Page 21 of Riot

“What do you want me to do, Caleb?”

“I want you to stick as close to Mom as you can, especially when we go out of this compound.”

“You trustmeover your father?”

Caleb stuck his chin up.“You gonna hit my mom?”

“Hell no!”

He shrugged.“Exactly.”

“Christ.”How many more ways could I be fucked today?“Kid, I’m not sure I’m the man you want in this situation.”

“You like my mom?”

I was starting to panic.I felt like I was a kid being grilled by my girlfriend’s dad and she wasn’t even my girl.Yet.“I’m so not qualified for this mission,” I muttered.“Caleb, I don’t know your mom.”

“You know enough.Stay close to her until this is all finished.Then I can take over again.”

I took a breath, my head spinning.There was one question I wasn’t sure the kid had considered though.“Caleb, what happens when I don’t want to leave her after this is over?”I spoke softly in as calm a voice as I could manage, but I wanted to get my point across.

Caleb didn’t flinch.He met my gaze with the promise of death in his eyes.“You will if she wants you to.”

Very slowly, I nodded.“Yeah.I think I would.One way or another.”I had no doubt that if I refused to leave, Caleb would “help” me.Probably in the form of an unfortunate accident.

“We understand each other.”Caleb nodded once, then turned to go to his room.“We can talk tomorrow.And don’t bullshit me either.”

“No bullshit.Got it.”This whole situation would be funny if I weren’t so fucked.Did I mention I was fucked?

Chapter Eight

Violet

I woke up with a scream.Sweat coated my body, and I was trapped.I thrashed, trying to get my hands free, but something was restraining my whole body.No amount of kicking seemed to help.“NO!”I screamed again.“Let me go!”I couldn’t catch my breath.Sweat made my bindings stick to my skin even worse.

A light snapped on, throwing shadows on the ceiling.I had no idea where I was as I looked around me, searching for Doug.

“Violet!”A male voice cut through my panic.“Hey.It’s OK, honey.It’s OK.”His voice was soft.Quiet.Probably trying to keep me from panicking even more.

I sucked in a breath, then let it out slowly.I closed my eyes and tried to shake off the haze of sleep.Slowly, my mind caught up with reality and I recognized my surroundings.“I’m in an apartment in a motorcycle club compound.”I don’t know why I spoke my thoughts out loud, but the affirmation helped finish clearing the cobwebs from my head.I met Riot’s gaze.He was on his knees on the floor beside my bed.“Riot.”

He seemed to let out a sigh of relief.“You’re back with me, aren’t you, honey?”

I nodded, still trying to catch my breath.I felt like I’d run a marathon.My chest ached, my lungs burned, and I was sticky with sweat.Riot didn’t touch me, but kept looking into my eyes, making me focus on him.“Yes.I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t.”His voice was gruff, but he was looking more at ease the more I spoke.“Can I help you get untangled?”

I nodded, unable to speak without my voice wavering.The last thing I wanted was to show more weakness than I already had.He was gentle as he unwound the sheet from my body, his touch clinical and respectful.When I was finally free, I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.

He stood, then helped me get the sheet off so I wasn’t restrained.

“I must have gotten tangled in the sheets and had a nightmare.”

Riot grunted as he stepped back out of my space.I probably should have been embarrassed.I was sleeping in a T-shirt and panties and nothing else.At the very least I didn’t want to parade around half naked in front of a strange man.Instead, I was too shaky to worry much about it.

“I need to wash off the sweat.”It was an inane thing to say, but it was all I could come up with.

“Do you need help walking to the bathroom?You’re trembling.”

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