Page 10

Chapter ten

I haven’t heard from Steel since the text he sent me this morning. It’s not like it’s unusual, but with everything going on, I thought for sure I’d hear from him more. I guess it’s just me once again being stupid and waiting for something from him that I shouldn’t be.

Will I ever learn?

It doesn’t seem like I will.

Reva had me upstairs working again, but I didn’t take my pain medicine this morning, so when I started hurting, she sent me to the apartment and told me to get some rest. I’ve been here since, but I’m about to go out of my mind. I’m not used to being cooped up and not seeing the outside. It’s getting to me quicker than I thought it would. I’m also missing my camera. It’s like an extension of me, and not having it feels weird. I’m itching to grab some shots of the girls dancing. Just for them, obviously, but the pictures would be so fucking hot and give them even more confidence than they already have.

I’m startled when my phone rings, and I glance around, trying to remember where I set it down earlier. When I spot it on the kitchen counter, I groan and almost cry because I don’t know if I have the energy to make it in there.

I let out a cry of frustration when it stops ringing before I get to it, but then it lights up and my ringtone starts playing again. Steel’s name dances on the screen, and it kind of makes me a little happy inside, even though I don’t want it to.

“Hey,” I answer breathlessly.

“Hey.”

My eyebrows furrow at the restrained anger in his voice. “Is everything okay?”

“Your brother called me.”

I swallow. “Yeah?”

“You said the reason you came to me was that you wanted to protect him. Riskin’ my place with my fuckin’ club because of that, and you told him anyway. Why the hell am I doin’ that if you were just goin’ to let him fuckin’ know anyway? Help me understand this, Bailee, because right now, I’m not feelin’ it. Right now, I’m feelin’ like I’m betrayin’ my brothers for nothing. Your brother’s money would have a better chance at protectin’ you than I would.”

“Because I knew he would lose his mind if he didn’t hear from me before long. Ever since all that stuff with our father, Reed’s been extremely overprotective. He’d be tearing this whole state apart searching for me if I hadn’t. I felt like that would put him in more danger, so I had to make a choice, Steel. I did what I could to protect you both. I knew my brother wouldn’t say anything to anyone if I told him what was going on. He knows you’re protecting me, and he knows what’s at stake for both of us if he says something to anyone about what happened.” I sigh. “Look, we both want this over with as quickly as possible so we can move on with our lives. If we have Reed, Emmy Lou, and Willow on it, we have a better chance of that happening. You wanted to call Em and Willow anyway, Steel. How is this any different?”

“Said you wanted to protect your brother, and that’s the whole reason I’m doin’ it. I understand protectin’ your family. I do it every day.” He blows out a breath. “Fuck. I don’t know. Think I’m just feelin’ guilty, babe.”

Steel is normally a quiet man. He’s fierce and loyal, and the club means everything to him. Worst case scenarios are playing with his head, and I’m an easy target.

“Hey, bossman. Listen to me. I promise I’m going to stay low and out of the Dirty Mavericks’ way anytime they show up here. I’ll do everything I can to make sure they don’t find out about me. I’m so sorry, Jericho. I’m sorry that you’re having to hide this stuff from them. I never wanted to put you in that position. You can tell them anytime you’re ready.”

“Lee, you know enough about me to know I don’t do shit that I don’t want to. Grown fuckin’ man. Have no intention of keepin’ this shit from them, especially since it involves another club. Right now, they’ve got enough shit goin’ on.”

“Is everything okay with the club?”

“Yeah, just club business. Goin’ to bring some dinner. Anything in particular you want?” he asks.

My heart races. Dinner with Steel? Man, it’s been so long since I’ve had an actual meal with him. Even then, it was never because he wanted to just spend time with me. The only reason we ate together was to sustain us so we’d keep our energy up so we could fuck as much as possible before he had to take off again, usually because Heather called and used his daughter as leverage.

“No, there’s nothing in particular I want.”

Except you.

“Be there soon, Hummingbird.”

After he hangs up, I glance around the apartment, wincing at the mess of it. Lifting my arms, I sniff myself, satisfied that I don’t seem to be as messy as my home is.

I grab the cane that Reva loaned me to help keep the pressure off my wounded leg and make my way around the apartment, picking it up as much as I can, then I head to the bedroom to freshen up quick.

I’m not sure why I give a shit. Once Steel leaves here, I’m not going to matter to him anyway. Out of sight, out of mind. Just the way it’s always been.

I’m pouring a glass of wine when Steel knocks twice then comes inside with a scowl. Someone would almost believe it’s a permanent part of his face if they’ve never seen him smile, which I’ve only been blessed with a few times myself. Even then, I don’t think it was a full-blown smile. That’s something I’d just about die to see. Because I have a feeling it’s not something he does often, and you’re blessed if he grants you one.

“Door wasn’t locked,” he says with a grunt, sitting the bags on the counter.

A loud rumble comes from my stomach as my nose catches a whiff of the delicious scent of Mexican food.

The man brought my favorite without even knowing what it was.

I take a sip from my glass and study him over the rim as he grabs paper plates from the cabinet and carries them to the living room before coming back to grab the food.

“You said I’m safe here. Why do I need it locked?” I ask.

He peers over his shoulder at me. “Can never be too safe. Enemies everywhere. Brothers also don’t know this is occupied yet, so they could easily come here for some fuckin’ reason.”

“Keep the door locked. Got it. I’m sorry, Steel. I wasn’t thinking. I just remembered you said I was safe, so nothing else crossed my mind.”

Steel’s body softens a little as he strolls over and wraps his arm around my waist. “You’re good. Just keep it locked when you’re down here.”

After he makes sure I’m settled on the couch, he scoots the coffee table closer so I’m able to reach it, then he opens the various boxes of dishes. He puts some from each container on my plate and hands it to me along with utensils and a napkin.

“Need a refill on your wine or want something else to eat?”

How did I forget this part of him? The one that makes sure I’m taken care of before setting himself up? It’s like he’s got this innate need to take care of me so he knows I’m getting everything I need. He’s willing to give me that much of himself.

I have to remember not to get caught up in all this. It’d be much easier if my stupid heart would get the freaking memo.

“A refill, please.”

He brings the bottle of wine and a beer for himself. Silence settles around the apartment as he makes his plate and then sits back, kicking his boots up onto the corner of the table, and takes a mouthful of food.

“Need to talk to you about something,” he says after washing his bite down with beer.

“I’m listening,” I say with a nod, sliding a forkful of dirty rice into my mouth.

“What do you think about handin’ the roll of film over to Wraith and the club? It’ll be a show of good faith, and he could use it to hopefully barter with Killer.”

My hand freezes in front of my mouth as his words stick in my brain. He wants me to give up the only form of protection I have? The one thing that guarantees, for now, that I keep breathing?

Food drops from my fork as my hand trembles. “Hand it over?”

Steel nods. “If Wraith has it, then we can figure out how to come at it from a club angle instead of tryin’ to be lone rangers at this. You’ll have more protection and won’t have to hide out down here from everyone except Killer and his guys.”

I stare down at my plate and push the food around, suddenly no longer hungry. It all sounds good in theory, and I know it’ll keep us from trouble with the club, but what if they choose to hand me over to Killer? What if they realize I’m not worth the war he’ll bring to the Dirty Mavericks? I’ll no longer have leverage to with. As much as I trust Steel to protect me, I’m not as familiar with the rest of his club. I don’t know what kind of men they are. Outside of Steel and Thrasher, the only time I interact with them is . . . well, I don’t really remember there being much of a time outside of any rescue attempts when my family called them. They seemed decent, but is that enough to risk my life?

Steel reaches over and tucks his finger under my chin, pulling my face around to his. “Trust me.”

“I do,” I reply quietly. “I just . . . this is my life, Steel. Right now, that film canister is the only guarantee that I’ll stay breathing. Can you give me that if we turn it over to your club?”

He opens his mouth, thinks about something, snaps it closed, only to open it again.

Shaking my head, I sigh and sit my plate on the table. “That’s what I thought. You trust your brothers, Steel, but that trust has been built over a long period of time. You’ve had time to cultivate it to where it needs to be so that you can feel safe going to war with them at your back.” I lift a shoulder before letting it fall. “I don’t have that with them. You know what happens when you betray your club. Technically, I didn’t, but all it would take is one little false whisper and Wraith would have my head on a platter.”

With a growl, Steel tosses his plate on the table next to mine, and I watch dispassionately as food flies off and onto the carpet.

Just another mess in my life I’ll have to clean up.

He runs his hand through his hair. “If you don’t trust the club, then trust me, Bailee.” His fingers move from his hair to run down my cheek. “Trust me. Know I won’t let anything happen to you, even if that means goin’ up against my own club, Hummingbird. Would kill the last human part I have left, but won’t let them hurt you for something you couldn’t control either. You didn’t plan for Killer to be out there and usin’ those woods as his own personal killin’ and burial ground. Wraith will understand all that.”

I nibble on my lip. “Are you going to tell them what’s going on? That you’re stashing me here? I know you said they had stuff going on before you stopped to grab dinner, but the way you’re pushing this makes me guess that you’ve decided to not wait any longer.”

“Shit’s still goin’ on with the club, but I’d like to be ready once that stuff is settled. Hopin’ I’ll have something before then, but the way this shit is goin’, I don’t know when the hell that’s goin’ to be. The club can only juggle so much, and right now, what they’re up against is important enough that it needs their focus.”

“I’m not sure, Steel. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s really hard to hand over the only thing that has a chance of keeping me alive. Can you give me some time to think about it?”

I remind myself that he’s risking one of the most important things, outside of his daughter, that means everything to him by keeping me a secret.

So, why am I finding it so hard to risk the one thing that means the world to me?