Page 64 of Riding Danger

I walked over to the familiar figure and narrowed my eyes. “Valerie?”

“I did it for you, Shiloh.” She was fighting the hold of the officers. “For all of us who had scum for fathers. No child should have to go through that.”

The fear I had been bottling up for the last few hours bubbled up and manifested as rage. “You killed four innocent people.Two of those men were fucking good fathers. One didn’t know the kid was his. You nearly killed my man. Ethan’s father.”

“He was just as bad as the rest of them.”

I lunged toward her but I was held back. My captain’s voice was soothing. “Let it go. She’s not worth it. This is not how you want to go out.”

“What?” I pulled out of his hold and turned to him with my hands on my hips. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m not stupid, Bauman.” He stepped up alongside me. “I knew when I assigned you, that I would lose you. Now let Agent Newton deal with the unsub and you go and check on your man.”

29

RYDER

The first time I woke up in the hospital I had all sorts of tubes coming out of me. I was far too sedated to pay much attention, but I did know I was lying on my front. Each time I woke up, Shiloh was there. I wasn’t sure how long I was in that bed, but it seemed to go on for weeks. Though, according to the doctor, it had been just under a week.

Sometimes she held my hand with her head resting next to mine. There were a few times when she and Ethan were whispering softly. Those were times when I actually forced myself awake so I could spend some time reassuring my son I was doing okay.

Then there were a few occasions like now, where I woke to Shiloh arguing with someone. Warmth would spread through me at the sound of her advocating for me. Though, judging by the heat in her tone, she was not arguing with a doctor.

“If he wants you here, I will make sure someone contacts you.” Shiloh’s voice held a fair amount of venom. “But it will be his decision.”

“You don’t get to decide for him.” I knew that voice. What the fuck was she doing in San Diego.

I kept my eyes closed. Maybe I was a coward, but the idea of Shiloh putting my mother in her place had real appeal.

“I assure you, the name on the emergency contact, and the paperwork his lawyer brought, says otherwise.” There was the smallest beat of silence. “And let me make things absolutely clear. You are done hurting that man. As much as I want my son to get to know his grandmother, I will not subject either of them to your ugliness. If you want a loving relationship with either of them, I will support that. But otherwise, get the fuck out of here.”

My mother was silent for a moment. I imagined the two women, who were roughly the same height, standing toe-to-toe. “You think that just because you spread your legs for him he cares about you? Please. He can get any woman.”

I was about to let my presence be known when the worst-case scenario happened.

“Mom.” Ethan’s voice echoed through the room. “Is Dad awake? Oh. Who is that lady?”

“Is that the brat?” My mom’s voice was filled with venom.

While it was sexy as hell watching my woman tell my mother off, it was not something I wanted Ethan to face.

Despite the stiffness in my body, I rolled to one side. “Mom.” My voice was more of a roar. “You need to leave.”

Of course, my mother didn’t read the room. “Ryder. You’re awake. I just heard what happened. Why didn’t anyone let me know?”

“Mom.” I said once more, wincing at the pain in my back. “I said you need to leave. Unless you treat me and my family with respect, you will have no part of our lives.”

She looked between Shiloh, who had pushed Ethan behind her, and me. “I’m supposed to be your family.”

“True.” I was not going to deny what she was meant to be. “But family doesn’t treat each other the way you treat me.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue. “Well, I never.” She turned on her heel, sneered at Shiloh, and stomped out of the room.

A thought occurred to me. Not that the she had the power to ruin me, still it was fun to mess with her. And I had a family to protect.

“Oh, and Mom?” I waited for her to face me before I continued. “If the story you’re about to sell to the press mentions Ethan or Shiloh, you better make sure it's worth it. Because I will cut you off.”

She didn’t say another word as she continued out of the room.

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