They stop.
They look at Cole and wait.
He gives a single, sharp nod toward the exit and then tosses James onto the ground.
The officers move, swarming James, dragging him away from Xander and Cole. They slap cuffs on him while he screams about lawsuits and rights, hauling him out of the room like a sack of garbage.
The crowd gives the Savage Six—and Gabriel—a wide berth. They look terrified.
I look at my husband. He adjusts his cufflinks, completely unbothered by the attempted stabbing or his friend’s desire to paint the stage red.
"You okay?" he asks, his hand finding my waist.
"I'm fine," I say, my heart rate finally starting to slow. "Your friends are unhinged."
He grins and it makes him look younger. “Yeah."
We walk down the stairs into the stunned silence of the room. Everyone seems to be in a state of shock over all the revelations here tonight and then the tiny show of force from two of the Savage Six. Gabriel is pulled over to where Cohen and Beckett Fitzpatrick are talking with Cole, leaving me alone, but thankfully I’m away from the crowd since I’ve edged my way to the outside of the room near the lobby.
Ryder stands alone in the middle of the dance floor.
He looks between the doors where his father—hisrealfather—was just dragged out, and the crowd all around him. His face is pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He looks like a child who just realized someone took his favorite toy.
And then his eyes land on me.
He pushes through the crowd, pushing and shoving his way toward me with red-tinted cheeks and a glare on his face that could melt an iceberg.
"Blair," he snaps as he approaches me.
I stand my ground and lift my chin even as exhaustion is starting to weigh me down.
"You did this," he mutters, shaking his head. "You ruined everything."
“Whatever, Ryder. It’s not my fault you don’t know how to treat people or take responsibility for your actions.”
He steps closer like he's going to grab me, but then he just... stops. The fury drains out of him so fast it's almost disturbing to watch. His shoulders slump. His hands drop to his sides.
"He's not my dad," Ryder says, a sob ripping out of his chest as his demeanor changes from pissed off to devastated in the blink of an eye. "My whole life... it’s a lie. I have nothing. It’s all gone."
I almost feel bad for this asshole.
Almost.
Then I remember the car screeching against mine. I remember the cold air rushing in as my windshield shattered. I remember the fear.
Ugh. Fuck him.
"I know," I say.
"Blair, please..." He reaches a hand out, like he thinks I might help him. Like he thinks I’m still the doormat he used to wipe his feet on. "Help me. Talk to him. Tell him to give me another chance."
I throw my hands up. Then I take a deep breath. “No, I’m not going to do that. You made your choices," I say, stepping closer until I’m right in his face. "You chose to be cruel. You chose to be a thief. You chose to try and kill me for some unknown fucking reason."
Gabriel steps up behind me. He doesn't touch me, but I feel him. He’s a wall of heat at my back, radiating a silent, deadly threat. Then his fingers come up and grip the back of my neck, his thumb rubbing the side of my throat affectionately.
Ryder flinches when he sees Gabriel, and he takes a step back.
"Help me," Ryder begs, looking between us. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I wasn't... I wasn't thinking."
