Page 16 of Property of Rio

“Nobody fucks with the Kings,” Gage says, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What? I couldn’t hear you. Speak up!” I command.

“Nobody fucks with the Kings,” Gage repeats. This time, he’s louder.

“With this shit you pulled, what did you do?” I question, glaring at him.

“Fucked with the Kings,” Gage murmurs, his body starting to shake. “I-I-I didn’t k-k-know what to do, Rio.” Now he’s sounding whiny which pisses me off.

“Jeez, let’s see, you coulda gone to Rio and said, ‘Hey, man, I got a problem with something. Think you can help?’” BamBam rumbles out. “I mean, that’s what I would do. What about you, Abyss? Pokey? Prez?”

“T-t-they t-t-hreatened my mom, too,” he adds.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Gage!” I exclaim, my voice exploding through the room with anger and pure, unadulterated rage. “You hate that fucking bitch! Why would you care if they threatened her?”

He hangs his head in shame as my words blast him. “She’s still my mom, Rio,” he whispers.

“And?” I bark out. “Who the fuck cares? Issy trusted you, Gage. Whenever I’m not able to go with her,you’rethe one who has her back. You not only put her in a position to be violently assaulted or worse, but you drugged her to boot! What do you think that did to her?”

“I-I-I’m sorry,” he says. “Is… did you find her? Is she okay?”

BamBam rolls his eyes. “You drugged her and attacked her and now you have the fucking audacity to ask if she’s okay? Are you a fucking moron or something? Did you start sampling the Devils’ product? Because that’s the only thing that makes any kind of sense to me.”

“We’ll be back,” I state, my heart racing at what could’ve happened to Issy.

NINE

Isla

“Hey, girly,” I whisper into Stargazer’s neck. She nuzzles my face, causing me to giggle. “Pancho said you’re doing good. As soon as Sergeant Rafe says it’s okay, we’ll ride, okay?” A whinny from Starlight’s stall has me glancing at her to see her head is over her stall. “You too, old girl. I’m so fucking proud of how you found your way to Rafe. You saved me.”

“No, Issy, you saved yourself,” Rafe says, refuting my claim, coming up behind me to wrap his arms around me so I’m nestled against his chest. “Only instead of running like a girl, you fought like one, then rode like one. Issy, you’re a fucking badass and I hope you know just how proud I am of you. All the brothers are, actually.”

I turn in his arms so we’re face-to-face and reach up to trace his jaw with my fingers. “I was so scared, Rafe.”

“Wouldn’t have expected anything less, sweetheart.” He’s now running his hands up and down my back and the movement is soothing me. “You know you’re mine, right?”

My breath hitches because I figured I was in the friend zone with him so never pushed for anything more. “I am?” I ask.

“Yeah, Issy, you are. Shoulda claimed you years ago, but I wanted you to be able to stretch your wings and fly for a while,” he replies, one hand now gently stroking the apple of my cheek. “Because I didn’t, it put you in the path of those sociopathic nutjobs.”

“It’s not your fault, Rafe,” I murmur.

Right now, I just want him to shut up and kiss me, but I know he needs to get this out, so I let him continue talking.

“Kinda feels like it, although we got some information that I can’t share yet, that they’ve been after you for a very long time,” he says. “Can’t say more than that because it’s club business, but it’s one of the reasons I won’t let you go home just yet. I don’t know where the fucker is who was with Gage. That club, as you’re well aware, is not just bad news to women, it’s catastrophic, Issy.”

“Damn.” I think I must be in shock hearing that some psychopath has had his eyes on me for years. While I know the Kings don’t necessarily toe the proverbial line when it comes to some of the stuff they get into, I know Rio’s chapter is emphatically against anything that resembles sex trafficking.

“It’s gonna be okay, Issy,” he whispers. “Now, can I do something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time?”

“What is it you want to do?” I question.

“Kiss you so I can show you you’re mine,” he replies.

Desire pools in my belly and the only cognitive word I’m able to utter is, “Yes.”

His lips lower and lightly touch mine, causing a frisson of electricity to course through me. As he pulls me closer into the warmth of his powerful embrace, he deepens the kiss and soon, I find myself surrounded by his manly essence. He slides his tongue over my bottom lip, causing me to shiver as my mouth opens automatically to allow him entrance. As our tongues duel, I feel my core clench in need. It grows as he presses closer to me, my back against the stall and I have his erection pressed against my lower belly.

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