My hand shakes as I point to the dark space.
River glances between me and the darkness, his brow creasing as he studies me. I suck in a shuddering breath as he lifts me, carrying me over to the car and placing me down into the warm seat. He shrugs his coat off, wrapping it around my shaking limbs as I fight to catch my breath. River drops down to crouch beside me, his hands stroking my hair back. “Are you hurt? I don’t want to leave you, so I need to make a call if we’re going to catch him. And the rules are a little different here, since it’s not our area.”
Before he does it to anyone else. “I’m not hurt.”
River’s already dialling, his hand still stroking my cheek and his eyes not leaving mine. “Aiden. You have an attacker around Lefferts Street. Tried to drag my girl into the trash area halfway down. Two minutes ago.”
He listens, and I catch his attention, my breathing settling. “Brown beanie hat. Fifties. White. Grey fingerless gloves and a puffer jacket with a patch on the right side.”
River’s eyebrows fly up. “You get that? Yeah. Right side.”
“And a possible broken nose. I hit him pretty hard.”
A small, proud smile tips up the side of River’s mouth that makes me smile back, even though I’m still shaking. “That’s right. My girl is a bigger badass than yours, asshole. Tell your scary twin not to kill me for saying it. Or Alyss, for that matter.”
He hangs up without another word, still touching me. I need the reassurance as much as he does.
“Who was that?”
“Aiden is part of the Hearts. He deals with things like this. His guys will get here much quicker, since it’s their territory. The Hearts will get him, Briar. They have no appetite to leave men like that on the streets.”
Good. I pull River’s coat up. “Thank you for coming.”
If he hadn’t—
I see the same awareness on his face. “Always call me. I don’t care if you think I’m busy. I don’t care if we’ve argued, or if Jenson’s being a dick. I don’t give a fuck what the circumstances are, Briar. Promise me that you’ll call any of us if you’re ever in trouble, baby.”
When I nod, he loosens a breath. “Okay. I want you away from here.”
He closes my door, and I shrink beneath his coat, shamelessly soaking in the warmth as he slides into the driver’s seat less than a minute later. He hands me my phone, tossing my heels into his backseat. “They were on the ground.”
His voice is dark, and I search for something to distract him. “What happened to your other ten layers?”
River’s lips tip up, but he still looks strained. I curl up in the seat, watching as he pulls out.
When my body starts to shake again, I huddle under the coat.
I’m fine. I got away. “Where are we going?”
“Ravenhall. Unless you want to go home?”
“Ravenhall is good.” His knuckles are white on the wheel. “I’m okay, River.”
Cautiously, I slide my hand out, placing it on his thigh. He lets out a shuddering breath. “I thought I was going to be too late. God, I nearly was.”
One hand covers mine, the other on the wheel. “I haven’t felt so scared for a long time.”
I grip his fingers. “I’m sorry—,”
“Briar,” he says heavily. “Don’t apologize. Not for assholes like that.”
He lifts my hand, pressing his lips to the pulse in my wrist. “Let’s get you back.”
Cautiously, I consider what might be waiting at Ravenhall. “Could we…nottell Jenson about this?”
He slides me an incredulous look. “You don’t think he already knows? I messaged him and Kai as I was leaving. They’re on their way back.”
At my crestfallen look, he finally looks amused. “You signed on for all three of us, baby. You’re getting all three.”
