Viper's Kiss (27 page)

They got on their motorcycles and
watched as the back window went down.
Ed
’
s
beady little eyes stared at Blaine.

“
You
had a fire, huh?
”

“
Yeah,
”
Blaine called out.
“
Someone tried to burn our
clubhouse down.
”

“
I
’
m sorry. About that. About your
family. About your troubles. Just know Vin will be in good hands.
”

Blaine nodded.

Ed
then tossed a bag out the
window of the SUV and drove away.

Everyone thought it was a bomb and
readied to take cover. Shay was crazy enough to approach the bag, not giving a
shit if it was a bomb.

It wasn
’
t a bomb though.

It was the money.

Half a million dollars. All cash.

A little thank you.

thirty-five.

Jessa saw the lights in the mirror.

“
He
’
s got us,
”
Blaine said.
“
You
ready?
”

“
Yeah,
”
Jessa said.

She was terrified. Really terrified.

Blaine kept driving fast,
approaching double the speed limit.

The police cruiser got right up on
his ass, lights and sirens going wild.

Blaine pulled to the side of the
road.

When the officer came to Jessa
’
s side, she gripped the door
handle and started to groan.

Blaine leaned across.
“
Officer, I
’
m so sorry. It
’
s my wife. She
’
s in pain
…”

“
Do
you understand how fast
…”

Jessa let out a cry. She touched
her round stomach.
“
It
hurts.
”

“
Ma
’
am? Are you
…”

“
She
’
s pregnant,
”
Blaine said.
“
We went for a drive to look at
the mountains. She started complaining of pains. I called for help and they
told me to meet them around here. Why the hell couldn
’
t they send an ambulance?
”

“
Sir,
there are parts around here
…”

Jessa groaned again. She leaned
forward.
“
It
’
s so bad. I think I
’
m
…”
She grabbed a bag of water from under seat and squeezed it. It popped without a
sound, leaving a wet mess everywhere. She then leaned back and yelled.
“
My water!
”

“
Holy
shit,
”
the officer said.
“
Let meet get you assistance.
”

“
Call
for a hospital escort,
”
Blaine said.
“
I have to
drive. If you
’
re going to
chase me, then chase me. You can shoot me, I don
’
t
care. This is my first child. I can
’
t
have anything go wrong.
”

The officer looked shocked. He had
no idea what to do.

Jessa looked in the rearview mirror
and saw the box truck. It approached the car. She reached for the officer
’
s hand and squeezed.
“
I think the baby
…
it
’
s too soon. It
’
s
way too soon
…”

“
Okay,
”
the officer said.
“
Just hang
…”

The box truck passed by the car and
kept going.

The officer didn
’
t even look at it.

He had no idea that a shipment of
guns had just driven by.

Miller had called in a few favors
to find out who was working the route that day. There was an officer running a
speed trap. Jessa and Blaine were in charge of distracting that officer.

He also didn
’
t know that a gun had been fired at his cruiser,
taking out the left side tires.

“
I
’
m driving,
”
Blaine said.
“
Follow me or call for help.
”

“
Let
me get back in my cruiser,
”
the officer said.
“
I
’
ll
…
uh
…”

Blaine started to creep forward and
then slammed on the gas pedal. The car kicked up dust as they sped away.

Jessa exhaled and touched her
stomach.
“
That was so
wrong, Blaine. He
’
s going
to follow us.
”

“
He
’
s got two flats,
”
Blaine said.
“
He can
’
t follow us. And if he drives on his tires, he
’
ll damage his car. So then what?
He calls it in? What
’
s he
going to say?
”

“
I
can
’
t believe this. This is
what I
’
ve become.
”

“
Hey,
what else would you want to do on your day off with me?
”

“
Besides
break the law?
”

Blaine grabbed Jessa
’
s hand and kissed it.

“
Oh,
Blaine
…”

“
What?
”

“
You
realize what this means? My baby
…
our baby
…
it
’
s already an outlaw.
”

Blaine let go of Jessa
’
s hand and reached across to her
belly.
“
There
’
s no other way to live.
”

Jessa wanted to get mad, but,
again, she couldn
’
t. She
kind of liked the thrill. More than that, she loved Blaine. She loved her
outlaw. She loved everything good and bad that he brought to her.

The baby kicked and both Blaine and
Jessa smiled.

thirty-six.

Blaine found the small box outside
his house. It was a present wrapped in baby wrapping paper. There were little
horses, rattles, and that kind of stuff on the paper. No return address was on
the label.

He took the box inside and put it
on the table.

Looking down the hall, he smiled. Jessa
had been put on bed rest. She only had another month to go before
baby
Blaine
came. They were going to try and wait to be surprised by the sex of
the baby, but Blaine couldn
’
t
help himself. He knew it was a boy. Jessa still didn
’
t.

He sat at the table and cut the box
open. Inside was another box. On top, a note. Before he could read it, his cell
rang.

“
Hello?
”

“
It
’
s Ethan.
”

“
Chief
Ethan,
”
Blaine said.

“
Stick
to first names, Blaine.
”

“
What
do I owe this pleasure?
”

“
Nothing
is adding up here.
”

“
Did
you press the right numbers on the calculator?
”

“
Fuck
you. I
’
ve got a massacre
just outside Frelen. I
’
ve
got the eyes of everyone on me to take you down. I
’
ve got a fire investigation at your clubhouse that
is arson. Yet, I can
’
t find
Vin
…
and magically, it
’
s quiet around here.
”

“
Let
me know where the bad news is,
”
Blaine said.

“
What
did you do to Vin?
”

“
Nothing.
You have our stories. Our alibis all checked out. Didn
’
t they?
”

“
You
know, Blaine, I got a call from a friend who says you were driving a car almost
double the speed limit. You were pulled over and a woman in your car was going
into labor. You then sped away and that officer
’
s
cruiser had tires shot out.
”

“
That
’
s weird,
”
Blaine said.
“
Jessa
is still very pregnant.
”

“
I
know that!
”
Ethan growled.
“
What the fuck is your club up
to?
”

“
Club
business,
”
Blaine said.
“
The way I see it, Ethan
…
our MC was attacked. Damn shame
to us. But at that same time, the Eight Under MC was viciously murdered and Vin
took off. I can tell you this, Vin and Eight Under were in bed. So something
went wrong there. At least it
’
s
outside Frelen.
”

“
There
’
s eyes everywhere, Blaine.
”

“
That
’
s fine. We have nothing to hide.
”
There was silence and Blaine
grinned.
“
And you thought
you were going to come into this town and just step on us. We own Frelen,
Ethan. When you realize that and realize what we do for this town and the
surrounding areas, then we
’
ll
end up happy as friends.
”

“
I
’
ll never be your fucking friend,
Blaine. You were a dirty man back then and you
’
re
worse now.
”

“
But
at least I
’
m free,
”
Blaine said.

He closed the phone. He put it down
and patted it. There was no more going back. Only going forward.

Blaine turned his attention to the
gift box on the table.

He opened the note and read.

A little luck for your little
family. All is settled.

-
    
Ed

Blaine opened the second box and
quickly shut up.

Some people believed in carrying a
rabbit
’
s foot for good
luck, right? All those superstitions that were taken very seriously.

The cartel had their own version of
that, or so it appeared.

Blaine looked again and shook his
head.

It wasn
’
t a rabbit
’
s
foot.

It was a human foot.

It was Vin
’
s foot.

“
What
is that?
”
Jessa asked.

Blaine shut the box and stood up.
She was beautiful round. Her face chubby but pretty. Her breasts had filled in
crazy, leaving Blaine constantly turned on, twenty-four-seven. Which was a step
up from his normal schedule of being hard twenty-hours-a-day.

“
Just
a little gift to me,
”
Blaine said.
“
Don
’
t worry about it.
”
Blaine walked to Jessa. He
touched her stomach.
“
How
’
s my baby?
”

“
Good.
Active. Wish he or she could get here already.
”

“
Soon,
”
Blaine said.
“
I
’
m
not done with you yet.
”

“
No?
”

“
Pregnancy
sex is becoming a real fetish for me. What am I going to do when you have the
baby?
”

“
You
’
re an asshole, Blaine.
”

“
I
know. I know.
”

“
But
I like pregnancy sex too,
”
Jessa said.
“
In fact I read
that sex helps get labor going.
”

“
Well
then,
”
Blaine said.
“
The rest of my day is booked
now.
”

Blaine kissed Jessa. He would touch
every inch of her body. He would taste every inch of her body. She was his
woman, forever. He
’
d touch
her soft skin with the delicate touch she desired. But he would take care of
that wild fire inside her though.

She was the only woman who dared to
tame him. She was the only woman that came close. And the parts she couldn
’
t tame, she was the fire for.
And Blaine loved her with whatever was left of his heart. She was rebuilding
his heart with her love and her body. Riding outlaw and riding with the reaper
was all Blaine knew
…
until
he met Jessa. She gave him meaning. She gave him purpose. And she gave him a
family.

*****

“
Caine.
”

It was the perfect name for the
perfect baby.

Everyone stood in the hospital room
just before six in the morning.

Jessa looked around at the group of
bikers. They were simply terrifying
…
yet the most gentle men she
’
d
ever known. They chased the nurses out of the room as they flooded in to meet
the newest member of Back Down Devil MC.

Miller held the baby, shaking his
head.
“
How could something
so disgusting make something so beautiful?
”

“
Blame
Jessa,
”
Blaine said.

“
How
do you feel?
”
Miller asked
Jessa.

“
Tired,
”
she said.
“
Happy.
”

“
You
look amazing,
”
Shay said.

“
You
look like shit,
”
Jessa
said.

Everyone laughed.

“
Aye,
”
Shay said.
“
Thanks for that,
Mom
.
”

Miller passed baby Caine to Trev.
His massive tattooed arms held the sleeping baby tight.

“
Man,
we have so much to teach him,
”
Trev said.
“
About the club.
The life. About his old man.
”

“
No,
no,
”
Blaine said.
“
He doesn
’
t need to know a thing about me.
”

“
Nobody
needs to know a thing about you,
”
Gaige said.
“
I think you
could make the devil blush with your stories, brother.
”

Miller touched one of Jessa
’
s feet.
“
Hey. I
’
m
proud of you. For everything you
’
ve
gone through with us. It
’
s
been a bumpy road. But you have us, Jessa. This club and all its members. You
’
re deeper than family.
”

“
Do
I get a leather cut?
”
Jessa
asked.

“
No,
”
Miller said. He then reached
back.
“
However
…”
He pulled out a small onesie.
“
Caine is an honorary member.
”

It was a black onesie with the Back
Down Devil name and logo on it.

“
Good,
”
Trev said.
“
Get him out of this baby blue
elephant shit.
”

Blaine took Caine and lifted him
up, kissing his head.

Jessa couldn
’
t believe how natural it came to Blaine. That
instant connection of father and son. Of parent and child. Of family.

Caine started to stir. His little
arms fought against the blanket. His mouth opened and he let out a long yell.
Then his eyes opened.

“
Look
at him,
”
Gaige said.
“
Checking us out.
”

Gaige grabbed Caine
’
s little hand and wiggled it.

“
I
think he
’
s hungry again,
”
Jessa said.

“
Like
his father, I
’
m sure,
”
Nate said.

Blaine leaned down and Jessa took
the baby. She sat up and held her baby. Blaine kissed her forehead.
“
Goddamn, I love you. Just seeing
you like this makes my chest want to explode.
”

“
I
’
ll consider that romantic,
”
Jessa said.

“
You
better.
”

Blaine brushed his lips to hers.

“
Enough
of that,
”
Miller said.
“
Come on, Blaine. I got you a
cigar.
”

Blaine joined the crew and they all
hugged each other. A group of men in leather cuts that followed the open road,
outlaw rules, and believed in nothing but freedom.

“
That
’
s your family,
”
Jessa whispered to Caine.
“
They
’
re crazy. They fight. But they love each other.
They
’
re going to love you
more than any other family ever could.
”

Caine made a funny face with his
lips. Then he cried again.

“
Come
on,
”
Blaine said.
“
Let
’
s get out of here. Leave Jessa with some privacy.
”

The MC worked their way to the
door. Blaine lingered back.

Jessa slowly opened her gown and
tried to remember everything the nurses had been telling her about
breastfeeding. There was nothing quite like pushing a baby out of a small hole
and then have what felt like a hundred people yelling different orders at you.
It was nice to be calm and quiet.

Jessa touched her breast and offered
herself to Caine. He slowly latched on, surprising Jessa how easy it had been.

Maybe he really is like his
father
…

Jessa smiled and felt her eyes fill
with tears.

“
Hey,
”
Blaine said, appearing again.

A tear fell from Jessa
’
s eye.
“
Hey.
”

“
I
love you,
”
Blaine
whispered.

“
I
love you too.
”

Blaine reached and wiped the tear
away. He leaned down and kissed the baby
’
s
head.

Then he looked at Jessa with that
sly grin.
“
Make sure you
save some for me.
”
He then
licked his lips and walked away.

Asshole
…

Jessa shook her head.

But he
’
s my asshole
…
and I love him.