Page 19 of Taming Riot

“Thanks, Ben,” Sasha says shakily, sliding her hand into mine and starting forward when the man steps in our way.

“I’m sorry, Miss Alexandra, but your father wants to see the gentleman alone.”

Sasha turns to me, panicked, and I flash her a smile. “It’s okay. I guess I was bound to meet your father at some point,” I tell her with a smile she doesn’t return.

“No,” she whispers. “You don’t know him, Riot. He’s—” She stops and considers her words before shaking her head. “I have to go with you.”

“Nothing will happen to me, baby. I’ll be fine.”

She shakes her head again, clearly scared for me, which I don’t understand. I have dealt with far scarier men than she could ever imagine. Being in an MC, especially one like the Steel Order, will have you dealing with the scummiest of criminals. A man in a business suit bound by oath to uphold the law does not scare me.

“You don’t understand. My father, he . . . Jesus, he could ruin your life, Riot. I have seen him do it before.”

“It’s okay, baby,” I whisper, leaning down and brushing my lips over her temple. “Any man terrified of your father does not deserve to be with you. I’ll deal with this and then come get you. I still owe you a proper date.”

She doesn’t seem fully convinced by my words, but she lets me go. I give her an easy smile before following Ben. As the butler leads me down the hall to the office, I can’t help but notice the opulence around me. The plush carpets, the gilded frames, and intricate woodwork—everything screams wealth and power.

The office is just as lavish. From the large mahogany desk that could easily double as a dining table to the shelves lined with leather-bound books and the overstuffed leather couches, it’s all ridiculous really. I don’t miss the two men seated on chairs with velvet upholstery and gold trim. They look enough like Sasha to tell me they’re related. One looks to be several years older than me, while the other is older still, with an expression set in grim lines in an obvious attempt to intimidate me.

It’s routine, I immediately realize. A show of power.

Calling me here to this extravagant setting and having me brought alone into this austere office only to be met with scowling faces is a routine these people seem to have perfected. I bet they do it all the time to anyone they wish to intimidate.

Well, they picked the wrong guy for that. I couldn’t care less about their act. They might have more money than the devil himself, but at the end of the day, we’re all the same. The numbers in your bank account don’t mean a damn when you’re six feet underground.

The room falls into an awkward silence when the butler closes the door behind me. I slide my fingers into my pockets and stare at the men in amusement. The older one glaring at me, I assume is Sasha’s father, and I recognize the other one from all the billboards plastered around town. He must be David, the son vying for governor. The two look like watered-down versions of Sasha with their dull hair and lifeless eyes.

“This is the second time my sister skipped out early work,” David says, placing an arm on the armrest and wrinkling his nose when he runs his eyes over my outfit. “That never happened before she met you.”

“She is not a child,” I tell him.

“Perhaps you’re right. But that doesn’t change anything. We cannot have people like you ruining our family’s reputation.”

“And by people like me, you mean?”

“Criminals.”

Well, he sure knows how to get straight to the point. Damnit, I like this guy. I don’t think he’s fit to be the governor, but then again, I think all politicians are corrupt, so my view on that doesn’t hold much weight.

“That’s a bit of an old-school mindset, don’t you think?” I ask, leaning back against the door. “Sasha is with me because she wants to be. I did not kidnap her or hold her hostage. No, this is her choice, and I don’t intend on going anywhere until she tells me to herself.”

The older man’s eyes darken at my words, and I notice his jaw clench. “Let’s cut to the chase. How much do you want?”

I smile, suddenly entertained by the duo. I see now where Sasha gets her “pay your problems to disappear” attitude.

“I don’t need money,” I tell her father.

“Judging by how you are dressed, I would say you absolutely do,” the son says, and I smirk at the jab. “We’ve run a background check on you. Fifteen arrests but not a single conviction. That is impressive . . .”

“Thank you.”

“We could easily bring back some of those charges and get you locked up, or simply make you disappear.”

“Yeah, and what would you tell your sister happened to me?”

“Sasha is a beautiful young girl; she’ll get over you. Now stop wasting time and name your price.”

I laugh, suddenly glad that I came here today. I like a good challenge, and these men offer it. Threatening to have me arrested would terrify me if I thought they could actually pull it off. But I know if the cops ever had anything on me they could use, they’d have never let me go, regardless of the club’s connections. The only fear I have is of losing Sasha. No woman has ever made me feel half the things that girl does. She brings out protective and possessive feelings in me that I never knew I had. With her, I feel calm, less chaotic. She makes me want to be better.

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