She looked down to see he was serious. Viper honestly believed that Rider or Moon could steal her away from him.
She leaned down, placing her forehead against his. “What are we going to do?”
“Right now, we’re going inside to spend alone time together, just me and you.”
“That sounds really nice.” She laughed, getting off the picnic table. He had answered questions, yet Winter felt like she was on the same slippery slope she had been during the two years she had dated him before she’d found out he was the president of the Last Riders. She had believed every word out of his mouth then too.
He took her hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Viper…” Winter was just about to ask about the texts, but her husband opened the door right when Rider and Ember were about to open it.
“Hey, Winter, Viper. Mick called and said you weren’t answering your phone. Ton is at Rosie’s, and he’s trying to pick a fight with Greer.”
“Dammit.” Viper brushed his hair away from his face. “Sorry, pretty girl, I’ll go get him and be right back.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Viper’s father could be a mean drunk.
“No. If he acts like an ass in front of you, he’ll be getting his ass whipped from me instead of Greer. Go on upstairs. Keep my side of the bed warm until I get back.”
“All right.”
Winter watched her husband walk down to the parking lot before going inside where the members were just sitting around, playing cards or pool. She went upstairs to shower before climbing naked into bed.
She started to watch a television show, expecting Viper to come in any minute, but when the show went off, she picked up her phone, getting worried. Rosie’s was only a few minutes away from the clubhouse, and Ton’s house was close to town.
She pressed Viper’s number, and her call rang and rang before it went to voicemail. She left a message then lay back down, waiting for Viper to call back. When half an hour had passed and she hadn’t heard from him, she called again. Once more, her call went to voicemail.
Getting out of bed, she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. Then she went downstairs and saw someone had turned the lights down low. Several of the members were dancing.
Seeing Rider standing at the bar, she tapped on his shoulder. “I’m worried about Viper. Has he not come back from picking Ton up?”
Rider gave her a puzzled frown. “He came in around twenty minutes ago. Have you checked the kitchen?”
“No, but thanks. I’ll check now.”
Turning, she went inside the kitchen, not seeing him there or in the family room. When she didn’t see him in the dining room, either, she decided to check the backyard. Frustrated from not seeing him out there, she wondered where he had gone and why he hadn’t returned her calls.
The kitchen door swung open, and Rider came in with a red face. “My bad. Viper was here, but he took off again when he found out Jo had called him. She said Ton drove off again as soon as Viper left.”
“Oh… I guess I’ll go back to bed then.” She released the door handle, not missing the relief that came over Rider’s face.
“I’m sure he’ll call you when he gets Ton under control.” Rider evaded her questioning look, going back into the living room.
She went back to her room, her cell phone clutched in her hand. If Viper had the time to call Rider about his whereabouts, why hadn’t he called her?
Winter went to the bed. Settling down, she turned the light off then went to the window, thinking of how Rider had been relieved when she hadn’t gone outside.
The backyard was dark, but there were lanterns lining the walkway. She could make out two people standing in the shadows of the gazebo. The man was Viper’s size, and when he moved deeper into the shadows, she recognized it was her husband from the way he moved. The figure following him into the gazebo was a woman, and Winter had a sinking feeling she knew who it was.
Sasha was back.
She would never forget the image of the two of them going into the gazebo.
Unable to look any longer, she moved away from the window. She couldn’t bring herself to get back in their bed. Instead, she sat down on the chair, waiting for her husband to decide to come back.
Her cell phone rang, and she looked down at it, expecting it to be Viper making another excuse for why he wasn’t back yet. When she saw Beth’s name, she answered.
“Hello?”
“Winter…”
“What is it?” She could tell from her tone it was bad.
“It’s Mrs. Langley. She’s had a heart attack.”
6
“I’ll be right there. Is she at the hospital yet?” Winter was already moving toward her purse.
“Yes. The ambulance just left with her. She wasn’t feeling well, so she called me. I called an ambulance, and I got there at the same time the EMTs arrived.”
“I’m on my way.”
She ran from the room. The members stared at her as she ran through the living room.