"That feels good."

"I aim to please." His face was serious as he worked on her hair.

She stared out the window, seeing it was raining outside. "It looks like it's going to storm."

"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 rea.s.suring 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. h.e.l.l, 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."

"G.o.d." Winter knew how much Penni was suffering, and Penni never did anything half-a.s.sed.

"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 Hors.e.m.e.n 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. G.o.d 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 h.e.l.lhole you dragged Genny from, and I won't ask, but I'm sure Lisa didn't compare to that."

Viper shuddered. "Lisa was a f.u.c.king 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.

Not all angels fly in the sky. Sometimes, they come in, riding a motorcycle.

"Did you really think I was going to let you die?"

"I was the one who told you that I could have a baby. I knew you would make sure I survived after you swore never to touch another woman." Winter smiled softly up at Viper's gloating face. He hadn't stopped beaming down at her since she had woken up in her room, telling her the baby was in neonatal care and getting stronger every day.

Her recovery had been long and hard, but she had been surrounded by helping hands, and Viper had been there every step of the way.

"That may have been an incentive." Viper lovingly pushed her hair from her face as she gently rocked Aisha to sleep.

Winter stared down at the miracle she and Viper had created. She lifted her tiny hands to her mouth, placing a kiss on each of her palms.

"That one is from daddy, and that one is from mommy." Winter reluctantly handed Aisha to her father, watching as he laid her down in her crib.

"You ready for bed?"

"Do I have to? I already miss having her in our bedroom."

"We promised each other that when she outgrew the ba.s.sinet she would sleep in her room. The monitor is on, and if she wakes up, we'll hear her."

Winter pouted at Viper as he bent down to kiss his daughter before turning off the light then lifting Winter into his arms.

She crossed her arms over her chest, still irate that he refused to move the crib into their bedroom.

"If it was left up to you, she would still be sharing our room when she's old enough to go to school."

He sat her down on the bed, and she took off her robe as he took off his pajama bottoms, climbing into bed naked.

Winter had started to lie down next to him, when he said, "Lose the gown."

She froze. She hadn't slept naked next to him since she'd had the baby. She fiddled with the lace on her gown, thinking about how they hadn't made love, either.

Viper leaned back against the headboard. "Need some help?"

"I'm tired tonight. I have a headache."

"No, you don't. You let me help shower you, so why don't you want me to see you now?"

"Because you want to make love."

"I want to f.u.c.k you until you see stars, but I'll take it easy on you tonight. I'll just give you a small o.r.g.a.s.m until you learn how to do it again."

Winter couldn't help laughing. "A small o.r.g.a.s.m? Make me see stars? Have you been reading my Kindle?"

"I had to do something to keep myself from making love to you. I promised never to f.u.c.k another woman."

"I changed my mind. I think I can deal with you touching Sasha as long as you don't get attached," she lied, biting her lip.

Viper sighed. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to Dr. Price about giving you time." Viper scooted over to her, going to the hem of her gown. Winter trembled, letting him raise it over her head. "Lie down on the bed."

Their eyes met in the mirror on the dresser. Slowly, as Viper moved back on his knees to give her room, she lay down, keeping her eyes glued to the ceiling, knowing the battlefield of scars he was seeing.

"Look at me," he chastised.

Winter shook her head, tears welling up.

"Pretty girl, I want to see your eyes when I make love to you." His face came into her view. "I don't give a f.u.c.k about those scars. Each of them shows how much you love me and Aisha. Even if I live a million years, I couldn't match the courage and strength you have shown."

Viper lowered his head to trace the still red scar where she'd had her C-section, tracing it down to where she'd had her hip surgery, and then touching the two scars from the attack the deputy had inflicted on her. Those wavy lines left from his boots had become pale.

Winter lowered her gaze to see tears glimmering in his eyes.

"I couldn't touch another woman because she wouldn't be you. You're the only one who healed the hole in my heart left behind when Gavin died. You healed it with your touch. The only mark I care about on your body is the one you put on it-the tattoo over your heart. Every time I see my name on you, I know you're mine. Every single f.u.c.king time."

"Be careful. I might begin to think you're not such a bada.s.s if you keep being so sweet."

"I'll remind you of that when I beat the h.e.l.l out of Aisha's first boyfriend."

"Nah, you won't, because it would break her heart. Your daughter has you wrapped around her finger."

"Try me." Viper did a hand movement that looked like chopping.

Winter laughed hard as she relaxed on the bed. "Just promise me that I can help."