Page 8

Riot

I was able to get the adjoining room next to Violet and Caleb.

She shut their door with the promise not to lock it, but I left mine open.

As I lay on top of the covers on the bed, I thought about the two people in the other room.

Caleb was already a good man. He went out of his comfort zone to help his mother without explanation.

Someone had hit his mother. That’s all he needed to know.

The why or the who didn’t matter. Only that she be protected.

Then there was Violet. Something about her drew me like gravity. Maybe it was the vulnerability mixed with that flare of temper I saw from her when she talked about how her husband and his lawyer had spoken about Caleb. She wasn’t completely broken despite what her husband had done to her.

I rolled onto my back, my gaze fixed on the open door separating our rooms. I could hear them talking softly, their voices a gentle murmur that somehow made me feel more at peace than I had in years.

Prison had a way of hollowing you out, making you forget what it felt like to just exist in normal spaces with normal people.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Knuckles.

“Yeah,” I answered, keeping my voice low.

“How’d it go? Lana called. Said you’re all set up at the hotel.”

I grunted in affirmation. “Judge wants me to stick close. Play bodyguard.”

There was a pause on the other end. “And you’re good with that?”

“It’s not exactly hardship duty.” I sat up, rubbing a hand over my face. “The kid’s solid. Smart. Mom’s…” I trailed off, not sure how to describe Violet. “Complicated.”

“Complicated as in a headache for me?”

“Nah. Headache’s all the bastard she’s married to. Violet’s doing the best she can in a bad situation. I have her side of things -- well, Caleb’s anyway -- but I’m betting she’s had it rough almost from the beginning of her relationship with Harrington.”

“I’ve got Knight going over the files Lana gave me on Harrington, as well as Violet’s parents and her homelife before she got involved with Harrington.”

“Good. Thanks, prez. Thanks for giving me a chance here.”

“You did the right thing for the right reasons, man. You took the consequences like a man and did your time.”

“I’m not sure I can look that kid in the eyes and tell him I’m sorry I killed that motherfucker, and I’m really not sure telling him the truth is the best idea. The look in his eyes when he sees his father is the same look I see in the mirror sometimes.”

“So, make him understand. Sounds like he’s big into takin’ care of his mom. He can’t protect her from jail.”

“He’s asked about my past once already. He’s not gonna let it go.”

“Can’t help you there, Riot. You’re in a unique position to relate with him, though.

What does your gut tell you?” Knuckles always got to the heart of the matter.

It was part of the reason everyone in Kiss of Death now followed him willingly and without hesitation.

The other reason was Knuckles was ruthless to his enemies.

I hadn’t learned everything yet. I’d only been part of the club a grand total of three days.

But I’d heard rumors while I was in Terre Haute.

Knuckles had made sure the traitors in the club were eradicated while he was in prison.

“My gut says if I lie to him, he’ll never trust me again.”

“Then I guess you have your answer.” He sounded smug, which he knew pissed me off. The man loved getting under my skin for some reason. It was the highlight of his day on the inside.

“Bastard.”

Knuckles’ chuckle was cut off when I ended the call.

Rude, but Knuckles wouldn’t take it personally.

The phone was a burner. I was told that, normally, the only phone any of us had was the one we were required to have for our parole officer to contact us.

I was also told by Gunnar not to wait for my phone to ring because Knuckles was the only person I had to be accountable to.

I needed to get some sleep, but I was too wound up and restless to relax.

Mainly because I was afraid the woman and young man in the room next to me were about to become the most important people in my life.

The kid because he reminded me too Goddamn much of myself at his age, and the woman because she was mine.

I wasn’t exactly sure what that was going to look like for me because I could never give her a normal life, but I was going to figure out how to win her heart and keep her happy.

There was a loud bang followed by a short scream.

I was on my feet before I fully registered the noise.

I shoved open the door between our rooms. Thank God she hadn’t shut that fucking door because, when I burst into the room, two men had Caleb and Violet.

One of them was struggling to hold Caleb and keep a hand over the young man’s mouth, while the other was dragging a stunned-looking Violet by her hair toward the door.

I saw red. Pure, fucking rage I could barely control filled me.

I lunged forward, grabbing the asshole who had Violet by the back of his neck and slamming him face first into the wall.

He released her hair with a yelp. I shoved his head against the door twice in rapid succession.

The guy dropped and I kicked him in the head hard enough my steel-toed boots caved in his skull. He didn’t move.

“Mom!” Caleb’s muffled shout came through the hand still clamped over his mouth. He fought against his attacker, but the guy had Caleb in a firm grip.

The second guy’s eyes went wide, clearly not expecting to deal with someone my size -- or, possibly, not expecting I’d use lethal force to protect Caleb and Violet. He tried to use Caleb as a shield, backing toward the door. Big fucking mistake.

“I swear to Christ, I’m gonna break every fuckin’ bone in your fuckin’ body.” The deadly calm of my voice belied how much I was seething on the inside. “Let him go and I’ll kill you quickly.”

“Mr. Harrington wants to talk to his family.” The guy was belligerent but also realized his severe disadvantage. He still dragged Caleb backward, trying to get to the shut door. Caleb struggling in his grasp was an added obstacle. “This ain’t your business, man.”

“Wrong answer.” I lunged for the guy just as Caleb lifted his legs, forcing the guy to either take Caleb’s full weight or drop him to face my attack. Caleb hit the floor on his ass a moment before I was on the guy.

I slammed my fist into the guy’s face, feeling the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking under my knuckles.

Blood flowed from his busted nose as he howled in pain, but I didn’t let up.

I grabbed him by the throat with one hand, using my other to rain down blows on his ribs, feeling them crack beneath my fists.

The guy grunted in pain but fought his way up.

“You think you can come in here and grab them?” I snarled, driving my knee into his stomach. “You think I’m gonna let that happen?”

He tried to fight back, throwing a wild punch that grazed my jaw.

I barely felt it through the adrenaline.

I slammed his head against the wall, then dragged him to the floor.

I used my weight to hold him down with both my hands around his throat, effectively cutting off his air.

The guy was panicking now, clawing at my hands, his eyes wide with fear.

“Just… doin’… my… job…” It sounded like he was struggling with everything he had to get each word out.

“Your job?” I growled, tightening my grip on his throat. “Your fucking job is terrorizing women?”

Behind me, I heard Violet’s ragged breathing and Caleb’s frantic movements. “Mom, are you okay?” Caleb’s voice was strained.

The distraction cost me.

I barely registered the flash of metal before a searing pain tore through my side.

I grunted but caught his knife hand when he tried to arc the blade back into my side.

When I twisted his arm backward and shoved him forward, I jerked his arm upward with a sharp jerk.

There was an audible pop as his shoulder gave way.

This time, the guy shrieked before clamping his teeth shut.

Sweat erupted over his face with the pain. His right arm now hung limp.

He struggled to his feet, pain obvious in his features. Stumbling backward, he held up his other arm. “OK! OK! I’m sorry! I’m leaving!”

“Right. And go straight to the police, no doubt.”

“No, man! You’ll never see or hear from me again!”

I shook my head sadly. “Wish I could believe that, but anyone who’d drag a woman across a room by her hair can’t be trusted to keep his word.”

“The cops are probably already on the way, with as much noise as we’ve been making.” The guy was trying to maneuver himself between me and the door, but the room was small and I was more than capable of blocking his way.

“If they are, I’ll deal with it. But you are not leaving here on your own.”

“He always gets what he wants, man. Harrington.” The guy looked up at me. Pain still lined his face, but I saw the calculating look in his eyes. When he flipped open a switchblade with his good hand, I was ready.

He lunged, aiming at my chest. I stepped back, avoiding the blade before taking a short jab to his throat. Just so happened, he stepped forward the same time I did and the punch that would have been enough to incapacitate the guy was turned into a death blow.

I felt his windpipe give way when I hit him.

He dropped to his knees, eyes bulging, hands clutching desperately at his neck.

The crack was even more sickening than when his shoulder popped out.

His death rattle as he tried to gasp in a few, futile breaths was worse, and I knew it was going to take at least four to five minutes for the guy to die.

Last thing I wanted was Violet and Caleb to witness his death.

“Caleb, take your mother to my room please.”

“I…”