Page 161 of Riot

“Why?” she croaked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But he left blood. Rollo’s phone. Like he didn’t care if we found out.”

I inhaled sharply. “He wants you to come for him.”

Riot’s eyes cut to mine. “Yeah. He wants war.”

He stood up, pacing once before raking a hand down his face. “And I think he’s the one who’s been poisoning Ma.”

“What?” I asked, voice rising.

“The lead test came back clean. No contamination in the paint, water, pipes. The lab says it’s probably being introduced through food. Meaning someone’s been dosing her intentionally. Slow. Steady. With a purpose.”

Irina shook her head like she was trying to wake up from a nightmare.

“Havoc?” I asked.

“He’s already made it clear how he feels about us,” Riot snapped. “You think he wouldn’t? You think he cares about what happens to her now?”

“No I wasn’t saying that. If he would betray you with my brother, he would def harm your mother. Babe, calm down.”

“I fuckin’ can’t. Rollo? My mother?!”

Irina’s whole body folded, and Riot caught her before she collapsed fully.

“I got her,” he muttered, lifting her gently. “She needs to rest.”

He disappeared down the hall, and I sat there staring into the fire, the wine in my glass untouched. My stomach was too tight. My skin too full of ghosts.

He came back five minutes later, rubbing his neck.

“I gave her a Valium. She’ll be out for a while.”

I poured him a glass and handed it over without a word.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“You’re stressed. So much has been going on. But we’ll make it through.”

“Thanks, babe.”

We sat in silence, sipping wine like it was holy. Like it could cleanse the rot we’d all been marinating in.

“I’m scared,” I said softly.

He turned to me. “Of what?”

“That this doesn’t end until one of y’all’s family is in the ground.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle Havoc before he can hurt anyone else. I promise that,” he said as he leaned for ward to kiss me.

The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine like he was trying to taste the fear right out of my mouth. His hand found my thigh, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. I moaned against his lips, needing the distraction, needing him to make me forget everything that was falling apart around us.

"Riot," I breathed as he pulled back, his eyes dark with something that wasn't just desire. It was desperation. The same kind I felt clawing at my chest.

"I need you," he growled, voice rough. "Need to feel somethin' other than this rage."

I nodded, understanding completely. We were drowning in death and betrayal, and the only life preserver we had was each other.

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