Harm's Way: Riot MC Biloxi Karen Renee (top non fiction books of all time .txt) 📖

“Revenge. Porn. What in the fuck is that, Stephanie?”

My head tilted a touch because I couldn’t believe he needed me to explain it. “Exactly what it sounds like.”

He blinked. “You let the jackass who cleaned you out film a sex tape with you?”

I shook my head and willed myself to stay calm. That first reaction was the go-to reaction of all men (and my mother at the time, but that’s another story): that somehow I let this shit happen to me. Not that my power was stripped, that this shit could happen without my knowledge.

“I misspoke. It isn’t exactly what it sounds like. He took pictures of me without my knowledge. We lived together and all that comes with that. I fell asleep with the light on once afterward. He took his pictures then, as far as I know.”

His anger showed no signs of diminishing. “How does that become pornography?”

I sighed. “When I caught on to his skimming and ruining my credit, I kicked him out. He didn’t like that, but I had tossed all his shit out and he went. Thought that’d be the end of it, but a week later I found out how wrong I was.”

His brows raised when I paused.

“He posted the pictures on dedicated revenge porn sites, then started a fake dating profile under my name. Used my personal information and at least one of the nude pictures. My phone blew up with texts, calls, and I had to call the cops against a guy who came to my door.”

“A stranger came to your door? Are you shitting me?”

I shook my head, tears welling in my eyes at the memories. “I’m not. And it got worse before it ever got better.”

“How?”

I pressed my lips together. “I had to move. There was no way around it. He sent the pictures to my boss at the time. And I lost my job. I should’ve filed a lawsuit about that, but that required more money I didn’t have. With no job, my credit in the shitter, random creepy-ass men showing up at my door, I had to move in with Mom. By then Suzy was living with her to take care of her, but Mom...” I shook my head. “Let’s just say she wasn’t that supportive or understanding.”

“Jesus. What mother wouldn’t be supportive of her daughter?”

“The one who said I shouldn’t have been living with him out of wedlock. The one who thought I was an idiot on top of being a floozy, because it was around that same time I realized Wycliffe wasn’t his real name. I couldn’t even press charges against him because I had no way to track his ass down.”

He stared at me and I watched the anger seep out of his eyes and concern replaced it. “You reported it anyway though, right?”

I nodded. “For all the good it did me. The officer who took my statement didn’t say it outright, but I sensed he wondered why I would let this guy take my pictures and shit. Like asking why this asshole would do such a thing didn’t concern him.”

“Come here.”

His body was still strung tight and I didn’t trust that.

“I am here. I’m right here, Michael.”

His eyes blazed at me for a moment. “You got tears welling in your eyes, and you just laid some serious shit on me. You need to come here, Stephanie.”

I bit my upper lip while I deliberated.

A low sound like a growl came from his chest and I moved to him. Once I was within arm’s reach, he wrapped me in the tightest bear-hug I’d ever had. His head went straight to my neck and he kissed me there before he murmured, “Christ. I’m sorry you went through all that shit, and I can’t believe your mother—”

“She was terminally ill by then—”

He pulled his head out of my neck to look down at me. “Doesn’t matter. You’re her daughter.” His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking near my eye, forcing a tear out. “She should’ve been there for you. Done whatever she could, ill or not. Hell, she was like that when shit hit the fan, I can’t even think how she treated you day-to-day.”

My forehead hit his chest and he squeezed me again.

“Thanks, honey.”

His hand at my cheek gently guided my face back. When his eyes caught mine, he smiled. “You’re welcome.”

My brows furrowed. “Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?”

He grinned. “Because I want to point out something and ask something. You reported him to the cops, which you should have, no doubt. But because he’s a slippery fuck, the cops can’t catch him, right?”

I nodded, my lips pursed with anger.

His hand slid down to my neck while his chin dipped. “Shit like that is why I’m part of the Riot. Most of us don’t believe in the system or have been let down by the system. I know you think you’ve put this asshole behind you, but I want everything you have on him.”

My head tilted. “What?”

His eyes blazed again. “You heard me. Get me what you have. Who you reported him to, what bank you used, all of that shit.”

“Why?” I whispered.

An impatient look crossed his face. “Because you’re mine. He fucked with you, and if I can, I’m doing something about it.”

Har

WHEN STEPHIE ASKED ‘why,’ he almost said because he loved her. But, he didn’t love any woman besides his mother and his sister – for all the good that did him. His sister wasn’t talking to him and his mother walked on eggshells around him.

After he told her he was going to do something about it, her face paled and she looked as skittish as a rabbit. Hard to say what pissed him off more, that look on her face or hearing what that asshole did to her. No wonder she didn’t trust him. And no wonder she thought she had to pay the price for going after what she wanted.

She shook her head. “You really