He straightened, tilting his head toward the door leading to the offices. “Yeah, he’s tied up in a meeting with a client. Might be a while. Why, what’s up?”
I shrugged. “I was gonna grab us lunch.”
Piston grinned. “I’ll let him know if he comes looking.”
“Thanks.” I flashed him a quick smile, already heading for the door.
I ordered online from my phone so it would be ready, then hopped into my Mustang. The drive was quick, but the parking lot was pretty full, so I had to snag a spot toward the back. After picking up the bags, I headed back to the car with the smell of the burrito bowls making my mouth water.
I was almost to the Mustang when three big, scary-looking guys stepped out from between two parked cars, blocking my path.
The tallest one smiled, but there was no warmth. “Riley Mercer. You’ve been a real pain in the ass for our friend Shawn.”
I took a step back, my pulse roaring in my ears. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cute.” The one on the left chuckled. “Here’s the deal. You turn yourself in. Keep your mouth shut about everything you think you know. Or we’ll make sure you regret it.”
The third man cracked his knuckles, his eyes cold. “Clock’s ticking. Make the smart choice. We won’t be nice if we have to come back.”
I felt sick, and my hands shook so badly I nearly dropped the food. I backed up until I felt the car behind me, fumbling for the door handle.
The jerks laughed at my discomfort, and I scrambled into the Mustang, locked the doors, and peeled out of the parking lot as fast as I could. My stomach churned the whole way back to The Pit.
By the time I parked, I was barely holding it together. Luckily, I made it inside The Pit before my stomach finally rebelled.
I dropped the takeout bag on the nearest workbench and bolted for the bathroom, barely reaching the toilet before I threw up. My hands shook as I gripped the seat, the threats from those men echoing in my head.
I didn’t even hear Ryot come in until I felt his warm hand gently gathering my hair away from my face. He knelt behind me, rubbing slow circles on my back as I finished throwing up.
When I was done, he helped me stand, flushed the toilet, and handed me a damp paper towel to wipe my face.
His jaw was tight, eyes dark with concern. “Better?”
“Yeah. Breakfast didn’t sit well, and I’m starving.” I let out a shaky laugh. “And my trip to grab lunch didn’t go so well.”
Ryot cupped my face, his thumb stroking my cheek as he searched my eyes. “Talk to me, Riley. What happened?”
I hated dragging him into this even more, but I’d promised to trust him. So I told him everything, and his expression darkened with every word. By the time I finished, fury was rolling off him in waves.
He pulled me against his chest for a tight hug, then took my hand. “Come on. We’re going to the clubhouse. Right now.”
The thought of getting back into a car made my stomach roll again, but I nodded because I trusted him with my safety. “Okay.”
Holding my arm, he guided me outside and over to the passenger side of the Mustang. Proving how rattled I was, I didn’t even argue about him driving my baby.
After getting me settled, he circled the car, climbed into the driver’s seat, and pulled out his phone. “I’m gonna send a message to Jax so he can pull up security video of the assholes who dared to threaten you.”
He fired off a quick text and then looked down and saw the key still in the ignition. A muscle jumped in his jaw at the proof of how freaked out I’d been when I parked.
He reached out to squeeze my hand. “It’s gonna be okay, baby.”
Ryot didn’t let go the entire drive to the compound. The second we walked into the clubhouse, he led me straight to Jax’s office, where he was already at his bank of monitors.
Jax looked up as we entered, grimacing when he saw my face. “Got the video pulled up already. Matches what we’ve already dug up. These guys work for underground gambling financiers. They bankroll racers, fix races, loan money at insane rates, and collect debts when people can’t pay. Real nasty crowd.”
“Fucking hell,” Ryot growled.
Jax leaned back in his chair. “My guess? Shawn ran straight to them after your little visit. Told them where to find Riley instead of turning himself in like you demanded.”
