“Do you know if the baby was Gavin’s?” Winter pushed gently, knowing her aunt had to understand Viper’s predicament.

“It wasn’t. She never told me who the father of the child was, but I know for a fact it wasn’t Gavin’s.

“How?”

“Because I was the one who drove her to the doctor’s appointments when she was pregnant. She became pregnant after Gavin disappeared.”

Winter sat back disappointed. “Samantha gave Loker the baby’s date of birth. He was still in town when she conceived.” Pastor Dean looked as disappointed as Winter.

Mrs. Langley shook her head, saddened by her granddaughter’s treachery. “The baby was premature. Doctors said that it was because Samantha was so young and she didn’t take care of herself.”

“Will you give me the name of the doctor you took her to?” Winter asked.

“Yes.” Opening her purse, she took out a pad of paper and pen writing down the doctor’s name and address.

“The doctor is in Jamestown.” The town next to Treepoint was thirty miles away. Which was a distance that would enable Vincent to keep his daughter’s pregnancy a secret.

“Yes. Vincent was afraid of the gossip in town, so he had me take her there, that was where she had the baby.”

Winter stood up from the table and hugged her aunt tightly. “Thank you, Aunt Shay. Loker has been upset that his brother was accused of getting a underage girl pregnant, then having that child missing was hard on him.”

“I am glad I could help.” Winter could see a tiny bit of the burden on the woman lightening. Her aunt’s friend entered the restaurant; with a hug and promises to see her soon she left to join her.

“No one thought to ask her. Samantha never went to visit her grandmother,” Pastor Dean remarked.

“That’s how I can tell you’re not from a small town,” Winter answered. A closed expression came over his handsome face.

“What do you mean?”

“If you were from a small town, especially Treepoint, you would know however many problems you have with your family that you always turn to them when you’re in trouble.”

“Good to know.” Pastor Dean gave her a wry smile.

“Beth wouldn’t think to ask because that woman is incapable of hurting anyone’s feelings. She would have avoided upsetting Aunt Shay.”

“Yes, she would,” Pastor Dean agreed.

“You should know, you dated her for a while,” Winter probed.

“Beth is very kind hearted.” His expression became closed.

“Yes, she is.” She reached out and gripped his hand, his turned and held hers. The waitress brought their ticket, when she would have paid, Pastor Dean wouldn’t let her.

“My treat.”

They walked out together. Pastor Dean followed beside her as she walked to her car and held the car door open for her. She was about to get in when he spoke.

“Winter, it was a nice thing you did today, Loker wouldn’t have stopped until he found that child, he wouldn’t have been able to.”

“I know, Viper is stubborn.”

Pastor Dean’s head tilted to the side in question. “You call him Viper?”

Winter paused, finally admitting to herself what she had known all along. “Loker was imaginary. A disguise he surrounded himself with, he’s Viper to me now.” She confessed something to him that she hadn’t been able to do to herself. “I never had Loker, he was a mirage.”

Pastor Dean shook his head in disagreement. It seemed as if he was about to say something but changed his mind. “See you this Sunday.”

Winter watched him walk away before getting into the car and driving back to the clubhouse. She was getting out of her car before she realized something and stopped in her tracks, turning back to the car she bumped into Shade.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t watching were I was going,” she apologized.

“It’s alright. I was coming out of the factory when I saw that you were upset about something.” Winter took a step back, being close to Shade made her nervous. He was wearing loose jeans that clung to his hips, black biker boots, and a black t-shirt. His arms and neck that were visible gave a menacing air to the man, and combined with the vibes he put off, anyone would be afraid of him. When they were surrounded by the other members it slightly muted the effect, but alone it was overwhelming.

Winter was upset. “I just realized that I have been trying to get back to my home since I returned to Treepoint, then the first time I actually have the opportunity, I don’t even go by to check on my house.”

Shade laughed, taking her arm as they walked to the flight of steps to the house.

“Well, it’s too late now.” With a swift movement he had her up in his arms packing her up the large flight of steps.

“I could have done it.”

“There are seventy-five steps, everyone has counted them. Twice. There is no need to put that kind of pressure on your back.” Winter gripped the cane as he effortlessly packed her inside the house before setting her down on her feet inside the doorway.

“Thanks, I appreciate the lift.”

“Anytime.” He said before going back out the door. No one could say Shade was a man of words, Winter laughed to herself. Excited about telling Viper the good news, she went into the kitchen to see if anyone knew where he was. He was sitting at the table with Knox and Jewell finishing lunch.

Not wanting to interrupt their lunch, she went to sit at a chair next to Viper.

“Doctor’s appointment go okay?” He questioned.

“Yes, he signed my work release. I’ll take it by the business office tomorrow.”

“I still think it’s a little soon, but I know you’re bored around the house all day.”

“Not really, I have all your paperwork to keep me busy. I think you need to hire someone fulltime to do the paperwork and keep the ordering on schedule.”

“Nope. It is a club business, only a member is allowed access,” Viper said firmly.

“I’m not a member.” Confused at his words, Winter was surprised he had allowed her to do the paperwork for him.

“That’s a different situation.” He said getting up from the table to get himself another bottled water and handing one to her before sitting back down at the table.

“Why, because I’m sleeping with you?” Winter started to get angry, she was still upset with herself for not going by her house. She had thought to herself earlier that The Last Riders were taking over her life when in fact she wasn’t ready to admit that she was letting herself become too attached to Viper.

“We don’t do much sleeping anymore, plenty of fucking going on though,” Viper teased her.

Winter flushed with Knox and Jewell listening closely.

“But that is not why,” he continued.

“Well?” Winter asked.

Taking a drink of water Viper answered. “Because you are a probate, that allows you access to almost anything.”

Winter gave him a glare. “I thought you were joking when you said that to Tara and Stacy.”

“Tara and Stacy?” Jewell butted in enthralled with the argument going on in front of her.

“The fuck twins.” It was Knox who answered.