Page 10 of Riot

“You know.Like old people do sometimes.Your words aren’t slurred, but are you having trouble finding your words or something?”

“I-I’m not…”

“Mom, we might want to call an ambulance for him.I don’t think he’s all right.”

Lana snorted, then tried to cover her laughter with a cough.Failing miserably at covering her amusement, she finally outright laughed.“I’m sorry, Caleb.It’s not you.Oh, God, Riot!You should see the look on your face!”

I glared at Lana, which didn’t seem to faze her at all.A quick look at the fucking bailiff caught the smile he tried to hide when I turned my gaze on him.“You’d think us guys could stick together.”

“Sorry, man, but I’m looking forward to you explaining that one myself.”

“Which part?”I muttered.I don’t know why I set myself up like that, but there it was.

“All of it.‘Cause, honestly, you do kinda sound like you’re having a stroke.”

I heaved out a long-suffering sigh.Then I noticed something that absolutely sealed my fate.Violet looked up at me and she was… smiling.There were tears in her eyes and staining her cheeks, but the smile was genuine and absolutely fucking breathtaking.I had to brace myself on the court gallery banister railing or I’d have fallen to my fucking knees.

The filly was a fucking angel.Never had I seen such a beautiful smile, or such a beautiful woman.Even with tears still falling and dark circles under her eyes, likely from stress and worry, that fucking smile was more than I could take.There was no defense to mount.I’d lost the war before I even fired a shot.Hell.I’d lost before I knew there evenwasa war.The tiny woman in front of me, terrified, beaten, but determined to fight for her son, stole my heart, planted a flag, and claimed my fucking soul.

The second I acknowledged I now belonged to Violet, my insides settled and something clicked into place.This was where I was supposed to be.This place.With this woman and her son.In a way, I suppose my whole life had been heading toward this moment.

Maybe Judge Whitmore was right.I had to really, really think about what these feelings inside me meant for my future.More importantly, what would it mean for Violet and Caleb’s future?I knew I’d always watch over the two of them.There was no question about that.I also knew there’d never be another woman for me.The only question was, could I protect her from afar while she lived a happy life with some stupid motherfucker who didn’t deserve her and would never give his whole entire being to her the way I would?

Fuck.There was definitely something wrong with me, because there was no way this woman wasn’t going to be mine.No matter what it took, no matter who I had to kill, Violet was going to be my woman.

Chapter Four

Violet

I glanced at Riot as he mounted his motorcycle.In another life, I’d have been terrified of him.He was big, tattooed, and muscled.Attractive in a bad-boy way, I was sure.I’d gotten over my parents’ assertion that men like Riot were trouble.Which was kind of laughable, considering the man they picked out for me was a monster.I was also fairly certain they weren’t interested in finding out, not as long as Doug continued to do business with my father.

Lana unlocked her vehicle, and I got in beside her while Caleb got in the back.She started the car, then turned to me.Taking my hand, she gave me an encouraging smile.“Riot’s been through a lot, but he’s a good guy.I’d have gotten someone else if I didn’t believe he’d protect you with his life.”

“I thought you only wanted him to support Caleb while he was telling the judge about his father.”

“That was one reason.I admit I also wanted him to stay close to both you and Caleb.Doug Harrington isn’t the type of man who likes to lose.You know he’ll try to intimidate you.Or worse.”She squeezed my hand once more before starting the vehicle.

I looked out the window at Riot, who was adjusting his leather vest and seemed to be scanning the area around us before putting on a helmet and closing the tinted visor.I thought it odd, but if the guy was on probation, he was probably doing his best to avoid giving anyone a reason to look at him.Not my business.

There was something primal about Riot.Something dangerous making me both wary and… something else I wasn’t ready to examine too closely.

“When you first told me about this, you said Riot had been to prison.It’s obvious the judge knew it too.Can you tell me why he was in prison?”

“Does it matter, Vi?You saw how he was today.He’s solidly on your side.”

“Because you told him to be.For the right price, maybe he takes Doug’s side.”

Lana scowled at me and shook her head.“Are you not listening to anything I’m telling you?I don’t pick bikers at random for my program, Vi.This isn’t a volunteer program where you get what’s available.Anyone I use in a particular case for victim support understands what it’s like to be a victim.He might not have experienced exactly what you did, but he’s been in a similar situation, and it changed him.”She took a long breath, tamping down her building anger.Lana was the best person I’d ever met, but she was very passionate about people in general.“Look.You know I believe everyone deserves a second chance.Our choices in life sometimes take us down a dark path, but if we work hard enough, when we come out at the end of that tunnel, we’re stronger and, hopefully, better for those experiences and consequences.Riot will protect you with his life.That’s what his experiences made him into.There is no amount of money in the world that could make that man take Doug’s side over yours and Caleb’s.Riot is not a man who can be bought in this instance.Not for any price.”

“Mom.”Caleb leaned forward between the seats.“I think we should let him help us.Just for a little while, until we figure things out.”

I turned to look at my son, surprised.Caleb had been slow to trust anyone since Doug’s behavior had escalated.The fact that he was advocating for Riot’s presence said a lot.

“You’re sure?”I asked him.

“Yeah.”Caleb’s eyes were serious as he held my gaze.I wanted to cry.I wasn’t looking into the eyes of a child.Sitting in the courtroom, telling the judge exactly what he’d seen and what had happened to him personally, all while his father stared at him with that accusing gaze, had effectively killed anything left of the child in Caleb.He still had a lot to learn but he was a young man, and he was determined to protect his mother.While I loved him all the more for that protective streak, I wanted to howl at the injustice of his childhood being cut short by a megalomaniac.

“All right,” I said, relenting.“If you think it’s a good idea and Caleb is OK with him, then we’ll accept Riot’s help for now.”

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