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

12. Viper

CHAPTER 12

VIPER

She was lucky to be alive. Eight Ball had broken her leg and almost crushed her windpipe. Purple and black bruises in a variety of shades and sizes covered her face, but she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. I’d been by her side since she came out of surgery and couldn’t wait for her to wake up. I just wanted to be able to look into her eyes and tell her how deeply sorry I was. She never should have been at the clubhouse.

“How are you holding up?” Atlas poked his head through the doorway. “Want me to sit with her for a while so you can stretch your legs?”

I shook my head. They’d have to pry me off my chair with a fucking crowbar to get me to leave Marlowe’s side.

“The guys sent me back to check in. Is there anything you need, brother? Anything at all?” Atlas walked over and clamped his hand on my shoulder.

“I just need her to wake up.”

He nodded, though he didn’t have a clue what it felt like to have his heart hanging in the balance. She had to be okay. I wasn’t willing to consider the alternative.

“Eight Ball didn’t make it, but Sean showed up and arrested Venom and the other Savage Bones. He seems like a good guy. Maybe we can convince him to stick around.” Atlas lowered himself to sit on the edge of an orange plastic chair.

“Thanks for letting me know. I figured Eight Ball was a lost cause after I blew off half his face.” The second I’d seen him with his hands wrapped around Marlowe’s neck, I’d lost it. I hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but I’d bet my bike that I had bits of bone and tissue stuck in my hair. “He was lucky he died quickly. I could have spent the next fifty years showing him exactly what happens to a man when he messes with my girl.”

“I’m glad you didn’t have to.” Atlas shook his head. “The clubhouse is in pretty bad shape. We’re going to have to rebuild. They started the fire in the kitchen and it spread through half of the first floor before we got it under control. It’s a damn shame, but at least no one else was seriously injured.”

“Yeah.” I didn’t wish pain and suffering on anyone, but why had Marlowe been the one to take the brunt of the Savage Bones’ anger? She’d been in town for less than two weeks and they’d been terrorizing Mustang Mountain for almost a year. It wasn’t fair. I should be the one in the hospital bed, not her.

“I’m going to go update the guys. You wouldn’t believe the number of people out there.” Atlas got up and hooked his thumb over his shoulder toward the waiting room. “It’s a good thing they only let two people back here at a time or this whole wing of the hospital would be full of people who care about both of you.”

“Fuck. I haven’t called her parents yet. Do you have a way to get their number down in Florida? They ought to know what’s going on.” I cradled my head in my hands and tried not to think about what I was going to say to Marlowe’s parents and grandmother.

“It’s already done. They’ll be here later this afternoon. Juice is going to pick them up from the airport.”

Bits and pieces from the night before came back to me. “How are Sammy and Oliver? They made it out okay, right?”

“Yeah, man.” Atlas nodded. “Thanks to Marlowe. Oliver is pretty shaken up, but Juice said he’ll be fine. He wants to know when it’s okay to come back. If you’re up for a visitor?—”

“Not yet.” I rested my elbows on my knees and loosely gripped Marlowe’s fingers. “I don’t want to see anyone until she wakes up.”

“You got it.” Atlas left, pulling the door closed behind him. It helped knowing my MC brothers and their families were pulling for my girl, but it didn’t ease the pain of knowing I was the reason she’d been hurt in the first place.

“Come on, Lo Lo. We’ve got so much to live for. Hell, I never even got to try one of your pies.” I’d given her so much shit about not being able to cook. If I could take back every mean thing I’d ever said to her, I would.

Her eyelids fluttered open. “Pie?” she croaked out.

“Baby, you’re awake.” I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ve been so worried.”

She squinted and glanced over at the pitcher of water on the bedside table. The nurse had said she could have small sips when she woke up.

“Are you thirsty?” I poured some water into a paper cup and positioned the straw so she could take a sip.

She patted the spot next to her. The single bed was barely big enough for me to fit on my own, but I climbed on and gently cradled her in my arms.

“I’m so sorry, Marlowe.” I’d say it a million times. Fuck, I’d say it all day, every day, for the rest of our lives.

“Sammy?” She winced every time she tried to speak.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and handed it to her. “Stop trying to talk. You don’t want to do any more damage to your vocal chords and they need time to heal. Just type what you want to say. I’ll find a pen and paper later, but this should work for now.”

Her hand shook as she typed out, “SAMMY?”

“Sammy and Oliver are fine. They got out before the fire started. You saved them, Lo.” The threat of tears stung the back of my throat. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried. I swallowed past the tightness and waited for Marlowe to type another question.

“EVERYONE OK?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s just fine. The acting sheriff rounded up the last of the Savage Bones and they won’t bother us again. I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t listen. You should have been with me.”

“NOT YOUR FAULT!”

I shook my head. “You never should have been there. I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what I put you through.”

“Oh, good. She’s awake.” One of the nurses stopped in and shooed me off the bed. “I need to check her vitals. How are you feeling, Ms. Henson?”

Marlowe typed out “LIKE SHIT” with a smiley emoji.

“I can imagine,” the nurse said. “You’re lucky. The surgery went well, and we’ll have you up and about in no time. You’ll be on crutches for a while and will need to follow up with physical therapy. We also don’t want you getting too chatty before your throat heals. Who’s this guy you’ve got with you? He hasn’t left your side since they brought you in last night.”

I waited for Marlowe to reply. She had every right to tell me to fuck off. It would crush my heart, but I’d understand.

“FIANCE” popped up on the screen.

“Are you sure?” I didn’t care if the nurse wanted me to get out of the way. For the first time since we’d arrived at the hospital last night, I felt a tiny sliver of hope that I hadn’t fucked everything up beyond repair.

Marlowe nodded. “I love you.”

“Shh. The nurse said no talking.” I put my finger over her lips while she typed something else on my phone.

“I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU,” repeated across the screen.

“I love you too, Lo Lo.” Despite the nasty look the nurse gave me, I climbed right back up on the bed and settled my girl into my chest.

Life had dealt us a few hard blows, but everything was going to be alright. The Savage Bones had been vanquished, and we’d rebuild the clubhouse into something bigger and better than it had been before. Marlowe would heal, and I’d figure out how to ask her to marry me. She deserved a hell of a proposal, and I made a promise to myself that I’d give it to her.

I lowered my head to press a kiss to the one spot on her forehead that didn’t show signs of a bruise. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world. I promise.”

“HOLDING YOU TO THAT”

Her sass was back. I took in a deep breath and whispered into her ear. “I’m counting on it, Lo Lo.”