Page 44 of Havoc

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We got loaded up and headed out. I loved being on my Harley. The throaty roar of the engine was like music to my ears. We rolled out of the clubhouse parking lot and onto the open road. It thrilled the hell out of me that my favorite woman in the whole damn world loved being on the back of my bike so much. Everything about riding with her spoke to me as a man. An image flashed through my mind—her riding with me in a property cut with my name stitched on the back. It was way too early to even think about that kind of commitment, but the idea? Yeah, I liked it. Maybe a little too much.

She wrapped her arms tighter around my waist as I accelerated, pressing her cheek against my back. We didn’t talk—not that we could, over the roar of the engine and the rush of air swirling around us. But we didn’t need words. Not every moment had to be filled with conversation. Especially not after the hellish morning we’d had and everything that went down in Hacker’s office.

Even in this moment—riding free with the woman I was falling hard and fast for—there was a multitude of emotions simmering beneath the surface. Fear. Rage. A gnawing need to make Slater pay for hurting a good woman like Riley. I’d promised myself my killing days were done, but if keeping Riley safe meant breaking that vow, I would. No hesitation. No remorse.

Since I’d shown up at her apartment that morning and found her shaken up, I hadn’t let her out of my sight. She needed protection. I needed to give it. We were perfectly in sync that way.

Even now, on the road, my eyes stayed alert, scanning every car, every shadow, every turnoff. Somewhere out there, a man was still breathing who believed he had a right to own her. He didn’t. He never would. And I wasn’t about to let him try again.

I couldn’t even begin to understand what compelled someone like Slater to stalk and try to brutalize a woman like Riley.

Eventually, I turned off the main road onto a secondary road that led to the woods. From there, a dirt path brought us to our cabin. The trees grew denser, and the air took on that unmistakable scent of pine needles and river moss. It reminded me of better times—nights spent with my brothers and their families around the firepit, mornings of fishing in peace. This cabin meant something to me. I’d never brought a woman here before.

But I wanted to share it with her.

When we pulled up to the cabin, it looked just the way I remembered—quaint and quiet, lights off and no one else around. That meant we had the place to ourselves. If we wanted, we could stay the night.

I parked and dismounted, then helped Riley off the bike. We both removed our helmets and took a moment to stretch our legs.

She groaned as she raised her arms over her head and leaned back. “God, this feels good.”

I heard her back crack and tensed. “You okay?”

She smiled, her expression relaxed and genuine. “Yeah. A good stretch always feels amazing after sitting for a while. It’s really beautiful here.”

“This is my favorite relaxation spot. I come here to fish, hunt, hike... think.” I pointed to the water’s edge. “See that big flat boulder by the river? It’s my go-to spot. Best view in the world when the moon’s out.”

She was already walking towards it before I finished. I followed, and we sat side by side on the smooth rock.

“I hear currents,” she said. “Is that normal?”

“Yeah. You’re hearing the rapids downstream. A stream joins the river there, and the flow gets real strong.”

She sighed softly. “It sounds relaxing.”

We sat quietly, letting the sights and sounds of the forest settle over us. But she looked troubled, so I tried to reassure her. “You did good, sweetness. You were brave. You stood up for yourself.”

She glanced at me, then looked away. “All I knew was that I couldn’t let him get me into that patrol car.”

“When your back’s against the wall, you do what you have to. That’s survival instinct kicking in.”

She nodded. “He’s bigger than me. Stronger. And unlike you, he doesn’t give a damn about using his size to hurt me.”

“Yeah, I noticed that. Slater’s the kind of asshole who’s never been given the beatdown he deserves. I plan to change that.”

She frowned. “Don’t get yourself in trouble with the law over this. You know how cops protect their own.”

I looked her dead in the eyes. “If I kill him, it won’t be an accident. But I’m not planning on it—not unless he gives me no other option. I don’t like violence. I hate what it does to people. But if it’s him or you? It won’t be you.”

Her gaze searched mine, steady and thoughtful. Then she nodded slowly. “I suppose that’s the definition of self-defense.”

And just like that, we were on the same page.

She wasn’t naïve—far from it. She understood now that sometimes, the law wasn’t enough. Sometimes, justice had to be taken back from the people who twisted it. Slater was a cop, sure. But he was also a predator. And we weren’t letting predators win.

We fell quiet again. A cool breeze blew in off the water, rustling the trees. Fish leapt from the river, and the moonlight danced on the surface like silver fire.

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