“Don’t be. I probably deserve it. Just saying you shouldn’t be fucking ashamed of needing a hand from someone who’s fucking been there and fucking done that, I’m here.” He chuckles softly. “Just, you know, don’t ask for Lefty, ‘cause I’m not that flexible.”
It takes me a minute to understand what he meant. “Oh my God! You’re horrible!” Despite the situation we’re in, I laugh into his chest. Then I push off and look up at him. “Thanks.”
“Huh? For what?” He looks genuinely confused.
“For trusting me with your story. For making me feel safer than I probably am. I have no freaking idea what the Pit Vipers are going to do with me, but it can’t be good. You’re a hero.”
And then I lean in and kiss him softly on the cheek. At least I mean to, but he turns my way and it’s our lips that meet instead.
I freeze.
He does too.
This isn’t what I’d planned, but I’m not sure how to back away now. Or if I want to. If there’s anywhere that’s really not the time or place, a Pit Viper cell is almost definitely it. And yet, the soft heat of his lips against mine is an irresistible comfort in a scary situation.
Ripper slides his hand into my hair, combing his fingers through it until he’s palming the back of my head. Obviously he doesn’t want to pull away either.
His lips part, and I follow suit without hesitation. Kissing under the circumstances is crazy, but what hasn’t been since that box showed up?
I lose myself in the kiss, clinging to his shirt while he holds us together. His lips are soft, but the fist in my hair tugs at the roots, holding me in place and making me want to squirm just a little. His other arm curves around my back, grazing the exposed skin between the top of my jeans and the bottom of my shirt and pulling me close.
When we finally pull away, breathing heavily and flushed, he’s basically fucking me with his deep green eyes. If he asked right now, I’d be naked on the bench, begging for more. How do these guys do this to me? I woke up in Alpha’s arms this morning, and now I’ve fallen right into Ripper’s, only a few hours later.
“We can’t do this.” I wet my lips, still feeling the phantom press of his. “Not just because we’re in a cell waiting for who knows what, but I slept with Alpha last night—”
Ripper’s eyebrows go up.
“Not like that! But we… he comforted me too, in kind of the same way. I don’t want to cause problems between—”
“Faith, it’s okay. I had a feeling. I like that you give enough of a shit that you don’t want to fuck anything up, but it’s not a problem. Trust me. The three of us are a team, we don’t mind sharing.”
I blink. “Sharing?” Does he mean what I think he does?
“Damn you’re cute when you’re shocked. How about you think on it while we’re stuck, and if we’re all still alive later we can revisit this conversation.” He gets off the bench to try the door. It rattles as he shakes it, but doesn’t look like it’ll go anywhere. “Now I’ve got even more incentive to get us the fuck out of here. What’s taking them so fucking long? I figured Crow would be back here, to brag, if nothing else. He seems like the kind of fucker that gets off on his own voice.”
And that’s when a key is shoved into the lock and twisted with a loud clank. The door squeaks as it swings open, but it’s not Crow standing there. Or even Shovelhead. It’s a grizzled biker with a stubbled square jaw, sharp blue eyes and a black bandanna keeping his long hair back. He looks about Dad’s age.
While I’m still trying to place his face, Ripper strikes. Even without his gun and one handed, his speed and strength are more than enough to get the jump on the other guy. He slams him into the wall, and while the Viper is scrambling to react, Ripper sweeps one of his feet and takes him to the floor. In a second, he’s on top, stuffing the bandanna into his mouth and pinning the guy’s arms.
“Get the key, Faith!”
I’m too stunned to react. “Uncle Razor?”
15
ALPHA
When a key rattlesin the cell door lock, I’m immediately on my feet. If there’s any kind of opportunity, I need to be fucking ready.
The handle turns with a click and the door opens. I’m just about to launch, when I realize I’m looking at Ripper.
He looks me up and down with a smirk. “It’s me, man. Chill the fuck out.”
“How the fuck?” Blade pushes past me.
I’m not going to be the only guy left in here. Fuck that shit. If we can get out of the cell, then maybe we can get the fuck out of the clubhouse too. “Is Faith—”
I find her in the hall too, together with a grizzled Pit Viper, an older guy who looks tired to the bone. His narrow lips are drawn into a straight line and tightly knit brows darken his eyes. He’s got a motorcycle saddlebag in one of his hands. What the fuck is he doing here, and why is he letting us out?