Page 14

Havoc

W hen we all broke apart, it was dinnertime at the clubhouse. The smell of steak wafting from the grill out back, and my stomach growled on cue. I was nothing if not a carnivore. I didn’t have to ask if Riley was hungry—she hadn’t eaten since morning. I guided her out to the back patio and straight towards the grill.

Riley took her time surveying the offerings, whispering for me to go first.

I stepped up and greeted my favorite prospect with a grin. “Alvin, do they just keep your ass chained to this grill or what?”

He grinned right back. “The other prospects can’t grill to save their lives. Me? I can make bourbon steak cooked to perfection.”

“It smells fucking fabulous. Better give me a big slab before I go caveman and start grabbing meat off the grill with my bare hands.”

He laughed and slid the biggest, juiciest steak onto my plate, ladling an extra helping of bourbon sauce over the top.

“Want a baked potato and grilled veggies with that?”

“Load me up, prospect. I’m in the mood for carbs.”

“You got it.”

He scooped on a baked potato and scattered some broccoli and carrots across my plate. Then he turned to Riley. “What’ll it be for the lady?”

She stepped forward and pointed. “That bourbon chicken breast looks pretty good. I’ll take that with a baked potato and veggies, too.”

He loaded her plate while making polite small talk. We both grabbed flatware and drinks before settling down at one of the picnic tables to eat. Riley dug in with enthusiasm, and I matched her bite for bite.

A few minutes in, she said, “You have a wonderful sense of humor. It’s very down to earth and genuine.”

“You’re just full of compliments these days, Riley. Don’t go stroking my ego too hard—I could get addicted to that shit.”

“What, unconditional positive regard?”

I pointed my fork at her, making a slow circle. “Yes. But not just that. I could get addicted to the whole package with you.”

She teased. “Yeah, I’m a great catch.”

I glanced over, caught the playful glint in her eye as she pressed her lips together to stifle a laugh. I liked this version of Riley—playful, warm, teasing. It was a far cry from the woman who had trembled in my arms earlier. So, I played along.

“Oh really? Tell me why you’re such a good catch.”

She poked at the food on her plate like she was weighing her answer, then lifted her gaze to mine. Her green eyes were deep pools of warmth, grief, and quiet resolve.

“I’m smart, resourceful, and loyal. More importantly, I know what it’s like to fail someone I love. I tried everything to save my grandmother, and none of it mattered. Watching them lower her into the cold, dark ground tore a hole in me. I want to protect the people around me—whether I know them or not—from knowing that kind of pain.”

My heart softened. Riley hadn’t needed to open up like that, but I understood why she did. She wanted me to know I wasn’t the only one who’d lost someone or carried the weight of wanting to keep others safe. I reached out and placed my hand gently over hers.

“I can’t imagine what that must have felt like, sweetness. But I can promise you this—if there’s any way we can get our hands on that medication, we will. Dr. Harper runs a free clinic, and she’ll make damn sure it goes to the people who need it.”

She swallowed hard, her voice thick. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I’m not asking you to risk your life for strangers, no matter how desperate their situations. I don’t want to trade you for them.”

I felt something shift in my chest. This was the second time she’d shown concern for my safety. “You really don’t need to worry about me, Riley. I’m hard as fuck to kill. I’ve been shot, knifed, and run over by a fucking jeep once.” I pounded my chest with my fist. “One guy even tried to slit my throat in my sleep. But I’m still here.”

Her eyes widened and her gaze dropped to my neck. I saw the question forming and answered it before she could ask.

“Yeah, that’s why I got the neck tattoo—to cover the scar.” I tilted my chin to show her.

She reached out, fingertips brushing gently along the tattooed skin. Her touch was soft, reverent even, and something about it cracked me wide open.

“I’m glad you survived, Havoc,” she murmured. “The world would be a much poorer place without men like you.”

That was her telling me I mattered. That I was more than my past, more than my scars. I didn’t know how badly I’d needed to hear those words until they left her lips.

I reached across the table, slid her plate to the side, and patted the bench next to me. She didn’t hesitate, she just crawled over the bench and sat close.

I turned to face her. “Women like you are a rarity, Riley. You’re the kind of woman every man wants but none of us really deserve. And I’m putting you on notice right now—I’m gonna do my damn best to sweep you off your feet when all this is over. Mark my words, beautiful—I’m gonna make you mine or die trying.”

Her brows pulled together. “Are you sure you want me? Especially after what happened?”

“Fuck yeah! Can’t believe you’d even ask that.”

“You don’t know what he did. It was awful… emotionally scarring. I might end up being one of those women who have nightmares and wake up screaming.”

I gentled my voice. “I know what he did, sweetness. I saw the video. He slapped you, grabbed you, tried to drag you off. That’s exactly why I’m going to cram that badge he’s so proud of right down his fucking throat. No one—no one—hurts you and walks away from it.”

Her shoulders tensed. I could see how much it shook her to know we’d seen her vulnerable like that.

I covered her hand with mine. “You don’t need to feel ashamed. You did everything right, and the Dark Slayers are handling the rest. We’ve got the video, eyewitnesses, and Hacker’s digging up more dirt by the minute. That bastard’s gonna regret the day he ever crossed paths with you.”

She took a shaky breath. “Thanks for saying that. I’m not myself today. It’s hard feeling this off-kilter. Makes me question everything.”

“You’re strong, Riley. But even strong people can get knocked flat when it’s something they’ve never dealt with before. You’ve never been attacked. You’ve never had to file this kind of pain away in your mental filing cabinet. That’s all. You just don’t have a box for this yet.”

She leaned into me a little more, the warmth of her shoulder brushing mine. “So… you’re saying this is normal?”

“I’m saying this is human. And you’re doing better than most would.”

For the first time since the sun went down last night, I saw a genuine smile ghost across her face. And damn if it wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d seen all day.

“Yeah, I see that now. What I want to know is how you got to be so smart all of a sudden.”

My hand came up, fingers brushing over the scar on my neck. “I’m not smart, Riley. I’ve just lived through that kind of trauma before, so I know what it’s like to deal with it for the first time.”

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, chatting about random topics that had nothing to do with Slater, drugs, or corruption. Just easy stuff. Things that let her smile without forcing it and gave me the chance to see the softness return to her face. When our plates were clean and our stomachs full, we leaned back against the bench, utterly content.

I hadn’t touched any alcohol with dinner. I’d wanted to stay clear-headed, and it ended up working out perfectly.

I glanced over at her and asked, “Want to go for another ride? A short one this time—to clear our heads.”

Her face lit up, making the idea feel even more right.

I grinned. “Our club has a cabin down by the lake. It’s the opposite direction from town, which means it’s away from the asshole we’re avoiding. It’s about an hour’s ride out there and an hour back. Quiet, peaceful. I figured you could use that. What do you think?”

She turned towards me, her eyes shining. “I think getting away for a couple of hours sounds perfect.”

***

We got loaded up and headed out. I loved being on my Harley. The throaty roar of the engine was like music to my ears. We rolled out of the clubhouse parking lot and onto the open road. It thrilled the hell out of me that my favorite woman in the whole damn world loved being on the back of my bike so much. Everything about riding with her spoke to me as a man. An image flashed through my mind—her riding with me in a property cut with my name stitched on the back. It was way too early to even think about that kind of commitment, but the idea? Yeah, I liked it. Maybe a little too much.

She wrapped her arms tighter around my waist as I accelerated, pressing her cheek against my back. We didn’t talk—not that we could, over the roar of the engine and the rush of air swirling around us. But we didn’t need words. Not every moment had to be filled with conversation. Especially not after the hellish morning we’d had and everything that went down in Hacker’s office.

Even in this moment—riding free with the woman I was falling hard and fast for—there was a multitude of emotions simmering beneath the surface. Fear. Rage. A gnawing need to make Slater pay for hurting a good woman like Riley. I’d promised myself my killing days were done, but if keeping Riley safe meant breaking that vow, I would. No hesitation. No remorse.

Since I’d shown up at her apartment that morning and found her shaken up, I hadn’t let her out of my sight. She needed protection. I needed to give it. We were perfectly in sync that way.

Even now, on the road, my eyes stayed alert, scanning every car, every shadow, every turnoff. Somewhere out there, a man was still breathing who believed he had a right to own her. He didn’t. He never would. And I wasn’t about to let him try again.

I couldn’t even begin to understand what compelled someone like Slater to stalk and try to brutalize a woman like Riley.

Eventually, I turned off the main road onto a secondary road that led to the woods. From there, a dirt path brought us to our cabin. The trees grew denser, and the air took on that unmistakable scent of pine needles and river moss. It reminded me of better times—nights spent with my brothers and their families around the firepit, mornings of fishing in peace. This cabin meant something to me. I’d never brought a woman here before.

But I wanted to share it with her.

When we pulled up to the cabin, it looked just the way I remembered—quaint and quiet, lights off and no one else around. That meant we had the place to ourselves. If we wanted, we could stay the night.

I parked and dismounted, then helped Riley off the bike. We both removed our helmets and took a moment to stretch our legs.

She groaned as she raised her arms over her head and leaned back. “God, this feels good.”

I heard her back crack and tensed. “You okay?”

She smiled, her expression relaxed and genuine. “Yeah. A good stretch always feels amazing after sitting for a while. It’s really beautiful here.”

“This is my favorite relaxation spot. I come here to fish, hunt, hike... think.” I pointed to the water’s edge. “See that big flat boulder by the river? It’s my go-to spot. Best view in the world when the moon’s out.”

She was already walking towards it before I finished. I followed, and we sat side by side on the smooth rock.

“I hear currents,” she said. “Is that normal?”

“Yeah. You’re hearing the rapids downstream. A stream joins the river there, and the flow gets real strong.”

She sighed softly. “It sounds relaxing.”

We sat quietly, letting the sights and sounds of the forest settle over us. But she looked troubled, so I tried to reassure her. “You did good, sweetness. You were brave. You stood up for yourself.”

She glanced at me, then looked away. “All I knew was that I couldn’t let him get me into that patrol car.”

“When your back’s against the wall, you do what you have to. That’s survival instinct kicking in.”

She nodded. “He’s bigger than me. Stronger. And unlike you, he doesn’t give a damn about using his size to hurt me.”

“Yeah, I noticed that. Slater’s the kind of asshole who’s never been given the beatdown he deserves. I plan to change that.”

She frowned. “Don’t get yourself in trouble with the law over this. You know how cops protect their own.”

I looked her dead in the eyes. “If I kill him, it won’t be an accident. But I’m not planning on it—not unless he gives me no other option. I don’t like violence. I hate what it does to people. But if it’s him or you? It won’t be you.”

Her gaze searched mine, steady and thoughtful. Then she nodded slowly. “I suppose that’s the definition of self-defense.”

And just like that, we were on the same page.

She wasn’t na?ve—far from it. She understood now that sometimes, the law wasn’t enough. Sometimes, justice had to be taken back from the people who twisted it. Slater was a cop, sure. But he was also a predator. And we weren’t letting predators win.

We fell quiet again. A cool breeze blew in off the water, rustling the trees. Fish leapt from the river, and the moonlight danced on the surface like silver fire.

I let out a breath and leaned back on the rock, arms folded behind my head. Above us, the sky was a stretch of stars and shadows. The kind of night that felt too perfect to belong to the world we’d woken up in.

Riley lay back beside me and tilted her head towards mine. I started to ask if she was cold, but she spoke first.

“This is really relaxing,” she murmured. “You’re lucky to have a place like this.”

I turned my head to look at her. Her face, soft in the moonlight, looked peaceful for the first time all day.

Yeah, I was lucky. But not just because of the cabin.

Because she was here—with me.

I couldn’t help but grin. “This is the ultimate escape in my book.”

“Do you come here often?”

I nodded and went back to gazing up at the stars. “Yeah, at least once a month. Usually, when I come, there’s another club brother or two here as well. I don’t mind having the place all to myself, but it’s more fun when there’s someone to share it with.”

She elbowed me gently and asked, “Someone like me?”

I nodded again. “We both needed this. Especially you, because today was a shit show from start to finish.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “This morning was pretty terrifying, but this evening’s more than making up for it.”

“You shouldn’t flirt with me,” I grumbled. “If I start taking you seriously, you won’t like that very much.”

She rolled to her side and propped her head up with one hand. “And just why is that?”

“I’m not your type, I imagine. In my mind’s eye, I see you with a banker or an accountant.”

“Oh, so you think I’m a gold digger?”

“No, I think you’re a nice lady. Real classy. You deserve a man who can buy you nice things.”

Her free hand landed lightly on my chest. “Maybe I don’t want a man to buy me things. It could be that I like buying nice things for myself. Did that ever occur to you?”

“You look like the type. Strong. Independent. You own your own business and seem pretty successful. But none of that means you want a big, rough biker like me—a fuckup you were hired to fix.”

I didn’t know why I said all that. Maybe it was my way of forcing her to see the real me so she could decide whether to keep flirting or run for the hills. I knew what I wanted—to draw her close and make her mine. And when she moved in closer, that need clawed to the surface like something wild I couldn’t contain.

Before I knew it, her face was inches from mine. She whispered, “Maybe I don’t see you as particularly fucked up. There’s a difference between fucking up every now and then and being a fuckup. You shouldn’t confuse the two.”

When Riley leaned in closer, I braced for the kiss I was sure was coming. I loved the way she looked at me, the way she touched me. Her lips ghosted across mine, and I loved everything about the moment—her coming to me instead of making me chase her. This beautiful woman wanted me, and I wasn’t about to turn down anything she was willing to give.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew she might just be scared, needing reassurance from a big, strong protector—or maybe just a distraction from the chaos of her life. I was okay with that. She could use my body however she liked. I wouldn’t complain. I wanted this more than she’d ever know.

My heart thundered in my chest by the time she pulled back. That was when I tangled my fingers in her long red hair and pulled her down for another kiss, one of my own making. I plundered her mouth, my tongue brushing against hers, and her body softened against mine. She kissed me back with a hunger that stole my breath. Her hands slid up my chest and wrapped around my neck. I could feel her breasts pressed against me.

Riley, this woman who carried herself with such command and coached people through their worst, became something else entirely in my arms. All sensual grace and quiet submission. She was everything I craved in a woman—strong, intelligent, soft in the right moments. Irresistible.

Having her lips on mine set something loose inside me. I wrapped my arms around her, sinking into the sweetness of her curves, the taste of her mouth, the soft sounds she made when we kissed.

When I finally pulled back, I ran my fingers gently through her hair, massaging her scalp. Her eyes were wide and surprised. I smothered a smile.

“You didn’t expect to like that so much, did you, sweetheart?”

She let out a strangled laugh. “No, sir, I did not.”

I could tell she was trying to be funny by calling me sir , but damn if I didn’t like that way too much. Maybe that made me an asshole. Probably did.

“You ever date a biker before?”

She shook her head, her hands still resting lightly around my neck. She began caressing the side of my neck with her thumb. That simple touch? It sent a bolt of heat straight through me. Yeah, I was ten kinds of an asshole for not being able to control my body’s reaction. Good thing I was in complete control of my hands and my mouth, though, because I wasn’t about to push her for more tonight.

I wasn’t surprised to hear she’d never dated a biker. Most women hadn’t.

“Well, we’re a rough-and-tumble bunch,” I said, “but we know how to put our women first. So don’t ever think I expect more than you’re willing to give.”