Page 113 of Riot

“You have a beautiful home,” I say as she ushers me to sit down again.

“Thank you, Riot.”

It irks me that she uses my biker name. I know she’s just doing it because my name sounds uncouth, and that’s what she thinks of me, no doubt, but I’m not here to start a war.

I’m here for my girl. I love her daughter, and I’ll prove it to her if I have to.

I clear my throat. “How long have you liv?—”

“How much will it take?”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

“Money,” she says, pronouncing the words like I wouldn’t know what it is.

“I’m not followin’.”

She sighs loudly. “Wait here. Visual may be more your strong suit.”

Bitch.

I watch as she leaves the room, tempted to ask her where else I’d be going, but she’s back in a few moments. She has a checkbook in her hand. I don’t fucking believe this.

“Mrs. McBride, what are you doing?” I know exactly what she’s doing, and I’m not gonna be bought out of Halo’s life.

“I’m doing what any self-respecting mother would do,Riot.I’m getting my daughter back. Now how much will it take? A hundred thousand?”

I stare at her.A hundred thousand dollars?

“You can’t buy me out of Halo’s life.”

She smirks. “Oh, really? Everyone has their price. Let me ask you, how did you get your biker name?”

“I earned it.”

“From prison?”

“Not everythin’ you know is about what a man did wrong. You judge people before you even know them.”

“So what have you done right when it comes to my daughter?”

“I know she’s happy,” I say. “She’s doin’ well. Got a nice job, a fantastic apartment…”

“This is all just a game to you, isn’t it? Did you think you could just weasel into her life and nobody would bat an eyelid? That because we’re estranged at the moment, I wouldn’t notice?”

“Oh, I think you’d notice no matter how far away Halo is.”

Geneveive waves her hand. “My daughter has always been cavalier when it comes to her future. She thinks she knows what she wants.”

“And you’re sayin’ she doesn’t?”

“You catch on quick.”

“I’m not after her money,” I state. I’m firm, but I’m not losing my temper. I refuse. “I have plenty of my own. When I met Halo, I never thought she’d even look twice at me. We’re just gettin’ to know each other, but well, frankly, we’re in love.”

She snorts. “Well, she’s always been good with needy men. And she has no idea what love is.”

“And you do, I assume?”

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