Den of Vipers, page 51
But we know how to handle it.
Ryder takes Roxy’s hand. We already decided to present her with him to the press to keep her safe and the questions at bay. He slips out and wraps an arm around her, ignoring the cameras as I push through, with Diesel and Kenzo behind them, to part the crowd. We walk quickly, but not too fast, to the church, only relaxing when the door shuts.
Heading down the aisle, we take one of the front pews, and I glance over to see Sam’s widow alone on the other side. Tears slowly roll down her cheeks, and her eyes are faraway. Her hands are clenched together in her lap, trying to hold it together. Roxy follows my gaze and sucks in a breath before getting to her feet.
I grab for her, but she sidesteps my hand and, ignoring the people staring, she covers the distance and sits next to Sam’s widow, silently taking her hand and holding it. The woman glances over in shock, but Roxy doesn’t talk or prod, just sits there for her.
We nod at Tony, and he goes and sits on the woman’s other side. I hate that Roxy is so far away, but I know why she did it—so Sam’s wife wouldn’t be alone. I can’t protest or drag her back though, because the ceremony starts.
It’s a good one as far as funerals go, and when we are directed to the cemetery nearby, Roxy finally heads over to us and leans into Ryder’s side. He kisses her cheek and follows everyone out of the church, where the cameras are still waiting, photographing everything, the bright bulbs flashing and making me growl. I once smashed their cameras, I’m tempted to now, but I can’t. This isn’t about us.
Not today.
So I endure it, but I stick close to Roxy just in case. We circle around her, creating a protective bubble as we head through the grass and old stones. While we walk across the grass, Roxy finally speaks. “I was alone at Rich’s funeral, no one should go through that alone,” she whispers.
We say nothing, but we press closer, hating that she was alone when she needed us. If only we found her sooner, but she’s right, we can’t change the past, only how we act in the future, and Roxy will never be alone again.
We all stand in the wind around the grave as the coffin is lowered into it. When it’s over and people start to disappear, Roxy leans down and throws some dirt on the wood. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice choked.
“Baby,” I murmur.
She stands and looks over at us, tears in her eyes and anger vibrating from her body. There is nothing we can do to help, and I hate that. I feel fucking useless. My fists clench at my sides with the need to hurt, to destroy, and help. But she needs softness, kindness right now, and I don’t know how to offer that.
She doesn’t care that we have no softness. She reaches for us anyway.
There, with cameras and the eyes of the city on us, she reaches for all of us. We all share a look. We are not embarrassed by our relationship, and anyone who has anything to say can die, but we didn’t want her reputation ruined. We are helpless, however, when it comes to her. So Diesel presses to her side, and I hold her hand as Ryder presses against her back. Kenzo grips her other hand.
With her in the middle of us all, I hear gasps and whispers, but we don’t care. This isn’t about us today, but a man who gave his life to save ours. A true fucking hero.
Chapter Sixty-One
KENZO
Roxy is quiet today, and these idiots don’t know how to act. Ryder offered money to the widow. Garrett offered to hurt someone. Diesel offered to kill someone. They all look flabbergasted when it didn’t work. Shaking my head, I sweep Roxy into my arms and lay down on the sofa, gripping her tightly.
“It’s okay, darling, we are here,” I whisper to her, and she buries her head in my chest, twists her hands in my shirt, and cries.
I hold her through it, stroking her back and kissing her head, telling her we are here, that we love her, that I’m sorry. Her tears do funny things to my heart though, making it ache. They affect the others as well. Garrett mumbles about going to fight. Ryder seems helpless and stares at me in pain. Diesel growls and storms away, probably to kill someone.
But she doesn’t need that right now, she just needs to feel, so I let her, and when she finally lifts her head, I brush her tears away and press kisses to her face. “I love you, darling.”
“I love you too,” she whispers, her voice thick before lowering her head again.
That’s how she falls asleep in my arms, and I look to Ryder, who watches her with his face contorted in pain. “You knew what to do,” he murmurs lowly, so as not to wake her.
I nod, and he sighs, scrubbing his face. “I didn’t.”
“You don’t have to know how to do everything, she needs us all,” I whisper, and he nods and gets to his feet.
“I’m going to work. I’ll check in on her bar and everything. Let me know if she needs anything.” He walks away then, almost running.
These idiots. When faced with tears, they turn into scared little boys. I don’t tell her about the breaking stories and gossip spreading about us all. Everyone wants to know about the woman who tamed the Vipers. The picture of her between us at the funeral is being spread everywhere. Ryder put protections in place, of course, and keeps her identity a secret so they can’t dig up her past and hurt her.
But every eye is on us now. Everyone wants to be her.
But all we want is her.
Our Roxy.
“Kenzo?” she whispers, half asleep.
Shifting, I pull her closer. “Hey, darling.” She blinks her eyes open and looks up at me.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to cry all over you.” She sighs.
“Cry all over me anytime, Rox.” I grin. “It’s an excuse to keep you close.”
She snorts and rolls over, so I flip onto my side and hold her in my arms as she absentmindedly traces her finger across my chest. “I guess it brought it all back. I kept seeing Rich—” She hiccups, and I hold her tighter. “It’s easy sometimes to not think about it, to just keep busy so I don’t have to, but I couldn’t today—”
“That’s okay, darling, you’re allowed to miss him. You are allowed to hurt, you loved him,” I soothe, and then deciding now is the time, I pull the picture from my pocket and hand it over. “I thought this might be important, I took it the day we took you.”
She grabs the photo and stares down at it, tears filling her eyes again, even as she smiles. “He was a fucking hard man, so gruff and snappy, but God, I miss that. I miss his ‘hey, girl, get yo ass over here.’ He would pretend he didn’t care, but whenever I needed him, he was there. Never judging, just understanding.”
“He sounds like an amazing man. I wish I could have met him.”
She nods, brushing her hand over the photo. “Thank you for bringing it.”
“Always. Tell me more about him?” I request.
She sighs and looks at me. “He would have hated you guys, probably would have tried to kill you. I remember this one time I brought a guy back—”
I listen to story after story about the first man she ever loved, and I can’t help but fall more in love with her. She loves so deeply, cares so deeply, and I owe that man everything. Without him, I might have lost Roxy before I even knew her. For that, he has my respect and loyalty, and I will ensure he is never forgotten.
For her.
“I have an idea,” I tell her later on, when we’re just watching the sunset through the windows. I know she’s been thinking about starting a fund in his name, but maybe…just maybe… “Why don’t you name your new bars after him?”
She shuffles back further against me where we sit on the balcony. “You think Ryder would let me?”
“They are yours, darling, not his, name them whatever you want. It was just an idea,” I offer, wrapping her tighter in my arms.
“That’s a good idea. He would like that,” she whispers, and I press my face to her head.
“Kenzo?” she murmurs.
“Yeah, darling?”
“I still fucking hate you all, and I want my bat back,” she snaps.
I can’t help but laugh, and she joins in, and when we stand up and she pushes me into the pool, I come up sputtering but smiling. She’s going to be okay.
Roxxane is a fighter, but she will never have to do it alone again.
Chapter Sixty-Two
DIESEL
“What do you think?” Ryder asks, sweeping his hand out to encompass the house.
“It’s…homey.” I never pictured myself in a home like this, but now that we are starting our family properly, it makes sense. “The massive bed in her room is a nice touch.” I snort, flicking open my lighter and lighting a fag.
He smirks. “I figured you’d like that, almost as much as the basement.”
I perk up at that. “Basement?”
“Basement.” He nods. “To turn into yours and Roxy’s dungeon. Do whatever the fuck you want down there to each other, but work stays at the apartment building.”
“Fucking deal,” I murmur around the cigarette. “Goddamn, I can’t wait. Think of all the toys I could fill it with.”
The house itself is a fucking safe house. It’s massive, with barriers, fencing, and guards ready to patrol. It has an armoury, bullet proof windows, and escape tunnels. It’s a goddamn fortress, just what we need. It’s also black.
Like our fucking souls.
All black, the outside, and even most of the inside. Roxy will love it. I don’t even ask when Ryder had the time to start on this project. It’s clear he’s had this house renovated to his specifications, the sneaky bastard. But he’s right—our apartment is nice, but it’s not a home.
This is.
With Little Bird.
I can’t wait to show it to her and play in our new dungeon, I’ll have to get her a housewarming gift…whips are good for that right? I must say it out loud, because Ryder laughs and claps me on the shoulder.
“It’s a good job she loves you, D, because you are one crazy bastard.”
I blow smoke in his face for that. “Yup, but Little Bird wouldn’t have me any other way.”
“I’m thinking we could be in as soon as the end of the month. I’m going to need help, but with Roxy busy working on her bars, this should be easy enough to do. Garrett is already working with security specialists to secure it, and I’ve set up a home office so I can be around more.”
“What about Kenzo?” I inquire, trailing my hand across the black and gold marble kitchen counter.
“He’s aware. I wanted him to have the home he always wanted as well. This was the place he used to want when we were kids. He’s happy to work from home as much as he can, which is why the garage is so big—for his toys,” he informs me.
“A home.” I sigh and look at him. “Gotta admit, never thought I would have another one.”
“Me either,” he replies, looking around. “But it feels right.”
I nod. “It does, as long as you get a maid or some shit. Blood will be hard to get off these floors.”
“They will be fine.” He purses his lips, looking at the tile.
I grab my blade, slice my hand, and let it drip onto the floor. “Clean it up and let’s see.”
“Fucking hell, D!” he snaps, and looks around for something to clean the blood with. Blowing out more smoke, I watch him rip off his jacket and drop it onto the blood and start cleaning while my hand drips more and more on the tiles. “Fucking wanker, carry on, and I’ll ruin your little bird’s surprise for you.”
“Surprise?” I ask, freezing.
He smirks then stands, holding his jacket away from him with a disgusted sneer. “Yes, surprise, asshole. Try me.”
I wrap my hand, wondering what Little Bird is up to. Fuck, I hope it involves pain and her pussy. I’ve been missing our little sessions, but I wanted to give her time to heal after what happened.
ROXY
“I’m going for a nap, want to join me?” I ask the room in general.
“A nap?” Garrett snorts. “What am I, eighty? Don’t think I don’t know Ryder is making you look after us.”
Propping my hands on my hips, I glare at them both. “Fine, then let’s cut the shit. Get your fine asses upstairs and rest. You need to heal, and the longer it takes, the longer you will have to sit around acting like fucking weak bitches.”
His mouth drops open, and I grin sweetly.
“And the longer you’ll have to go without sex.”
That gets them moving. Kenzo scoops me up into his arms, and they take the steps two at a time, heading to his room. He throws me onto the bed where I bounce as they quickly strip. My mouth drops open at all the skin and muscles, but they don’t give me time to drool as they climb into bed, Kenzo on one side and Garrett on the other. They both try to pull me into their arms, and it starts a tug-of-war with me in the middle.
“I’m not a fucking toy, stop tugging at me like you do your cock,” I snarl, as I slip under the quilt and press my front to Garrett’s chest. I feel Kenzo press against my back, their legs and arms wrapping around me.
“If your cock so much as touches me, I’m out,” Garrett growls.
“Got it, no crossing swords,” Kenzo teases, making me giggle as I close my eyes.
“Sleep, now,” I demand.
“So fucking bossy, darling. All you need is the suit, and then you’re Ryder.”
I snort at that. “Nah, I’m smarter than him…don’t tell him that though, he’ll cane my ass.”
Garrett grins and snuggles closer. “And you would love it, baby.”
“Too fucking right, now sleep so I can have wet dreams about canes and cock.”
They both groan but quiet down, even as I feel Kenzo’s hard cock pressing against my ass. I wiggle back and push into it. He groans and nips my shoulder. “Behave.”
I huff. “I am, that was a mistake.”
“Uh-huh, you big tease.”
I mumble something about them both being wankstains, but I do eventually manage to sleep. When I wake up, I’m hot and bothered with two very hard cocks pressed against me and wandering hands gripping my legs and sliding back and forth.
“You’re cheating,” I mutter sleepily.
“The nap worked, I’m healed,” Garrett declares, stroking higher and pushing up the shirt I’m wearing.
“Me too, all healed,” Kenzo agrees, kissing across my shoulder. “So fucking healed.”
“Uh-uh, we could tear your stitches,” I protest, but not too strongly because, shit, I’m wet as hell and already aching for them. Their harsh hands and teasing lips are getting me all wound up. I almost lost them both, and since then, we haven’t been together. I’m craving their bodies as reassurance that they are really here, really alive, and don’t plan on dying on me.
“Nurse, I require you to heal me.” Kenzo grins against my skin as Garrett caresses over my knickers.
Shit.
“Me too,” Garrett murmurs. “I’ve heard the best form of treatment is with orgasms.”
I huff and try to wiggle free, but they clamp their legs around me to stop me from moving away. My hussy vagina is on team sex too, basically holding up a sign saying ‘screw me.’
“Healing,” I blurt. “Rest.”
But they ignore me, the stupid wankstains and their stupid, seductive penises. Peni? What’s the plural of penis? Oh, who the fuck cares.
“Fuck it,” I mutter, and Kenzo breathes out a laugh.
“Thank fuck.” He flips me and grabs my head, yanking my lips to his as Garrett kisses down my shoulder and slips down my thighs to part them before throwing one over Kenzo’s leg.
I rip myself away and roll to the end of the bed, raising to my knees to stare at them. They turn over and grin at me. Garrett’s arm goes behind his head, his chest muscles stretching enticingly as I run my eyes down his torso before looking to Kenzo, who’s watching me hungrily, his chest bare too. They look like two fucking Greek gods, all dark eyes and muscles, and they both watch me, waiting for me to make a move.
Two predators observing and waiting, but they should know I’m the bigger one, and I have them exactly where I want them. Wanting me, waiting for me to make a move. A viper’s game of who strikes first.
I’m Roxxane fucking Viper. They don’t say how or when. I do.
Gripping the bottom of my shirt, I smirk at them. “You want this off?”
They both nod, and Garrett releases a rumbling groan as his eyes drop to my thighs and back up my body again, making me shiver with desire. From one fucking look. It isn’t fair, the power these men have over me, but then again, I have the same power over them.
They are poised and ready to strike, all coiled muscles and power, but they watch and wait, listening to me. Bending to my will. “Then you will do as you’re told.”
Kenzo grins as he leisurely leans back, those charming lips curling in his arrogant smirk, his eyes glittering with respect and need. “Do tell, darling.”
I debate how this is going to work. Garrett is the most hurt, but he won’t be able to be beneath me. I flicker my gaze to him, and we share a small smile, silently asking if he can handle this. I don’t want to hurt him further, but his eyes darken and greedily drop to my body. “I want Garrett in my pussy,” I murmur, my heartbeat kicking up a notch in excitement. “And you in my mouth.” I look back at Kenzo as I crawl closer on the bed, poising above his lap.
His mouth parts slightly, his eyes widening, and he seems unsure on what to say for once, making me smirk as I blow air across him. “That a problem, darling?”
Garrett groans, his hand reaching out and pinching my side. “Be nice.”
“Oh, I am. If I was being mean, I would sit here telling you all the things I want you to do, like Kenzo filling my mouth with his cum until I have no choice but to swallow while you fuck me and hard and fast, your thick cock filling my pussy until I’m screaming.” I glance over and wink. “See? Nice.”
His eyes narrow on me, and he slaps my side. “Better get to it then, baby. Open that pretty mouth and be real nice to Kenzo,” he orders, as he gets to his knees and moves around me until I can’t see him anymore.
