Viper (Hell's Handlers MC 9)

“As if it wasn’t bad enough, Sarge started humming that song. You know the one from the movie…”

Maverick started laughing as he hummed the well-known banjo song.

Cassie laughed as she pointed at him. “That’s the one.”

“Squeal like a pig,” Mav said before making the requisite noises. Leave it to Mav to remember that line.

“Ohhh, Deliverance,” Shell said. She shuddered. “That movie was disturbing.” She slapped her free hand to her head. “Oh, my God, what was my dad thinking?”

“You know his sense of humor could be…off,” Copper said with a shrug as he rested his hand on Shell’s protruding stomach.

That was putting it mildly. Sarge had been an interesting guy. A great man in some ways, he’d fight to the death for those he loved and for what he believed in, but there was a core of darkness that hadn’t been revealed to her until after they’d settled in Tennessee. As the years went on, he seemed to submit more and more to that shadowy side of himself until he’d nearly destroyed the club with his decisions.

Shell snorted. “Yeah, he wasn’t exactly the man anyone would look to for comfort and soothing.”

“Viper was so pissed at him,” Cassie continued with a huff of laughter. Though thirty years ago, the image of Viper grumbling and cursing Sarge came back as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

“Really?” Shell shifted in her seat until she faced Cassie, still holding her hand. Though the story wasn’t about them, the rest of the club sat just as interested.

“He was. Every time Viper said something to reassure me we were fine and wouldn’t end up living out the movie, your dad would hum that damn song. If the bike hadn’t been out of commission, I’m pretty sure Viper would have tossed me on it and taken off, leaving Sarge in the dust.”

“Aww, look at Viper being all sweet to you. He was your hero,” Holly piped in. She sat next to her giant of an ol’ man, LJ, with her head resting on his wide shoulder.

Maverick snorted. “He was trying to get in her pants.”

“He’d already been there,” Cassie said as heat rushed to her face. The whiskey must be getting to her. She’d never admit that aloud otherwise.

“Dammmmn, woman,” Screw said as Maverick whistled.

A few of the others cheered.

“Get it, girl,” yelled Izzy, cradling her sleeping infant.

Cassie laughed, suddenly lighter than she’d been in ten days.

In fact, the mood in the entire clubhouse lifted as story after story was told about her husband. The booze flowed, and for hours, they all reminisced about the man Cassie loved more than anything on earth.

By the time she left with Copper and Shell, her cheeks hurt from smiling, her heart ached from missing her man, and her entire spirit had been fed by the love this club had for him. The night couldn’t have ended on a better note. What could have been a night full of sorrow and pain turned into a wonderfully important time honoring Viper.

Exactly what she’d needed to remember just how lucky she’d been to have that man in her life for so many years. She’d gotten her happy ending while so many didn’t. Sure, it didn’t last forever, but she was convinced it wasn’t over yet.

As they crossed the parking lot, Shell slipped her arm through Cassie’s. “He really was your hero, wasn’t he?” Shell asked.

“Sweetie, you have no idea.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

1982 - WASHINGTON

Cassie had scoured her brain for every possible escape scenario she could drum up, but each potential idea had ended in epic failure.

She couldn’t brute force her way out because she’d never be able to overpower whichever meathead her captors put on guard.

She couldn’t break out of the wrist bindings securing her to the bedposts—she’d been trying for hours. So long, in fact, the skin around her wrists had been rubbed raw and the white zip ties were now coated in red. Surprisingly enough, she barely felt the sting and burn. Fear eclipsed most physical sensations, though she could feel the unpleasant tingling in her fingertips from prolonged pressure.

When they released her, allowing a quick trip to the bathroom, she couldn’t outrun the long-legged men watching her. Especially since her legs had been wobbly like a newborn foal from hours of disuse.

Screaming would be fruitless. She’d noticed the lack of neighbors when they pulled in.

Offering the men money had been a waste of words.

Threatening them with her wealthy father’s wrath hadn’t worked either.

That left one option. A sickening one, but considering what was in store for her, she’d have to get used to the idea.

Seduction.

Maybe if she offered a blowjob or even sex, one of them would let her go. Or perhaps she could catch them at a weak moment and escape. Her skin crawled at the idea of touching any of those men. Could she even do it? Part of her worried she’d completely melt down the second one of them laid a hand on her, shooting her chances for escape to shit.