Viper's Kiss (25 page)

thirty-two.

Blaine couldn
’
t make sense of anything.

Levi, Anderson, and Victor stood
there, arms out, letting Erik, Landon, and Shay search them. They were free of
weapons. Levi then pointed to his crew and then all put their weapons on the
ground.

“
What
happened?
”
Miller asked.

“
Shit
went south,
”
Levi said.
“
Figured we call you. We
’
re backing out of Frelen. We
’
ll figure out something else.
”

“
It
doesn
’
t work that way,
”
Gaige said.
“
You caused a lot of shit for us.
You kidnapped people from this town.
”

“
People?
”
Anderson asked.
“
They were strippers.
”

“
Strippers
are people,
”
Blaine said.
“
Show some respect.
”

“
What
do you care?
”
Victor asked.
“
Aren
’
t you tied down, Blaine?
”

Blaine froze.
How the fuck
…

“
This
isn
’
t done until we get
Vin,
”
Miller said.
“
There
’
s some internal stuff we have to take care of.
”

“
Hey,
Miller,
”
Levi said.
“
I
’
m
standing here without a gun. I
’
m
offering myself to you. To your club. You
’
d
do the same if you were me. We were working the streets, struggling. Eight
Under was pretty much dead after what you guys last did. Then we got some
information from Vin. He wanted to put something big together. Offered us
serious cash and serious weapons. Just opportunity.
”

“
I
’
m glad that worked out for you,
”
Miller said.
“
You don
’
t understand how dangerous Vin is. We need
everything about him. You give it all up and we
’
ll
take a vote on how to deal with your MC.
”

“
We
don
’
t even have guns,
”
Anderson said.
“
He took everything. The trade,
the deal, everything.
”

Miller looked at Gaige, then to
Blaine.

Blaine felt his blood starting to
boil.

These guys were lying. They knew
about the guns, cash, the car. Maybe they were trying to play Back Down Devil
MC. If Vin took off but left the car, then in theory Eight Under would have a
shipment of guns and a lot of cash. But that would require them to leave the
cartel hanging high and dry, which was very dangerous to do.

Little did they know, Back Down
Devil would be intercepting that car of guns and cash very shortly.

“
Why
the change of heart?
”
Gaige
asked.

“
He
liked the other side better. Badges over patches.
”

“
Bullshit,
”
Blaine said.
“
He loves to kill. He loves to
hurt.
”

“
I
’
m telling you,
”
Victor said.
“
He said he would rather deal
from the inside.
”

Blaine stepped back. He looked
around, wondering if this wasn
’
t
some kind of set up. But the entire Eight Under crew was there. There was no
attack coming. No ambush.

“
What
are you thinking, brother?
”
Nate whispered to Blaine.

“
I
smell shit everywhere,
”
Blaine said.

“
Maybe
they
’
re distracting us
because of the deal,
”
Nate
said.
“
They know what we
did with the strippers. How we saved them. So they gather us here and let Vin
ensure the gun deal.
”

That was very possible. Hell, that
was very probable. Blaine trusted that Miller wasn
’
t buying any of this.

But something wasn
’
t sitting right with Blaine.

He grabbed his cell and turned,
calling his house.

Nobody picked up.

He called the number for the cell
he gave to the prospect. The son of a bitch didn
’
t
pick up.

Blaine gritted his teeth and called
Jessa
’
s cell.

As it rang, he looked to Victor.
Victor stared right at Blaine. Their eyes met and Victor swallowed hard then
turned his head.

Jessa
’
s
voicemail picked up.

“
Shit,
”
Blaine said.
“
It
’
s
not about the guns
…
it
’
s about Jessa
…”

Blaine jumped away from Nate and
ran toward Miller and Gaige. Victor dropped down and tried to reach back for a
gun. Blaine took out his gun and pointed it right at Victor.

“
Fuck
you,
”
Blaine said and
pulled the trigger.

“
Jesus
Christ!
”
Gaige yelled.

The tension exploded.

“
He
has Jessa!
”
Blaine yelled.
“
This is a set up to get Jessa!
”

“
Fuck,
”
Miller said.

Miller, Gaige, and the rest of the
guys drew their weapons and kept the Eight Under crew under control.

Miller put his gun to Levi
’
s head.
“
Is that what this is?
”

“
Say
goodbye to your club,
”
Levi
said. Then he looked at Blaine.
“
Say
goodbye to your family, again.
”

Blaine wanted to kill them all.

But first, he had to save Jessa.

***

Blaine pulled to the side of the
road. The office was up ahead. Jessa
’
s
car in the parking lot. The prospect
’
s
motorcycle in the parking lot. After going to the house and finding it empty
this was the only other logical place Jessa would be. Somehow, Vin had set it
up to get her there.

Nate was right behind him.

“
What
are we doing?
”
Nate asked.

“
Trapping
him,
”
Blaine said.
“
He hears the engines and we
’
re fucked.
”

“
What
do we do?
”

“
You
take one door, I take another. We sneak in and find him. Save Jessa. Get Vin.
Don
’
t shoot him. I want
him.
”

“
You
got it, brother,
”
Nate
said.
“
Hey. We
’
ll save her. We
’
ll save your family.
”

“
Unless
she
’
s already dead.
”

Nate didn
’
t respond to that.

They started to run toward the
parking lot.

As they approached, Blaine pointed
to the back of the building and that
’
s
where Nate went. Blaine took to the side door. That
’
s where Jessa
’
s
car was parked. That
’
s
where she had entered the building. In his mind all he saw was his baby. His
child. The life inside Jessa
’
s
body. When he blinked, it was like flipping through pictures. Because then he
saw Janey. Playing with her dolls. Setting up a tea party with all her stuffed
animals. He blinked and saw Meghan in bed, wearing something skimpy, wanting to
relax
Blaine after a long day of work.

He blinked again and saw them
…
gone. Their bodies on the
floor. The two caskets. The two graves. The two headstones.

Blaine grabbed the door and pulled
it open. He entered slow and quiet. Before taking one step, he saw something on
the floor.

It was the prospect.

Shot dead.

thirty-three.

Vin went to work fast. He grabbed
Jessa by the back of her neck and ordered her to sit on the table. He then
grabbed Terri by the hair.

“
Don
’
t hurt her!
”
Jessa yelled.
“
She didn
’
t do anything
…”

Vin opened the second door in the
room.
“
Everyone walk with
me.
”

Vin locked Terri in a closet.

There was a split second to make a
decision and Jessa did.

She screamed.

Vin then grabbed her by the throat
and walked her back into the exam room. He slammed her against the wall and
then swung a backhand, connecting with her mouth. Jessa felt the white hot pain
surge through her face and neck. She slid down and instinctively grabbed for
her belly.

She had to find a way to protect
her baby.

Vin tore open the exam room door
and stepped into the hallway. A second later, he lifted his gun and shot. The
boom echoed all around.

“
Fucking
idiot,
”
Vin said.

That
’
s
how Jessa knew the prospect was dead. He must have ran right through the door.
He didn
’
t try planning
anything.

Jessa leaned to her right and felt
her stomach flip. She had all but killed the prospect. She believed Terri and
left the house. She thought she was doing right
…

“
Get
the fuck up,
”
Vin said.

Jessa looked up at him.
“
What do you want?
”

Vin pointed the gun at her.
“
Get the fuck up.
”

Jessa climbed to her feet. Her
hands still touched her belly.

“
You
let him knock you up?
”

“
It
happened.
”

“
Filthy
whore,
”
Vin said.
“
My little kitty. Sit on the
table.
”

Jessa inched onto the table. Her
hands then gripped the edge.
“
I
don
’
t know anything, Vin. I
went to Blaine because you came here first.
”

“
That
’
s right,
”
Vin said.
“
So
now I have everything under control. Guns. Drugs. Back Down Devil MC will be
emptied by the end of the week. Then I
’
ll
move in on Ethan and take control of everything. The charters will slowly
collapse under my weight.
”

“
What
does that have to do with me?
”
Jessa asked.

“
Simple.
You
’
re a loose end that has
to be tied up. You were there that night. You saw me. You tried to fuck me,
Jessa. You ran your mouth.
”

“
You
killed my best friend and her daughter.
”

“
Best
friend? You got pregnant by your best friend
’
s
fiance. Whore.
”

Jessa swallowed hard. She started
to shake.
“
You
’
re a criminal.
”

“
We
all are,
”
Vin said.
“
I
’
m
just better at it than anyone else I know. Now, I want to see how good you are
with that mouth. No more talking, Jessa. I want to see what
’
s so good about you. What
’
s got Blaine all twisted up. He
’
s out of his mind because of
you.
”

“
He
’
s always been out of his mind.
”

“
Get
on your knees.
”

“
Eat
shit.
”

Vin laughed.
“
I hate when people don
’
t understand the gun concept.
”
Vin put the gun to Jessa
’
s stomach.
“
Get on your fucking knees.
”

Jessa moved from the table. She
inched down to her knees.

Vin slid his fingers through her
hair.
“
Good girl. You know,
I wanted to do this with Meghan. Fuck, she had the tightest little ass and
beautiful tits. I didn
’
t
know that little bitch of a kid would walk in on us. You know? I was going
…”

A fire raged inside Jessa. Fight or
flight took control and somehow, they mixed together. She told herself the honor
was in trying. She would not stay on her knees and end up dead anyway. Blaine
had showed her how to live. How to fight back. Blaine had given her a chance at
life like no other person had ever done.

“
Now,
”
Vin said,
“
you
’
re going to unzip my pants. You
’
re going to get me nice and
hard. Okay? And when we
’
re
all finished, I
’
ll give you
a chance to survive this. Depends on how you do.
”

Jessa put a hand to her stomach.

I
’
m so sorry
…
if we don
’
t survive this
…

With her other hand Jessa reached
for Vin. She curled her fist tight and took a deep breath. She then punched Vin
right in the balls.

The hit was hard enough to send him
stumbling back.

Her eyes looked at the gun. She had
to keep focus on the weapon.

Jessa hurried to her feet and
lifted her right leg. She kicked again, hitting Vin again in the balls. He flew
back and fell over a chair.

Jessa lunged at the open door and
had one foot in the hallway when Vin shot at her. A burning pain surged through
her left arm as she fell forward. She caught herself and looked, seeing the
blood. She then darted to the right, just as Vin shot again.

She was shot. But only in the
arm.

Jessa went into the next exam room.
She shut the door and locked it. A second later, Vin pounded on the door. He
shot at the door as she ran through the other exit. She pulled that door shut
but there was no locking it. Now she was in the back room of the office. That
’
s where they kept supplies, her
office and Dr. Ashland
’
s
office, and where they did surgeries and kept animals for observation.

Jessa opened her office door and
slammed it shut. She then kept going, moving by  Dr. Ashland
’
s office and going into the
surgery area. There was a long metal table with large lights hanging over. A
counter along the back of the room with a double sink. Jessa opened a drawer
and took out two scalpels. She
’
d
do anything to survive right now.

“
Where
the fuck are you?
”
Vin
’
s voice echoed outside the door.

She listened to sounds of doors
slamming and objects being tossed around.

He was going office to office.

And then he was at the surgery
room.

Jessa hid at the end of the table
and watched.

Vin opened the door, his left hand
holding his balls. He pointed the gun and shot.

The bullet
pinged
off
something and Jessa let out a gasp, giving herself up.

Shit
…

“
You
’
re trapped,
”
Vin said.

Jessa inched up and threw one of
the scalpels at Vin. He got out of the way and shot again. The bullet missed
and hit the wall.

“
You
have a knife, I have a gun,
”
Vin said.
“
Who is going to
win this?
”

Jessa glanced at the medicine
cabinet. There were plenty of liquids in there that could take Vin down. Hell,
she could paralyze him. She could knock him out.
She could kill him.

But she couldn
’
t get there.

“
So
let me make you a one time offer,
”
Vin said. He stepped slowly.
“
You
put the knife down and I won
’
t
shoot you in the stomach. Deal?
”

Vin kept approaching. Jessa slid to
the left until she was in a corner. If she jumped up and tried to run, he
’
d shoot her. She was right back
to square one.

“
Okay!
”
Jessa yelled.
“
Okay.
”
She held the scalpel out. Then she let it go.

Vin approached her, putting the gun
to the top of her head.
“
I
gave you a chance.
”
Vin
took a breath.
“
So now it
has to end like this. Are you ready to meet your fate?
”

From the corner of Jessa
’
s eye she saw something.

Someone. In the doorway.

Yeah, she was definitely ready to meet
her fate.

Blaine was in the doorway.

***

“
Let
me say something,
”
Jessa
said.

“
What?
”

“
You
had no right to kill them. Whatever you thought, it was all wrong.
”

Blaine slowly moved into the room.
Jessa wanted him to just shoot Vin and end this. But Blaine tucked his gun
behind his back. Jessa sort of understood it - he wanted to torture Vin.

“
I
’
ll kill whoever I want, when I
want,
”
Vin said.
“
That
’
s why you shouldn
’
t
have been there. You shouldn
’
t
have ran either. Then you talked and talked. Where did that get you?
”
Vin crouched down to face
Jessa.
“
I
’
ve been watching you for a long
time, Jessa. I
’
ve had eyes
on you. I know everything about you.
”

“
You
don
’
t know a thing,
”
Jessa said.
“
You don
’
t know what I
’
m
capable of.
”

Vin smiled.
“
That
’
s
nice. You take that false sense of strength right to your fucking grave.
”

Jessa spit in Vin
’
s face.

Blaine was right behind him.

Vin
’
s
face turned bright red with anger. He had no idea of his surroundings.

Vin brought his hand up, fist
locked tight. That
’
s when
Jessa broke her stare, for a split second, to look at Blaine behind Vin.

As Vin held his fist back, his face
dropped.

Blaine put his hand to Vin
’
s fist.

It all happened so slow up to that
point.

Then it sped up.

Blaine swung his other hand and hit
Vin in the side of the face. He dropped down and grabbed Vin
’
s hand, keeping the gun away
from Jessa. That didn
’
t
stop Vin from pulling the trigger. Jessa started to crawl away, saving herself
and her unborn baby.

When she turned she saw Vin and
Blaine tangled up. Blaine grabbed Vin
’
s
wrist and slammed his hand on the floor until he let the gun go. He then came
down with a punch to Vin
’
s
face. Vin threw a left and connected with Blaine
’
s
jaw.

“
Come
here,
”
another voice said.

Jessa screamed and looked up to see
Nate standing there. He put his hand out and helped her up.

“
Help
him,
”
Jessa said.

“
No,
”
Nate said.
“
This is his fight.
”

Nate pulled at Jessa
’
s wrist. But she didn
’
t want to move. She wanted to
watch.

“
Nate,
”
she said.
“
There
’
s a woman named Terri in the closet in the hall.
She was tied up.
”

“
I
’
ll get her. Don
’
t get involved in this.
”

Jessa lingered in the doorway and
watched.

Blaine threw Vin over the surgery
table. He rushed around and Vin started to kick. Blaine dropped to one knee,
took a kick to the mouth, and then punched Vin again. The hit was so hard, it
smacked Vin
’
s head off the
floor. That paralyzed Vin for a couple seconds. Blaine stood up and put his
foot to Vin
’
s throat.

Just like that, the fight was over.

The war was over.

Blaine looked at Jessa. Blood ran
down the corner of his mouth. His cheek was swollen. Sweat on his face.

“
Are
you okay, sweetheart?
”

“
I
am now, Blaine.
”

“
You
’
re going to want to leave the
room for the next part,
”
Blaine said.

“
You
’
re going to kill him,
”
Jessa said.

Blaine
’
s eyes narrowed with a deep evil.
“
He
’
s
not worthy of just death. I
’
ll
need a bag for all the body parts.
”