Page 34 of Havoc

“You’re not thinking clearly,” she said gently. “Not good decision making.”

Before I could reply, her friend came back into the room with two giant suitcases. Clothes stuck out of every corner like she’d just shoved everything in without thinking twice.

She fished out a clean t-shirt and handed it to Riley, along with a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Riley stood, peeled off her torn shirt, stuffed it into the bag, and zipped it shut. Her friend tucked the evidence into the suitcase. Riley pulled the new shirt over her head and reached for one of the bags.

“Whoa, now,” I said. “There ain’t gonna be no women carrying luggage while I’m standing here.”

Riley gave me a faint smile, but her friend wasn’t as quick to let go. There was a weird little tug-of-war over the suitcase, but I eventually won.

I loaded up Riley’s car, stuffing the bags into the trunk. It was tight, but they fit. Then I helped both women into the vehicle, started the engine, and got us the hell out of there.

The drive was quiet. I put on some calming music—mostly for myself, to keep my rage in check. I didn’t trust myself to speak.

Near the edge of town, I heard them whispering in the back. Riley’s friend mentioned having part of the attack captured on video. I filed that information away.

Because if Slater thought this was over, he was dead wrong.

By the time we arrived at the clubhouse, Zoe was already there, and Ali was on her way. We took Riley and her friend, Dae, upstairs and got them settled into one of the upstairs suites. Our club doc—a kind, no-nonsense woman married to one of the brothers—came in shortly after to check them over. The whole ordeal had taken a toll, but it was clear the two women were the ones carrying the heaviest weight.

Once Riley and Dae were comfortable and the doc was satisfied they didn’t need to go to the ER, Storm, Zoe, and I gathered in one of the private lounges upstairs to have a serious conversation. Riley sat close to me on the couch, pale but steady. The shock was wearing off, and she was finally ready to talk.

I kicked things off. “Start at the beginning and tell us what happened.”

Riley nodded, swallowing hard before she began. “Like I said before—he was waiting for me when I pulled in. I think he spent the night drinking in his car. At first, he played it off like he was concerned about me. But then it escalated. Fast.”

Zoe leaned forward, her expression troubled. “That sounds terrifying. Were there any witnesses? Anyone who tried to help?”

Riley shook her head. “Not at first.”

Storm folded his arms across his chest. “What kinds of things did he say once he dropped the act? Anything stand out that might help us get a read on his mindset?”

Her voice trembled, but she powered through. “He knew I spent the night with Havoc. That set him off. He called me a whore, said if I was giving it to a biker, I could give it to him too. I kept saying no, and he hit me. Backhanded me across the face.”

I clenched my fists, rage flaring in my chest.

“I tried to run, but he caught me,” Riley continued. “He ripped my shirt and started dragging me towards his patrol car. That’s when Dae saw what was happening and screamed from the balcony. A couple of my neighbors came out with baseball bats. I think they scared him off.”

“Fucking hell,” I muttered, my hands still trembling. I reached for her, and she leaned into me, resting her head against my chest. I wrapped my arm around her and held her close.

She looked up at me, eyes red-rimmed but clear. “I tried to act like my bold, sassy self... but I was terrified.”

“Anyone would be. You’re lucky it didn’t go further.”

“He was acting like I’d cheated on him, like we were in a relationship. But in real life, I barely knew him. I never said yes to anything.”

Storm’s jaw ticked. “He sounds like a full-on psychopath.”

Riley nodded slowly. “I thought for a second he was going to kill me. Just for being with Havoc.”

I didn’t even try to hide my fury. “I’ll take care of that sick bastard. One way or another, he’s not going to touch another woman.”

“He’s a cop who thinks he’s untouchable,” Riley said quietly. “He’s threatened to arrest me before. He said that would give him time alone with me. No cameras. No witnesses.”

“Anyone can be brought down,” I said. “Even cops. We’ll make sure of it.”

She hesitated. “When we were at that nightclub, he called for backup and got it fast. I think the whole department’s in on something shady. Reporting him could make it worse. They’ll close ranks to protect their own.”

“We’re not afraid of dirty cops,” I told her. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

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