Page 108 of Riot's Thorn
“Maybe one of them went for help,” I say, and even Thea huffs at that.
With nothing else to do, we settle back on the floor. But I’m so wired, there’s no way I can sleep now. Anne must feel the same because she asks, “Tell us about this man, Parker. What does he look like?”
I smile. “He’s tall, a little over six feet, muscular but not bulky. He doesn’t look like any hero you see in fairytales, but he’s very handsome. His hair is light brown, his eyes are nearly black, and he keeps a trimmed beard that constantly gives me a rash, but I don’t even care. It’s sexy.” I close my eyes and picture him, remembering the way it felt when his beard rubbed against my thighs. I leave that part out, but god, I’d do anything to feel it again. “Oh, and he has tattoos. Lots of tattoos. A huge roaring lion across his right pec, geometric patterns on his shoulders, and the Sons of Erebus insignia across his entire back.”
“Sons of Erebus?” Thea asks.
“He’s in a motorcycle club.”
“So he’s a criminal,” Louisa says. “How is that any better than the men who did this to us?”
I don’t take offense because it wasn’t that long ago I thought the same thing. “I won’t lie and say he doesn’t do bad things, but the difference is, he doesn’t hurt innocent people. He stands up for what he believes in, and he protects what’s his.”
“And you believe him? You should know just by looking at where you’re at that men lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want.” Louisa is justifiably angry.
“I have every reason not to believe him. He killed my dad.”
Out of the four of them, it’s the quietest one who speaks up. Rosa hasn’t spoken a word to me, and I get the feeling she looks to her sister to take care of and guide her. “How could you fall in love with someone who murdered your family?”
I don’t correct her on the love part because if I’m not there yet, I will be the second I see him after this whole ordeal. My man is a scary, slightly insane, badass biker who I know will never stop looking for me. It drives me mad thinking about his mindset right now, and I hope he doesn’t do anything stupid in order to find me. Being rational isn’t his strong suit.
“I didn’t know some of the things my dad was doing.” My lip quivers, telling me I’m not grieving for the man I thought he was. It still hurts he could tuck his daughter in at night and then proceed to rape girls my age or younger. What kind of monster does something like that? “He threw parties like the ones you were at.”
“What the fuck!” Louisa bites out.
“I had no idea until Riot told me after he kidnapped me and kept me locked in his cabin.” I might as well be honest. There’s a good chance none of us will live through this.
“Did anyone ever talk to you about red flags?” Anne asks, making me giggle.
“I know, right? But that’s the point. Even after everything he did to me, I still know he’s a good man who only does bad things to bad people.”
“But you still think he’ll save us, right?” Thea’s small voice nearly breaks my heart, especially when she pats around to hold my hand.
“I know he will,” I say with conviction I have no right to feel.
“Then I think he’s a good man too.”
I give her hand a squeeze, feeling confident Riot is somewhere out there, getting closer every minute.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
RIOT
The information Bart gave us was enough to get us to the right docks but not enough to tell us where she was being held. Every second of the ride to California was torture, knowing at any minute, whatever cargo ship she was on could leave. She must be so scared.
“Update me,” Rigger says, his phone on speaker as we climb off our bikes.
We left for Oakland early this morning. I wanted to go right after we got what we could from Bart, but my brothers stopped me, since the port was closed at night. All we’d get were trespassing charges if we tried to snoop around then.
“The guy’s a dock manager named Gary. He’s scheduled to work this morning, so he should be there. You’ll know it’s him because he has a huge ass scar from his eyebrow down to his chin.” Satyr stayed behind to do a deep dive into the dock managers. “His bank account has been receiving monthly deposits of ten Gs for over a year now. The money is untraceable, so it has to be him.”
I was surprised to learn Bart wasn’t behind the trafficking. He was just a human wholesaler who profited off the sales to his friends. Anyone who lived through the parties was returned tohim, and he then gave them back for money off the next batch. It still makes him a piece of shit, but there’s a bigger piece of shit out there, we just don’t know who. Bart refused to give him up.
He’s lucky I don’t go back on my word because if I did, he’d be strung up in the basement for months. If I hadn’t been short on time, I would’ve kept him alive for much longer. It’d be hard to make him suffer like he’s making me, but I’d sure as shit try.
“Thank fuck it’s a small dock,” I say, discreetly tucking my nine into the back of my pants. We didn’t wear our cuts; we never do when we’re doing something questionable. No one wants to pick up gang charges.
“No shit.” Lucky removes his sunglasses and tucks them into his saddlebag.
