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All three of them turned to see Riley’s father step from the tree line, cigar jutting from his mouth, his lips peeled back in the most evil grin she’d ever seen on a man.
“You!” She pushed to her feet and tried to lunge for the man. Anger seethed so deep inside her it blinded her to the fact she wanted to kill her lover’s father.
A strong hand gripped her by the arms and shoulders.
“That’s right, keep your little hussy bitch in check or I’ll make sure she’s inside when I light the next fire.”
The next few minutes happened in a blur of motion.
Riley, covered in soot and dirt, crossed the ten feet or so between him and his father in one giant leap. Strong fingers wound around the aged throat of the man, his cigar hitting the dry grass by his feet. She was tempted to let the fire starting up burn around the pure evil and rid the world of his stain. But she knew it would hurt Riley and she protected family.
Ashwood senior sneered at his son. “You won’t do anything, boy. You’re too fucking weak like your momma.”
She didn’t see it as much as she heard the loud crunch of bone break as Riley buried his fist into his father’s face.
She pushed out of Holden’s arms and rushed to Riley, but Holden was right beside her, wrapping her in his arms. “Give him a minute, baby. Let him defend your honor.”
“My soon-to-be-wife is not a topic you will ever speak of again. Whatever feud you have with the Savages is yours, not mine.”
“Wife,” the old man spat, blood dribbling down his chin. You’re no better than trash. You’re no son of mine.”
Behind them, Jin and Rebel fought the flames but, in the distance, she saw another plume of dirt kick up from the road. Someone else was on the way.
Riley buried his hands in his father's shirt and leaned in, his voice barely above the lethal whisper she never knew he possessed.
She flinched, afraid of what Riley would do next and the stain on his soul it would leave behind. If she’d left this morning as planned none of this would be happening.
“Think you can kill your own father, boy?” But she heard the quiver in the old man’s voice. He feared the wrath he’d place in his son and had nowhere to go now that it was unleashed. “Think you can stop me from getting what I want?”
How could someone talk about their flesh and blood that way? Especially after Riley spent his whole life trying to make his father proud.
“You have no power over any of us. You can do whatever you want but that won’t change the fact that we three are an item. Married, bonded, mated...family. Whatever label you want to put on it. Something you obviously know nothing about. And for that, I truly pity you, Ashwood. The ring on her finger and baby in her belly will come soon enough.”
Beady eyes turned to her and the old man spat in her direction catching another well-aimed right hook from his son. She walked up and placed a gentle hand on Riley’s shoulder.
“You’ll never live with yourself if you hurt him, Riley. Don’t do something that will stain your soul. He’s not worth that kind of price.”
She could feel Riley’s muscles bunch and flex beneath her palm.
“You’re done for, old man. Look at her.” Riley clutched the man’s jaw and buried his hands in the matted hair and jerked his head around. “Look at her. Is this what you wanted? Bitterness, rage, and death? Because I’ll kill you and bury you out in the middle of nowhere if you ever try to harm her again. She’s done nothing but love me and you can’t stand that I found happiness without you lording over me.”
He only offered a bloody smile as his answer.
Riley pulled back and caught the old man across the jaw. “Your reign of terror over the ones you should have protected is through. Crawl back to your land and never step foot on mine again.”
The sound of a truck pulling up brought her attention around to see a tall, well-muscled white-haired man stepped out of a brown truck, handcuffs, and badge gleaming in the bright sun. He crossed the charred remains of the field in a slow gate, the fire finally under control from the looks of it.
It took all of five minutes to fill Reaper in on what went down. Watching him slap the cuffs on the man Riley called a father made her heart hurt when today was supposed to be a good day. After their lovemaking session, she’d hit a whole never-before-reached level of pleasure with her men and now…
She let out a deep, rattling sigh. Her head pounded and the vision in one eye was a little wonky.
Reaper knelt beside Ashwood where he’d fallen to his knees and leveled his pale gaze on Riley’s father. “You’ve lost more than a son today, Ashwood. You lost your entire future. What you could have shared with a loving family. To your feet.”
He hauled the heavy man up. “When you go to your grave take the knowledge your hatred did nothing but tear a hole in your family’s heart.”
Warm arms caught her around the middle and pulled her close. The smell of pine mixed with blood surrounded her. Riley’s scent filled her nostrils as she dragged in air rapidly. He had her wrapped in his arms and his heart raced beneath her palms. “You know how to keep the excitement going, baby girl. You scared me and Holden today. Let me see your head.” Riley spoke as if nothing had happened between him and his father. Everyone dealt with disappointment and fear differently, she supposed.
“Ya know, umm, I don’t feel so good.” The ground rolled under her feet and the edges of her vision turned black.
