Mine Now (The Phantom Vipers MC)

46. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Hunter

There are no words for what I am about to say to Blake. She has never been present during our goodbyes. She doesn’t understand that this could be the last time that she ever lays eyes on me alive. These rides are dangerous. Hell, being a part of this club is dangerous. We don’t live in the straight and narrow.

We do illegal things on a daily basis, and today is no exception.

“Why does it feel like you guys are going to war?” she asks nonchalantly, and it makes my chest pull tight.

That is basically what we’re doing. It won’t be an easy trade-off for the guns, and if things go sideways while we’re down there, some of us may not come back at all. Hell, if we get ambushed or something on the way down there while we are on the road, that will be even worse.

I walk us out to my bike, which sits at the far end of the line, and grab my gloves from the handlebars. I lean against it and motion for her to stand between my legs. “Listen, I won’t ever lie to you. But sometimes what I will say to you will be hard for you to hear.” I give her a soft smile. “Are you going to be able to handle that?”

She nods right away, and I squeeze her body to mine. So eager to please me. It makes me want to bring her back inside and devour her again.

“Okay. Sweetheart, listen to me.” My voice is steady, but I need her to understand. ”Where we are going is not safe. The road down there sure as hell isn’t safe. This ride– we do every year, and is one of the most dangerous ones we take. We’ll have illegal cargo which means not only do we risk being pulled over and locked up, but we also put our lives on the line. Other gangs, the people we are bringing the stuff to– any of them could decide we’re not making it back.”

I usually don’t divulge information about my club’s business. It’s a line I don’t cross. But Blake is different and this ride is different… I can feel it in my bones.

She doesn’t want me for my money or what I have to offer. Hell, sometimes she doesn’t want me at all. But I know deep down she needs me and I need her.

She runs her fingers gently through my beard. “So why do you do it?”

I chuckle. “Same reason anyone does anything dangerous, sweetheart–money.”

She nods slowly. “I saw everyone else has their gun on them. Do you not carry a weapon?”

Oh, she has an eye for weapons, huh? I raise my brow. “Who says I don’t have one on me right now?” At her confused expression, I lean down and lift up my pant leg to showcase my .380 in my ankle holster.

She scrunches her nose. “Oh, okay.” She doesn't seem very enthused by my gun choice. Is it because of the size of the gun? .380’s are smaller guns meant to be concealed more easily. Hence why I house it on my ankle.

I have to laugh. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I carry my chest carrier with two more pistols as well. I was just waiting until I got outside to put it on, so I didn’t scare Charlie.”

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she lets out a breath I don’t think she realizes she was holding. “Oh, thank God.”

I raise my brow. “What’s wrong with my .380?”

She shrugs. “Nothing; It just seems small.”

I grip her ass tightly in my hands and rest my head on her chest. She wraps her hands around my head and plays with my hair. “I appreciate your concern, princess. But I promise, Daddy can take care of himself.”

She blushes at my use of Daddy outside of the bedroom, and I can’t help but play on it. The red in her cheeks is slowly becoming my favorite color.

“What’s the matter? Don’t like to call me Daddy in public?”

She looks over my shoulder to make sure no one can see us and then yanks my head back so that she can reach my mouth with hers. I am instantly hard.

“Let’s leave the Daddy to the bedroom. In there, you have full reign. But out here, I’m just not comfortable with it.”

I raise my brow.

“Yet,” she finishes quickly.

“Well are you just going to hold me in place, or are you going to kiss me already?”

She groans and presses her lips against mine. I hold her tightly to me until we hear the rest of the group start to come from the house, and I let her go so she can make herself presentable.

Charlie bounds from the front door and spots us immediately. She quickly comes to her mother’s side and beams up at me. “Can I ride?” She bounces from heel to heel.

I laugh at her excitement. “Not right now. But I will make a promise with you if you will allow me to?”

She nods.

“When we get home, you’ll be the first person I take for a ride on my bike. How about that?”

Her smile is ear to ear as she shakes her head in agreement.

As the rest of the crew starts to climb onto their bikes and give their farewells, I pull Blake in for another kiss. It’s not rushed. It’s not just a habit. It’s a grounding force—something to hold onto before I ride headfirst into the unknown. My fingers tighten at her waist, reluctant to let go. Just before I release her, I say, “I’ll be back soon, Crash. Try not to drive anywhere while I’m gone.”

She swats my arm, rolling her eyes, but there’s something softer behind it. A hesitation. She steps back, giving me space, but I see it—the way her fingers twitch like she wants to grab onto me again.

I want to stay. More than I should. More than I can. But there’s no room for hesitation on the road. I need to get my head right, focus on the ride, and make damn sure I come back to her in one piece.

With a heavy breath, I turn away and mount my bike, the roar of the engine drowning out the quiet ache in my chest.

We ride as a pack of wolves—tight, controlled, untouchable. I ride in front, our crew rides in between, and Xavier picks up the back to make sure we don’t get any stragglers. The van rides behind him.

As we pull onto the main road, the night stretching out ahead of us, I force my mind into the game. Eighteen hours one way— maybe longer if we stick to the back roads like we need to. No room for mistakes. No room for distractions.

I’ll get through this. I have to. Because no matter how long the road ahead is, every mile is just one step closer to getting back to her.