Page 74 of Riot

His friend steps forwards as if they’re going to throw punches, but shaved-head guy waves them off. I sense King and Riley behind me, even if I can’t see them.

“Do you have a death wish?” I ask around a smirk.

I can feel the crazy rising in me, the monster who lives for this kind of chaos baring his teeth.

But this ain’t a pub or a bar with some half-cut guy who thinks he’s a big man. These fuckers are just like us—ruthless, violent, and not above killing.

“It’s fine,” Blade says. “Get out of here,” he adds to the men, who glare at him one last time before climbing into their vehicle and driving away.

“Shit.” King’s sheepish tone has me turning toward him. “I ain’t taking responsibility for that.”

He walks back towards the van, Riley shooting me a look that I can’t read before the prospect follows him.

I give Blade my attention, every spider sense inside me tingling. “What the fuck was that about?”

He shifts his shoulders. “Who fuckin’ knows?”

That answer doesn’t appease me. That guy wanted to hit him, and as much of a dick is Blade is, that guy risked a fight breaking out by attacking one of us.

Blade goes to step past me, but I thrust my arm in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. “Start talkin’.”

“I told you, I don’t fuckin’ know.”

His cagey behaviour only intensifies my suspicions. “It’s weird that he kept lookin’ at you as if he recognised you. Why would that be?”

I know for a fact Blade wasn’t at any of the meetings to arrange this deal between their gang and our club. I know that because Grub handles bringing in new business. This deal was one of his.

Blade glances away, his face pulling up into a grimace. “Fine. Yeah, I know him.”

Every cell in my body is suddenly awake. My back straightens, my hand itching to reach for my knife. Is this fucker doing what Nicky suspected? Skimming? Is that why that guy put hands on Blade? A deal turned sour?

“Know him how?”

A hundred scenarios race through my mind and none of them are good.

His gaze shoots towards the van, calculating before coming back to me. The tight line of his mouth has me on alert. “I don’t like the way you’re looking at me, Riot.”

I fold my arms over my chest, as if I don’t have a fucking care in the world, even as my body prepares for action. “And how am I lookin’ at you?”

He leans into me, his eyes blazing. “Like you don’t trust me.”

Internally, I freeze, all my warning lights flashing. “Why would I have any reason not to? We’re on the same side, right?”

The way his mouth kicks up into a lopsided grin sends a shiver through me. “Right,” he agrees.

“So, how do you know that guy, and why did he want to rearrange your face?” I press.

The edge chips away from his expression so quickly, it’s like he flipped a switch. It’s unnerving.

“Shit. I didn’t want to admit this…” My eyes want to narrow, but I keep my expression neutral. “I haven’t seen him in years, not since he caught me in bed with his wife. Ain’t proud of it. Believe me, if I could take it back, I would, but I was young and dumb. You know what it’s like, Riot. You have a skin full and a pretty woman starts talkin’ to you… next thing I know, her hand is on my dick, rubbing me like she’s tryin’ to summon a fuckin’ demon.” He blows out a breath.

“She took me back to her place. I didn’t even know her name, so I had no idea she was using me to get back at her husband. Let’s just say he was pissed when he walked in on us. He beat the fuck out of me, and I took it because I deserved it, but that should’ve been the end of it. Clearly, that fuck still holds a grudge. It’s been years since it happened. I’m pretty sure they ain’t even together anymore. I thought he didn’t recognise me at first, but…”

I search his face, looking for any lie in his words. It sounds plausible. Sometimes women see the kutte, fancy a walk on the wild side, something different from their normal day-to-day, and they don’t always care who gets hurt in the process.

I can’t read this fucker, and that frustrates me. I’ve never met a guy I couldn’t unpick.

With nothing else to go on, I back down. “I should’ve let him punch your lights out.”

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