Page 125 of Break Out

“When was your clubhouse built?” I asked as Steel pulled through the gate to the compound.

“Early eighties. It was a small church which ran a pre-school. They fell on hard times. Can’t remember if it was a preacher or someone else who pilfered their money.”

“They ran a pre-school? That’s odd because the way the kitchen is built, it seems like an afterthought.”

He parked the truck under the shade of a huge oak tree. “That’s because it was an afterthought. The building was outfitted to be a church – sanctuary, and area to greet and mingle with parishioners before or after services, and a few rooms for Sunday school. Someone got a wild hair about a weekday preschool, and they needed a full kitchen in order to do that.”

I nodded. “That sort of explains the bizarre set-up.”

“Bizarre?” he asked with an arch of his brow and his lips quirked up.

“There are rooms upstairs and down, but your room is on the opposite side of those and the common room.”

He nodded. “Yeah, the previous president did his best to keep the renovations to a minimum. He wanted his room to be away from the others, so the pulpit and the area where the choir sat behind it was sectioned off. One side became our room for church and the other side became his room.”

“That’s why the ceilings are so high.”

His chuckle filled the cab before he opened his door. “That’s a big part of it, Jade. Let’s go.”

We went inside through the front door and Steel got numerous greetings from brothers and sweet-butts. I didn’t see Josie, so I suspected the brothers got the message that she wasn’t welcome. Nobody greeted me, but I didn’t let it bother me. For all they knew, I would be out in a week or two. To my knowledge, Steel hadn’t been vocal about my pregnancy to anyone other than Torque.

Steel set my suitcase alongside the wall near the door. “You need the bathroom first?”

I nodded. “Yes, I can’t imagine what I’m gonna do when this baby’s bigger and pushing on my bladder.”

After I used the bathroom, I found Steel right outside the door. I smiled. “I’m starting to think you’re a bathroom snob.”

He closed his eyes, chuckled, and shook his head. “You’re crazy, baby. The bathroom at my house is much better.”

I nodded. “Yeah, but everything in there seems brand-spanking new.”

“Not that new, but it’s well-maintained. When a man like me needs a decent shower, I need room and power.”

He moved past me and closed the door. I went to my suitcase and grabbed some fresh clothes and my toiletries.

Steel came out just as someone knocked on the door in a strange rhythm.

His brows furrowed. “What the fuck?”

He checked his phone, put it back, and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

I nodded once. “It’s cool. Since we left so early, I’m going to take a shower.”

After I showered, I dressed in an over-sized lavender scoop-neck t-shirt and the light khaki maternity cargo shorts that I wore earlier. I loved that the shorts didn’t make my baby bump too obvious. I grabbed my toiletry bag and went to my suitcase.

From the hallway, I heard voices, both of them familiar.

Jordan said, “You’re so full of yourself. Why can’t we do this at the bar?”

“Because I want privacy and I would think you do, too,” Steel said.

Jordan’s petulant tone couldn’t be missed. “None of those people know me.”

“Torque, Tie, and Greco don’t know you? All three of them watched you grow up until Debra cut me out of your life. What do you need, Jordan?” Steel asked.

I heard a door squeak and I assumed he’d opened the door to the meeting room across the hall.

“I don’t want to go in there,” Jordan said.

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