Sleeping With The Devil

Chapter Thirteen

The drive back to the clubhouse was silent, the roar of their bikes filling the void that had grown between them. Archer kept his focus on the road, but his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The conversation with Viper had done little to ease the ache that Farrah's rejection had left behind, but it had reminded him that he wasn't alone. Viper had always been there—through every battle, every hard decision, every moment of doubt. And now, in this dark moment, he was there again, offering a quiet support that Archer didn't know how to express gratitude for.
As they pulled into the clubhouse lot, the familiar sight of their stronghold brought a sense of relief. It was late, and the clubhouse was mostly quiet, with just a few members still lingering around, winding down from the day. Archer parked his bike, and Viper did the same, the engines cutting off in unison as they dismounted.Without a word, they headed inside. The dim lighting of the clubhouse and the faint smell of smoke and whiskey were as comforting as ever, a constant in the chaotic world they lived in. Viper led the way to the bar, grabbing the bottle of whiskey he'd mentioned earlier. He poured two glasses, sliding one over to Archer with a nod."To survive," Viper said, raising his glass with a hint of a smirk.Archer lifted his glass in return, the corners of his mouth twitching into something resembling a smile. "To survive," he echoed, and they both took a drink.The whiskey was smooth, the burn of it a welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been plaguing Archer's mind. They stood at the bar, the silence between them heavy but not uncomfortable. After a few moments, Viper set his glass down and turned to face Archer, his eyes serious."You know, you don't have to pretend with me," Viper said, his voice low and steady. "I get it. What happened with Farrah... that shit's hard."Archer stared down at his glass, the liquid swirling as he tried to find the right words. "I just... I didn't expect it to hurt this much," he admitted, his voice rough. "I thought I was prepared, but... I don't know."Viper reached out, placing a hand on Archer's shoulder, a gesture that was both grounding and comforting. "You don't have to do this alone," Viper said, his grip firm. "We've been through too much shit together for you to shut me out now."Archer looked up, meeting Viper's gaze. There was something unspoken between them, something that had always been there but had never been acknowledged. The bond they shared went beyond friendship, beyond brotherhood—it was something deeper, something neither of them had ever put into words.The air between them seemed to shift, the tension thickening as they stood there, eyes locked. Archer's breath caught in his throat, the realization of what was happening hitting him like a freight train. He knew what this was, what this moment could become, but he didn't know if he could cross that line. And yet, the pull between them was undeniable, a magnetic force that drew him closer to Viper in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.Viper's hand moved from Archer's shoulder to the back of his neck, the touch sending a shiver down Archer's spine. "We've been through everything together, man," Viper said, his voice hushed. "If you need something, if you need me, I'm here."Archer swallowed hard, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He didn't trust himself to speak, didn't trust himself to do anything but act on the impulse that had been building between them for years. So instead of saying anything, he closed the distance between them, his lips crashing into Viper's in a kiss that was rough, raw, and desperate.The kiss was electric, a surge of heat and need that burned through both of them. Archer could feel the tension in Viper's body, the way his hands tightened their grip on him as they leaned into each other. It wasn't soft or gentle; it was intense, filled with years of unspoken emotions, and for a moment, it was the only thing that mattered.Viper responded immediately, his hands moving to Archer's waist, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened. It was everything Archer had been holding back, everything he had been afraid to acknowledge, coming out in a rush of passion and desire. He didn't care about the consequences, didn't care about what this might mean for their friendship, their brotherhood. All that mattered was the way Viper felt against him, the way their bodies fit together as if this had been inevitable all along.Archer's hands roamed over Viper's back, gripping the fabric of his shirt as he pressed him against the bar. The kiss was a battle for control, each of them pushing and pulling, neither willing to give an inch. It was messy, chaotic, and completely overwhelming, but it was exactly what Archer needed—an outlet for all the emotions he had been holding back, a way to release the tension that had been building inside him for weeks.When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard, their foreheads resting together as they tried to catch their breath. The air between them was charged, heavy with the weight of what they had just done."Archer," Viper breathed, his voice rough, filled with something Archer couldn't quite place."Yeah?" Archer's voice was hoarse, his mind still reeling from the intensity of the moment.Viper's hands tightened on Archer's waist, his eyes dark and intense as he looked into Archer's. "I'm here, okay? Whatever happens, whatever you need... I'm here."Archer nodded, swallowing hard as he tried to process everything. He didn't know what this meant, didn't know where they went from here. But for the first time in weeks, he felt something other than pain, something other than the emptiness that had been gnawing at him."I know," Archer said, his voice soft but steady. "And I'm here too."They stood there for a long moment, the weight of their shared experience settling over them like a blanket. There were no easy answers, no clear path forward, but there was a sense of understanding between them, a mutual recognition that whatever happened next, they would face it together.As the night wore on and the whiskey flowed, the lines between them blurred further. The kiss had opened a door that couldn't be closed, and neither of them was in any hurry to figure out what that meant. For now, it was enough to know that they weren't alone, that in this world filled with violence and uncertainty, they had each other.As they eventually drifted into a restless sleep, their bodies still tangled together, Archer couldn't help but feel a sense of calm he hadn't known in a long time. The storm might still be brewing on the horizon, but for now, he had found shelter in the most unexpected of places.In Viper's arms.