Page 87 of Riot’s Revenge

I flinched instinctively, but didn’t want to leave Brandi go. I didn’t want her to be alone.

Riot was already rising to his feet, hands raised, his body shifted slightly in front of mine.

An officer spotted me immediately. “She’s a witness?”

Riot nodded.

Another officer approached carefully and held out a hand. “Miss, I need you to come with us. We need to get you checked out and get your statement.”

I looked at Riot, still standing with his hands in the air. The thought of being separated from him again made panic claw through my chest.

He must have seen it on my face because his expression softened. “Go with them.”

“I—”

“Go. I’ll be okay.” His voice was gentler than I’d ever heard it.

I swallowed hard and allowed the officer to help me to my feet. My legs felt weak, and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking.

Before they led me away, I looked back one last time, Riot was watching me. He gave me a small nod and a weak smile.

The police station blurred together in my memory, lots of questions were asked. I responded automatically, repeating the same story until it stopped sounding real even to me.

When they finally released me, dawn was beginning to break over the city. The air outside felt cold against my skin. I wrapped my arms around myself and stared at the crowd gathered outside the station. Brothers, prospects and even a couple of club girls. All waiting, looking toward the same doors. Waiting for news, to find out who hadn’t made it through the night and who wasn’t coming home.

I wandered over to them, feeling connected in our shared grief, but I felt completely lost.

The station doors opened again, and Riot walked through them. The noise around me faded into the background as he stepped out onto the station steps. He looked devastated, and there was a dark bruise spreading across one side of his jaw, but none of that mattered, because he was there.

His eyes swept across the crowd before settling on me. Something snapped and I was moving before I realized it. People stepped aside as I crossed the sidewalk, and then I was in front of him, throwing my arms around his neck.

Riot caught me immediately. One arm snaked around my waist while the other settled across my back, pulling me tightly against him. I buried my face against his chest and closed my eyes. Tears still leaked from them and soaked through his police issued shirt.

We just stood there holding onto each other while the rest of the world carried on moving. I’m not sure how we stayed like it, but it was long enough for the tears to stop and my breathing to calm.

When I finally pulled back, his hands stayed on my waist as he looked me over from head to toe again as if trying to make sure I was still okay.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

Brandi’s face flashed through my mind, all the blood, the sound of the gunshot and the way her hand had slipped from mine. The sadistic grin on the man who’d tried to kill me and for nothing more than who I chose to spend my time with.

I shook my head. “No.”

He reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “You don’t have to be. I’ve got you.”

The tenderness in his voice nearly made me start sobbing all over again. I looked away, blinking hard.

Around us, brothers were beginning to gather closer, conversations starting up again now that Riot was finally out.

“How bad is it?” I asked.

His gaze met mine again, then he looked past me toward the road, and I saw the pain in them.

“Riot?”

He swallowed once and when he finally looked back at me, there was a sadness in his eyes that I’d never seen before. “Come on, sweetheart.” His voice sounded rough. “We need to get to the hospital.”

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