Winter's Touch (The Last Riders Book 8) (8 page)

“Did Viper get plenty to eat?” Aunt Shay asked her absently, her attention on the movie.

“Yes, he’s done.”

After her hateful words, she was sure Viper was done with her, too.

“
D
id
he save me some pie for tomorrow?”

Winter gave her a mirthless smile she couldn’t see in the dark. “Yes, enough for lunch and dinner.”

Sightlessly, she stared at the television. She no longer worried about Sasha destroying her marriage; she was doing it herself.

The red light on the alarm lit up beside her aunt’s bed, meaning Viper had left and reset the alarm.

She made up her mind to call him. They needed to talk so they could figure out where their marriage was heading. The thought of it ending was unbearable, yet living in the same house and seeing Sasha constantly as a reminder of his infidelity was just as intolerable. If he hadn’t been unfaithful, then she had made a terrible mistake and her own insecurities were to blame. She had let her emotions get the better of her since finding out Viper had given Sasha the vote she needed to get in the club. Instead, she had escalated the tension between them, rather than trying to find out why he hadn’t told her.

Winter checked to see if her aunt had fallen asleep. Then she turned off the light before slipping out of the dark room. After turning the light off in the kitchen, she went upstairs.

Her hand was on the doorknob to her bedroom when an arm circled her waist.

She kicked her feet backward as she was lifted up, pressed against a hard chest.

“Calm down. It’s just me,” Viper drawled, as he opened the bedroom door.

“If you want to get rid of me, just divorce me,” she snapped, struggling to free herself. “I don’t want my aunt to be the one to find my body when you scare me to death.”

“I’ve had more than enough of your bullshit,” he growled angrily.

Winter expected him to toss her angrily on the bed. Instead, he tossed her over his shoulder then strode out into the hallway and down the stairs. She beat on his back, too angry to care if he dropped her.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and she twisted to see what he was doing. She saw him turn off the alarm before he carried her into the living room.

“What are you doing?” She stopped fighting, becoming frightened of Viper’s intentions. Still, she didn’t want to yell and wake her aunt. If Aunt Shay awoke to see her husband had lost his mind, the woman would die of fright.

He didn’t answer. She felt how angry he was with every step, mainly because, with every step, he spanked her ass.

“Stop that!”

“Pretty girl—”

Viper grunted when she sank her teeth into his back.

Winter heard him opening the sliding glass door that led out to the pool. The sound of the door sliding shut had her blood pumping in panic.

“You need to learn to have some respect for your husband.”

One second, she was biting Viper, and the next, she was flying through the air before the water enfolded her in its lukewarm embrace.

She kicked herself to the surface.

The backyard patio was dark, but the light he turned on in the living room bathed him in eerie shadows as he paced back and forth beside the pool.

“I knew men in the service who would piss on themselves when they made me mad. I’ve killed men who showed me more respect than my fucking wife does! How do you think I became President of the Last Riders? By being a pussy?” he ranted, while Winter doggie paddled as he let off the anger that had boiled over to a point he could no longer control it.

He squatted down beside the pool. “In the years we have been married, have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?”

She pulled damp tendrils of hair out of her mouth to answer him. “No.”

“No,” he emphasized. “Then where is this crap coming from? Because of Sasha and a fucking text?” Viper stood up to begin pacing again. “If I was worried about you seeing my texts, why would I have given you my fucking password?”

“I thought it was because you know I don’t usually read your texts.”

He stopped to glower at her. Winter had never seen her husband so angry.

“You thought wrong.” His cold words hit her like a whip. “Just like the other bullshit you keep spouting off over. I have never been unfaithful to you, nor have I wanted to. Sasha came back early, because a search warrant had been served on the clubhouse thanks to the mayor’s interference, and she didn’t know where to go. I found out when I came back from taking Ton home. Sasha and Moon tried to call me to tell me that she was on her way back, but I was too busy dealing with piss-ass drunk Ton to answer my phone, which is why I didn’t answer your calls. When we were outside, we were talking. I hired Diamond to help her out of her tough situation. She has an ex-boyfriend who blames the Last Rider’s for their breaking up, even though they ended before she started hanging out at the club. He accused her of stealing some jewelry she sold. He pressed charges against her, saying it was his mother’s and she stole it when she visited. His mother is, of course, taking his side. The cops are pressuring the Ohio members to give her up. I was going to tell you she was there when I went upstairs. When I gave Sasha a chance, I made it conditional, that she had to earn your vote, or she couldn’t stay in Treepoint. Once Diamond can get the charges dropped, Sasha can go back to the clubhouse in Ohio, and she can stay there until she earns your vote. Do you have a problem with Sasha if she stays in Ohio?”

“No.” Winter’s conscience was stricken. Viper had been dealing with Moon and Sasha’s problems, as well the Last Rider’s business. All the time, the accusations she had been throwing at him had only made matters worse as he tried to keep her happy.

Viper’s anger didn’t lessen, as he barked, “You’ve known me long enough to understand, if I wanted you gone, I would divorce your ass and tell you not to let the door hit you on the way out!”

Winter silently listened to her husband’s scornful words, feeling droplets of water trail down her cheeks.

“I had your name tattooed on my chest, and you’ve got my name on you. Do you see anyone else’s name on me?”

Through trembling lips, Winter answered, “No.”

“I put my ring on your finger. If neither one of those things show you how much I love you, then you’re just shit out of luck. I’m not going to kiss your ass to prove my love to you. If you wanted a marriage like that, then you should never have married me.”

Viper toed his boots off, taking his T-shirt off at the same time before unbuttoning his jeans and yanking them down.

Winter treaded water away from him as he began stalking her from the pool deck. Her husband reminded her of a wolf, determined to catch his prey.

“You think you can outswim me?” he taunted, as he walked to the edge of the pool.

His threatening stance made her shiver. She now understood how he kept men like Shade, Razer, Knox, and the rest of the Last Riders under his control. He was terrifying.

She stopped treading water when her toes finally felt the pool floor under her. “I know you love me. You just don’t understand what it’s like to see other women wanting you, too. Most women can go to their homes and not be faced with that every day. I see it every morning and every evening until I go to our room at night.”

“How many times have I offered to build you a house? How many times have I offered to build one for Aunt Shay? You’re both stubborn as shit.”

He had. Numerous times. She had always put him off.

Viper was wrong about one thing, though. She wasn’t anything like her aunt. Her aunt was independent. She enjoyed the house she and Uncle Dennis had built, even though she had lived in it alone since he had died.

“I enjoy living with the Last Riders. I really do,” Winter confessed, which was something she had never told him before. “I like the house filled with them, even though they’re a pain in the ass sometimes. On the nights you have to work late, they give me someone to talk to. They give me someone to hold hands with when I know you’re putting your life on the line for them. They keep you from getting bored with me when I talk too much about the school and my students. I like that there’s always a light on because someone’s up.

“When my father died, the house was so quiet. He used to always joke around or talk about anything to everyone. I missed that so much when he was gone. Even after all these years, I still miss it.

“When I started dating you, I felt alive again. Even my mother did. You were a godsend, helping my mother with her flights for her cancer treatments, so she wouldn’t have to drive so far. Then she died, and I found out who you were. I was alone then; except, that time, it was so much worse. Not only was I left alone without my parents, but I had lost you, too.

“I redecorated, trying to remove every memory of you being in my home. It didn’t work. Nothing did. That’s why I sold the house when I married you. That’s why I haven’t let you build me a house. If you fell out of love with me or something happened to you, then I would be left alone in a home we had built with only memories to keep me company.”

Viper dove into the water, coming up several inches in front of her. “Come here.”

Winter swam into his arms. “I love you so much,” she cried, sobbing into his neck. “Do you know how hard it is to be afraid of losing you?”

“Yes, every time you talk about having a baby.” Viper held her close as she relaxed against him, letting him take her weight and the fears she had kept to herself.

“Maybe we both need to man up.”

“Pretty girl, I love sucking your tits too much to want you to man up.”

Winter gave a hiccupping laugh. “My breasts aren’t big enough to put that look on your face.”

“You can’t see them as well as I can.” He moved so more of the light could fall on her. “They look pretty damn good from here. They look bigger, actually. I need to get Beth to make more pies.”

Winter playfully hit him on his shoulder. “Jerk, I haven’t gained any weight.”

Viper brought his hands to her midriff, tugging her top off then throwing it over the diving board. “Never mind. They might be smaller.”

Her laughter was cut off when Viper caught her lips in a kiss that drove her doubts away.

The dreams she had built were just that—dreams. Her husband was flesh and blood, not an intangible dream she couldn’t hold on to. They comforted her, but they couldn’t sweep her away on a tide of longing that only he could satisfy.

That was what Viper had been trying to tell her: she was the only one capable of filling the hole in his soul. She had been meant for him. He had been meant for her. Every beautiful piece of him had been meant for her. Only her.

“You still love me?” Winter breathed into his mouth, as his tongue wrapped around hers.

“So much it hurts,” he repeated her words back to her.

Winter circled her legs around his naked waist, and Viper guided her to the side of the pool, where he took off her shorts, flinging them over her head.

“My aunt could come out,” she warned.

“If she does, she’ll leave when she sees my naked ass.” He lifted her up so he could see the water lapping at her nipples. “I’m going to fuck you, but I want you to know that, before I do, you’re going to be punished for doubting me.”

W
inter licked his bottom lip
, arching into his sleek body. “As long as it’s not seed inventory. If it is, you might need to take a cold shower, instead.”

“No, Raci’s been stuck with that since Genny left. I have something different in mind for you.” Viper reached between her thighs to her swollen clit. One finger plunged into her channel, and blinding passion hit her core, nearly making her climax. The surge of lust quaked throughout her body as goose bumps broke out on her arms.

“How can you blame me for being jealous over you?” She lifted passion-glazed eyes to his. “Every time you touch me, I don’t want you to stop. However, when I see Shade and Lily, it’s like looking at two pieces of the same soul. I don’t think they could survive without the other. You could survive without me.”

“Every relationship is different. I’m no Shade, and I’m not like Lucky, Razer, or Knox, either. Do you think their wives mean any less to them than Lily means to Shade? Would I hurt myself if I couldn’t have you? Fuck no. But would I take another woman? Hell no.”

“I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself if you lost me; that’s not what I’m trying to say. I just don’t want you fucking other women.”

Viper moved his hand away to replace it with the head of his cock. She opened her legs wider, and he pushed inside of her.

“Are you serious? Are you asking me to never fuck another woman, even if you go before I do?” He stopped moving, staring at her with his mouth open.

“Yes.”

“It’s not enough that I wouldn’t remarry, but you want me to never touch another as long as I live?”

Winter was becoming irritated at his slack-jawed incredulity. She considered it a reasonable request.

“Yes. I’m not asking you to do something I wouldn’t do. I don’t want another woman touching my husband… even after I’m dead. You can give away my clothes, my furniture, and anything else I own.”

The water rippled as Viper began moving again. “You wouldn’t fuck any other men?”

“No…” Winter moaned when he bit down on her nipple.

“Not even Knox?”

“No.”

He switched his attention to the other nipple. “You liked his tongue ring,” he reminded her.

“He’s married.”

“Not even if there was a zombie apocalypse and Diamond was eaten?”

“You goof head.”’ He was teasing her, but she saw the seriousness in his dark brown gaze. “No, I wouldn’t have sex with Knox.”

“How about Rider?”

Winter held on to Viper with a tight grip as he continued plunging his cock into her pussy. When her husband reached his stride, he could fuck for hours. She wasn’t going to be able to walk when they got out of the pool.

“Hell no! You know how he gets when he has sex. He’s all Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Rider had whoever he wanted in the bedroom.

“Moon?”

“No, his dick is too big,” Winter taunted.

Viper pinched her nipple more tightly.

“Ouch, that hurts,” she complained.

“Good. How about Train?” She heard a different inflection in his voice now. Train was the only other one Viper had picked when he had let someone share their bed.

“No.” Winter stopped Viper’s hips from moving. “Why did you invite Train into our bed?”

Viper raised his lip from her nipple. “All of us who are married pick one man who will take care of our wives if something happens to us.”

Winter hit the water, splashing her husband in the face. “Are you telling me you jerks all picked your replacements?”

“I don’t know why you’re getting so mad. You just said you didn’t like being lonely.” He caught her hands, twisting them behind her back. “What if one of my enemies gets lucky? Raul would love to see me buried six feet under.”

Having her words thrown back at her didn’t lessen her anger.

“Was that why you suddenly let Train in our bed? How many backups do you need? Were you worried something would happen to Knox that you needed two backups?

“No. I chose Knox before he married Diamond and before he became the sheriff in town. I figured he has his hands full if something happens between dealing with zombie herds and the townspeople.”

“Knox has been married to Diamond and has been the sheriff for a few years, so why now?”

“When the Unjust Soldiers attacked the clubhouse, I knew I had put it off too long. When I found out Raul had escaped from prison, I made my mind up who it was going to be. Train will protect you or die trying.”

“Why couldn’t you have asked me?” She shook her head. “You and the men are crazy to think that way.”

“No, we’re not. You don’t have any relatives to look after you other than Aunt Shay. Beth doesn’t have any relatives. Lily has King, who has Evie to watch out for. Diamond has family, but they’re all brain-dead. Rachel has the Porters, but they could get killed off easily—their lives are more dangerous than ours. And Willa would give all her money away.”

“Which one of you geniuses came up with the idea?”

“We did it when Gavin went missing.”

Gavin and Viper had been the ones who founded the Last Riders. They had all been in the military together and developed a bond, so Winter could understand how the men had been devastated by losing Viper’s brother.

“You could have let us pick.”

“Who would you have picked?” Viper nuzzled her neck, beginning to move again.

“Does it make you horny thinking about me with other men?”

“Yeah.”

“You asshole,” she gasped, wanting to touch him, but he wouldn’t release her hands.

“Guilty. So, who would you pick?”

Winter hated it, but the thought was kind of turning her on, too. “Train.”

“Why Train?”

“Because he’s quiet, but scary as hell when he’s mad. He wants the women to be happy. He remembers everyone’s birthday. He isn’t attached to any particular woman. When Stori was sick, he stayed by her side, even when she was puking and told him to go. When any of the women argue, he’s the one who settles it, and you know he’s being fair when he does.”

“Maybe he should be president.” Viper was beginning to look jealous.

Winter shook her head. “No. He would be too easy on the women. They would take over the club.”

“So I made the right choice?” Viper’s satisfaction goaded her into making him even more jealous.

“Absolutely. I can see myself with Train.”

Winter barely had enough time to close her mouth before Viper sank them to the bottom of the pool. A second later, she was breathing fresh air again. He finally released her hands.

“It isn’t a wise move to make me jealous when I’m fucking you.”

He had become lazily seductive, only giving her the tip of his cock. She tried to sink back onto him while he used his fingers to tease her now engorged clit.

“I take it back. Can’t you take a joke? No one could replace what you do for me.”

Her husband sank another inch into her aching sheath.

“No… one can make me as horny as you make me.”

He gave her another inch. Jeez, the man was cruel when he was jealous.

“He doesn’t have your stamina.”

“How would you know?” He began sliding out of her again.

Dammit. She would never try to make him jealous again.

“Do you not remember how many years I’ve watched him fuck? He’s always fucking one of the women. Like you, he doesn’t care who watches.”

Thank God, he started fucking her again.

“You’re better-looking than him.” Okay, she wasn’t technically lying; he was better looking to her.

That comment had his dick filling her to her depths.

“Much better looking!” she said ecstatically, her orgasm growing closer.

“Who licked your pussy better: Knox, Train, or me?”

“Is that a trick question?” Winter whimpered, almost ready to cry from wanting to come so badly. If he stopped, she would do it by herself.

“Answer the damn question.”

“You,” she answered quickly, “even though I think you should get a tongue ring.”

“I told you I would get a tongue ring when you pierced your pussy.”

“I’m not getting my pussy pierced until I have a baby. Everyone in the delivery room would see it.”

“Pretty girl, if you’re having a baby, you’re not going to care what anyone thinks.”

“How would you know? When have you ever been in a delivery room?”

Surrounded by water, her mouth went dry. Did he have a child he had hidden from her?

“I saw several births when I was in the military.” His face was becoming strained. Was her husband finally reaching his breaking point?

“Wouldn’t you like to have a little girl?” she cajoled, ruthlessly hoping he was distracted.

“Another woman to watch out for? No one is worth losing you.”

So much for distracting him.

“A son could watch out for me when you get too old,” she wheedled.

“I’m not going to get old. I’m going to live forever.”

“You’re so stubborn. Maybe I’ll kill you off, and Train will—”

“Train won’t touch you if anything happens to me,” Viper gloated. “That’s why I picked Knox and then Train. Neither of them would expect to share your bed. They would protect you, without becoming a part of your life. I picked someone that will make sure you have a safe bed to sleep in without taking my place in it.”

“So Train won’t be fulfilling any sexual needs I have after you’re dead?”

“No, he has my permission to kill any man who comes near you.”

“It’s good to know I’m not the only one who’s possessive.” Winter felt the same way he did. No one could replace the man she had married, not in bed or out. “Can I please come now?” she begged.

“How long have we been fucking?”

“I don’t know!” she wailed.

“I’m trying to break my record.”

“Do you want to die? So help me God, if you don’t let me come, I’m going to drown you.”

“You would save me.” He cupped her ass, his fingers going to the crease while bouncing her on his dick.

She hung on as he moved to the shallow end of the pool, sitting down on the top step and pulling her onto his lap.

“Afraid of drowning?” She took advantage of her opportunity, slamming herself down on his cock. The force gave her the jolt she needed to climax. Her muscles tightened on his cock.

His dick was so hard she knew he hadn’t come with her. Viper was going to break his record. She was just as determined he wouldn’t. Thankfully, she knew the spark she needed to send him over his own edge.

She licked his chin, biting down. “Do you think Train’s dick was this hard when he licked me?”

“Bitch.” Viper’s cock began to jerk, as he could no longer hold off his climax. “I’m going to make you pay for that,” he promised, taking her hand as they stepped out of the pool.

“There is no way I’m going to let you fuck me for three hours straight to break your record.” Her legs were boneless as she tried to stand on the ground.

Her husband caught her up in his arms, carrying her to the sliding glass door.

She laid her head on his shoulder. “I should check on Aunt Shay and make sure she’s okay,” she mumbled tiredly.

He set her down on the bottom step of the stairs. “Stay here. I’ll go.” He went back outside then came in wearing his jeans and T-shirt. He dropped his boots by the front door. “I’ll be right back.”

Winter held on to the banister until she got the strength back in her legs. She expected him back within a couple of minutes, but when he didn’t show, she grew worried.

Going to her aunt’s bedroom door, she leaned against the wall outside of the bedroom, making sure Shay couldn’t see her nude body. She saw her husband handing her aunt a piece of pie with a huge mound of whipped cream.

“Thank you, Viper. I hope I didn’t disturb you when I heard you in the kitchen.”

“Not at all. I was going to swipe me a piece of it, too. Can I get you anything else?”

“No. Thank you again.”

“Anytime. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Viper.”

“I love you,” Winter told Viper when he came out.

“I love you.” He swept her back into his arms. “You ready for bed?”

“Let’s go get the whipped cream. Watching you take care of my aunt put me in the mood to break your record.”