“Where are the photos?” he snarled.
I shook my head, completely confused as to what he was talking about. “What?” I managed around the grip he had on my neck. I clawed at his hands to no avail, trying to swing my legs out toward any part of his body I could damage.
“The photos,” he demanded again.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I garbled, wondering if I was going to die behind a gas station restroom for reasons I couldn’t define.
He lifted me off my feet with one hand still around my neck, glaring into my panic-stricken eyes. “You do not want to underestimate me. I will not hesitate. I will fucking kill you if we don’t get them.”
I shook my head, unable to do much else. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t ask what the hell he wanted from me.
“Got her camera.” Another man’s voice sounded to my right. He must have been the one I’d seen go into the convenience store.
“Good.” The man who held me grunted, his eyes still on me. “You say anything to anyone about this and I’ll squeeze the fucking life out of you next time,” he warned as he dropped me to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
I broke into a coughing fit, gasping for air. I distantly heard their motors start up and drive away as I lay on the concrete still trying to breathe, the pain in my throat like a vise.
For a few minutes I didn’t know what to do. I just sat in the dark in complete shock. I still had no idea what had just happened. Or why. But I knew who would help me.
Who I needed.
“Chief. You close?” Cash’s voice greeted lightly.
“I need you to come.” I was still gasping for breath. It was painful to talk. “Can Em stay with Riley?” I managed.
His response was clipped but controlled. “Where are you?”
I rattled off the name of the gas station, explaining that I was behind the bathrooms.
“Are you safe?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know.” My voice was hoarse and foreign in my ears.
“Do you need an ambulance?”
I took a moment to consider his question. “No,” I managed.
“Okay, baby. Do me a favor. Is there a convenience store?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered, my eyes filling with tears as I remembered the other man walking in there. “But I don’t know what happened in there. I don’t think I want to go in there,” I whispered tearfully. What if they’d killed whoever worked there?
“Okay. Stay where you are. If the cops can get there first, call ’em. I don’t want you alone. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“They said… they said if I told anyone, they’d kill me.”
“Fuck,” he snarled. “Then you wait for me. I’m coming.” He added urgently, “Gotta call Em, get Riley sorted. Stay out of sight.”
“Okay.” I ended the call and curled into a ball on the concrete, praying he could get here soon.
****
The distant rumble of motorcycles jarred me out of the half-consciousness I’d been lying in. I was with it enough to know it was more than Cash who’d arrived. Time or the loss of adrenaline had only made my throat hurt worse.
I didn’t even have the chance to sit up before I was being lifted into familiar arms. “Fuck, baby. You’re frozen solid.”
I lay prone in his arms, so grateful to feel safe as he carried me out from behind the bathrooms into the florescent lighting of the gas station.
“Let me have a look at you,” he demanded as he sat me in the passenger side of my car. I noticed absently that Max and a man I hadn’t met flanked him, arms crossed with matching expressions of fury.
He tipped my head back gently, eyeing whatever damage was visible with barely restrained rage.
“Motherfucker,” Max swore. “What the hell happened?”
“Found the convenience store clerk tied up in the back,” X announced, joining his brothers. “Solid bump on his head. Wants to call the cops. I told him to cool it ’til we know what’s going on.”
“Robbery?” Max wondered.
Cash’s eyes remained fixed on me, waiting for my response. I shook my head, wishing it was that easy.
“I don’t understand what happened,” I croaked tearfully. “I think they were following me. They—they wanted photos. They stole my camera,” I explained, cradling my neck.
“Had you ever seen either of them before?” he demanded.
I shook my head urgently.
“What did they look like?” X pressed.
Cash held up a hand up to silence him. “No one wants this shit sorted more than I do, but I don’t want her talking now.” He turned eyes to me. “Let’s get you home. We can get this figured out once you’ve had a chance to rest.”
I clutched his forearm desperately. “I don’t think we’re safe,” I told him urgently. “Riley—”
“Riley’s safe, chief,” he assured me with a confidence I wanted desperately to believe. “She’s with Emmie at the house. Gunner, Prez, and his pop are there too. I would never have left her otherwise.”
I breathed a small sigh of relief, knowing that was true.
“The house is secure,” he continued firmly.
“Prolly why they were following her,” X muttered. “Couldn’t get to her otherwise.”
Cash shot him a look I could only take to mean for him to shut up as he guided me to face forward in the seat and pulled the seat belt over my lap. “Max, get one of the guys to come get my bike.” Without waiting for a response, he shut my door and strode to the driver seat.
He looked impossibly huge behind the wheel of my car as he started the motor and pulled out of the gas station that I now associated with hell on earth.
I breathed a sigh of relief I didn’t realize I’d been holding as we pulled away.
His large hand cupped my thigh, squeezing firmly while his other guided the wheel with an easy confidence I found deeply soothing.
I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew, the car was coming to a stop. I stared blearily out the window at the house, thinking for a split second that my nan would be in there waiting with a hot cup of tea like she always used to.
Or a glass of bourbon when I really needed it, like tonight.
“She would have liked you,” I murmured hoarsely.
“Who?” he asked gently.
I turned to face him, admiring his strong jaw and gorgeous eyes in the moonlight. “My nan.”
He reached out and gently slid his knuckles over my cheek. “She did like me, baby.”
“You met?” I whispered in surprise. My rough voice sounded foreign in my ears, but I really wanted to hear more.
He smiled. “Once. At the grocery store. I helped her with her bags and she asked if I was single.”
“What about my grandpa?” I demanded.
He chuckled. “Well the man had been dead for about two decades by then, babe. But I think she had you in mind when she asked,” he explained with a knowing smile.
“Oh.” I grappled with that. “Well then, she must have seen in you what I do.”
“What’s that?” he asked, his voice an octave deeper than it had been before.
I looked into his eyes. “A man you open your heart to. A man you tie your life to, that you let your child love, that you allow yourself to love as well.”
He swallowed hard, his hands flexing as if he didn’t know what to do with them. “You love me?” he managed hoarsely.
“I do,” I replied. “And not because you rode to my rescue tonight,” I was quick to convey. “I could have rescued myself. I’ve been doing that long enough.” It was important to me that he understood that. Despite how much it hurt to talk, I wanted to get it all out. I needed to. “It’s because of the man you are. Because of your heart. You’ve become so central to my life, I couldn’t imagine going through anything of even the smallest consequence without wanting you to know about it. Without wanting you by my side. It’s why I was going to tell you before this all happened
tonight that I want you to stay in bed with me. All night. No more sneaking down to the couch. It’s time for Ri to know what we are to each other.”
“Would have slept on that damn couch for as long as it took,” he ground out. “And Layla, I love the hell out of you too. Could share all the reasons why, but baby, that would take all night and I need to get you inside.”
I realized then that this had been a hell of a time to spring that on him.
“Okay,” I agreed. “I’m ready.” I put my hand on the handle, ready to step out of the car.
“Wait for me,” he demanded quietly.
I nodded, knowing he needed this, and watched as he hoisted his muscular frame out of the car, coming alongside my door. He opened it, holding a hand to me. I took it, the calluses so familiar in my grip as he helped me up.
“Everyone’s still here?” I asked warily. I hated the idea of being a spectacle.
“They are,” he confirmed. “Riley’s asleep. Emmie texted a little while ago.”
“Is she okay? Was she upset?” I worried.
He squeezed my hand. “She’s okay,” he assured me as we walked through the door.
Emmie rushed over immediately, wrapping me in a hug. “God, Layla, are you okay?” she demanded, pulling back from me to look me over.
“I’m okay,” I replied, wanting to assure her as she looked at me, her eyes shining with concern.
I looked past her shoulder, finding Gunner and two older men in the living room keeping their distance, likely to give me some space.
“Layla, this is our prez, Cole,” Cash introduced quietly, gesturing to the gorgeous blond man with striking blue eyes who I knew was Grace’s father. “And his pop, Cal,” he continued. “Cal was our prez before Cole,” he explained, gesturing to the older man who, despite having to be in his seventies, was still a strikingly handsome man.
“Hi. Thank you for coming,” I replied, determined to maintain my manners despite feeling like I could collapse with the nearest breeze.
“Know you’re tired, darlin’,” Cole said as though reading my mind. “But we want to hear about what happened while it’s still fresh in your mind. That all right?”
I looked up at Cash, and at his nod, agreed. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“Come sit down, baby,” Cash coaxed, guiding me toward to couch.
“I’ll make you some tea,” Emmie said, rushing off to the kitchen.
I sat on the couch with Cash at my side as Cole took a seat on the edge of the coffee table in front of me, Gunner and Cal standing behind him. Despite their best intentions, they made for an intimidating trio.
I shared what had happened at the gas station, including even the smallest details. At the mention of the motorcycles, Cash and Cole shared a look.
“Can you describe these men?” Cole wanted to know.
I nodded. “The one who went into the store I didn’t see as well. He had dark hair and eyes. Tattoos on his hands, I think? It was dark. The man who, um….” I touched my neck reflexively as Cash’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. “He was big. He had long hair tied in a ponytail and a spiderweb tattoo on his temple.”
Cole looked at Gunner before his gaze turned to Cash. “Either of them sound familiar to you?”
At their head shakes, Cal spoke up. “Black Riders used to have tattoos like that back in the day. The new recruits stopped that trend over the years, but it’s a bit too much of a coincidence to ignore.”
“Fuck,” Cole swore. “We haven’t had any issue with them in years.”
“Thought with their new leadership, these days were done,” Cal grunted.
I wondered what the story was there but was too tired to press.
“Why would they want your camera so bad?” Gunner wanted to know.
“That’s the thing.” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “I have no idea. I shoot buildings for a living. Other than for my clients, there’s nothing of interest in them.”
“You might have captured something you don’t even realize,” Cash put in. “And obviously someone thinks so, because that must be who broke in here,” he added, putting the pieces together.
“My camera was with me most of the day of the break-in,” I murmured. “And today, they got my camera, but I’d just uploaded everything to my computer so that’s really what they would have wanted.”
“So, they still don’t have shit,” Cole concluded.
“And we’re still in danger.” I swallowed as Cash pulled me closer.
“We need to look at those pictures,” Gunner said firmly and was met with nods of agreement around the room.
I nodded. “I can pull everything up on my computer.” I was already rising to do just that.
“You’re too tired to start that tonight, chief,” Cash murmured, taking my hands as he looked up at me, worry clear in his gaze.
“I’m not tired.” Gunner grunted. “Set me up.”
Cash shot him a look of gratitude as Emmie set my tea in front of me. “I’ll make you some coffee,” she told Gunner.
He looked over at her, something flashing in his gaze before he nodded once in thanks.
Someday I was determined to get to the bottom of what was going on with those two.
But not tonight.
Tonight I was going to get Gunner squared away in my office. I was going to look in on my girl just to watch her breathe. And I was going to collapse into bed, safe in my man’s arms.
Chapter 15
CASH
“Mama?” Riley’s quiet call had me rousing from a fitful sleep. Layla had crashed right after I put her to bed, but I’d stayed awake a long time just watching her sleep, my gaze locked on the bruises around her neck. I lay awake imagining all the ways I’d end the man who’d dared put his hands on her. She’d been restless all night, and I ached to ease her. Every sigh she’d made in her sleep, every twitch had me waking to make sure she was okay.
It killed me that I’d let her talk me out of having a man on her. I should have gone with my instincts, which had screamed something was all wrong about the break-in. I hadn’t wanted to push too hard, knowing she was already dealing with so much change. I wouldn’t be making the same mistake again.
“Come here, Ri,” I murmured, wincing at how hoarse my voice sounded. I didn’t want to scare her. She’d never found me in bed with her mama.
I was surprised at how dutifully she moved to my side of the bed, as though it was perfectly natural.
“You okay?” I whispered, not wanting to wake Layla.
“I can’t sleep.” Her attempt at a whisper was so loud I had to bite back a smile. She was so earnest, her luminous blue eyes staring at me intently.
“You want to crawl in?” I offered, wondering if she’d go for it. I was in seriously uncharted waters.
She surprised me by nodding readily, as though she’d been waiting for the invitation, reaching for my hand and pulling herself up.
She snuggled in between us, stealing most of my pillow. “Will you stay all night this time?” she whispered hopefully.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You usually go down to the couch,” she stated, as though it was obvious.
Well, shit. Clearly nothing got past this kid.
“You want me to stay?” I verified.
“Yeah.” She yawned, already drifting back into sleep.
Trust was hard won with the West women, and I knew I wasn’t all the way there yet. But with Layla’s earlier confession and Riley’s quiet request, I felt as though I was close to working my way into their hearts the same way they’d settled into mine.
With that hope, I was able to drift into a fitful sleep.
“You want pancakes?” I asked Riley far too early the next morning. I’d slept like shit with her wrapped around me like a tiny octopus. Even so, it was the best night’s sleep I’d ever had.
“Yeah,” she chirped happily as she sat at the bar, swinging her legs back and forth.
I put the coffe
e on, glad Layla was still sleeping but knowing she’d need it when she woke up.
When Gunner stumbled out of Layla’s office, I held up a mug for him. I wasn’t surprised he’d stayed. Once Gunner had a problem to solve, he was like a dog with a bone. He was also a damn good friend.
“Uncle Gunny, did you stay here?” Riley exclaimed. I wondered when the hell he’d become uncle.
“Hi, peanut,” he greeted, tweaking her nose and accepting the cup of coffee I handed him. “I did. Had some stuff to work on.”
“How about some Sesame Street, Ri?” I offered, knowing I needed to distract her while I caught up with Gun.
Her squeal of delight was all the response I needed, and I quickly had her zoned in while I returned to the griddle, my attention on Gun.
“What’d you find out?”
“Shit’s fucked,” he muttered. “Took me a while to find the photos we need.”
“What did you find?” I pressed impatiently.
“Looks like she captured some sort of payout between one of the Black Riders and a suit. Rider looks to be pretty low level, so it’s possible those two were acting alone.”
“Who’s the suit?” I pressed.
He rubbed a hand over his closely shorn hair. “Fucking assistant DA Grant Palmer,” he muttered.
It took a second for that to sink in. “Holy shit. You’re telling me the assistant DA is on the take?”
“That’s what it looks like,” he confirmed. “Probably has some deal with the Riders to keep them out of jail. It’s obvious why Layla wasn’t aware of anything,” he added, pausing to take a sip of his coffee. “Assholes were way off in the distance. Probably didn’t even know she was there until someone tipped them off that she was taking photos.”
“Probably whoever got her the gig,” I muttered. “I’ll find out.”
He nodded. “Ironic fucking thing is, if they hadn’t gotten wind someone was there takin’ photos, it would’ve come to nothing. She wouldn’t have known she had anything to begin with. How do you want to play this?”
“I want to get with Cole. Riders need to know Layla belongs to me. She should be off-limits if they’re gonna respect the deal Cal made all those years ago. They don’t want a war on their hands with us. As for the ADA, I don’t give a shit if he’s crooked. I just want him to back the fuck off. If we have to deal with him too, so be it.”
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