Chapter Eleven
A week later, the clubhouse finally felt like home. Rumor had it that the Blood Vultures were done, what was left of them being swallowed up by the Iron Serpents.
That alone was enough to let Mara breathe again. Viper had sent his warning the same night they returned. It was a message to the Iron Serpents’ president that if they even thought about touching her again, they’d be starting a war with the Devil’s Crown MC.
The Serpents replied two days later. She’s yours. She ain’t worth the trouble.
They were finally free. King, in a rare show of goodwill, had given them one of the bigger rooms in the clubhouse. The place was rough around the edges and could use some work, but Mara loved it.
She’d replaced the thin mattress with a thicker one, added clean sheets, a plant by the window, even a small shelf with a few old books. Their room.
She caught herself smiling as she stirred the sauce on the stove. Mara used the smaller kitchen in the clubhouse to avoid getting in anyone’s way.
Mara had gotten home early from the repair shop that day, a rare thing. Her job had turned out to be something she actually enjoyed. She was surprisingly good at organizing orders, keeping track of payroll, and occasionally helping the mechanics when they needed a second pair of hands.
Benny had even taught her how to identify certain parts just by sight. She liked the guys and the rhythm of the place.
Tonight, she wanted to do something special. She’d picked up steak, potatoes, and the bourbon sauce Viper liked from the grocery store. There was even a small chocolate cake cooling on the counter, something she hadn’t baked in years.
Her hands trembled slightly as she worked. Not from fear but from nerves. She’d found out that morning. The test had sat in her jacket pocket all day, like a secret she couldn’t stop touching. Two lines, clear as day.
Pregnant. The word still didn’t feel real.
She’d stared at it for nearly ten minutes, numb and shaking, before she started to cry. For the first time in years, the future didn’t look like an empty road leading nowhere. It looked like something alive.
Now, as the sun sank outside the window and the rumble of bikes grew louder in the distance, Mara’s heart kicked into overdrive. She smoothed her hair, wiped her hands on a towel, and brought all the food back to their room.
Mara checked the table again. Nothing missing. Dinner was ready. The room smelled like butter and spice. The sound of the front door opening made her jump.
Familiar footsteps then Viper filled the doorway. His presence always filled a room, even when he said nothing. For a second, all he did was look at her.
He looked over the candlelit table, the food, then back to her. Slowly, he curved his mouth into something between a smirk and a real smile.
“What’s all this?” he asked. “We celebrating something?”
Mara’s heart thudded so hard she almost lost her nerve. She forced a small smile, stepping closer. “Maybe.”
He arched a brow. “You make my favorite dinner for no reason? Can’t be that I’m just lucky.”
“Maybe you are,” she teased back.
Viper chuckled, dropped his gloves on the counter, and came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. The scent of oil, smoke, and leather wrapped around her with him.
“You sure you’re not hiding something from me, baby?” Viper asked her.
Her stomach flipped.
“Actually...” She turned in his arms, meeting his gaze. “I am.”
That caught his attention. Viper searched her face. “You in trouble again?”
She almost laughed. “No. Not that kind of trouble.”
“Then what kind?” Viper asked.
Her throat felt dry. “The kind that’s permanent.”
Viper blinked. He tilted his head slightly, that dangerous curiosity surfacing. “Mara.”
Her heart hammered. “I’m pregnant,” she finally admitted.
For a long moment, he didn’t react. Viper just stared at her like the words hadn’t sunk in yet.
Then, slowly, his expression shifted from surprise and disbelief to something else. Viper cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb brushing her skin.
“You’re serious?” he asked, voice husky.
She nodded. “I took three tests this morning,” Mara explained.
A slow grin broke across his face. The look was rare and unguarded, the kind that made her chest ache.
“Holy shit,” Viper said.
Her eyes filled before she could stop them. “You’re not mad?” Mara had to ask.
“Mad?” He gave a low laugh, pulling her tight against him. “Baby, this is the best damn thing I’ve heard in my life.”
She let out a shaky breath, pressing her face against his chest. “I didn’t know how you’d feel. I thought maybe—”
“That I’d walk out?” He tilted her chin up. “That ain’t happening. I might’ve never seen myself as a father, but I’m damn well going to try to be the kind of man this kid deserves.”
Her lip trembled. “You already are.”
Viper kissed her slow and deep.
“You got no idea what you just did to me, Mara. I didn’t think my life had room for this,” he said after pulling back.
She smiled softly. “Guess we’ll have to make room,” Mara said.
He traced his thumb over her lower lip. “We will. Starting now.”
He stepped back then, eyes gleaming with something fierce. “You said you wanted permanent? Then you got it. I want you as my old lady. Officially.”
Her heart stumbled. “Viper...”
“No more ‘what ifs.’ No more running. You’re mine. You’ve been mine since the day I found you on that damn road.” His voice was steady, low, full of conviction. “Marry me, Mara.”
Tears welled in her eyes again, spilling over. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious.”
She let out a soft laugh through the tears. “You don’t even have a ring.”
He smirked. “I’ll get one. Hell, I’ll steal one if I have to. But I ain’t waiting for jewelry to make it official.”
She reached up, her hands trembling as she framed his face. “Then yes,” she told him.
He froze. “Yeah?”
“Yes,” she whispered, smiling through her tears. “I’ll marry you.”
“You just made me the happiest bastard alive, you know that?”
She laughed softly. “Guess we’re both lucky, then.”
“You made dinner, and here I am, completely wrecking the mood,” he said.
She smiled, cheeks flushed. “I think we can let the food wait a few minutes.”
Viper chuckled darkly. “Woman, you’re going to kill me.”
He lifted her easily, setting her on the table beside the plates, his mouth finding hers again.
Later, when they finally sat down to eat, Viper poured them each a drink and raised his glass.
“To us,” he said.
Mara met his gaze, eyes shining. “To us.”
The End
––––––––