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sp; Even with all the commotion in the room, Viper didn’t care. He closed the distance between them and took that kiss.
****
Almost two weeks had passed since that crazy day at her stepfather’s office. She’d been drugged, kidnapped, and shot in less than twenty-four hours. And the man who took her mother away from her was out of her life forever. No more looking over her shoulder or fighting for what was rightfully hers. After the life she’d live recently, it felt almost unnatural to have peace and justice. She kept expecting something terrible to happen at any minute.
They’d stayed at a hotel the past couple weeks because Pepper didn’t want to return home. It wasn’t really home. Home was a feeling of unconditional love and belonging. It was wherever Viper was. Still, the nomad lifestyle was slowly getting to her. She’d been on the run for so long before this that she craved roots, safety, and security. One thing was for sure—Viper never left her out of his sight for long.
The doctor said she’d be recovering for months, but he couldn’t believe how clean the gunshot had been, missing anything important, only passing through the side of her thick thigh. It could have been so much worse.
“Where are we going?” she repeated.
“I told you it was a surprise. Just relax and enjoy the view.” Viper had been driving for hours. She didn’t mind the scenery, fields dotted with cattle and rolling hills of wildflowers, but curiosity was driving her crazy.
“Fine.”
They finally started to slow down, so she sat up straight and took notice. The surroundings looked vaguely familiar. She could hear sounds of the ocean from the open sunroof, gulls cawing and children laughing. Maybe they were going to spend a day at the beach. Pepper started to feel excited, like a kid at Christmas, because being near the water made her happiest. God knows she needed a break from reality about now. In addition to her recovery, she’d been dealing with lawyers and accountants as her parents’ fortune legally transferred over to her. According to the media, her stepfather had run off with a stripper, living off the grid in Sacramento.
Viper came to a stop after driving down a long, winding driveway lined with cedar hedges.
“I think I know this town.”
“You should,” he said. “It’s where we met.”
He came around to the passenger side and helped her out. She walked with a limp, but it was only temporary and not very painful at this point. Viper doted over her since the accident, making her recovery as pleasant as possible. Her huge tattooed beast of a man turned out to be a real sweetheart. With his arm wrapped around her, supporting most of her weight, they took their time and walked to the entrance of a cute little bungalow. As soon as they entered the front door, she could see the ocean and beach through the far windows. The house was waterfront.
“Whose house is this?” she asked. It was so warm and cozy, simplistic but homey. There was a lot of natural wood and a country flair. She noticed an oversized chair with a handmade throw resting on the armrest. Pepper could imagine herself sitting there reading for hours as she listened to the waves.
“It’s our house,” he said.
Pepper frowned and whirled on him, nearly falling over. “What are you talking about?”
He led her to the private rear patio, and helped her sit beside him on a loveseat with plush floral cushions. “I bought it. It’s our home.” He tilted her chin so they were eye to eye. “I want to make a life with you, Pepper. A real life. One with love and kids and homecooked meals. I’ll even smile at the fucking neighbors when I take the garbage out.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “But you’re a hitman. And I’m heiress to a fortune.”
“Forget it all. We can start over, you and me. Make a new beginning.”
Viper had lived a nightmare childhood. He’d never known love or family. Now she had a chance to give it to him, to build their own future together. She didn’t care about money, fame, or status. This was exactly what she needed and wanted, and Viper knew it.
“How’d you do all this?” she asked. Pepper knew all about the reading issue. Finding and buying property would require at least some paperwork.
“My friend, Maurice, helped me out. He’s a nice guy. Maybe you’ll get to meet him one day.”
“And Bain? Have you heard from him again?” He had strong feelings for Bain, and she hated that they couldn’t reconnect properly. If she had a sibling, she’d want a relationship with them, and the two men were almost like brothers in the past.
He took a deep breath. “No, he might be a lost cause. I don’t think anything or anyone can change him. I just hope one day he can find the same happiness I’ve found.”
“I hope so, too,” she said.
Viper tucked her against him. The breeze was warm and gentle, the smell of the ocean in the air. “I want to give you everything, but I’ll need your help. I’ve never done this before, never stayed put or lived a life without killing.”
“Well, the killing definitely needs to stop, but I don’t want to change who you are.”
He’d been avoiding her sexually since the accident, terrified he’d hurt her, but she wasn’t going to break. Her flesh wound was healing nicely, but her libido kept her up most nights. She knew exactly what Viper was capable of giving her and she needed to connect with him on that intimate level. How could he not feel the same?
“Don’t worry, I still have guns. You can never be too safe. Even in this shitty little town.”
