Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
V iper was talking to one of the workers when Moon came through the door. When he saw Viper gesture toward the office, Moon walked inside to wait.
Hearing the door close, Moon turned seeing Viper eating the distance between them in furious strides.
“Before you say anything, I admit I fuck—”
Moon wasn’t able to finish his sentence before Viper grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air.
“Don’t open your fucking mouth until I ask you to speak. You motherfuckin’ hear me?”
“Yes,” Moon managed to croak out.
He found himself flung backward against the wall. The filing cabinet shook, sending the files on top sliding toward him. He managed to catch them and balanced them back on top. Then Moon warily watched Viper take a seat behind the desk.
“You better have a damn good explanation about what happened last night.” Viper shot him a dangerous glance, which if it had ammunition, he would be dead. “Because, right now, it’s taking everything I have not to beat your ass to Kingdom Come, and that would be if Shade and Razer left me a piece of you. Don’t think I didn’t see the way you looked at them last night. Do you have a fucking death wish?”
“I know I handled last night badly.”
“You think?” he snarled. “What in the fuck got into you? Have you been sniffing glue?”
Moon guessed the question was rhetorical because Viper didn’t give him a chance to defend himself.
“It’s the only thing I can think that could possibly explain how asinine you acted. Winter told me you seem to be under the mistaken belief”—his voice rose with each grated word out of his mouth—“that my wife snuck into your bedroom the night they got in a fight at Mick’s bar.”
Moon battled back the embarrassment filling him as Viper repeated what he had said to Winter. Shit, he didn’t have to be a rocket scientist, which he clearly wasn’t, to know Winter, Lily, and Beth now thought he was a first-class douchebag after last night. He had acted like a fucking asshole toward some chick in town because it was easier to take his frustration out on a stranger than on someone you had to live with.
Coming to a conclusion, he decided he might as well come clean and see if Viper could help solve the riddle of who the woman had been, as he was making zero progress on his own.
“Someone came into my room that night, I fucked her, she left. I have no idea who she was. I didn’t fuck air, nor was it a wet dream. I’ve ruled out all the club women—it wasn’t any of them. I asked Winter who had gone upstairs that night, and she told me the only person who went upstairs during the party was her …” Seeing Viper’s expression darken, he hastened to add, “So, going by what she says, I either fucked her or she’s lying.”
Moon took a hasty step back from the desk when Viper rose from his chair to lunge toward him.
“Call her a liar again, and I’ll rip out your tongue.” Viper snarled, straightening after the failed attempt to grab him.
“You’re president of The Last Riders—be fucking impartial for a fucking minute and hear me out. Wouldn’t it bug the piss out of you if the shoe were on the other foot? Take Winter out of the equation and be open-minded. I don’t think it was her, but she’s protecting someone. I want to know who it is.”
Viper’s grim demeanor didn’t relax. “You’re always managing to get involved in some stupid shit! I’m fucking sick of your bullshit nonsense. Wizard is, too. Hell, the whole club is.” He sat back down on the chair behind the desk. “You’ve crossed the line with Winter.”
Moon’s jaw clenched. “I know … but this shit … it’s driving me nuts.”
Viper wasn’t sympathetic. “Maybe so, but you should have told me and asked me to talk to her. Don’t think I don’t know why you decided to confront Winter instead of the other women. If she knows, the other women know as well. You want me to play referee to keep yourself alive before you press your luck with them. Brother, you’re going down a slippery slope testing those women. Shade will kill your ass if you say the wrong thing to Lily. Razer will, too, but it will be more painful. And we both know you don’t want to fuck around and find out with Reaper.”
Obstinately, Moon stared at Viper. “I’m not going to let it rest.”
“I know you’re not … Fuck!” Viper picked up a stapler to throw it at him.
Moon tilted his head to dodge the flying missile.
“You’re leaving. There’s a truck heading out this afternoon. You, Jesus, and Puck are going to be escorts. You three can stay at the Ohio chapter. I don’t need you here anymore. You’ll be more useful there, anyway. Seems like most of the thefts are happening there—the missing orders are being logged out of here but coming up short on the other end. Wizard can deal with your bullshit.”
Moon was about to argue that he wasn’t leaving until he found out who had slipped into his room, but Viper’s chilly expression stopped him cold.
“I’ll find out who in the hell she was, and maybe I’ll let you come back then.”
Moon gritted his teeth, sitting down in the chair next to him. “I’ll go, but only because I respect you, brother.”
“Don’t do me any favors.”
Viper’s sarcasm caused Moon to wince. When Viper wanted to cut you down, he didn’t need a blade.
Aware he was skating on thin ice, he moved toward safer ground. “Brother, I realize I’m a pain in the ass.” He ran his sweaty palms down his jean-clad thighs. “I swear I don’t go looking for this shit to happen to me. I didn’t expect Dream to go off the rails and start lying about me, and I damn sure didn’t expect for someone to sneak into my room, other than who normally comes in there. Just figure it out for me—fast.”
“I’ll do the best I can.” Viper eyed him challengingly. “I love you, brother. I’ve put up with you for a long time, but you’re coming close to insubordination. It was your decision to step down as president of the Ohio chapter.” He sighed. “There comes a time the disadvantages of you being a Last Rider outweigh the advantages.” Viper rose from behind the desk to study him, as if debating to rip him apart or throw him out of the club.
“I’ve seen you fuck six women in a row and not give a flying fuck who they were. Why are you suddenly willing to get thrown out of the club over this one?”
Moon wasn’t stupid; he had seen brothers thrown out for a lot less than he had done when a member caused turmoil within the club. Viper’s patience wasn’t infinite, and he had gone past where other brothers had ventured.
“I have no fucking clue.” Moon fidgeted in his chair. “Whoever she is felt different to me than other women I’ve been with. She’s stuck in my head.”
Viper placed his hands on the desk as he leaned back. “Like I said, I’ll do what I can to find out who she is. Until then, do you think you can go back to Ohio without starting shit there, or maybe you should take a break from the club? When’s the last time you went to see your mom?”
“It’s been a few,” Moon admitted. “I don’t want a break. I’ll keep out of everyone’s hair.”
“I’m taking your word on it, Moon. Next time, I won’t give you the option.”
Moon reluctantly nodded.
“Make sure you apologize to Winter before—”
The phone on the desk rang, interrupting him. Viper went back around the desk and answered the phone.
“Yes, Knox?”
Moon couldn’t hear what the other brother said as Viper listened. He started to rise to give him some privacy but sat back down when Viper motioned him to stay.
“I’ll take care of it,” Viper said before lowering the phone, disconnecting the call.
“Knox needs someone to do a wellness check on a woman. The woman is pregnant and isn’t answering her calls. The person who reported the woman missing called to say her midwife is on her way to check what’s going on, but she is worried because of a past history of domestic violence and doesn’t want her to go alone. Knox is on his way but wants some backup. His other deputy is working an assault, and he has to leave the other one in town in case of an emergency.”
Moon rose. “Text me the address. Did Knox say who called in the report?”
“The midwife’s sister. Get started on the way. I’m going to send Nickel, too.”
Hurrying out of the office, Moon made his way to his bike.
He started his bike then checked the address Viper sent him.
“Fuck.”
He wondered how long of a head start the midwife had on Knox as he pulled out of the parking lot. Depending on where Knox was when they had called in, he could beat him there. Thank fuck he had adopted the habit of always keeping his weapon on him.
He deliberately gauged his speed despite the sense of urgency, which was increasing with each mile. The area of the address was off the main road. He would be surprised if it even had a paved road.
When he had first come to Kentucky, he discovered homes had been built in the dense woods, making it nearly impossible to reach. It still amazed him how the homeowners managed to get in and out unless they were on foot.
Slowing, he looked at the GPS, checking for the turnoff. When he sighted the break in the trees, he held on to the handlebars as he gradually turned into the rutted dirt road.
“Dammit,” he swore. If the road got much worse, he would be better off parking the bike and making his way on foot.
He was about to say to hell with it when large pieces of gravel almost sent him flying over his handlebars. Only the sense of urgency kept him going.
Where in the fuck did this chick live?
A small creek ran along the dirt road, which he could see through the dense trees sporadically. As he went over a small bridge, which seemed barely wide enough to get accommodate a car, he gritted his teeth when he had to return to even more gravely road. Seeing it was winding up the side of the mountain before it disappeared from sight, Moon decided he’d had enough.
He found a clear spot off the road and parked his bike. Then, taking off, he started sprinting upward. When he reached the top, he was given a full view of the house he was trying to reach.
“Holy shit!”