Page 20 of Nova

"The fucker was gonna rape her, man." I say the words, and my knees start to buckle. Wick sits me down on a bench nearby. A crowd begins to gather, and police sirens can be heard off in the distance.

"You've got a knife wound." Wick examines my arm, that's still bleeding profusely.

"I don't give a fuck," I tell him and watch a group of bikers advancing. As they rush by, I take in their cuts—the same as the sorry fucker I just beat. "He's one of them," I lift my chin in their direction and Wick takes notice. Within a second, A commotion has me back on my feet, and us running back toward the restrooms. My brother, and one of the other bikers, spill out of the door, taking swings at each other. Riggs takes a blow to his side before clocking the massive biker in the chin with a right hook. Fender and Everest are suddenly at mine and Wick's sides. Us, along with three of the Hell's Punishers club members, are about to square off just as two cop cars arrive. Slowly we back away, both clubs standing down.

An officer climbs out of his cruiser, his hand at his side, ready to defend himself if necessary. He zones in on Riggs, while his other officers keep their eyes on the rest of us. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Just defending myself, and my family, officer." Riggs keeps his hands where they can be seen, showing he poses no threat. "Before we get into the what's of the situation, you mind getting my brother there patched up?" The officer looks in my direction, noticing the blood running down my forearm.

One of the officers enters the restroom, then reappears. "We have an assaulted male in the women's restroom." The officer looks around the crowd for answers, not getting any.

"Someone better start talking before I arrest all of you," he demands.

Typically, we don't take our shit to the cops. This time is different. As long as the motherfucker is still breathing, I'll make sure he pays for hurting my baby girl. I lift my chin. "I found that piece of shit assaulting my daughter." My eyes flash with anger.

I listen to him call for a female officer to come in and get Piper's statement. He then directs his attention toward me. "We're not done here. I don't take kindly to out of towners causing trouble."

"How about you carry your patronizing ass over there," I point toward the bathrooms, where the fucker I beat the hell out of is limping from, "and arrest that son of a bitch before I finish what I started." It takes everything I have to stand still. The cocky officer gives me a go-to-hell look.

"You're already facing charges. I suggest you keep your mouth shut before I add more," the officer warns.

Fuckin' perfect. A cop with a complex. That's just what I need right now.Not heading his warning, I smart off. "Fuck you. How about you do your fuckin' job, instead of trying to prove who has the bigger dick because I can assure you, you'll lose."

"Shit," Wick says beside me. "Quit poking the bear, Nova."

Maybe I should have left well enoughalone, but right is right and wrong is wrong. For the most part, I respect what law enforcement does, but when they let their egos trump doing their job, it rubs me the wrong fucking way. Now, an hour later, Riggs is sitting with me in the hospital room as the ER doctor stitches me up, knowing my ass probably won't be going home tonight. The only thing putting my mind at ease is the fact Piper is home safe with Luna. "Alright. You're good to go. Keep it dry for a couple of days and take the prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection." The doctor places a clean bandage over my wound.

"Thanks, Doc." As my brother and I walk through the double doors, into the ER waiting room, we notice the officer from earlier standing in wait.

"LeBlanc."

Looking past him, I catch sight of my daughter's assailant and blow past Riggs, and the officer to get to him, but a hand darts out, stopping me. "Remove your fuckin' hand," I warn the cop.

"Can't do that." My attention moves from his hand, gripping my wrist to his face, and my eyes narrow to slits. "The guy you attached is on his way to jail. He's also pressing charges. I'm arresting you for assault."

"You have got to be shittin' me!" My voice rises and garners attention from the few people sitting in the waiting area. "The motherfucker almost rapes my daughter, and I'm the bad guy?"

"The whole situation is beyond my control now. Charges have been filed. I have to do my job." He looks at me, his face becoming more serious.

My eyes shift to Riggs. "You hearin' this shit?"

"Yeah, brother."

"Take care of Piper," I tell my brother as the officer places the cuffs on my wrist and reads me my Miranda rights. Riggs follows us out the ER doors, where night has fallen.

"Don't worry about Piper, Cain. And don't say another word until I get you a lawyer," Riggs orders me as I slide into the back seat of the cruiser.

The gravity of today's events sinks in as the cruiser pulls away from the hospital.

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