"I'll be fine. You two enjoy your dinner. I'm going to talk to Ton and see how his garden is doing. Then I'm going to watch my movie."

"Tell Ton I said hi."

"I will. I'm going to tell him I'm still waiting for my tomatoes."

Winter laughed as she left the room. Maybe Rachel or the Porter brothers could give him some gardening tips.

She had started the grill, when she saw Viper coming through the sliding gla.s.s doors.

"Need some help? I'll grab myself a beer. You want one?" he asked.

"No, thanks. I made some lemonade. If you want some, it's in the fridge."

Winter turned over the steaks, smiling over her shoulder when Viper came back to take over the job.

"I'll go get the salad and some plates. I thought we could eat out here."

"Sounds good."

Winter set the table and even lit a candle before coming to stand behind Viper. As he put the steaks on the plate she had set to the side of the grill, she saw a dark purple bruise on the back of his hand.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I accidently hit it when I closed the trunk while helping Cash pack in Rachel's plants."

Winter took his hand, kissing the purple bruise. "Cash said he was planting them today. Where was he planting them?" She took the chair he held out for her.

Viper took the chair across from her before answering her question. "I don't know. I just helped him pack them into the factory."

"Oh." Winter took a bite of her steak, deciding to wait until after dinner to tell him her news. She didn't want him choking on his steak.

"So, I was thinking..." She lifted her eyes when he spoke between taking bites of his salad. "We should stay another week with Aunt Shay and use the opportunity to talk to her about the future."

Winter paused, her fork poised over her food. "You want us to talk to her about her future?"

"Yes. I'm not happy with her staying here in this house by herself. When was the last time she went upstairs?"

"I imagine it's been a while. Her knees make it impossible for her to go up there."

He nodded, taking another bite of his food before continuing. "I've talked to her before about letting me build her a house on Last Riders' property. I want us to try again. Maybe she'll listen this time."

She gave a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you were going to try to talk her into a retirement community."

"She has family: us. I would just feel better if I could check on her every day, instead of having Beth doing it."

"I agree. I think it's a great idea. I'm enjoying spending time with her. I think she's also enjoying having us in the house." Winter moved her food around more than she ate.

Viper took the last few bites of his dinner, and she knew the time was nearing when she would have to break the news of their pregnancy.

"Cash told me that you said Dr. Matthews said everything was all right."

Winter nodded, unable to speak. "I made you dessert. I'll be right back."

Feeling like a coward, she escaped to the kitchen. She cut herself a small slice of pie and then half the pie for Viper, practically smothering it in whipped cream, her hand shaking.

"I'm going to have a nervous breakdown before I can tell him," she told herself.

Carrying the plate toward the sliding gla.s.s door, she paused when she heard Viper talking. Not wanting to interrupt his call, she tried to open the door quietly.

"I told you I want it done." Viper had his back to her as he spoke on his phone. He was brushing down the grill, twisting the k.n.o.bs to make sure the gas was off. "I want Raul found before someone else gets hurt. Shade, we can't a.s.sume his targets are just Hennessy or the Predators. The whole club is at risk until that f.u.c.king murderer is found. It gives me nightmares to think about how John, Chance, Noah, and Ema could be his targets. He won't give a f.u.c.k about hurting children to pay us back." Viper shoved his hand into his back pocket. "Tell Rachel, if she doesn't want to stay at the clubhouse, then move into the Porters', but those are her only choices.

"Thank G.o.d I only have Winter and Aunt Shay to worry about. I've convinced Winter to stay here for another week. That way, I can keep an eye on Aunt Shay until you catch the f.u.c.ker or I convince Aunt Shay to move." Viper stopped to listen to whatever Shade was saying.

"Don't jinx me by telling me that I need to have a kid to loosen me up. The last thing I need right now is a kid. Just tell Jackal to find the b.a.s.t.a.r.d so I can get some sleep."

Winter saw Viper disconnect the call, turning to shove it angrily into his jeans pocket.

"I'm pregnant."

13.

Winter set the pie plates on the table, waiting for his reaction. One by one, she could see his emotions play out in his expression. Shock, concern, disbelief, none of the myriad of emotions included joy.

"Please tell me you're joking." His harsh voice had her jumping.

"No. I'm pregnant... I just found out today." She spun around when Viper tried to pa.s.s her. "Wait..." She caught his arm as he brushed past.

"How long have you known?" He turned back with a furious expression when she wouldn't let go of his arm.

"I told you... I just found out this morning. Wh-where are you going?" she stuttered.

"I don't believe you! The last six months, you've done nothing but nag at me to get you pregnant."

Shocked, she released his arm. "I would never do this to you on purpose!"

"What made you decide to take matters into your own hands? Was it Sasha? Or Fat Louise getting pregnant?"

"I didn't do it deliberately." Tears poured down her cheeks. She had expected Viper to be upset, but his anger was much worse than she had imagined. He didn't even look like he believed her.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'll make Rider watch the house."

"Viper! Please don't go. I swear I didn't do it on purpose. Please, I'm begging you... Viper..." Winter followed Viper through the living room to the front door.

He slammed the door open then closed, leaving without a backward glance.

She sank down on the bottom step, crying, holding her belly as she sobbed.

"Winter? What happened? Did you and Viper have a fight?" Aunt Shay's pale face stared down at her.

"I told him I'm pregnant. Aunt Shay, he doesn't want it. I could tell from his face he doesn't want his child."

Her aunt lifted her to her feet, murmuring as she led her to the couch. Winter cried on her shoulder until she ran out of tears.

"I'm going to go make us a cup of tea." Aunt Shay left her sitting on the couch, staring into s.p.a.ce.

Viper's reaction had broken her heart. However, when he had time to think, he would realize it was an accident. Even if he did, though, Winter didn't think she could forgive him. She would never forget his voice or the look on his face as he had accused her of deliberately becoming pregnant.

Aunt Shay set a teacup down on the end table by her side. "Drink it. Viper will come to his senses. He'll realize it is a blessing."

Not wanting to hurt her aunt's feelings, she sipped her tea. "He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. He loves you. That, I'm sure of. You're just going through a rough patch. He will come by tomorrow and apologize."

"Some things can't be forgiven," Winter said numbly.

"Nonsense. Do you think your uncle and I never had our arguments? We separated for a year, and it was the most miserable year of my life. Even worse than the year he died. At least when I buried him, I knew where he was. The year he was gone, he rode around the country on the motorcycle he bought."

"Uncle Dennis had a motorcycle?" Winter thought back through the years before her uncle's death, not remembering seeing him on a motorcycle once.

"I made him sell it when I took him back." Aunt Shay had a smug smile on her face.

Winter couldn't believe her aunt would have made the demand. She had catered to Uncle Dennis's every want and need. h.e.l.l, he had been dead for twenty-two years before she would cut her hair, because she knew how much he liked it long.

"Why did you take him back?"

Her aunt sighed. "Because I had a baby who needed her father. When I married Dennis, I knew he didn't love me. He married me for money. I let him squander and waste the fortune my parents had left me until it was gone. That's when he bought the motorcycle with the last two thousand dollars we had in the bank, kissed our daughter on her cheek, and I didn't hear from him again until he showed up at the door, begging me to take him back."

"I would have slammed the door in his face." Winter wished her uncle were still alive so she could kick his a.s.s for her sweet aunt.

"If I had done that, then I wouldn't have had a marriage that lasted twenty-six years." She sighed. "When Dennis came back, he got a job, working day and night mining coal. It was only when he managed to buy this house back for me that I let him back in my bed. It took him a year.

He was an excellent father. He was there to help our daughter learn how to ride a bike, drive a car, and warn her about marrying Vincent. The years weren't all good, but he was there to hold my hand through three miscarriages. He was by my side when the doctor told me I needed a hysterectomy, and he was there, holding me when we lost our daughter.

"To make a marriage last, you have to take the years one step at a time. One year, the path may be a clear walk. Another year, you might find yourself walking on gravel, thinking you'll never get through it. But you do if you want to badly enough. That's why some marriages don't end up making it-couples get tired of the walk. Sometimes, you have to rest. Then there are times you stumble, and you have to take turns carrying each other.

"Viper and you have been coasting along, and you've come to a place that he stumbled on. You can let him take your hand and lean on you, or you can leave him behind and go back to finding another path on your own."

Her aunt kissed her cheek. "Goodnight. I'm going to bed. It's way past my bedtime."

"Goodnight, Aunt Shay. I love you."

"I know you do, dear. I love you. You're my favorite niece."

Despite her broken heart, she couldn't help smiling at her attempt to lift her spirit. "I'm your only niece."

"For now," she said as she left.

Winter stared down at her flat belly, her hand resting on the child she and Viper had conceived. She had a choice to make. A few weeks ago, she had thought it was whether she and Viper would have a child. The choice had been taken out of their hands now, but she wasn't going to let him run away from either her or the baby. His days of midnight runs were over.

14.

"Rider..."

Winter gasped when Rider threw the cell phone he had been talking into and grabbed his gun that was sitting on his thigh, as she approached the truck from behind.

"What the f.u.c.k are you doing sneaking up on me?" Rider asked harshly, as he climbed out of the truck.

"I'm sorry. I thought you saw me when I came out of the house," she apologized, now furious.

Rider was the most laid back of the Last Riders. She didn't think she had ever seen him angry before.

"What are you doing out here? I thought you had gone to bed when the lights went out."

"No, I just waited for my aunt to fall asleep. I want you to drive me to the clubhouse. If you had fixed my car, I wouldn't have had to bother you."

"I told you, it needs new tires. They come in this week."

"Jo sells tires-"

"That's who I ordered them from. They should be in by the end of the week. Go back in the house and go to sleep." He climbed back in the truck, slamming the door closed.

Winter gritted her teeth. She was getting pretty d.a.m.n tired of the men slamming doors in her face.

Going to the other side of the truck, she pulled the door open and got inside. When he started to say something, she cut him off.

"Either you drive me, or I'll walk. It's your choice."

Rider stared back, his anger dissolving. He didn't have the personality to remain mad long.

Giving an audible breath, he twisted sideways in his seat. "Tonight is not the night to go back to the clubhouse. Hennessy, Jackal, and Fade are there. Viper let them have his room to sleep in."

"I don't care. I only want to talk to him."