Page 144 of Break Out

“I think we should call Steel. Makes no sense that the Riot can get twice as much money together and we haven’t heard shit from him,” Mug said, staring at me.

He hadn’t made me that nervous when Josie was here. But now, his undivided attention creeped me the fuck out.

Knuckles nodded. “Putting the pressure on the Pussy Lancers is always fun.”

I despised listening to him call Steel’s club names.

For some reason, this call he put on speaker phone.

Steel’s voice filled the room. “What do you want Knuckles?”

Knuckles shook his head. “That’s no way to talk to me – unless you don’t care about your woman.”

“Goddammit, I’m getting your money together as we speak,” he said.

“Good. Have it by midnight. The Riot was able to get their cash together. You should be able to do the same.”

Steel let out a growly sigh. “Fuckin’ hell, Knuckles. This is between me and you, let Simone go.”

Knuckles laughed. “You aren’t calling the shots here, asshole. Get the fuckin’ money and meet me at the Riverfront at midnight.”

“Are you gonna have Simone there? Put her on the line. I want proof she’s all right.”

Knuckles hesitated, then crossed the room and put the phone near my chin.

“Hi, honey,” I said, wishing Knuckles, Sledge, and Mug weren’t in the room.

“Goddammit,” Steel breathed out. “Are you okay?”

My lips tipped up. “Been better.”

“Hang tight, Simone.”

“That’s enough. Have my money at midnight, or Simone pays the price,” Knuckles said, stalking to the other side of the room and tucking his phone in his back pocket.

Part of me wondered if I was better off not knowing how I would pay the price, but the other part of me started listing all the ways he could make me suffer.

My stomach growled again.

Unfortunately, Mug heard it and laughed. “Should I offer her some crumbs?”

Knuckles glowered at him. “No. Ignore her, and stop staring, for fuck’s sake.” He pulled his cell from his back pocket just before it rang. “Manuel, is there a problem?”

Dread welled in my belly when suddenly Knuckles stood straighter. He arched his back and I heard a pop and realized I’d worried for nothing.

“Yes, we have a truck, our road captain is driving it in for the meet.”

He held the phone to his ear for a long moment, then I heard the faint double beep. Holding the phone away from his face, he frowned. “That asshole. Always has to have the last word.”

I suspected Knuckles was the exact same way.

Sledge and Mug shared a look that said I was right.

Chapter 27

Not to Be Trusted Right Now

Steel

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