“Sure,” Viper said quietly.“’Cause that went great five minutes ago.”
She shot him a look sharp enough to cut steel.For some reason, it made his lips twitch.He hadn’t smiled in weeks.Maybe months.
She didn’t notice.She was already bending to grab her bag, movements quick and jerky, like she didn’t want him seeing how much her hands were shaking.
Viper didn’t move to stop her.He just stood there, watching, thinking.
He’d come here to clear his head.To forget for a few hours that he was Vice President of a club that seemed to no longer need him.That he was still a soldier underneath the leather.That some nights, he woke up tasting sand and blood and guilt.
Now?He was looking at a girl who shouldn’t have been anywhere near this kind of life.She was too young and scared.
Still, there was something in her that snagged his attention.The way she squared her shoulders even when she was terrified.The way her eyes dared him to underestimate her.
She reminded him of himself.
He sighed, shoving a hand through his hair.“Listen.I ain’t lookin’ to get involved, but those Vulture pricks don’t take no for an answer.You stay here, they’ll be back.”
“I’m not staying.”
“Good.”He jerked his chin toward the lot.“Then you better get movin’.”
She slung her bag over her shoulder, but instead of leaving, she hesitated.Her gaze flicked to the men again, then back to him.
“You’re with the Devil’s Crown, right?”
“Last I checked.”
Her brow furrowed.“You and the Vultures—”
“Don’t get along,” he finished for her.“Understatement of the year.”
“So helping me means—”
He cut her off.“Means I saw two assholes hassling a woman who didn’t want it.That’s all.”
She studied him for a moment longer, searching for something in his face.He didn’t know what she found, but whatever it was made her exhale shakily.
“Thank you,” she said finally, so softly he almost missed it.“I didn’t catch your name.”
He gave a short nod.“Viper and don’t mention it.”
“I’m Mara.Thanks for the assist, Viper,” she said.
Then she walked off, her steps quick.Mara darted her gaze toward the parking lot like she was afraid of looking back.
Viper stood there long after she disappeared down the road, the sound of her boots fading under the distant roar of a passing truck.
He looked down at the Vultures one last time.Viper should’ve walked away.He should’ve gotten on his bike, finished his ride, forgotten the whole damn thing, but he didn’t.
Instead, he crouched down, grabbed one of the bikers’ wallets, and flipped it open.Inside was a folded photo.It was creased, smudged, but clear enough.It was the girl.Mara.
Now he knew this wasn’t random.They’d been tracking her and they’d been willing to drag her back by force.He stared at the picture for a long moment, tightening his jaw.
Then he shoved it into his pocket.He didn’t know why.Maybe it was out of curiosity or something else.
All he knew was that she didn’t fit the mold of the people he usually crossed paths with.If the Vultures wanted her that bad, there was more to her story than she was letting on.
He straightened, wiping the blood off his knuckles with a rag from his back pocket.
