you do?” he asked.
“From the moment you hung up the phone I knew you would go on this shit for nothing plan. I decided to take matters into my own hands. You see, men are loyal to you because of some brotherhood shit, but they’re loyal to me because I pay them.”
Viper closed his eyes, knowing without a doubt that Boss had his woman. “Where is she?”
“Safe and sound, and believe it or not, she doesn’t even have a pulse.”
“You fucking asshole. Shit like that is dangerous. I asked you for one thing, one fucking thing.”
“And in the process you thought to take away something that earned me a lot of money.”
“You don’t own me, asshole.”
“I know I don’t own you, but you see, I invested a lot of time and money in you. I’m not going to allow you to die just because you love some girl. She is pretty, and I would bet money that you’d even make it out alive, but on the chance that you don’t, we’re about to make a deal.”
Viper removed the phone from his ear, and pressed his hands together in anger, wanting nothing more than to smash the device. Instead, he cracked the muscles in his neck, took a deep breath, and placed the phone back against his ear. “I’m listening.”
“Excellent. You’re going to cease your attack on the building, and wait for us. We have a very dead looking Pepper. We’ll go in and deal with this with the minimum casualties possible. When we’re in front of Sutherland, I’ll personally put a bullet between his eyes. No one, and I mean no one, messes with me, my men, or my money.”
“This is not your fucking fight. I don’t work for you. I won’t deal with you.” He heard the sound of a gun cocking.
“Continue that and I swear to God himself that I will put a bullet right between this bitch’s eyes, Viper. Push me. I don’t give a shit.”
“You’ll lose your money.”
“I don’t care. I told you what I want you to do. Now do it, or tonight was the last night you had with her.” Boss ended the call, and Viper gritted his teeth.
Fuck!
He wanted to hit something, to hurt someone or something, and right now he could do neither. He was fucked either way. Resting his head against the wall, he closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself.
Boss had outmaneuvered him again. Pepper would have done whatever the bastard asked if she thought for a second that it would keep him safe. He was so going to spank her ass when he got his hands on her. Her butt was going to be sore for days, and hold his handprint like a tattoo.
Stupid woman.
First though, he was going to chain Boss up, and fucking hurt him. That asshole didn’t have a clue what was coming to him, and Viper was going to make sure he killed him, take his time, make it long and slow, and then he was going to rejoice at putting his head on a spike right outside of Killer of Kings.
Just thinking of all the ways he was going to kill Boss filled Viper with a pleasure that was able to calm the beast inside him.
“You were taught better than that,” Bain said.
Opening his eyes, he turned his head to find his friend leaning against the wall. The man was like a fucking ghost.
“I don’t know. It got you out to say hello to me.”
“Why did you let me live?” Bain asked. “You and I both know that I wouldn’t have done that for you.”
“I have my reasons. So, how have you been?” Viper asked. He didn’t intend to kill Bain; he couldn’t. It was the one vow he had made when they had run together. In a twisted kind of way, Bain was his brother and his best friend.
Bain stepped away from the wall. He was bigger than Viper remembered, far deadlier as well. The man was covered in ink. Swirls of patterns and color went up his arms, and he guessed over his body. It was on his hands, and up his neck. He was just covered. “You got tats on your dick as well?”
“You know this is not going to end well for you.”
“I’ve got a problem with the man you’re working for,” said Viper.
“Then you’ve got to take that problem through me.”
Viper shook his head. “I can’t come with you. I’m being Boss’s bitch.” He burst out laughing. “Me, being someone’s bitch. It’s not the first time, and I doubt it will be the last.”
“I’m not here to laugh at your jokes or play games, Viper.”
“I know. It’s just kind of surreal. Been thinking about you for a long time, and to see you here, it kind of makes me feel shit, and yeah, I guess I missed your ass, which is fucking crazy, right?”
Bain simply stared at him as if he was a complete stranger, and Viper wasn’t going to lie, it hurt.
“I met a girl,” said Viper.
“I know.”
“So you do pay attention then.”
“I’m not in the mood for this, Viper. He wants the girl dead.”
“Did you know he can’t afford to pay you?” Viper asked.
“I’m aware of his situation, and I also know that with that girl dead, he’ll have access to millions. You’ve gone soft, Viper. I always make sure I get what I want. With his stepdaughter dead, it’ll be my biggest payday yet.”
“I wouldn’t say I’ve gone soft. I’m simply in love.” He held his hands out. “You know if you take me in, Boss is going to kill my girl.”
Bain reached toward him, and Viper had a choice. He could either go with him, or he could fight. If Boss thought for a second that he didn’t fight, he may try to kill Pepper. There was no choice.
“This isn’t going to be easy, and I’m not going to be coming willingly.”
“I figured as much. You were always a hardass, Viper. Never doing what you were told to do.”
Viper shrugged. “I guess I have always been a bit of a rebel, and I can’t change who I am.”
He stared at his friend, seeing several new scars that hadn’t been there the last time.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Viper, I always do my job, and I never switch sides.”
“I love this woman.” For a split second he was sure he saw some hesitation, maybe even a sign of guilt.
“Don’t you remember, Viper? Love makes you weak. Women are just for fucking, not for losing yourself over.”
He gritted his teeth, knowing that it was either kill or be killed with this man. He clenched his hands into fists, ready to fight, ready to take this man out. He was just about to throw the first punch when he heard the sound of squealing tires, and he looked over to see that Boss had finally decided to show his ass. Viper didn’t know if he should be happy or not.
Bain grabbed his gun, and raised it up, aiming at them. “What is the fucking meaning of this?”
Boss opened the side of the truck, and waved. “Ah, Bain, the guy I thought was long dead.”
“Nothing is going to kill me, old man. What the fuck are you doing here?” Bain didn’t lower his gun, and Viper also had his gun trained on Bain. He didn’t want to use it. Fuck, for the second time that week he was fucking conflicted, and he didn’t like it. Numbness was so much easier. Bain was the one guy he had promised himself he would never hurt, no matter what. Why did Sutherland have to go to him? Anyone else, and he’d have gladly ended them without a thought, but Bain was different. He was the only person that was alive from his past. Everyone else was dead. He’d killed them, but Bain, he was the only brother he’d ever known.
“I have dealings with your master.” The way Boss said “master”, everyone just knew it didn’t mean anything good. “I have a gift and a bone to pick with him.”
“Whatever you�
�ve got, dump it here, and I’ll deal with it.”
Boss tutted, and right before Viper’s eyes, he watched the man turn. The cold, hard killer stared right at Bain. “I’ve got a problem with that.” He reached into the van, and pulled Pepper out. He held her by the neck, and even to Viper, she looked dead. There was no life to her. “He wanted her dead of natural causes, guess what? She died of natural causes.”
“You don’t seem so cut up about this,” Bain said.
Viper stared at Pepper, and then turned to Bain without saying a word.
“I’ll take her,” Bain said.
Boss shook his head. “Not going to happen.”
“You’re not getting past me, old man.”
Boss placed the gun at Pepper’s forehead, right between the eyes. “You see, Bain, that’s where you’re wrong. He wanted her to die of natural causes. The clause in the will states that the owners of this company cannot be assassinated. I will kill her, and make sure your boss doesn’t get a single cent of this girl’s earnings.”
Checkmate.
Viper held still, watching as Boss didn’t avert his gaze and Bain just stared, quietly.
“You wouldn’t do it.”
Boss pressed the barrel of his gun against her leg, and fired.
Viper couldn’t believe it, and he watched as the wound bled out. Holy fuck! Boss had just shot Pepper, and she hadn’t fucking moved. He had heard of drugs that powerful that rendered the person to give the sense that they were dead.
His stomach twisted as he looked up at Boss, who was about to put a bullet through her head. The bastard had no feelings whatsoever.
“Wait,” Bain said.
“I’m not some pansy ass boy you’re dealing with, Bain. Pick your words wisely. This bitch means nothing to me.” Boss threw back his head and laughed. “I’m ten million up. Bitch thought I was going to keep her safe. I’ve got nothing to stop me killing this girl.”
“Come this way,” Bain said.