Chapter 5 Revealed

Sierra POV

"No." The word barely left my mouth.

Mara watched me carefully. “Yes."

I shook my head. "You're lying, it is not possible.”

"Why would I?"

"Because you're a Viper." I snapped.

Mara's expression hardened. “I haven't been a Viper for a long time."

Roman lowered his gun slightly. “Mara."

“You should have told her." He said to Mara.

"I tried."

"When?" He asked.

"Three years ago."

Roman's jaw tightened. “And then?"

"I was threatened."

My eyes moved between them. “Threatened by who?"

Mara looked at me. “Daniel."

The room seemed to shrink. “My uncle?"

"Your father discovered that Daniel was selling information."

I laughed because It sounded ridiculous. “You expect me to believe my uncle killed his own brother?"

"He didn't pull the trigger." Mara's voice was quiet.

"He didn't have to." Roman said.

I looked at Roman. “Is this true?"

His silence was louder than his voice and that was clearly enough answer.

My chest tightened. “You knew."

"I suspected."

"You knew!" I yelled, my voice echoed through the hidden room.

Roman didn't flinch. “I had evidence."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" I demanded.

"Because your father made me promise."

"Stop saying that!" I snapped.

I shoved the photograph against his chest. “My father is dead, your  promise doesn't matter anymore."

Roman caught the photograph before it fell. “It mattered to him."

Mara stepped closer. “Daniel wasn't working alone."

Roman's gaze snapped toward her. "You said you didn't know."

"I didn't." She said. “Not until yesterday."

"Who else?" Roman asked.

Mara hesitated.

Roman's expression changed “Tell her."

Mara swallowed. “Your father's death was connected to a shipment."

"What shipment?" I asked.

"Something your father found inside the club's accounts."

I frowned. “Money?"

"No." She shook her head. “Names."

"Whose names?" I asked.

"People who were supposed to be dead."

Silence filled the entire room.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Roman said, "your father discovered that someone had been using the Vipers to move people and information without my knowledge."

"Who?" I asked.

"We don't know."

"You keep saying that." 

"Because it's true."

Mara reached into her jacket again.

Roman immediately raised his gun. “Slowly."

She pulled out a small phone. “Your father left one final recording."

I scoffed. Where?"

"With me." She held it out.

I reached for it…but Roman caught my hand before I could. “Wait."

I looked at him. “What now?"

"Before you hear it, understand something."

He said lowering his gun. “Whatever your father says, don't assume the first answer is the whole truth."

I pulled my hand away. “You've spent three years keeping me away from the truth."

"I've spent three years keeping you alive." He said.

"Maybe I don't want your protection anymore."

Something flickered across his face…like pain.

I took the phone from Mara and pressed play.

"Sierra."

My father's voice came out terrified.

"If you're hearing this, then I'm already dead." I covered my mouth.

"I need you to understand something. The people responsible will make you believe this was about the Black Vipers."

I looked at Roman.

"But It wasn't." My father continued 

"The club was only the door and real enemy is the person closest to you and do not  trust your blood simply because it shares your name."

The recording crackled with his final words.

"Roman Cross knows where the evidence is but  he doesn't know what it contains."

The recording ended.

I turned toward Roman. “You knew about this recording."

"No."

"You're lying."

"I didn't."

"Then why did my father mention you?" I demanded.

"Because he trusted me."

I shook my head. “I don't know what to believe anymore."

Roman stepped toward me. "You don't have to believe me."

He stopped directly in front of me. “Believe the evidence."

Mara looked toward the door. “Someone's coming."

Roman's head turned. “How many?"

"I don't know."

Then we heard it…Motorcycles,several of them.

Roman immediately moved. “There's a back exit."

Mara shook her head. “They'll be covering it."

Roman looked at me. “Sierra, listen carefully."

"I am."

"Whatever happens, you stay between us."

"I can fight."

"I know."

He handed me a small handgun.

I stared at it. “You trust me with this?"

"No." His eyes held mine. “I trust you to use it if someone tries to kill you."

Mara moved toward the back wall and cracked her gun…I tightened my grip on the gun.

For the first time since entering the Black Vipers, I wasn't thinking about escaping or revenge….but the possibility that everything I'd believed for three years had been built on a lie.

Roman suddenly looked at me. “There is one more thing you need to know."

"What?" I asked.

His expression was unreadable. “Daniel didn't know I was protecting you."

I frowned. “Why does that matter?"

"Because if he knew..." Roman's eyes moved toward the door. “…he would have killed you a long time ago."

The door exploded inward…Mara screamed while Roman fired.

I dropped to the floor as men stormed into the workshop.

Gunfire filled the room.

I crawled behind the desk then  I heard a voice I knew too well.

"Bring Sierra to me!"

It was Daniel…and he knew  exactly where I was.

I stared at Roman while he looked back at me.

Then he said the words that changed everything. “Your uncle didn't come for the evidence."

He raised his gun. “He came for you."