Page 37 of Riot's Thorn
“So what you’re saying is, there are three outcomes for me.” Her voice quavers, which draws my eyes to her solemn face. “The first is you letting me go, and a man I’ve known my whole life will kill me. The second is that if I’m not careful, you could snap and kill me, thinking I’m your mom? And the third is you not wanting to release me in case I tell someone you murderedmy dad, and you kill me? No matter how I look at it, I’m a dead woman.”
“No.” I shake my head vehemently. “I hadn’t decided what to do with you before. But now I know, and it includes you being very much alive, Little Thorn.”
“What did you decide?”
“Riot,” someone interrupts. Lucky approaches, plopping down next to Parker. “Killer says you know how to use throwing stars. That true?”
I glare at him and growl. “Not fuckin’ now.”
He throws an arm around my woman. “Oh, come on. Parker doesn’t mind, do you, Parker?”
“I don’t mind.”
“See?” He pulls her into a headlock and rubs his knuckle over her scalp while she flails, shoving him away. “Feel like she’s like my younger half-sister I never knew about. Wait a minute.” He releases Parker and looks around until he spots his target. “Hey, Rigger! Come here.”
“Get your fucking hands off her before I cut them off,” I saw lowly.
“Chill, chill. This’ll only take a sec, and I think little sis here needs to know all our family drama before she commits to being one of us.”
“I don’t want—” Parker starts, pulling out her messed-up braids and smoothing her hair down. I ready myself to get her back to the safety of my cabin, but then I notice her amused expression. Cautiously, I allow this insanity to continue.
“What’s up?” Rigger asks, one hand resting on Navy’s ass and the other wrapped around the neck of a beer.
“So you know how Navy’s your stepsister?”
Rigger rolls his eyes. “You’re an idiot. Of course, I know.”
Parker’s eyes go wide, taking in the pair as Navy steps up, looking embarrassed. “It’s not that scandalous. We only kneweach other for two years before—” She cuts herself off with an exasperated exhale. “Whatever. Yes, we were stepsiblings.”
“Okay, so, my question is this: would you still have hooked up with her if she were your half-sister?” Before Rigger can respond, Lucky points at him. “Now, be honest. Because I’m not gonna lie, I don’t think a little shared DNA would keep me away from Tinleigh’s fine ass.”
“You’re one sick bastard,” Rigger says, pulling Navy away from the table. “Tinleigh, come get control of your man.”
“What’d he do this time?” Tinleigh storms over. “Babe, you can’t scare away the noob. We talked about this.”
“You were talking about me?” Parker asks.
Tinleigh tucks her blonde and pink hair behind her ears. “I just didn’t want him to embarrass you, that’s all.”
“No, that’s not all. You said she’s. . . .” Lucky’s words trail off when Tinleigh plants her hands on the table and leans over, putting her tits, which are overflowing from her tank top, on display. Her expression says she knows what she’s doing. “Maybe Riot’s only. . . . Sweetheart, have I told you how sexy you look tonight? What do I gotta do to motorboat those babies?”
Since the only tits I want to see belong to Parker, I turn my attention to her, glad she’s smiling at the couple’s antics. Since I take pride in caring for the things I own, I’ll gladly set aside my own discomfort and attend these parties from now on. Anything to see that look on her face.
“Hey, brother. Not used to seeing you here.” Mustang, the club’s secretary, claps me on the back and sits next to me. The touch was brief, but I’ll feel it long after. It’s an annoying sensation I wish they understood so they wouldn’t do it.
“Goddamn shameless pricks,” I mutter, knowing my brothers aren’t flocking over here to talk to me. They only want to meet my woman.
“Hi, I’m Jenson. I belong to that guy.” Jenson steps up to the table and points to Mustang.
“Yeah, you do,” Mustang growls.
“I’m Parker. I’m being held captive by that guy.” She points to me. It’s cute how she keeps throwing out those little quips.
“I heard. How’s that going?” Jenson asks. He was the only one I had reservations about knowing the situation. Mustang’s known him since they were kids, but he’s not part of our world. He’s some rich businessman, and even though he’s been around a while and hasn’t turned coat, I still don’t trust him.
Parker sighs, realizing no one here will save her. “Fine.”
“Riot, you don’t mind if I steal her for a second, do you?” Jenson stands, and it hurts my feelings when Parker doesn’t hesitate to join his side. I’ve known that people don’t enjoy my company since I was a child, but Jenson is a stranger to her. All these people are, and she’d still rather be around one of them than stay by me.
