Page 68 of Fighting a Riot

No, not someone.

Him, and only him.

The officer nodded and folded his notebook closed.

Yak took a calming breath. “Please, can I help my neighbor? She just had her second round of chemotherapy today, and something like this is tough enough… add chemo to the mix and I can’t imagine how tired she is.”

After an assessing look that lasted an interminable length of time, the officer asked, “Before you join her, why would Crop break into her house?”

That came as such a gut-punch, Yak didn’t have to act surprised. “I have no idea, sir. Until you mentioned his name, I had no idea that was who broke into her home.”

The officer nodded. “Go help your neighbor.”

Yak sidled up to Nora just as the female officer questioning her shut her notepad.

Typical. The other officer had to know things were wrapping up all around. The female officer gave Yak a hard-eyed stare. On auto-pilot, he put his arm around Nora’s shoulders. She leaned into him and wrapped both arms around his waist.

The officer shifted her stare to Nora. “Take care of yourself, Ms. Ellis. Call if you remember anything about the other intruder.”

While they had stood outside answering questions, the temperature had to have dropped by ten degrees. Another reason Yak had wanted to be by Nora’s side. Nobody had even offered her a blanket.

Once the last cruiser backed out of the drive, Yak guided Nora back into her small home.

As soon as they were inside, she let him go. “Thanks for coming out here, Yak. I appre—”

“Pack your shit,” he ordered.

Her teeth clacked as she clamped her mouth shut. She stared at him for a long beat, then said, “I’m not going anywhere.”

He pointed a finger at her. “You’re not staying here. I heard glass breaking. There’s no plywood around here, and I’ll be damned if you sleep in here with the temperature dropping like it is.”

From the look she gave him, he expected more lip. “Fine. Give me a second. And also, it’s not like I can’t swing by here and get—”

“Nope. Anyone’s gonna ‘swing by,’ it’ll be me, not you. I don’t know if you were the target for this shit or if it was just a way of letting me know the Devil Lancers know where you live. Bottom line, you aren’t stepping foot back in here, so if you got sentimental shit or whatever, get it now.”

Her head cocked to the side. “I like you better when you’re cracking jokes.”

He fought shaking his head. “Not a damn thing funny here, princess. And if you still have it, don’t forget to bring your gun. Where the hell did you get it, anyway?”

She pulled a duffel bag out of her closet. “Evan, of course. He was dead-set that I had to be protected. Taught me to shoot, too. Though, he’s gonna be pissed the cops took my gun from me.”

He crossed to the front of the small house and examined the broken out window. It had only been the lower pane, but if he had to guess the whole thing would have to be replaced.

“I know my way back to the main house, Yak. You don’t have to hang around while I pack.”

He turned around. “I’m not leaving your side tonight, Nora.”

She shook her head. “The cops shot the main attacker, and the other guy has to be long gone.”

He took a deep breath. “The assailant went by the road name ‘Crop.’ He was at the bar that night we went for a ride. I meant what I said, Nora. I don’t know if the Lancers are targeting you or trying to get to me. Either way, you’re gonna have a Riot brother on you at all times.”

With a stack of clothes in her hands, she paused and looked at him. “I still have a smaller gun, Yak. Your brothers don’t have to do anything special for me. Especially not after…”

His brow cocked at her trailing words. “Especially not after what?”

She shrugged. “Not after the way Trixie and all the other ladies have been so sweet and accepting of me. I don’t want to cause problems for their husbands or whoever you’re going to have assigned to me.”

If he had anything to do with it, he would be the only brother assigned to her. But he knew that was outlandish. He had to sleep at some point, and she needed to go to work. Assuming she felt up to it.

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