Chapter 15
Venom – Eight Days Later
I tighten my grip on Raya’s knee to keep her in the room with me as she stares at one of her best friends who is in a catatonic state, clutching Viper’s shirt while curled up in my Prez’s arms. His old lady has her head on his shoulder also watching the woman in her man’s arms along with the waiting room full of brothers and their women.
Lake came home yesterday after Viper picked her up from the center. She told him there wasn’t a future for them, that she would give him full custody of their daughter once she was born, as long as the club treats her right. Now… she’s relapsed after saving his life.
Kitty, a woman Viper only ate out months ago after he and Lake split, decided to crash her car into his bike not even two hours ago, trying to kill him when he was on his way to bring his woman home, where she belonged, whether she liked it or not.
Lake was the EMT on scene, and she had no idea who she was called to save. When she realized, despite being pregnant, she rushed over to the scene, her only focus was the man she tried pushing away because of her depression.
She shoved Fury, who saw the whole fucking crash, out of the way and gave him CPR, then again in the ambulance when he crashed again on the way to the hospital after she got his heart restarted.
She was in a trance trying to do her job but as soon as she came into the waiting room she broke down.
The girls, including mine because, yes, Raya is mine, all surrounded her and I think it was the first time Raya had answered Ivy’s call in weeks who is currently sitting next to Raya with her head on her shoulder, their fingers linked.
Weeks without contact, but as soon as Ivy did their emergency dialing, Raya answered instantly, proving she’s still there for my sister, building my respect higher.
I squeeze Raya’s knee again. After the doctor explained Viper’s condition, he needed surgery and may not make it, Lake ran to the bathroom, vomited, then began to dig her nails into her scars on her wrists, managing to break the skin, relapsing.
Blade hasn’t let go of her since, and my girl has not taken her eyes off her friend.
Taking a deep breath, I turn my head and press my lips against Raya’s temple. Instead of moving away, she leans into me, settling me even if she isn’t aware of what she’s doing.
Blade shouting ‘Viper’s been hit’ in the common room echoes in my head.
I was in my office, the door open, trying my hardest to do the books for Dark Angel’s Nights, the urge to put Raya’s name in the database wanting to consume me. I heard his shouted terror before the entire clubhouse went into a frenzy.
I feel Raya gently place her hand on top of mine that’s on her knee and I close my eyes, not moving my lips from her temple as I breathe her in, lavender consuming me while keeping hold of her warmth just for a little longer.
I know as soon as we get information on Viper I’ll lose this connection again, that she’ll go back into hiding from me, my sister and the rest of the girls.
Something more is going on with her, I can fucking feel it.
I can understand her getting upset with Ivy, she’s her best friend and didn’t give her a heads up of my fuck up and she felt betrayed.
I get it, but fuck, it’s been months so it doesn’t make sense why she’s still holding back from Ivy, from her friends, fuck, even from arguing with me.
After admitting to being hospitalized after her father’s death, she hasn’t spoken to me again. Apparently, the only person she has spoken to is Lake, something I know my sister has struggled with.
They’re sisters in every way except blood, and if I have it my way, it’ll be through marriage, one way or another, just as soon as I find out what is really holding her back.
“She’s going to be okay,” Ivy whispers more to herself as Psycho sits down next to her, handing her a cup, and she takes it, but doesn’t remove her head from Raya’s shoulder. I unfortunately have to move my lips from her temple as I take the coffee from my VP, my friend.
He looks at Raya with concern, the only other brother, besides me and Blade, aware of the distance she’s putting between herself and the girls, then looks towards Lake.
“Did you find the footage?” he asks with a murmur, and I hum before blowing my coffee, then taking a sip, making sure it isn’t too hot.
“I saw the whole fucking crash,” I admit quietly as I place the cup to Raya’s lips.
She takes a sip, then another, making me half smile before I take another sip as I make eye contact with Blade, who raises a brow at me, but I shrug.
It may be a dick move to take advantage while her mind is on her friend, but a man has got to do what a man has got to do, and he knows this. Viper would fucking applaud me, fuck, he’d probably demand a match in the ring if I didn’t take advantage right now.
Smirking, he turns his head and kisses his old lady’s and I pay attention to Psycho again and admit, “She was waiting at the light with her hazards on, clearly claiming to have been broken down, but as soon as she noticed Viper’s bike, she took off from her spot, ran the red light, and swerved into him. He didn’t have a chance to react.”
“Fucking crazy ass bitch,” he curses quietly, and I nod in agreement as I place the cup back at Raya’s lips, who takes another sip, her eyes still on her friend.
My heart flutters at her actions, actions I know she isn’t aware she’s doing because she is concerned over Lake and Viper, but it just shows what she actually feels for me, feelings I have been fucking blinded to for years.
“I’ve known women to go crazy over the patch before,” I sigh, giving Psycho a brow raise, and he nods, Misty holding a gun at my little sister, most likely coming back to mind.
He shoved her out of the way and got shot instead, before ending up in a coma for months.
I continue, “But I’ve never seen one actually want to kill the brother she wants by hitting him with a car, especially one who barely spoke to her and had no idea he was even in love with someone else.
Kitty went completely crazy and clearly knew he was going to drive by. ”
“Maybe someone should run her over then and see how she likes it, along with her accomplice. She was clearly tipped off,” Raya mumbles, the first words she’s said since sitting next to me as she keeps her eyes on Lake and Ivy tenses while Psycho and I smirk.
“That actually sounds like a good idea, kitten,” I mutter in return as I remove my hand from her jean clad knee and wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her tightly into me causing Ivy to move and glare my way but I ignore her reaction and state, “It wouldn’t surprise me if a clubwhore tipped her off, maybe Cherri or even Mama but I’ll figure it out one way or another. ”
Raya leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder while again, not taking her eyes off Lake. I suck in a breath, hoping she doesn’t realize what she’s just done, and moves away from me.
I tighten my grip over her shoulders and press my lips against her forehead as Psycho mutters, “It wouldn’t surprise me. I’ll get Blade to put a prospect on Cherri as well, watch her every fucking move, but it means we can’t kill your mama until we get our answers, brother.”
I don’t like it, but I nod as I move my mouth from Raya’s soft skin before taking another sip of the coffee, then placing the cup back to her mouth, and she takes another sip just as the door opens and a doctor in scrubs comes in.
Ignoring everyone around, he walks over to Eagle, Blade, and Lake. Raya quickly stands, moving herself out of my arms, making me cold.
“Lake, sweetheart?” the doctor says, looking at her with concern, and she looks at him as her tears fall and she chokes, “How is he, Ted?”
Fuck, fuck, please…
I stand with my heart in my throat as I wrap my arm around Raya’s waist, my eyes on the doctor as the brothers all tense.
“He made it through the surgery,” he states, and I slowly close my eyes and pull Raya into my chest with relief before she grips my shirt, and I place my lips to her head.
“He’s currently on a vent, but we’ll wean him off it in a few days and see if he wakes naturally. You know the drill, sweetheart, you’re in med school, but have faith…” The doctor whispers, and Lake lets out a sob, and I flinch.
The woman has gone through fucking hell and back, is pregnant, and struggling with depression. If Viper dies, not only do we lose the heart of our fucking club, but she’ll lose her mental health as well.
“Come on, sweetheart, you can come stay in his room,” the doctor kindly says, and I look to see Blade stand with Lake in his arms.
He gives me a nod, his eyes going to Raya, concern for her etching off him, and I nod in return to say I’ve got her as he walks out. Everyone in the club watches as their Prez carry a woman who they all thought was like Cherri, our sergeant's girl, out of the waiting room.
“Come on, kitten, I’ll walk you to your car,” I murmur, knowing her staying here will not do her any good.
She doesn’t argue, she allows me to guide her out of the waiting room without a word to her friends, all watching her leave.
I spot her ridiculously small car instantly as we reach the parking lot, and I roll my eyes and murmur, “You need a new car.”
Raya snorts and replies quietly, “Or you just need to shrink.”
I smirk at her comeback.
Guess she expects me to be inside the car again, huh?
Shaking her head, she lets go of my shirt, which pisses me off, though she does stay by my side as she grabs her keys and says, “Maybe I should stay, so Lake has me…”
I smile softly as we reach her car and I gently guide her into my body and murmur, “Lake will probably be asleep by Viper’s side, she’ll–”
My words cut off, and I frown as we lock eyes, and I see the look the brothers get when we’ve been double-crossed or betrayed in her icy blue orbs.
The urge to kill, a look I’ve never seen in her eyes before, and it is deep, and fear rushes through me.
“Kitten,” I whisper as I cup her cheek, “talk to me, what’s on your mind?”
Her eyes fill with tears before they fall as a sob leaves her, and I quickly wrap my arms around her, my right hand going into her hair, gripping it tightly.
I squeeze her into my embrace and I whisper, “I’ve got you, kitten, I’ve got you,” before I press my lips against the top of her head and she grips the back of my cut.
She sobs, “She’s b-been through so much, she-she won’t handle l-losing him. They-they need to pay, Cale, whoever hurt Viper, they-they need to pay.”
“They will, kitten,” I promise as I hold her tighter to me while she takes comfort in my arms, giving me the hope I didn’t have since realizing her feelings for me and my own for her.
I sigh as I pull up to the gates of the clubhouse to see our prospect, Finn, arguing with my mama an hour later.
“Fuck’s sake,” I mutter as I rev my bike to get their attention.
Knew I should have stayed with Raya for longer instead of helping her into her car with the promise of showing up at her door later.
She needs supervising, especially after witnessing the urge to kill in her beautiful eyes. I don’t think she’ll do anything, but I didn’t think she’d cut Ivy out of her life, so…
Finn physically relaxes, which proves she’s been here for a while, and I pull up between them, giving him a chance to get back in the box to open the gate for me.
“Mama, shouldn’t you be spinning on some pole in a strip club?” I ask as I look her up and down in disgust.
Sparkly bra and short shorts, heavily made-up makeup, while her hair, with that much hairspray, looks rock solid.
How in the fuck did she spend over twenty years with dad and not show this side of her?
The things patch chasers do for money…
“I’m your mother, Cale, you will show me some respect,” she snaps as she places her hand on her hip while Finn opens the gate enough to fit my bike in.
“You lost my respect when your true colors came out as a patch chaser and tried to sell my sister,” I sneer, “Just because you’re my mother doesn’t mean I won’t kill you if you don’t fuck off in the next five seconds!”
My hands itch to grab my piece, finding out if she had something to do with Kitty knowing Viper’s whereabouts, slowly fading.
Mama’s eyes widen in shock, and if she didn’t have so much makeup caked all over her face, I’d say her face was pale as well.
“Raya is using Ivy, I have proof,” she tries, and I scoff as I rev my bike, but it doesn’t stop her as she takes out her phone and shoves it in my face.
A photo of Raya in the same dark jeans and light pink flowy top she was wearing today, with a dressed-up Hayden Gillies, comes into view, and my jaw ticks.
His hand is mid-air like he’s about to touch her.
Now, I know nothing is going on between them romantically or even sexually. Her accidental scoff the other week when she finally spoke to me is proof of that. But clearly, something is going on, and I’d bet my cut that it has something to do with Chase.
The urge to kill in her pretty eyes comes back to me, and my fear doubles for my girl.
Fuck me, is she planning on ending Hayden?
“Get the fuck back out of town or else,” I threaten as my thoughts run wild before I spin away from Mama, making her squeal in shock as gravel spins her way, and I drive through the gates just as Finn shuts them.
I need to finish the paperwork and in two days I’m off on a club run, taking thousands of ammo and guns to the Carnage MC to help with their war against a rival gang.
When I get back, Raya and I are going to have a chat and me being away for a few days due to a storm heading in, it should give her the time she needs to get her head straight and realize she needs to let me in.
I’m not just her childhood bully, I’m her crush, her love, her fucking everything like she’s mine. It’s time she understood I’m not going anywhere and whatever battles she needs to fight, I’ll fight them with her, even if it’s her dad's killers…
I pull up outside the club in my spot, my mama's shouts echoing, and I gently rub my fingers over my neck, tracing my girl’s name, the need to put her name in the database filling me, but I swallow it down.
A week, I’ll give her a week, and in that time I’ll throw myself at the club and work, and if she doesn’t answer me, well, then she’ll give me no choice but to break her trust.