Page 9 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)

Faith

G emma was alive and now I had proof. Okay, maybe not proof but if the biker gang thought she was alive, there was a reason.

Right? They were bikers and criminals, so they could just be wrong, that was always a possibility.

As a seasoned homicide detective I knew there were several obvious answers that had nothing to do with Gemma, but something told me I was right.

Those thoughts had run through my mind on a nonstop loop while T-Bone was in the bathroom trying to recover from the smoke he very likely inhaled during the fight.

I tried not to think about it as I peeled the biker babe outfit from my body.

He was so big and so powerful, the restrained power he used was more tantalizing than I expected.

I wasn’t one of those women who saw men fighting as some sign of alpha dominance, it didn’t appeal to me in the least. At least, not until tonight.

Every jab, every hook landed with pinpoint precision, striking the target efficiently. Making a big impact.

“Stop it,” I told myself and shook off the faint signs of arousal.

Now was not the time and T-Bone was definitely not the man.

Each time my mind wandered, I reminded myself that this was all based on circumstances, that I only thought about him because he was here.

He was close. He was on this journey of truth with me, and yeah sure, he was hot as hell and built like a brick shithouse.

Big and commanding, and bossy. Very fucking bossy.

Focus on Gemma and Ashley.

I started to unfasten the bustier, which did wonderful things for my boobs, and stopped.

“Ashley.” If she knew Rachel or Amber Grey, there was a chance they had photos together.

“That’s it. Photos!” I rushed over to the sofa where the photos from Ashley’s crime scene sat.

Photos were on the walls, the tables and pinned to a corkboard in a small office-like area.

They weren’t the focal point of the photos, but they were there, in the background, barely visible.

I moved to the bed because the light was better and pulled up the magnifying glass app on my phone, and slowly searched all the visible photos.

I heard the door open behind me, but T-Bone never appeared, and he hadn’t said a word.

But my body knew exactly what he was doing—watching me—because I felt it all over.

Goosebumps prickled my skin and suddenly it was too hot and too cold in the room.

Finally, the silence became too much, and I turned to look at him over my shoulder and the look I saw stopped my breath.

His gray eyes darkened to melted metal as they raked over my backside, which I now realized was partially exposed. His jaw clenched tight, and his hands balled into fists at his sides as if he was using all of that considerable restraint to hold back his need for me.

I felt my cheeks get hot and I rushed to fill the quiet before my thoughts turned to what I could do about that heat in his gaze. “I was about to change when I started thinking about Rachel and Amber and the connection to Ashley.” I spoke fast, too fast, but I couldn’t stop myself.

T-Bone didn’t respond when I turned to face him, if anything his gaze darkened, and his focus shifted from my face to my cleavage.

“It’s just a body,” I sighed, annoyed by my body’s response to him especially when I was wearing so little. “Grow up.” I wasn’t ashamed of my body, why would I be when I worked out regularly, ate right, and took care of myself?

“Just a body,” he growled, nodding. “Sure, but it’s a damn fine body.”

I raised my brows at his gruff compliment. “Thanks.”

He nodded again. “What did you find?”

“Right!” I reached for the drawings. “The little girl has the Welsh green eyes,” I explained and pointed at my own.

“And Gemma’s red ringlets. Sure they were wisps back when I last saw her but, it got me to thinking.

If Ashley cared enough about these two to hide this information in her most sacred space, maybe they were an active part of her life.

” I held up one of the crime scene photos and then my phone. ”

Realization dawned and he settled his big body beside me on the bed. “You think maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of Rachel and Amber in the photos?”

I shrugged and slid over to put some space between us, but T-Bone was so big the bed acted as his personal gravitational field and pulled me back to him.

“I’m hopeful. I guess we’ll find soon enough.

” I turned back to the photos and examined them carefully, thinking out loud.

“The fact that they showed up to Ashley’s studio means they’re after Gemma, right? ”

He considered my question carefully, which I appreciated because so few people in the world take time to listen carefully and answer considerately. “Yeah. It also means they likely killed Ashley.”

“Or they followed us,” I added cynically.

He leaned towards me and cocked an eyebrow up until it arched. “You still think you don’t need my help?”

I smiled but it was more sardonic than amused. “I knew we’d circle back to that sooner or later.” He waited me out patiently while his eyes danced along my body. “I’m not some damsel in distress, you know. I think we can help each other out.”

“Yeah?” His tone was skeptical, almost condescending, all wrapped up in that one syllable.

I nodded. “Yeah. You have your strengths, and I have mine.” That’s the only concession he would get. “We should get going. I need to get my car from your clubhouse.”

“What are you talking about?” He frowned and he pushed off the bed, standing over me with his big paws fisted at his hips. “You’re not staying here. You can’t.”

Laughter bubbled out of me. “Yeah, I think I can.”

“Faith.” His voice was low and controlled as he pulled out his phone and began texting. “You can’t stay here. It’s possible that the Ghost Riders followed us from the rally, which means they could have followed us here.”

That thought had crossed my mind. “If that were true, they’d have burst in already.”

“Not necessarily,” he replied and folded his giant arms over his massive chest. “Maybe they’re waiting for the right time to strike, like when you’re alone. Or when you leave so they can search for where the little girl is.”

“I know what you’re doing,” I pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Good and I hope it’s working.” His expression was completely unapologetic. “Pack up what you need to take now. A couple of my guys are already on the way to get the rest.”

“I don’t want strangers going through my stuff,” I insisted.

“Then pack it up so all they have to do is pick it up and bring it back to the clubhouse.”

I shook my head. “And just where the hell am I supposed to stay?”

“At the clubhouse, Faith. Pay attention.”

“Yeah, no. That’s not happening.” I shook my head. It was one thing to work together to find the people who mattered to us, but living with a bunch of bikers? The same type of men responsible for the death of my sister and disappearance of her sweet daughter? “I can’t.”

“You can and you will. This isn’t up for negotiation.” He folded his arms. “I won’t hurt you Faith but you’re leaving this room one way or another.”

A shiver hit me, hot and unbidden, and nothing I did suppressed it.

My eyes slid shut for just a moment, thinking about his rough hands on my body, manhandling me.

Making me feel good. “Ugh, fine. I need twenty minutes.” I dug in my suitcase for my own clothes and started to dress when he spoke again.

“You got fifteen,” he shot back with a knowing smile.

***

It only took twelve minutes to pack up the hotel room because I liked to travel light and this wasn’t my first time packing quickly, it was the story of me and Chloe’s childhood.

My mind raced with all the new details I’d uncovered in just one day as we headed to the clubhouse.

I needed to put them all together while they were still fresh in my mind, so instead of mingling with T-Bone’s biker buddies and their women once we arrived, I turned to him and made a request. “Is there someplace quiet I can use?”

“Yeah, this way.” He absently but his big hand on my lower back, hot and searing, and led me into a small room appointed with a bed, a sofa and a small three-legged table. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded but I was already unpacking the case files and laying everything out so I could memorize it because that was the best way to brainstorm theories. I wasn’t sure how long I stayed like that, hunched over the files and I didn’t care. I would sleep once I had answers.