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“I heard you talking. Your president is coming,” she said.

“Monster won’t hurt you,” Mayhem promised.

“You can’t promise that,” she said.

“Yes, I can,” he insisted.

“You don’t know me. You don’t know what those men want or what they’ll do to get me back.” Her breathing accelerated. “What if your president decides I’m too much trouble?”

“He won’t,” Mayhem promised.

“How can you be so sure?” she asked.

“Because Monster’s an asshole, but he doesn’t hand women over to men who beat them,” Riot said as he entered the room behind Mayhem. Delaney watched him warily. Mayhem hated that he noticed the difference in the way she looked at them. She clung to Mayhem because he was familiar. But she studied Riot with cautious curiosity.

Riot moved to the far side of the room and crouched, bringing himself closer to her eye level.

“You don’t know us,” he said. “Right now, all you have is Mayhem’s word. That isn’t worth much because he looks like he eats hitchhikers.”

Delaney’s lips twitched, and Mayhem crossed his arms over his chest. “Helpful.”

“But he brought you here instead of leaving you on that road,” Riot continued. “That tells you more about him than anything he could say,” Riot pointed out. Delaney looked at Mayhem, and he shifted nervously beneath her attention. Riot was the only man alive who could peel away Mayhem’s armor with a few careless words.

“Our president will want to know who came into our territory,” Riot said. “He’ll ask questions, but you don’t have to answer tonight. You can lock the bedroom door and get some rest. Mayhem and I will stay outside.”

“You’ll both stay?” she asked.

Riot glanced at Mayhem with the same question in his beautiful blue eyes. It was more than a question about guarding a door. Mayhem heard the unspoken meaning behind his stare. Are you going to push me away again?

He was tired of saying yes to that question. “Both of us,” Mayhem confirmed.

Delaney nodded. “All right.” Mayhem lifted her from the table after receiving permission. She settled against him more easily this time, resting her head near his shoulder. Riot walked beside them as they crossed the clubhouse. Mayhem could feel his presence without looking over at him. He had always been aware of Riot that way—like a second heartbeat occupying the same space.

They took Delaney upstairs to one of the private rooms reserved for visiting club members. Riot changed the sheets while Mayhem held her. Then he found a clean shirt and sweatpants in the clubhouse laundry.

“I’ll help her change,” Blitz announced as she entered with Monster behind her. Delaney stiffened when she saw the president’s patch on Monster’s vest. Monster noticed and remained outside the room. Blitz gently introduced herself before closing the door. Mayhem and Riot stood together in the hall.

Monster looked from one of them to the other. “Someone want to explain why Vex called and said Mayhem brought home a half-dead woman?”

“I found her along Route Nine,” Mayhem said. “Five men were searching for her.”

“Who were they?” Monster asked.

“Don’t know yet,” Mayhem said.

Riot handed Monster his phone. “I’m pulling footage from the gate and traffic cameras along the highway. If their vehicles passed anywhere near here, I’ll find them.”

Monster studied him. “You’re involved too?” he asked.

Riot’s gaze briefly shifted toward the closed bedroom door. “Looks that way.” Mayhem should have objected. Instead, relief moved through him. Monster caught the exchange. The bastard always noticed too much.

“Is this going to become another problem between you two?” he asked.

“No,” Mayhem said.

“Yes,” Riot answered at the same time.

Monster rubbed one hand down his face. “Wonderful.”