Page 34 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)

T-Bone

T he clubhouse was pure chaos for the past hour and a half.

The women were surprised to find us returning not just with a little girl but her mother as well, and they rushed over doing what women do when someone is in need.

They hovered close by, asking what they could do to help while also doing shit Chloe hadn’t even asked for.

They moved into action with military precision, splitting into teams to gather clothes, food, toiletries, toys, and a bunch of other shit none of us would’ve thought to get for them.

Chloe, for her part, seemed shell-shocked by the outpouring of help and sympathy.

The hand that clutched Gemma close slowly loosened as she grew a little more comfortable around the women.

She never stopped looking around the clubhouse, making sure she could see and identify each and every man she spotted.

Wide green eyes darted to the door every damn time it opened and each time she deflated.

Faith wasn’t back. Yet.

“Let me show you where you girls will be sleeping.” I placed a hand on Chloe’s shoulder and turned her towards the door that led to the back of the clubhouse.

Her eyes grew impossibly wider. “We’re staying here?”

I nodded. “For now, it’s safer.” We still had no fucking clue where Blade or any of the Ghost Riders were, so we were heading into lockdown until we did.

Faith still hadn’t returned, and I was just as worried as Chloe.

“She’s not back yet.”

“No,” I sighed. “She’s not, but we’ve got guys out there looking for her.” I hadn’t checked in with Slate yet for a status update because I felt personally responsible for Chloe and Gemma. “I’ll get an update once we get you two settled.”

Chloe nodded but she wasn’t convinced. “You think she’s okay?”

I nodded even though I had no fucking clue. “Your sister is a very capable woman. If anyone can hold her own with these assholes, it’s her.”

“You cuss a lot,” Gemma said before a yawn cracked her little face wide open.

I laughed. “Yeah, I do. But I’m a grownup so I can cuss a lot.” I winked to make her feel better, knowing what I did about her upbringing, and she blushed furiously.

“It’s been too long, right?” Chloe bit down on her bottom lip, tears welling in her eyes as she waited for me to reassure her. “It’s been at least two hours, probably four.” She did the mental calculations of distance and shuddered. “This is my fault.”

“It’s not. You did exactly what you needed to do to keep Gemma safe. Don’t ever apologize for that.” My tone was harsh and serious, but I didn’t want to scare her.

“Okay.” Her voice came out as a stammer, and she nodded. “Okay.”

“Good. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something.” I opened the door beside the room where Faith and I had been staying, showed them around and closed the door behind me, assuming they needed a few minutes to decompress.

Hell, I needed a few minutes, but I knew I wouldn’t have any peace until I laid eyes on Faith.

I don’t know what the fuck she was thinking, going off on her own, taking on the Ghost Riders by herself.

That’s not true, I knew exactly what she was thinking and that’s what made it so fucking impossible to be mad at her.

Faith thought she was protecting me and Gemma, but she never stopped to think about protecting herself.

“Fuck.” I dug my knuckles into my eyes in an effort to wipe away all of the worse than worst scenarios running through my mind.

Blade was half-crazed on a good day, and the past few weeks were anything but good.

He’d kill Faith just to satisfy his bloodlust, especially because the stubborn woman would never give him what he wanted.

I made my way to the front where the women were dividing up things for Gemma and Chloe and the brothers were talking among themselves, beers in hand. “Anybody heard from Hawk?”

“Worried about your girl?” Pike smirked from where he leaned against a pool table, bottle of whiskey in hand. He was still grieving, I knew that, but I wouldn’t hesitate to lay him out if he said another fucking word.

“Yeah,” I said seriously. “I am worried.” The clubhouse fell silent and it felt like all eyes were on me and Pike. We were more than best friends, we were brothers.

His smirk faded. “Oh shit.” He sat up taller, his gaze grew wider and wider. “You like her.”

“More than like her,” Gio muttered loudly, earning him a smack from his woman.

“Her? A cop?” Pike wasn’t a bad guy, and I knew that. He was hurting. “For real?”

I nodded, reluctant to say it out loud because I wasn’t sure I even fucking knew what I was feeling other than raw, desperate need.

Was that love? I didn’t know but I knew I wasn’t ready to walk away from her, from whatever the fuck this was between us.

Now I just need her to be okay. “Yeah man, for real.”

His gaze stayed locked on mine for a long damn time and then he nodded without a word. It was as close to approval as I’d get from him while he grieved his sister and I accepted it.

Suddenly, the front door smacked open, the loud sound so abrupt several of us turned and pulled our weapons out in anticipation of trouble. A grunt sounded and then Hawk appeared in the doorway with a bloody and unconscious Faith in his arms. “A little help here.”

“What the fuck happened,” I roared, rushing forward to take Faith from his arms.

“Someone get Katey! Where’s Laura?” Diesel’s deep voice came out loud and harsh, sounding above the commotion.

“She’s bleeding,” I called out, my voice hoarse and thick with emotions. My gaze moved from Faith, limp in my arms to Hawk, the brother who’d saved her.

Hawk’s eyes were filled with a mix of sympathy and regret.

“She was like this when I found her on the side of the road, just inside the entrance of the Shiloh Valley Forest.” He shook his head, raking a hand through his hair and letting out a heavy breath.

“She was unconscious beside Blade’s body.

” His voice was lined with a deep respect that she had not only taken one for the MC but came out on top. “Your girl is a bad ass.”

My eyes went wide, and a slow smile crept across my face. That’s my girl.

“There were three bikes out there so I’m guessing she took care of the other assholes too.” His gaze landed on her again. “She got banged up for her efforts.”

“Over here,” Katey called out. She waved us over to the makeshift exam table. “Lay her down. Gently.”

I was reluctant to let her go but she needed help, and I needed her to wake up and let me see those pretty green eyes again. “Tell me everything,” I insisted as Laura pushed me aside gently to assist Katey.

“Head contusion. Gunshot wound on the left side, though it’s only surface. Small cuts on her right hand. Significant blood loss.” Katey looked at me with a serious, sympathetic expression. “We’ve got her, T-Bone. I promise.”

I nodded and took another step back to give them room but I watched every move they made as she and Laura went to work.

My heart pounded in my chest as I watched.

Faith looked so small and so vulnerable, which was a total fucking trip to witness.

She was subtle and understated but a goddamn powerhouse.

“She saved herself,” Hawk offered quietly. “She turned her phone on so Slate could find her. It was in one hand, finger blade in the other when I found her.”

I listened but my eyes never left Faith and longer I stared, the more I was forced to face my feelings for her.

This wasn’t just a good fuck. It wasn’t just scratching an itch or the intensity of spending so much time together hunting for a little girl.

It was more than that. It was the one thing I promised myself I’d never get mixed up in.

Love. But I had to face the reality, which was that I was in love with a straight-laced former cop.

At some point I felt a hand wrap around my forearm and when I looked, I found Chloe staring up at me with teary eyes. “Is she going to live?”

Before I could answer, Laura turned with an easy, professional smile.

“Absolutely. She lost a lot of blood, but we’ve taken care of that and stitched her up.

She’ll be on antibiotics to avoid infection, but she will be good as new in no time.

” Laura paused and her gaze found mine. “Faith is going to need a lot of rest so she can heal.”

“I’ll make sure she takes it easy.” If it was the last goddamn thing I did, if I had to tie her down, the stubborn woman would rest until she was back to good. “You should get some sleep Chloe. I’ll stay at Faith’s side tonight.”

Something that looked like relief flashed in her eyes. “Does she know?”

I could’ve pretended I didn’t know what she was talking about but for some reason I didn’t. “I don’t know. Hell, I don’t think so. I’m not even sure if she’d welcome it.”

“I heard the message. She’d welcome it.” She gave my arm a supportive squeeze. “Thank you T-Bone, for everything. Who knew my savior would be a group of badass bikers, one of whom managed to steal my sister’s heart?” She shook her head. “Life has a fucked up sense of humor sometimes.”

Hell yeah, she did. But eventually Katey and Laura had finished up with Faith and moved her to the new med room that wasn’t big enough to do shit in but sleep and wait, which was what me and Faith did for the next seven and a half hours.

She slept.

I waited at her side, with her hand in mine.

Waited for her to wake up.

To smile at me.

To listen when I told her how I felt about her.