Page 114 of Break Out

After what he’d shared tonight, there was no way I’d ever cut him out.

I gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m definitely including you. I hope it doesn’t interfere with club business.”

He picked up our hands and gave them a small shake. “I’ll make it work, woman.”

“I’m sorry my brother has zero manners.”

The truck cab filled with the sound of his deep chuckle. “It’s all good, Simone. It’s crazy but I’m pretty sure it made your parents see me differently.”

I nodded. “Yeah. What was so funny about Mom’s comment on my necklace?”

He grinned at the windshield. “Jackie thinks that a different necklace wouldn’t have gotten my attention. The reality is I’d have been drawn to you regardless.”

“Yeah.”

“I also love irony, and it seems to me your parents giving you that necklace pushed us together. It reminded me of jewelry I’d seen at Bike Week.”

“Fate is a crazy thing.”

“Yeah, and it’s part of what makes life fun.”

Chapter 21

Cross-Hairs

Steel

While I wouldn’t go out of my way to spend time at Volt’s home, the dinner last night went much better than I’d expected. Even when Bobby was being nosy. Volt and I would have to coexist once the baby was born, because he wouldn’t turn his back on his grandchild.

Thoughts of Volt and other clubs brought Corrupt Chrome to mind.

I swallowed a sip of coffee while I leaned against the kitchen counter watching Simone eat a blueberry yogurt. “Is your dad an early riser?”

She twisted her lips in thought. “It depends. Most weekdays he’s up by seven. Why?”

“Was thinking of giving him a call. Got a club issue and crazy as it might be, I thought he might have an opinion.”

She shook her head. “Why not just ask Torque or Tie? And even though I haven’t spoken to them much, Jackhammer or Warden might have thoughts about it.”

I stared at her for a beat. “Let’s just say, I understand Volt has more direct experience with this sort of issue.”

Her eyes held an expectant look for a moment, then she focused on scraping yogurt out of the container. She knew I wasn’t going to share with her. For some reason, seeing that anticipation and then her turning away, it almost hurt. I still wouldn’t put her in the middle of this.

“Funny thing is, I’ve never heard him mention Corrupt Chrome before.”

I finished my coffee. “I’m not talking about them specifically, sweetheart. I love you, and keeping you and our baby safe is what matters most to me. That means keeping you out of the loop is for your own good.”

“I hear you, but why drag my dad into it?”

I took a deep breath as I deliberated my words. “Not dragging him into it so much as I’m asking him for references.”

She mulled that over. “Call me crazy, but have you considered that I can help you—” She held up her spoon when I opened my mouth to speak. “—on the down-low,” she finished.

“You’re crazy.”

She sighed. “I’m not trying to get your badass-man card revoked. I have a computer science degree, Steel. There are ways to cause Corrupt Chrome serious problems, and they’d never know it was you.”

Her getting involved – even remotely – was too risky. “No. If a company figured out their system was hacked, they’d bring in a government agency, but if Corrupt Chrome figured out someone – you – fucked with them using technology, they’d hunt you down. Either way, you would be on the hook. Not any different than you pulling the gun at Target.”

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