Page 72 of Tethered

“Riggs, you’ve never lied to me before. Don’t start now. This thing we have going on won't ever be one of those situations where you all gang up on me or hide shit. I’m involved with you individually, not collectively. There is only one place that rule doesn’t apply. And the last time I checked, this was not our bedroom.”

“Right. Shit.” He runs his hands through his hair.

“I’m gonna head inside and make sure Hannah is doing her spelling,” Dawn says softly.

I nod but keep my eyes on Riggs. He waits until she has gone before he reaches out and takes both of my hands in his. “Shepard wanted to hold off on reaching out to him, but I knew if it were me, I’d lose my ever-loving mind if it was kept from me.”

“Okay. So you told Austin? Ah crap, he went on a rampage, didn’t he?”

He grimaces, pulling me in closer. “I know what he can be like. And with me not being able to see you while you were at the station, I decided to ride out and tell him what was happening. Figured it was better to hear it in person than over the phone, and I could always rein him in if I needed to.”

He hesitates like he really doesn’t want to tell me the rest.

“Was he with someone else?” I choke out. Again, I feel like a hypocrite when my jealousy surges. They all have to share me. I’d understand if they couldn’t handle it. If they wanted out, it would hurt, but I’d get it. But they’re the ones who wanted this. I’ve made it very clear how I feel about sharing them. They know it’s a hard no from me. Maybe he thought I wouldn’t find out?—

“He wasn’t there.”

I slide my thumb over the backs of his hands and wait for him to fill in the gaps before I lose my mind. It isn’t until I notice how rough his knuckles are that I glance down and see something I missed before. “What happened to your hands, Riggs?”

There is no way he got to Porter or Derek. They’d have been in the interview rooms beside mine.

“Yeah, about that…” He blows out a frustrated breath.

I brace myself as he slides his hand around the back of my neck, holding me in place as if he’s worried I’ll run.

“I went to where he works because I don’t know his home address. He’s never mentioned it, and I couldn’t find it online. But I did find the business address. He runs an ICD.”

“A what now?”

“An inland container depot. Otherwise known as a dry port.”

I nod in understanding. We’re in a landlocked state. Though it’s never discussed what Austin does, I know he’s likely still a large supplier of drugs, and lord knows what else. He’d need a way to transport them, so this makes perfect sense.

“Okay. I mean, we don’t talk about what he does, but I still kind of knew.”

“As I said, he wasn’t there when I went. And after being given the run around, I was getting pissed, so I asked to speak to whoever was in charge in Austin’s absence. If nothing else, I figured the guy might know where I could find Austin.”

“And did he?”

“I didn’t get to ask him. Everything after him introducing himself to me is a bit of a blur.”

I let my eyes close in defeat and get ready to call Jen so she can turn around, just in case Riggs gets arrested. He slides his thumb over my jaw, tipping my head back. “I don’t understand.”

“Well, that makes two of us, Opie. I’m sorry, I really don’t know how else to say this without blurting it out.”

“Just tell me.”

“It didn’t click at first, not until I mentioned your name and saw him pale. I explained to him that you were Austin’s girl. He looked like he was going to puke. I was going to ask if he was all right when the phone on his desk chirped. He hit the answer switch, I think just to give himself a minute. Anyway, his secretary reminded him he had a meeting in ten minutes. He told her he would be there, and then he hung up. Which is when I dove over the desk and fucked him up.”

Before I can ask him why, he presses his body against mine, tightening his grip. “She called him Mr. Dyer.”

I freeze solid as the pieces fall into place. “Austin’s second in command is his brother. The man he knows raped me?”

And that’s when I turn around, bend at the waist, and throw up all over Riggs’s boots.

“Hey, you okay?”

I lift my head at the sound of Shepard’s voice as he walks into the room. Riggs hands me a glass of water before turning to face him.