Page 119 of Riot’s Revenge

“Pres?” Link asked.

“No loose ends,” Reaper replied, not taking his eyes off me.

I didn’t watch Link take out the driver, I heard the man begging, then gurgling, a body hitting the ground, then nothing. All that time with me still on my knees trying to drag in a full breath. My breathing sounded too loud in the silence. I pushed myself upright and pain ripped through my side, but I ignored it. There was only one thing left to do and that was get back to my woman.

Reaper stood a few feet away, gun hanging loosely at his side. He looked at the body, then at me. “You done?”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and landed a kick to the dead man’s side. “Now I am.” I walked away back to my bike.

Spider would handle the rest. I didn’t ask questions. He had a clean-up crew that was good. That’s all I needed to know. The Kings had survived ten years longer than they should have. By sunrise, there wouldn’t be anything here leading back to the Dead Knights. More importantly, there weren’t any Kings left to come after my family.

I sat on my bike while the brothers finished whatever needed doing, staring at my phone.

Maria’s name sat at the top of the screen. My thumb hovered over it. What the fuck did I even say? They’re dead? You’re safe now? Sorry I made you think I’d fucked someone else while three psychopaths watched our house?

None of it was enough.

So, I typed the only thing that mattered.

Me: On my way back, baby.

I stared at the message for a second before sending it.

Three dots appeared almost immediately, then disappeared, then came back. And finally . . .

Maria: Okay.

One fucking word, and it hurt more than the split lip, ripped knuckles, and gunshot wound. I shoved the phone into my pocket and started the bike. I needed to get home. I had a lot of explaining to do.

46

RIOT

The clubhouse was eerily quiet when we returned. No loud music or laughing like it normally was. The gates opened before we’d even slowed down, prospects stepping aside as we rode through. The front doors were unlocked for us as we stepped up to them. I gave the prospects a nod of respect as I passed, then I searched for her immediately but couldn’t find her.

“Back room,” Leighton called.

I looked at him, his words not quite breaking through my racing thoughts. “Maria. She’s in the back room. Got everything ready.”

Of course, she fucking did. I nodded once and headed inside.

She was already stitching Finn when I walked through the door, with Kate hovering nervously by his side. Of course he’d known where to go first. I should’ve known, but panic shut down any normal thinking patterns and I’d headed to the kitchen.

I stopped against the wall. Maria didn’t look at me properly. Her eyes flicked over me once and I watched the nurse in her take over.

Her jaw tightened. “Sit down.”

“Others first.”

“Riot—”

“Others first, Nurse.”

Her eyes finally met mine, for a few moments, neither of us moved. Then she looked away. “Fine.”

One by one, she patched them up. Mostly just scratches and cuts from flying splinters.

I stayed against the wall. Scared to get closer to her, but not able to leave the room. Not even to sit down, though my legs felt like they were about to give out.