Page 34 of Break Out

My eyes widened. “Now that we know who Steel really is, I bet his tune would change.”

Aunt Abby’s face practically dimmed with solemness. “Think hard about telling him, Simone. You hide behind this excuse, you aren’t the woman I thought you were.”

People watching at Bike Week had to be one of my favorite things to do. I sat at a picnic table sipping a huge Sprite while watching the crowd and debating how to approach Steel.

“I’m surprised you didn’t go back to the rental house with Alexandra,” Blood said, sitting down at the other side of the picnic table.

With a closed-lip smile, I shrugged. “I won’t get to do this next year, and probably not the year after that either.”

He tipped his head to the side and he picked up a baby back rib. “You’re probably right. Abby said you found the mystery man.”

A plate loaded with chicken and brisket landed on the table. Dad sat down sideways next to me, straddling the picnic table bench. “You found Steel? When?”

My eyes went wide and I hesitated.

“Volt, I didn’t say she found Steel.”

Dad swiveled his head toward Blood. “No, you said the mystery man – she’s only got one mystery man.”

As cunning and devious as Blood could be, he knew what he was doing. He’d been Dad’s VP for over a decade. He’d dropped that bomb, well-aware that Dad would hear it.

Why in the world would he want Dad to freak out now?

Then it hit me, in public, Dad almost always held his shit together.

My eyes wandered to Blood and he winked at me. I loved and hated him.

I nodded and turned to Dad. “Yeah, Aunt Abby and I found him.”

Dad’s jaw shifted. “Here? You found him here? Today?”

I nodded.

“Is he a weekend warrior?” Uncle Blood asked, his voice full of fake hopefulness.

My eyes slid to him and back to Dad. “No.”

“Simone,” Dad sighed.

“I had no idea at the time—,” I started.

With an uncharacteristic roar, Dad grabbed my huge Styrofoam cup of Sprite and hurled it into the field behind us. Luckily, there weren’t any groups milling around there. “I wanted you to break out of the life, Simone!”

“What the hell’s going on?” Mom asked, as she hustled to us.

Aunt Abby scurried up behind her, but with one look at her husband Blood, she shook her head with defeat.

“Tell her,” Dad ground out.

“Are you going to freak out hearing it a second time?” I asked.

“Simone,” he said through clenched teeth.

I glanced up at Mom. “I found Steel, and he’s the Devil Lancer president.”

“Why on earth—” Mom started.

Dad interrupted. His temper still in full force. “Did you tell him?”

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