“I know you can.”
“Give Aisha a kiss for me.”
“I will.” Winter disconnected the call then texted Penni Crash’s number under Viper’s watchful gaze.
“You called Jackal an angel?”
“Those women need one. God willing, Jackal will find them. Everyone needs someone on their side, whether it’s an angel or just a friend who’s willing to listen.”
Tenderly, he cupped her cheek. Viper knew how much it had cost her not to tell Penni the truth about Raul. “I will always be by your side.”
Winter nodded gratefully. “I know that, and you’ll be by those women’s side when Jackal finds them and goes home to Texas. You won’t stop until you find them a safe place to stay. Just like you did with Genny.”
Viper dropped his hand from her cheek. “I might have messed that one up.”
He didn’t try to deny Genny was someone he had given a new life to.
“Lisa may not have been the best foster parent in the world, but you kept Genny where you could see her and helped when she needed you. You can only offer a new life, not to live it for them. I don’t know what hellhole you dragged Genny from, and I won’t ask, but I’m sure Lisa didn’t compare to that.”
Viper shuddered. “Lisa was a fucking saint compared to where we found her.”
“Good. I miss Genny, but she’s young and now touring with Mouth2Mouth. It will give her the opportunity to see the world and decide where she wants to be at the end of the day. You gave her that choice. You.” Winter reached out, taking Viper’s hand in hers. Genny was another burden Viper carried on his shoulders.
Not all angels fly in the sky. Sometimes, they come in, riding a motorcycle.
“Did you really think I was going to let you die?”
“I was the one who told you that I could have a baby. I knew you would make sure I survived after you swore never to touch another woman.” Winter smiled softly up at Viper’s gloating face. He hadn’t stopped beaming down at her since she had woken up in her room, telling her the baby was in neonatal care and getting stronger every day.
Her recovery had been long and hard, but she had been surrounded by helping hands, and Viper had been there every step of the way.
“That may have been an incentive.” Viper lovingly pushed her hair from her face as she gently rocked Aisha to sleep.
Winter stared down at the miracle she and Viper had created. She lifted her tiny hands to her mouth, placing a kiss on each of her palms.
“That one is from daddy, and that one is from mommy.” Winter reluctantly handed Aisha to her father, watching as he laid her down in her crib.
“You ready for bed?”
“Do I have to? I already miss having her in our bedroom.”
“We promised each other that when she outgrew the bassinet she would sleep in her room. The monitor is on, and if she wakes up, we’ll hear her.”
Winter pouted at Viper as he bent down to kiss his daughter before turning off the light then lifting Winter into his arms.
She crossed her arms over her chest, still irate that he refused to move the crib into their bedroom.
“If it was left up to you, she would still be sharing our room when she’s old enough to go to school.”
He sat her down on the bed, and she took off her robe as he took off his pajama bottoms, climbing into bed naked.
Winter had started to lie down next to him, when he said, “Lose the gown.”
She froze. She hadn’t slept naked next to him since she’d had the baby. She fiddled with the lace on her gown, thinking about how they hadn’t made love, either.
Viper leaned back against the headboard. “Need some help?”
“I’m tired tonight. I have a headache.”
“No, you don’t. You let me help shower you, so why don’t you want me to see you now?”
“Because you want to make love.”
“I want to fuck you until you see stars, but I’ll take it easy on you tonight. I’ll just give you a small orgasm until you learn how to do it again.”
Winter couldn’t help laughing. “A small orgasm? Make me see stars? Have you been reading my Kindle?”
“I had to do something to keep myself from making love to you. I promised never to fuck another woman.”
“I changed my mind. I think I can deal with you touching Sasha as long as you don’t get attached,” she lied, biting her lip.
Viper sighed. “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to Dr. Price about giving you time.” Viper scooted over to her, going to the hem of her gown. Winter trembled, letting him raise it over her head. “Lie down on the bed.”
Their eyes met in the mirror on the dresser. Slowly, as Viper moved back on his knees to give her room, she lay down, keeping her eyes glued to the ceiling, knowing the battlefield of scars he was seeing.
“Look at me,” he chastised.