Page 167 of Wicked Minds
Tucking the phone into my pocket, I slide in beside Riley, casting a quick look her way before starting the engine.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I tell her as I pull out of the lot.
“Say it again,” she rasps in a broken voice.
“Everything will be okay?”
She shakes her head. “What you said in there.”
It takes me a second to figure out what she means before it clicks. “You’re safe. I’ve got you. He can’t hurt you now. I won’t ever let him hurt you again.”
With every sentence, she relaxes into the seat, and I repeat the mantra the entire way home.
“I can walk,” she mumbles when I open her door outside the house and bundle her into my arms.Yeah, if her legs are as weak as her voice, there’s no way they’ll carry her into the house.
“Don’t care,” I grunt, using my hip to close the car door.
The lights are on inside, and as I approach the house, the front door opens, a rumpled Logan filling the doorway. “Shortcake,” he rasps when he sees her, eyes rounding before he lifts them to mine. “What the hell happened?”
“Logan,” Riley sobs, breaking down in a fresh wave of tears.
“Riley.” Logan rushes forward, taking her from me. She clings desperately to his neck, crying harshly into his shoulder as he runs a hand up her back before striding into the living room and dropping onto the sofa.
I follow them inside, feeling like an outsider as I watch while Logan comforts her while she falls apart in his arms. “Shh, baby. You’re okay,” Logan soothes, his face fractured in pain as he listens to her broken sobs.
He looks at me over his head, questions brimming in his eyes, but before I can answer any of them, the front door flies open, and Royce barrels in. He doesn’t even spare me a glance as he goes straight for Riley, crouching beside Logan and reachingout for her. Remaining in Logan’s lap, she reaches out and pulls Royce to her, crying on him instead.
He holds her for a few minutes, whispering reassurances until he gently untangles her, settling her against Logan before he stalks toward me. “I fucking told you to watch her.” The venom in his voice is poisonous. “What part of that did you not fucking understand, Van Doren?”
I’m shoved against the wall, and I reckon I’m seconds away from receiving a black eye when Riley hiccups, “It wasn’t his fault!”
It’s enough to stay Royce’s hand as he twists to face her. Sniffing, Riley wipes at her red-rimmed eyes as she shifts on Logan’s lap to face us—not that Logan lets her go far. “Ben waited until after the club had closed. He caught me on my way out… called me into his office and… a-and…”
Her whole body trembles as she struggles to force the words out, and wanting to take that pain from her, I blurt, “He had her bent over his desk when I got there. I was locked out…” I shift my focus to Riley. “I’m sorry?—”
She shakes her head, wiping at her nose. “Not your fault.”
“Where the fuck is he now?” Royce snarls.
“At the club. Tara and Roman are there, making sure he doesn’t disappear.”
Royce nods, turning to look at Logan. “Stay here with her.”
I can tell from the tightness in Logan’s jaw that he wants to come, but I’m not sure even the apocalypse could tear him from Riley right now.
Tightening his hold on her, he gives a sharp jerk of his head.
Royce remains frozen in the middle of the room before forcing himself to relax a little. With stiff movements, he crosses the space and bends down, bringing himself face-to-face with Riley. “Stay with Logan, sweetheart. I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Royce.” There’s a plea in her voice, but he merely kisses the top of her head before stepping away, and Logan distracts her as he strides out of the room.
I move to follow him, but when we’re in the hall, he rounds on me. “I don’t need yourhelp.”
With the muscle in my jaw ticking, I hiss, “I’m coming.”
“You’ve done enough.” He turns away, but I reach out and spin him back to face me. “I said I’m fucking coming. You didn’t see…” I glance away, struggling to get a hold of my emotions. “I’m coming.”
His astute gaze runs over me before he grunts a “fine.” I follow him out to his truck, parked haphazardly on the road, and climb in.
