Hell's Viper (Hell's March MC Book 1), page 20
“Everything is true, I’ve just hid the identity of the informant from you for his safety.” She looks at the guy as her eyes soften and she gives him a small smile. That’s when I see the emotion emanating from her face. She’s in love with him.
“Who is he?” I press as she slowly turns back to face me, her head beginning to shake.
“I can’t tell you that.” She has the nerve to look apologetic as I laugh.
“You don’t have a fucking choice, Loralee. You’re tied up in an abandoned warehouse. I could kill you both and leave you in the desert for the fucking vultures.” I swing my gun back and forth between them to prove my point.
“We could bury them in the sand up to their necks and the vultures will come and rip their eyes out of their sockets,” Genni suggests as she bounces on her toes. “I saw it in a movie.”
I stare at my best friend like she’s grown another head because this doesn’t sound like her at all. “I like it.” I shrug as she giggles.
This side of her could be fun. I’m sad she’s hidden it from me for so long. She’s a sadistic woman under that oiled cow skin and colorful patches. Like an evil little Sour Patch Kid.
“You don’t understand. If I tell you who he is, it could blow everything out into the open and that would be dangerous for everyone. Especially the clubs.” Loralee looks at me earnestly as Genni crouches down into a squat to look the woman in the eyes.
“Don’t you ever fucking threaten my clubs.” The glee she expressed moments ago is flipped like a switch into her President persona, danger radiating off her in thick waves.
“I want to protect your clubs, don’t you get it?” Loralee begins to cry, the fat tears rolling down her face. “When Delia saved me from the Knights’ compound, I fell into her debt. I won’t betray you. I promise.”
She looks so innocent there as she cries, her words sounding so fucking genuine, but a seasoned liar could act that way with little effort. I could do it in my sleep. I won’t be swayed that easily.
“If you won’t talk, I’ll have to make you talk,” I explain as I flick open my trench and reveal my vials. “You made a mistake by showing us just how much you care for this man, and I’m about to use it to my advantage.”
Loralee’s eyes widen as they land on my belt, each vial sitting snugly inside. “No, Delia. Don’t do this. I will tell you anything else you want to know. I’ve been honest about the intel and I swear everything I’ve told you is the truth.”
“The only way you’re both walking out of here tonight is by telling me everything. Or else, I’ll drag it out of you in the most torturous ways.” I’m still not sure that they’ll be walking out after that, but I figure she’s been lying to me this entire time so she’s not worthy of the truth.
“Have you ever watched someone you love in pain?” Genni asks her as I pull out a vial from my belt, holding the blue glass up to the light. “Their screams of pain will feel like your own. Worse.” She stands and moves closer to Loralee as she takes my gun from my hand, preparing to shoot the lying whore if she moves.
“Viper venom to the bloodstream is fucking painful. He’ll be in agonizing pain for about two days before his body begins to shut down. No one will hear his screams for help out here and he’ll die alone with your corpse on the floor next to him.” I uncap the vial before reaching into my trench pocket and pulling out one of three syringes I keep on me at all times. You never know when someone will deserve a good poke with a lethal injection.
I fill the syringe with venom as Loralee begins to struggle against her bonds and her little friend stares at me with wide, fearful eyes. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even try to protest as his chest moves rapidly with his heightened breathing.
“Delia, don’t. He is the answer to all your problems. I swear it.” Loralee tries to shuffle closer to me on the floor, her bound wrists and ankles making the movement difficult. “Trust me.”
“No.” My tone is filled with finality as I jab the needle into his neck and depress the plunger. The venom sinks into his jugular as Loralee screams. “Now we wait.”
He begins to twitch, the venom taking hold quickly from being injected into his main artery. “He’s connected!” Loralee howls as she begins to sob, her face a bright red. “H–he can help us m–more if he’s alive!”
“I wouldn’t know that because you refuse to tell me his name,” I sing to the tune of her sobs. It’s a catchy tune. The man begins to jerk out of his chair, his eyes flaring with fear and pain as he bites into his gag. I hold him in place as I wink. “Quick, huh?”
“Shit!” Loralee growls as she hiccups, watching her buddy as he practically vibrates. “Okay! Okay! Make it stop and I’ll tell you everything.”
“No.” I look her in the eyes as she moans. “That’s not how this works. We have about two days, maybe less to sit here and watch him die. I got all the time in the world. Tell me everything first and then I’ll give him the antivenom.”
A stroke of luck hits at that moment because the man begins to moan, his head shaking back and forth, and Loralee watches with wide eyes. “His name is Alonzo DeRucci and he is the heir to the DeRucci empire.” She completely deflates as she chokes on a sob.
“Not a compelling argument for the antivenom, if you ask me,” Genni mutters behind me, and I’m inclined to agree.
“Why would I save a DeRucci?” I bend and look the guy in the eyes as they roll into the back of his head, his neck looking red and swollen.
“Because he wants to kill his father, and when he does that, The Beast loses all his support in the family. He would be alone and vulnerable.” This information does pique my interest but saying The Beast would be vulnerable is a stretch.
“Does Gionni DeRucci’s funding come from the family or the MC?” I inquire as Loralee’s face twists with contemplation.
“Both I would imagine, but a majority of it would funnel from the family. He’s nothing without his cousin’s support.” She looks from Alonzo’s face to mine, panic setting in. “He’s on our side, Delia.”
“What does he need from me in return?” I question as she swallows, her eyes flicking around the room. “No one does anything for free.”
“He needs the numbers to take out his father. He has some support but needs more,” she admits as she stares at me.
“So he wants us to go to war,” Genni cuts in, her tone flat.
The MCs have already fought a recent battle, putting them in another wouldn’t be a good idea, but Loralee doesn’t need to know that. I don’t care about the Godfather of the DeRucci family, I only need The Beast and I can get him with this man’s help.
Taking my time, I unclip the vial of antivenom and pull out another syringe. It’s rare I use this vial, I can count on one hand the times I’ve pulled it from my belt. Loralee has won this battle, but the war is just beginning.
I should be avoiding her. My heart just isn’t strong enough to ignore her presence, but when she and Genni came in earlier, stating they had two people they needed locked up in the basement, I knew I was in trouble.
She looked deliciously disheveled as though she had spent hours roughing up some goons, and as she walked by the bar, my heart shattered when she didn’t even spare me a passing glance. Not that I deserved one. I led her on, told her I wanted her, pursued her, and then dumped her when Rockz wormed his way into my heart.
I made my choice and I’m not regretting it because Rockz feels like he completes me. It’s only when I see the woman with fangs of venom and a heart of vengeance that I lose any semblance of propriety. Every reason why I chose Rockz seems to disappear as I watch her stride with purpose, her face a mask of danger.
As soon as she disappeared into the Dragons’ basement, the air cleared and I was able to breathe again. I don’t know who the poor bastards are that she deemed prisoners because they brought them in through the back door, but whoever they are, they’re in for a world of pain at her hands. The thought of her inflicting torture has the opposite reaction it should as my cock hardens, and I grumble to myself, slapping the towel down on the bartop.
Then I head into the storage room to clear my head, to try and keep myself busy by stocking a bar that doesn’t need it. The confined space gives me the reprieve I need to collect myself, and it doesn’t hurt that this was the space where Rockz and I became acquainted. I close my eyes and rest my head against the shelving and relive that moment, my already hard cock pulsing with desire.
“Sorry.” Her voice jolts me as my forehead bounces off the metal, sending pain reverberating throughout my skull. “I need some bottles of water and a few rags. Are you okay?”
“No.” I turn to face her, my heart racing and both heads throbbing. “I’m not okay.”
We stand motionless, staring at each other as the room becomes electrified with our tension. It’s as though my body has a mind of its own as I close the space between us and cup her face in my hands, and before I can talk myself out of it, my mouth crashes to hers. She releases a soft sigh, her lips opening beneath mine, and I close off my brain completely as I delve inside.
Her hands wind around my back as she drags me in closer, our tongues tangling, and my cock begging for release. I blame myself for filling my long days with thoughts of her, for trying to forget what is between us without facing it first. Why would I choose when I didn’t give myself any options?
I break the kiss and stare down at her, our heavy pants mingling in the small space between us. This is it, this is where I end it all and walk away with my morals intact, but that’s not what happens. Instead, I kick the door to the storage room shut and push her up against it.
“Fuck, Chip. Where did this come from?” Her hand cups my cock through my jeans and I almost question if she’s talking about my size or my behavior.
“You came in here at a bad time,” I confess as her head falls back against the door. “I’ve been trying to get over you, then I saw you today and it tipped everything on its head. You witnessed my near breakdown when you stepped into this room.”
“What do you need?” she rasps as her hands travel up my sides under my cut.
“What I need isn’t what I should have,” I counter as my forehead falls to hers, my pelvis sinking against her.
“Tell me, Chip,” she presses, her hands moving around to my back before slipping down over my ass.
“I need to be inside of you. Just once. All I need is one time and I can let it all go.” It’s a lie and a stupid one, because I know as soon as I have her, I’ll only want her more. But at this moment, I let myself be fooled.
My mouth is back on hers as she frantically works the fly of my jeans, getting the button undone and the zipper down as I do the same to hers. It feels like we’re in the center of a tornado, twisting into disaster but enjoying the thrill of the ride until the very end. Crashing and burning has never been so appealing.
She works my pants down to my thighs and reaches into my briefs to wrap her hand around my cock, the callouses on her fingers and palm dragging a groan from my mouth. She strokes my cock as our lips part, the motion agonizingly slow as if she’s painting herself a memory that’ll last forever. I should be doing the same because this can only happen once. I can make excuses for one slip, but anything more beyond that would be intentional.
My fingers slip past the waistband of her panties, trembling with anticipation as I meet her warm, wet flesh, and our eyes meet as she widens her legs, giving me free access to every inch of her pussy. I run the pads of my fingers through her folds as her hand tightens on my cock, my name dropping from her lips in a breathless moan. Then I find her clit and circle it, reveling as it hardens and she begins to mewl, her hips moving to create friction.
“I need more, Chip,” she pleads as she grips my briefs and pulls them down farther along with my pants.
Pulling out of her panties, I flip her around as her chest meets the wooden slab, her hands landing on the surface with a loud slap. Then I drop to my knees and pull her pants down to her ankles before grabbing the globes of her ass as I spread them wide, finding her pink flesh dripping with arousal. My mouth waters as I blow across her heated flesh, her back arching just a little more as she wordlessly begs for my mouth.
I swipe my tongue through her folds to her asshole, savoring every bit of her as her essence explodes inside my mouth. She’s a fucking delicacy and I’m never going to be able to get enough of her. I knew the risks as soon as I kissed her, but I’m quickly becoming an addict for the assassin, already dreaming of my next hit.
I flick the tip of my tongue against her puckered hole before pressing it in, her muscles fighting the intrusion but her moans of pleasure increasing. My cock throbs as I stand, keeping her spread as I run my length along her crack, her warmth enveloping me as she turns to look at me over her shoulder.
“Fuck me already,” she growls as I continue to drag my cock through her crack. “Pick a fucking hole.”
I don’t know if it’s her words or if my conscience has the worst timing, but everything comes crashing around me then as I realize what I’m doing and how far I was willing to take it. I stumble back away from her, my back hitting the shelving as I stare at her there, completely exposed, and shock tears through me.
She spins around, her face filled with confusion, and watches me scramble to pull up my pants. “I’m sorry,” rushes out of my mouth as my face burns with embarrassment. “I can’t.”
She’s slowly pulling up her pants as she shakes her head, her eyes avoiding mine. “It’s fine.”
It’s not fine, I can tell by the way she turns and opens the door, stepping out of the storage room and closing it softly behind her. I’ve made a mistake but I’m not sure which one. Was it choosing Rockz? Or giving into my deepest desires here in this room?
I have to tell him everything. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this, not when he asked me to choose because he couldn’t share. I chose him, knowing I’d have to be monogamous, and I’ve failed.
Not only have I lost Delia, but I’ll lose him too.
Delia comes back into the room without the water and rags, her face looking sad but her body rigid with anger. I’ve just finished checking up on the DeRucci heir and stitching up his leg wound as he slowly rose out of the delirious effects of the venom. The antivenom Delia administered seemed to have done its job, but I won’t know for sure for another twelve hours or so.
“You didn’t bring back the water or rags,” I tell her gently as her eyes find mine.
“Sorry. Got sidetracked,” she murmurs as her eyes flick to Loralee. The woman has been by Alonzo’s side, her worry for him palpable in the small confines of the room. She’s been remaining quiet, distrusting of us, and has refused to speak more than a few words at a time since I picked them up, leaving them still bound.
“Where did Genni go?” I ask Delia as I close up my medical bag and step away from our new prisoners.
“She went to talk to Malik until Jaeger and Quinton get here. We should head up there and discuss everything,” she suggests as I nod, her tone flat and void of emotion. For a second, I fear The Viper has its fangs in her again, dragging her to the depths of darkness, until her eyes meet mine. Something happened and I can’t question her in here with these listening ears.
“And what about us?” Loralee voices from the floor in the corner of the room.
I turn to look at her as she brushes Alonzo’s hair from his forehead. “You’ll be in here until I can piece it all together,” Delia answers, and I turn back to face her, her words robotic as she turns to the door. “And, Loralee? I hope you’ve told me everything because if I find out you held back, I’ll fucking gut you here in this room.” Then she disappears from the room as Loralee gasps.
“I’ve told her all I know,” she states as her voice cracks with fear.
“I hope so,” I reply as I stand in the doorway, my hand wrapping around the handle. “For both of your sakes.” Then I pull it closed and grab the keys from my pocket, locking them both inside.
Delia is waiting for me by the stairs, her arms crossed over her chest as she stares down at her feet. “Am I naive?” Her question throws me for a loop as I tip my head to the side.
“Why would you ask that?” I step up to her and drop my medical bag to the floor before rubbing my hands along her arms.
“I trusted Loralee too quickly. I believe people by their words and ignore their actions.” She releases a breath and drops her arms from her chest as I haul her in for a hug.
“That doesn’t make you naive, that makes you human. I love that about you. You care and you want to help people, despite your alter ego.” Slowly, her arms encircle my back as she exhales against my chest, the sound breaking my heart. I hate that she opened herself up to this person only to be hurt in the end. She doesn’t deserve any more heartbreak.
“I’ve become tunnel-visioned when it comes to The Beast and I’ve neglected my intuition. It won’t happen again.” I pull back to look down at her, brushing aside a wayward curl as I lean in to kiss her forehead.
“Don’t harden your heart because someone hurts you,” I advise, my lips moving against her warm skin. “Don’t give them the satisfaction of molding you into someone you’re not because of their actions. Stay true to you.”
She nods as we pull apart, a small smile slipping along her lips. “I just won’t let myself be used anymore.” Relief hits me as her eyes remain clear and I’m not staring into The Viper’s cold depths.
I have a feeling she’s referring to more than just her broken friendship with Loralee. We head upstairs as I mentally prepare myself for the meeting ahead. It feels like we’re always planning a hit or a battle and my soul is becoming weary. I want to start a family, live a life of peace with my brothers as we enjoy our club and the stability it could one day bring. It’s been battle after battle since I’ve joined Hell’s March and even though I’ve gained a family, I’ve also lost some of my humanity.
