Riley (Shattered Souls MC 4)

“I didn’t know you stayed last night,” I say, offering him a cigarette.

He takes it and lights it as we stand by his room “Yeah well Harper wanted to stay in case Gillian tried to cut your dick off.”

I laugh as I take a drag of my smoke. “Your wife might love me more than you.”

“Not a shot in hell, asshole,” he says. He sighs and grabs my shoulder, squeezing hard. “Why didn’t you come to us, Riley?”

I shake my head as I feel the weight of his disappointment. “Because I love her, brother. I thought I could handle it without getting you all involved. I’ve failed her over and over. I wanted to prove I could protect her.” I look up at him and lift my shoulders. “And I failed again.”

“You’re a fucking idiot, you know that right?” I nod and he grins. “I know what love makes you do, believe me. Fucking Kingsley is haunting me from his goddamn grave. So, you may have gotten him here faster, but I have no doubt he would’ve been here regardless.”

I think about what he said for a minute and realize he’s right. This dirty prick knows what he wants and with or without me he would’ve tried to take it.

“Still my fault and I deserve the blame. I really am sorry, Z.”

He slaps my back as we start to walk. “I know you are, but let’s make it right.”

I get to the warehouse five minutes early and of course that asshole is waiting for me. I get off my bike and smack the hood of his car. He gets out and tosses his arms in the air. I laugh at how fucking dramatic he is.

“What the fuck?” he yells.

“Just wanted to make sure you knew I was here,” I say.

He shakes his head and walks over to me. “I’ll be honest, I’m surprised to see you.”

Oh, I bet you are.

“I’m surprised I’m here,” I lie.

“So, I guess you decided your girl is more important,” he says, clasping his hands behind his back.

I shrug as I shove my hands into my pockets. The urge to knock his teeth in is starting to overwhelm me. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“You’re a smart man, Mr. Giddens.”

I nod, smiling. “Oh,

I know I am, because Gillian isn’t going to do shit for you until you answer some questions for me.”

“That’s not how this works,” he says, crossing his arms.

“Okay, fuck you then,” I say, walking toward my bike.

“What?” he yells. I turn and tilt my head. “What do you want to know?”

“Who else is in on this? I highly doubt you could pull off something like this. You’re the dumbest fed I’ve ever met,” I say, egging him on.

He laughs, moving closer to me. “I’m smarter than you think.”

He’s not wrong. I have no doubt that right now I’m either being recorded or videotaped. He fooled me once, I won’t be fooled again.

“Who knows?” I ask.

“The people who it affects know, that’s it.”

I frown and shake my head. “Not good enough.”

“I’m not gonna give you names, you’re not that fucking stupid,” he says.