November’s Ride with Viper (Mustang Mountain Riders #11)

1. Viper

CHAPTER 1

VIPER

It wasn’t even Thanksgiving yet, and Ruby already had the Merc all decked out for Christmas. I’d just stopped in to grab a few groceries on my way to the clubhouse. With my luck, I’d walk in stinking like I’d been baking fucking gingerbread men thanks to the overpowering scent of the candles she had burning on every surface.

“Hi there, Viper. Happy Holidays!” Ruby waved from behind the register. She had on a red and white striped sweater with a light-up wreath on the front.

“Aren’t you embracing the holiday spirit a little early this year?” I asked as I set a few microwavable meals on the counter that would last me the rest of the week.

“Lighten up. There’s so much to celebrate this year.” She beamed at me, her eyes sparkling. “Now that you’ve sent the Savage Bones running away with their tails between their legs, this will be the best holiday season we’ve had in a long time.”

“They might have run, but I’m not sure we’ve seen the last of them yet,” I cautioned. Even though I was a grumpy-ass motherfucker, I wasn’t low enough to ruin Ruby’s good mood. There wasn’t anything concrete to share yet, but Atlas called a meeting at the clubhouse this afternoon because he got some sort of info that the Savage Bones hadn’t fully disappeared.

“Oh, don’t be silly. After that showdown last month, they’d do best to stay far away from Mustang Mountain. By the way, how’s Atlas doing? I haven’t seen him around, though I’m not sure if that’s because he’s been recovering, or if it’s because that darling blonde has been keeping him busy at home.” Ruby waggled her eyebrows.

I refused to take the bait and give her any info on Atlas and Bex. Not like I had any. The two of them had been keeping to themselves. “Last I heard, he was doing just fine.”

“Well, you tell him to stop by and see me sometime. I want to personally thank him for what all of you have done to save this town.” She smiled as she pushed the bag of groceries across the counter to me. “I expect I’ll see all of you at the Friendsgiving Feast next week?”

I tapped my card against the reader to pay. The holidays were a difficult time of year, but this year they were hitting me extra hard. I wanted to go to the Friendsgiving Feast just about as much as I wanted to stab my eyes out with the homemade huckleberry candy canes she had sitting by the register.

“A lot of the guys are planning on it,” I said while I waited for my card to go through.

“And how about you?” Ruby planted a hand on her hip.

“We’ll see.” I grabbed my receipt and the bag before she had a chance to push for more. Orville waved from across the store, and I nodded in return. The two of them had been fixtures in Mustang Mountain for as long as I could remember. Having grown up right outside of town, my memories of this place went back almost as far as I did. I never thought I’d end up staying in the small town where I’d been born and raised, but there were a ton of things in my life that hadn’t turned out the way I’d hoped.

Leaves swirled under my tires as I rode my bike the rest of the way to the clubhouse. I should have parked it in the garage and traded it out for my truck by now, but I couldn’t bring myself to put it away yet. Seemed like the only thing I had to look forward to anymore was the wind whipping by while I took the mountain curves way too fast. I wanted to hold on to that for as long as I could, even if it meant freezing my ass off.

“Yo, Viper. Grab a seat. We’re about to get started.” Scar greeted me as I walked into the clubhouse.

I detoured to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and thaw out my hands before I took a seat on one of the low couches. Everyone appeared to be in attendance. Atlas stood at the front of the room, making heart eyes at Bex. I didn’t begrudge him his happiness, though I never thought he’d find it with the daughter of the Savage Bones’ president.

Almost all of my MC brothers had paired up. Crank held Poppy on his lap in a chair right next to Arrow and Kat. Even Priest had a woman, and he was the absolute last motherfucker I’d ever thought would settle down.

“What’s eating at you?” Juice sat down next to me and handed me a bottle of whiskey.

I poured a shot into my mug and shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit.” He elbowed me in the ribs, causing me to almost spill my coffee.

“Seriously, it’s nothing.” I swallowed a sip, enjoying the burn as the liquid scorched the back of my throat. There was no fucking way I’d tell him what was really gnawing at me. It was old news and there was nothing I could do about it, anyway.

Before Juice could give me any more shit, Atlas started talking. He confirmed a few of the Savage Bones had been seen in the area. After we’d sent them scurrying away like cockroaches last month, they’d disappeared for a while. With Malice and most of their officers gone, we’d hoped they’d be smart and go their separate ways. No such luck.

“With the holidays coming up and all the events happening in town, we’re going to reinstate around-the-clock shifts to keep an eye on things,” Atlas said. “Thunder’s got a schedule worked out. Check for a text to see when and where you’ve been assigned. It’s all hands on deck through the end of the year or until we know we’ve put an end to all of them for good.”

“Fuck,” I mumbled under my breath. I’d been planning on heading out of town next week to avoid the festivities.

Juice checked his phone. “Great. Looks like I’ve got the tree lighting ceremony and the visits with Santa. I guess Sammy and Oliver will enjoy that. How about you?”

With mounting dread, I clicked on the link to the schedule. “I’m working Friendsgiving. Set up a few days ahead and the whole day of the event. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my week off from work.”

“I thought you were going camping up by Lake Bliss next week. Maybe someone will switch with you.” Juice slid his phone back in his pocket. “Or you could always ask Thunder to move you to a different shift.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Sitting around listening to everyone spout off about what they were thankful for sounded about as fun as falling through the ice and freezing to death. Though at least under the ice, it would be nice and quiet.

I got up and headed to the front of the room. “Hey, Thunder. Can I talk to you about swapping out my Friendsgiving assignment? I was going to go camping?—”

“Trust me. I’m doing you a solid. You’re going to want to take this one.” He shrugged on his jacket and turned to go.

“What the fuck does that mean?” I followed him down the hall, pissed that he’d brushed me off.

He turned around right before he reached the door. “It means there’s a certain someone who’s back in town that you probably need to talk to and wrap up some unfinished business.”

I didn’t have a goddamn clue what the hell he was talking about. The only person I’d ever cared about who’d moved away was the one woman I’d never be able to have.

We’d been friends in high school. She was the only person I’d ever opened up to, the only one who’d ever seen the real me. We’d even made a pact that if neither one of us were married by the time we turned thirty, that we’d tie the knot together.

But like most people who’d left Mustang Mountain behind, she’d lost touch. Last I heard, she was engaged.

“Why the hell do you look so confused?” Thunder reached out and fake punched me on the shoulder. “You’ve gotta know I’m talking about Marlowe.”

My stomach wrenched itself into a pretzel just hearing her name. “Marlowe’s long gone. Moved to Chicago and married some financial planner prick.”

“Yeah, she moved to Chicago.” Thunder’s lips curled up into a shit-eating grin. “Then she broke off her engagement and just came back to Mustang Mountain. She’s got some free time and is working on the Friendsgiving stuff. Still want to go freeze your ass off in a tent next week?”

Too stunned to reply, I just stood there wondering what the fuck Marlowe Henson was doing back in town and if I had big enough balls to go find out.