Page 17 of Riot

I tried to jerk my hand away, but Riot held fast.He looked down at me and his eyes widened in shock.He let go of my hand and took a step away from me.

“It’s all right, Mom.”Caleb’s face was bright red.“I was teasing.Apparently, it backfired spectacularly.”

“I’m still married to your father,” I said softly.“I should respect my vows.”

“Right,” Caleb said, ducking his head.“Like Dad loves and cherishes you.Seems to me he disrespected stuff first.”

“That doesn’t mean I should --”

“Mom.Stop.”Caleb reached out and took my hands.“I’m sorry.”

“I’m jumpy,” I said, trying to smile when I really wanted to cry.The sad truth was, I wanted to crawl into Riot’s arms and let him hold me together while I grieved for a while without shattering into a million pieces.“I’m overreacting to everything.I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than a little scared.But not of you, Riot.Or anyone here.Doug Harrington is a dangerous man.The very last thing you want is him looking at this place too closely.”

“You let me worry about that, honey.I promise none of us will underestimate him.”Riot’s expression was so earnest there was no way not to believe him.Riot was a funny mixture of violent killer and simple country boy.Of course, most simple country boys could become violent killers if pushed far enough, so I kind of thought the analogy fit him perfectly.As he spoke, two women hurried down the hall.They greeted us with large, welcoming smiles.

“We put you in one of the top-floor apartments.”The woman speaking smiled warmly.“I’m Hannah, Knuckles’ woman.Pippa here is Gunnar’s.Gunnar is my twin.”

“Hello.”I managed a small smile, despite how exhausted I felt.“I really appreciate your help.We don’t want to be a burden.”

Pippa waved my words away with a flick of her wrist.“Honey, you’re not a burden.We take care of our own here.”

“We’re not --” I started to say we weren’t part of their club, but Hannah cut me off.

“If Riot’s looking after you, you’re one of us now.”She smiled and linked her arm with mine, guiding me down the hall.“The apartment’s not fancy, but it’s clean and there’s, like, four bedrooms.I honestly don’t think anyone has ever lived in any of the top-floor apartments before me, Pippa, and Carrie got here.”Hanna opened the door to a huge living area.She waved her hand around the large living area.It was pretty plain and had nothing on the walls or surfaces, but there was a lot of space.Doug’s estate was luxurious in the extreme, but even though I’d lived there for thirteen years, I’d never felt comfortable.This place felt like a new start.I knew it wouldn’t be a permanent thing, but it represented the beginning for me and Caleb.

“We’ve put some clothes in there for you both.Basics until we can get you proper shopping time.”Pippa pointed to several bags sitting on the table.“We put bedding on all the beds.I’m afraid there’s not much more than what you see here.”She waved her hand around the room.There was a sectional in front of a TV, a dining room table and a kitchen with the basics in appliances.“The bedrooms all have a bed and nightstand.A couple of them have a desk… I think?We can find more furniture when you’re ready.What we don’t have, we can buy.”

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”I smiled at the two women.“We appreciate what you’ve already done.This place is huge.”

Hannah smiled.“Yeah.I think that’s why the guys don’t want to use them.They like structure.Some of them don’t feel safe sleeping in large rooms.”

I glanced back at Riot, who shrugged.“When I had a cell to myself was when I felt the safest to sleep.Large rooms sometimes feel like a dormitory.Sometimes there were a hundred or more guys in one room in bunk beds.It was hard to sleep then because I was vulnerable.”

“I could see that,” I replied softly.“Where do you stay?”

“Got a room on the second floor.But I can stay in the other apartment on this floor if you want me to.”

Caleb followed close to me as Hannah led us to a door at the end of the hall to the master bedroom.“That’s pretty much the grand tour.”She smiled as she produced a key and handed it to me.“This is yours.No one comes in without your permission.Not even Riot.Hawk has a key to everything in the compound other than personal rooms, so you’re in complete control.”

The acknowledgment of boundaries nearly made me tear up again.Doug had never respected any boundary I tried to put between us.The more I tried to make myself a safe space, the more he delighted in tearing it down.

Caleb shifted beside me.“Do you have, like, security cameras and stuff here?”he asked, his voice betraying his suspicion despite his attempt to sound casual.

Hannah nodded.“The whole compound is monitored.There are no cameras in your private rooms or anything.But out in the hallway, the lift, or any areas more than one person -- or family -- has unfettered access.The main floor has cameras everywhere.All the windows have alarms.Knight and Hawk run the security systems.”

“But we can leave whenever we want to.Right?”Caleb looked from the women over his shoulder to Riot.

“Of course,” Hannah said, her brow furrowed in confusion.“We wouldn’t hold you guys here if you wanted to leave.”

Caleb nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer.I could tell he was still processing everything that had happened today.The courtroom, the attack, and now this strange new environment.I knew my son well enough to recognize when he was overwhelmed but trying not to show it.Hell, I was overwhelmed myself.

“Is there food?I just realized we haven’t eaten since before court.”

Hannah brightened.“Sure.It’s not much but there are, like, three large pizzas left over from the party earlier.I’ll bring them up to you.”

“I’ll bring them up,” Riot said.“I’ll bring some drinks too.We can stock you guys up with groceries tomorrow.That way you can have your own stuff if you don’t like what the club’s having.”His eyes met mine briefly, and I saw concern there.“You should rest.It’s been a hell of an evening.”

I nodded gratefully.“Thank you.”

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