Page 101 of Riot

When we hung up, I stared down at my phone for a long moment. There was something anchoring about his presence in my life. He wasn’t just a lover. He was becoming my armor.

I slipped my phone into my bag and looked out at the street, the people moving past me like a current, and felt something bloom in my chest.

This was my life now.

Messy. Complicated. Healing. Beautiful.

And I was done waiting for permission to live it.

Chapter 33

RIOT

When I pulled up outside the brownstone, she was already on the steps waiting for me. Allure looked good. That soft pink dress from the boutique hugged her curves like it was made for her. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and my dick twitched just from the way she smiled. I leaned across the seat, pushed the door open, and let her slide in.

Her smell enraptured me when she leaned in to kiss me, I grabbed a handful of her thigh and kissed her back passionately.

She exhaled, smoothing her hand over mine. “You think she’s okay?”

“I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “I”m sure her father is pissed at her for letting you get away. He’s probably put two and two together and figured you were the one to snitch to the cops. There’s no proof of that. I handled that.”

Allure’s face tightened. She looked out the window, lips pursed, mind probably racing through everything Irina had done for her. Risking her ass to sneak her out. Only for Allure to disappear as soon as she got a chance.

“I hope she’s not too mad at me.”

“She’ll get over it.”

We pulled up to Rollo’s spot and parked in the back. He met us at the door, tension already sitting on his shoulders like a loaded weapon.

“She’s in the den,” he said. “But… brace yourself. She’s not doing good.”

We walked inside, and as soon as I saw Irina, I felt the air shift.

Her eye was swollen shut. Purple and deep. The skin around it looked ready to split again. She had a fresh bandage wrapped around her head and was pacing the room like her thoughts were chewing her alive. She looked crazy. I felt bad for her because I knew that her father did this to her. How the fuck could someone do this to their own flesh and blood. But then it hit me, I wasn’t too much different…

Allure rushed forward. “Irina, oh my god, what happened?”

Irina turned on her so fast it made me take a step forward.

“This is your fault!” she screamed, voice shrill and cracking.

“What?”

“You fucking left that night! You got me in trouble!”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he would do this to you,” Allure pleaded

Irina’s eyes flared, bloodshot and wild, her bandaged head tilting as she sneered. “You want to know what happened, Allure? My father had Avi hold me down and cut off part of my fucking ear. Then he beat me until I couldn’t stand. That’s what happened. And you, Riot! I know you killed my brother Raz and my cousin! They pulled their bodies out of the river. My father is pissed.”

Allure gasped, stumbling back like the air had been punched out of her lungs. “What? No, Irina…”

“They dragged me out the house. Threw my shit on the street like I was a dog. I’ve been cut off. No money, no protection. Nothing.”

Allure’s hands flew to her mouth, eyes filling with tears. “Irina, I’m so sorry.”

But Irina wasn’t done. She stepped forward, finger shaking, her voice rising with every word. “Sorry? Sorry doesn’t put my life back together. Sorry doesn’t fix my goddamn face. Sorry doesn’t erase what you started!”

“I didn’t start this…”

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