Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“Just a scratch. I’m fine.” I’d get Pain to stitch me up when we got back.
“I can get a towel to hold over it if you want.”
“No.” I winced at my abrupt tone. “Thanks though.” Hopefully it was enough not to get the kid’s back up. “I’m more worried about you and your mom.”
“He wasn’t trying to hurt me. But Mom got pretty banged up.”
“She was already banged up,” I muttered. “When I get my hands on that bastard, there’s gonna be a reckoning.”
“I’m not hurt. I promise.” Violet’s voice was surprisingly steady. It was almost like the more stressed she got, the more detached she became. I had to wonder if it was a defense tactic. To protect herself and anyone who might try to help her.
“I’ve got help coming. You know you can’t stay here any longer. Right?” Again, I tried to be gentle, but she didn’t have a choice in this matter.
“I don’t have anywhere else for us to go.” She looked up at me with resigned sadness. “He’s going to win. Isn’t he?”
“No, Mom!”
“Not a fuckin’ chance.”
Caleb and I spoke over top of each other. I could see the panic in her face now. While she’d worked hard to keep her head, the adrenaline drop was starting to shake her control.
Caleb had a tight grip on both his mother’s hands. “We’re not going back to him, Mom. I won’t let that happen.” I watched the fierce determination in the kid’s eyes, the way he placed himself between his mother and anything that might hurt her. It was like looking in a Goddamn mirror. I ached for the kid. As well as for my younger self.
A knock at the door interrupted us. I checked the peephole to find Gunnar and Oktober outside as expected. I undid the locks and let the two men inside.
Gunner and I shook hands before Oktober pulled me into a hug. “Haven’t got to talk to you since you got here, but it’s good to see you.”
“Good to see you, too.” We clapped each other on the back a couple times.
“Prez said you had a couple sacks of garbage to take out?” Gunnar took off his backpack and pulled out two black tarps still in their packaging. “Cleaning company this hotel uses is on our payroll. I’ll take care of the scrub down after me and Oktober deal with the trash.”
“I owe you one, man.” I wasn’t too proud to admit I needed help.
“Riot, this is part of being in Kiss of Death.” Gunnar gave him an incredulous look. “Did you think Knuckles was gonna send you off with a smile and a princess wave into something like this?”
“Like what? Like a situation where Violet and Caleb get attacked? There’s no way Knuckles could have known that was going to happen. I’m doing my community service.” I stepped closer, trying to keep my voice for the three of us alone. “I’m sure Knuckles never meant for me to kill two guys. I doubt he’s gonna be happy about what I did.”
“Everything Knuckles does is for a reason,” Gunnar said. “This community service gig wasn’t dropped in your lap by accident. Knuckles wanted you with Violet and her kid to protect them from this Harrington guy. If that means you have to kill, we clean up the mess and make sure nothin’ comes back to you or the club.”
“What about my parole?”
“As long as you’re doing what Knuckles tells you to, we’ve got your back. You go out there on your own and kill someone, that’s a different story.”
I nodded. “I can respect that.”
“Take them back to the club for tonight. You and Knuckles can get together with Violet tomorrow and decide what she wants to do from there. If she thinks she can be comfortable there, she’ll be welcome to stay as long as she needs.”
“We don’t want to be any trouble.” Violet approached us cautiously. It was easy to see how fragile she was, and how hard she was trying to not fall apart.
“You’re not,” Gunnar said firmly. “Will you go with Riot to our compound? I can give you all the assurances in the world, but you either trust Riot or you don’t. But every man in the place will gladly stand between the two of you and any danger.”
Violet’s pale blue eyes filled with tears that glistened like diamonds. As she ducked her head, one droplet slid down her cheek. “Thank you. I’d appreciate your help.”
“Good.” Gunnar clapped me on the shoulder. “Take your family home, brother.”
Chapter Six
Violet
“I can’t stay in the same apartment with you,” I said softly. I didn’t want to be ungrateful, but I was feeling pretty raw at the moment. I wanted to lock myself and Caleb away for a few hours and lick our wounds before we went to battle again.