“Use it,” he says.“Because they will.”
Silence falls again.
Tension so thick it feels like humidity on the skin.
Finally, Stunt straightens.“Go.Get back to her.”
Chux nods.“Take the evidence.Take Nitro on tail detail.And Riot?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t let anyone near her who doesn’t bleed Kings.”
My throat works.“I won’t.”
I take the evidence bags, shove them under my arm, and storm back toward the safe house..
The lights glow soft through the evening sky.The rain has started soft at first, then thick, pounding sheets that hammer the roof and drown out the fear in my chest.
When I swing the door open, Kelly jumps slightly on the couch where she’s curled under a blanket.
Her eyes widen at my expression.“Ledger?”
I stop.
The whole world stops.She’s in one of my old hoodies, too big, sleeves covering her hands, and her hair is messy from running her fingers through it in worry.
Her eyes are wide.Soft.Terrified.But knowing.
She inhales slowly.“It’s bad, isn’t it?”
I close the door behind me and lock it.
Then I drop the evidence on the table.
Her gaze flicks to it but she doesn’t move.
She watchesme.Like she’s memorizing my face.Like she remembers something she hasn’t told me yet.
“Riot?”she whispers.“Talk to me.”
I cross the room in three long strides.
I sit down beside her, closer than I should, until our knees touch.
I take her hands gently, slowly, giving her time to pull away.
She doesn’t.“Kelly,” I state it direct, “they didn’t hit you because of who you are.”
She blinks.“What do you mean?”
“They hit you because of who I am.”
Silence thickens around us.
“What?”she whispers.
“They wanted me,” I tell her the truth.“And they used you to send a message that they could get to me.”
