Winter's Touch
Page 38
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“Yes.” Viper expertly twisted the hair tie around a ponytail.
“You’re being quiet. Is the baby—”
“Aisha is fine. She’s sleeping.”
“If it’s not the baby, have my test results come in?”
“Not yet.” Viper sighed, moving around to face her. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.”
Winter tried to read her husband’s expression. She relaxed when he pressed a reassuring kiss to her lips.
“What do we need to talk about if it isn’t the baby or me?”
“Jackal.”
“Jackal?” Puzzled, she waited for Viper to explain, but the cell phone ringing from her bedside table interrupted them. “Could you hand me my phone? Penni keeps calling to check up on me. I was about to call her back when you came in.”
“I know. When I just called to talk to her to let her know how you’re doing, she said she was going to call you when I said you’re doing better. I want to talk to you before you do.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to tell her that Raul is dead just yet.”
“Why not?” Winter was shocked at his answer, but she waited for him to explain.
“You’re not going to like this, but I asked Jackal and Hennessy to do a job for the Last Riders.”
“What did you ask them to do?”
“We’re not releasing the information that Raul is dead. When Fat Louise was in Mexico, she told us about a group of women who were being held captive.”
“She told Beth about it, too. It’s horrible and disgusting how those women were treated.”
Viper nodded. “I think so, too, and so do the Last Riders, which is why Knox is keeping Raul’s death a secret. Crash used Raul’s texts to find the location of twelve of them. Jackal and Hennessy are going to Mexico to attempt to rescue them from the men who bought them or gave them to as gifts to.”
“Penni would understand. She would probably help…” Winter stopped, finally understanding why Viper didn’t want her to tell Penni that Raul was dead. “Jackal loves Penni, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. He only broke up with her after the bombing to protect her from Raul, but if she finds out that Jackal is trying to save those women or that he cares about her, nothing will keep Penni away. Hell, we both know Penni, she would set up a rescue herself.”
“Yes, she would.” Winter had talked to Penni during the three months since Jackal had broken up with her. The woman held on to the hope that they would get back together.
“Jackal wants Shade to go talk to her, make her realize the futility of trying to reach him or see him. To rescue those twelve women, Jackal and Hennessy will be placing their lives on the line. He doesn’t want to get her hopes up because he could be killed or even end up in a Mexican prison for years. He’s going in without backup. Well, besides Hennessy.”
“God.” Winter knew how much Penni was suffering, and Penni never did anything half-assed.
“I know Penni is hurting, but so are those twelve women. Without Jackal and Hennessy’s help, those women will be stuck with those men for life or until one of them kills them. Penni’s pain will be over when he gets home…if he gets home.”
Winter turned her face away from Viper to stare out into the pouring rain. “I won’t tell her.”
Viper knelt down by her legs, brushing her tears away with his thumb. “If it makes you feel better, the Last Riders and the Blue Horsemen are chipping in to build the Predators and the Road Kingz new clubhouses.”
“What will happen to the women Jackal manages to save?”
“We’ll help them find new homes and lives. It won’t be the first time we’ve given someone a new start.”
Winter turned back toward him. “Like who?”
Viper’s expression became shuttered.
Winter sighed. “I probably don’t want to know, anyway.”
Viper gave her a half-smile. “Believe me, some things you’re better off not knowing.”
Winter nodded then turned at the sound of her cell phone. Viper picked it up, handing it to her.
“It’s Penni.”
Winter took a second before answering. Twelve women could regain the freedom stolen from them. The time Penni would spend apart from Jackal would be like a brief nightmare considering what they had been through.
“Hi, Penni.” Winter chatted with Penni for twenty minutes, bragging about how beautiful Aisha was and avoiding any mention of Raul or Jackal, hoping Penni wouldn’t bring him up.
“How are you doing?” Winter probed after Penni had asked how she was.
“I was wondering if you would give me Crash’s phone number. Shade won’t give it to me.”
“Why do you want Crash’s phone number?”
“Jackal changed his phone number, and I was hoping he could help me find out what his new one is.”
Winter swallowed hard, hearing the heartbreak in her voice. “Give him time, Penni.”
“I just need to hear his voice.”
Winter didn’t know how to make it easier for her. Staring up at Viper, she figured out what to say.
“Jackal has a lot on his shoulders right now, but I’ll text you Crash’s number.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. We all have to have faith that everything will work out. I had faith that I could have a baby when I thought Viper and I were having problems. My daughter is alive today because faith came from an unexpected source. If you love Jackal, hold on to that. When you needed him he was there. Maybe someone else needs an angel by their side to protect them the way he did you.”
“I can do that.”
“I know you can.”
“Give Aisha a kiss for me.”
“I will.” Winter disconnected the call then texted Penni Crash’s number under Viper’s watchful gaze.
“You called Jackal an angel?”
“Those women need one. God willing, Jackal will find them. Everyone needs someone on their side, whether it’s an angel or just a friend who’s willing to listen.”
Tenderly, he cupped her cheek. Viper knew how much it had cost her not to tell Penni the truth about Raul. “I will always be by your side.”
Winter nodded gratefully. “I know that, and you’ll be by those women’s side when Jackal finds them and goes home to Texas. You won’t stop until you find them a safe place to stay. Just like you did with Genny.”
Viper dropped his hand from her cheek. “I might have messed that one up.”
He didn’t try to deny Genny was someone he had given a new life to.
“Lisa may not have been the best foster parent in the world, but you kept Genny where you could see her and helped when she needed you. You can only offer a new life, not to live it for them. I don’t know what hellhole you dragged Genny from, and I won’t ask, but I’m sure Lisa didn’t compare to that.”
Viper shuddered. “Lisa was a fucking saint compared to where we found her.”
“Good. I miss Genny, but she’s young and now touring with Mouth2Mouth. It will give her the opportunity to see the world and decide where she wants to be at the end of the day. You gave her that choice. You.” Winter reached out, taking Viper’s hand in hers. Genny was another burden Viper carried on his shoulders.
“You’re being quiet. Is the baby—”
“Aisha is fine. She’s sleeping.”
“If it’s not the baby, have my test results come in?”
“Not yet.” Viper sighed, moving around to face her. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.”
Winter tried to read her husband’s expression. She relaxed when he pressed a reassuring kiss to her lips.
“What do we need to talk about if it isn’t the baby or me?”
“Jackal.”
“Jackal?” Puzzled, she waited for Viper to explain, but the cell phone ringing from her bedside table interrupted them. “Could you hand me my phone? Penni keeps calling to check up on me. I was about to call her back when you came in.”
“I know. When I just called to talk to her to let her know how you’re doing, she said she was going to call you when I said you’re doing better. I want to talk to you before you do.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to tell her that Raul is dead just yet.”
“Why not?” Winter was shocked at his answer, but she waited for him to explain.
“You’re not going to like this, but I asked Jackal and Hennessy to do a job for the Last Riders.”
“What did you ask them to do?”
“We’re not releasing the information that Raul is dead. When Fat Louise was in Mexico, she told us about a group of women who were being held captive.”
“She told Beth about it, too. It’s horrible and disgusting how those women were treated.”
Viper nodded. “I think so, too, and so do the Last Riders, which is why Knox is keeping Raul’s death a secret. Crash used Raul’s texts to find the location of twelve of them. Jackal and Hennessy are going to Mexico to attempt to rescue them from the men who bought them or gave them to as gifts to.”
“Penni would understand. She would probably help…” Winter stopped, finally understanding why Viper didn’t want her to tell Penni that Raul was dead. “Jackal loves Penni, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. He only broke up with her after the bombing to protect her from Raul, but if she finds out that Jackal is trying to save those women or that he cares about her, nothing will keep Penni away. Hell, we both know Penni, she would set up a rescue herself.”
“Yes, she would.” Winter had talked to Penni during the three months since Jackal had broken up with her. The woman held on to the hope that they would get back together.
“Jackal wants Shade to go talk to her, make her realize the futility of trying to reach him or see him. To rescue those twelve women, Jackal and Hennessy will be placing their lives on the line. He doesn’t want to get her hopes up because he could be killed or even end up in a Mexican prison for years. He’s going in without backup. Well, besides Hennessy.”
“God.” Winter knew how much Penni was suffering, and Penni never did anything half-assed.
“I know Penni is hurting, but so are those twelve women. Without Jackal and Hennessy’s help, those women will be stuck with those men for life or until one of them kills them. Penni’s pain will be over when he gets home…if he gets home.”
Winter turned her face away from Viper to stare out into the pouring rain. “I won’t tell her.”
Viper knelt down by her legs, brushing her tears away with his thumb. “If it makes you feel better, the Last Riders and the Blue Horsemen are chipping in to build the Predators and the Road Kingz new clubhouses.”
“What will happen to the women Jackal manages to save?”
“We’ll help them find new homes and lives. It won’t be the first time we’ve given someone a new start.”
Winter turned back toward him. “Like who?”
Viper’s expression became shuttered.
Winter sighed. “I probably don’t want to know, anyway.”
Viper gave her a half-smile. “Believe me, some things you’re better off not knowing.”
Winter nodded then turned at the sound of her cell phone. Viper picked it up, handing it to her.
“It’s Penni.”
Winter took a second before answering. Twelve women could regain the freedom stolen from them. The time Penni would spend apart from Jackal would be like a brief nightmare considering what they had been through.
“Hi, Penni.” Winter chatted with Penni for twenty minutes, bragging about how beautiful Aisha was and avoiding any mention of Raul or Jackal, hoping Penni wouldn’t bring him up.
“How are you doing?” Winter probed after Penni had asked how she was.
“I was wondering if you would give me Crash’s phone number. Shade won’t give it to me.”
“Why do you want Crash’s phone number?”
“Jackal changed his phone number, and I was hoping he could help me find out what his new one is.”
Winter swallowed hard, hearing the heartbreak in her voice. “Give him time, Penni.”
“I just need to hear his voice.”
Winter didn’t know how to make it easier for her. Staring up at Viper, she figured out what to say.
“Jackal has a lot on his shoulders right now, but I’ll text you Crash’s number.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. We all have to have faith that everything will work out. I had faith that I could have a baby when I thought Viper and I were having problems. My daughter is alive today because faith came from an unexpected source. If you love Jackal, hold on to that. When you needed him he was there. Maybe someone else needs an angel by their side to protect them the way he did you.”
“I can do that.”
“I know you can.”
“Give Aisha a kiss for me.”
“I will.” Winter disconnected the call then texted Penni Crash’s number under Viper’s watchful gaze.
“You called Jackal an angel?”
“Those women need one. God willing, Jackal will find them. Everyone needs someone on their side, whether it’s an angel or just a friend who’s willing to listen.”
Tenderly, he cupped her cheek. Viper knew how much it had cost her not to tell Penni the truth about Raul. “I will always be by your side.”
Winter nodded gratefully. “I know that, and you’ll be by those women’s side when Jackal finds them and goes home to Texas. You won’t stop until you find them a safe place to stay. Just like you did with Genny.”
Viper dropped his hand from her cheek. “I might have messed that one up.”
He didn’t try to deny Genny was someone he had given a new life to.
“Lisa may not have been the best foster parent in the world, but you kept Genny where you could see her and helped when she needed you. You can only offer a new life, not to live it for them. I don’t know what hellhole you dragged Genny from, and I won’t ask, but I’m sure Lisa didn’t compare to that.”
Viper shuddered. “Lisa was a fucking saint compared to where we found her.”
“Good. I miss Genny, but she’s young and now touring with Mouth2Mouth. It will give her the opportunity to see the world and decide where she wants to be at the end of the day. You gave her that choice. You.” Winter reached out, taking Viper’s hand in hers. Genny was another burden Viper carried on his shoulders.
