Opening the door wide, she rolled her chair quietly down the hall. When she got to the head of the stairs she tried to look as best she could if anyone was sitting in the living room. Seeing no one, she glanced down to lock the wheelchair in place before gingerly sliding out of her chair. For a moment she almost lost her balance then her butt landed hard on the floor. A small whimper escaped her lips as she slid her hips forward about to go down the top step, butt first. When she looked down the step, she would have fallen in surprise if she already did not have a death grip on the rail.

Viper was at the bottom of the steps, his foot frozen in place on the first step. From the expression on his face, he was furious. Even the night he had gotten in a fight at the bar with the other motorcycle club he had held careful check on his emotions. Winter was scared of him; she did not know the man staring up at her. She tried to scoot backwards with pain shooting through her back but the chair blocked her. She tried to scramble into it but the doorbell ringing had her pausing and glancing back down towards the door.

Evie, who had come to the bottom of the steps took in with a glance what was going on and went to answer the door with Viper watching.

“Someone call for a cab?” The cab driver waited expectedly.

Viper turned to back to her. Winter saw her chance for escape. Her mouth opened to yell but she found a hard hand covering her mouth, another going around her waist lifting her up and backwards into muscled arms. Wildly, Winter tried to shake herself loose but was held immobile as they backed silently from the steps. Jewell followed unlocking then rolling the wheelchair. Winter could hear Evie telling the cab driver it was a mistake and offering him a twenty for his trouble. Beth was placed on the bed before her mouth was released and Jewell closed the bedroom door. Rider stood staring down at her shirtless with his pants half zipped. Jewell did not look much better. Her top was on inside out and she just had on panties.

“What were you thinking? You almost killed yourself?” Jewell whispered. Before Winter could answer the door slammed open.

“Get out.”

“Viper…” Jewell tried to calm Viper down.

“Now!” Rider and Jewell left immediately. Evie tried to come into the room but backed out quickly when Viper told her to go also.

“Do you know how close you came to falling and breaking your neck? What the fuck were you going to do?”

“I want to go home.” Winter yelled back. “You’re an asshole. I hate… hate... hate you!” Winter rolled to her side on the bed and started crying. She hadn’t cried when her mother died, when she had lost Loker, or even when Jake had beaten her half to death. Other than a weak tear here or there, she had stayed strong. But after months of being confined and feeling dehumanized, the look of contempt on Viper’s face for her had broken what little spirit she had left.

“I know you do.” Sliding into bed with her, he took her into his arms, holding her close.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have talked to you the way I did downstairs. I didn’t mean it. I was just so angry with Sam and her father that I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Will you forgive me?”

Winter was silent a long time. “I don’t know.” She sniffed liking this soft Viper.

“Did anyone tell you that you hold a grudge?”

“Yes, my mom told me that all the time.”

“I liked your mom.” Winter stiffened but admitted the truth.

“She liked you too.”

“Still want to take that nap?”

“Yes.”

Viper tugged off his boots and laid back down next to her, tugging her to him until her head lay on his shoulder. “Don’t do that maneuver again Winter, you almost fell. The next time I yell at you, just throw something at me instead.”

“Ok” She said already half-asleep.

Chapter 5

She woke from her nap to find Viper working at his desk. He had began bringing her dinner and joining her before working on his paperwork while she read. He was restlessly running his hands through his hair.

Winter pulled her chair close and pulled herself into it. Viper turned to watch as she went into the bathroom, not offering to help. They were giving her more independence and she appreciated it. She had noticed that with Beth and Razer gone to spend the holiday with Lily that he was doing even more paperwork. Beth was an accountant and usually helped Viper with the paperwork in the evenings.

When she came out of the bathroom, she rolled to the desk.

“Need any help?” She offered.

He sat back in his chair. “I wish, but…”

“I am an expert at paperwork plus I enjoy it. I also know accounting. In case you have forgotten, I had to budget a whole school for the year and keep the figures straight. At least let me try.”

He slid the books to her explaining the various columns. It wasn’t hard, mainly tedious. Viper, who hated to sit still, would have a difficult time with it. It didn’t take long before Winter caught on and began making headway in the mess he had created. He watched Winter chew on her pencil as her fingers flew nimbly over the adding machine. Evie called on the phone to say that dinner was ready. Viper left her working until he returned with their food. They spent the evening catching him up through the holidays and Winter smiled when he gave a sigh of relief when he closed the ledger and shut down the computer.

“Thanks, that took a load of work off both Beth and myself.” Viper moved to turn the television on and sat watching. He took a beer out of the mini fridge he always kept stocked. “Want to join me?”

A closed expression came over her face. “No thanks, I think I’ll take a shower then lay on the bed and read awhile.” Viper stared at her thoughtfully as she rolled herself into the bathroom taking her nightclothes with her. He was well aware that he had brought back memories of the many times they had sat and watched television together and that she wasn’t going to allow herself to get that close to him again. The show flashed across the screen unnoticed as he realized she wasn’t ever going to let him in her heart again. He had hurt her too badly for him to regain her trust. He had been lied to and cheated on once in his life when he was still in college, before he joined the military, and he could remember the pain of betrayal well. What he had done was much worse. She would never trust Loker James again. What he had to do he decided was to teach her to trust Viper, the man he had hidden from her. To do that, he was going to have to show her the real man in the true environment he lived in and let her make her choice. The choice of whether they had a future together was in her hands, but Viper was going to use every trick he knew to get her to make the decision he wanted.

***

“One more, come on Winter you can do better than that.”

“I’m tired Conner.”

“One more and I will give you an extra five minutes in the hot tub.”

“Deal.” Winter forced her tired legs to do one more stretch upwards. Her belly quivered as the muscles pulled taut.

“That a girl.” Get changed, and I will meet you at the hot tub.” Conner helped her into the wheelchair before leaving to go to the hot tub. Winter rolled herself to the bathroom and changed into the tiny bikini.

She put on the robe she had brought with her when Viper had carried her down. He and Cash had stayed to work out. She rolled herself to the hot tub without glancing in Viper’s direction.