Page 36 of Break Out

But that had to be wrong. It had to be some weird mindfuck as part of getting over my epic hangover.

Greco manned the gateway to our campsite, and he damned sure knew not to let Riot members – or their bitches – into our camp.

Next thing I knew, Torque had signaled for the brothers to clear out because Jordan had showed. I couldn’t dwell on that shit.

He had his money. I’d told him what he needed to know – whether he listened was a whole other matter.

The sun had set hours ago. Under the awning outside my camper, I sat in a folding camp chair with rockers on the bottom. The damned thing posed a hazard to drunks because it was easy to go ass-over-teakettle when sober, let alone tipsy. As I sat rocking, I saw a woman striding my way.

“Fuckin’ A, what are the odds,” I whispered to myself and rose from the chair.

Ten feet from the awning overhang, Simone stopped.

I held myself still. Something about her reminded me of a skittish doe. Instincts told me to wait her out.

“Steel?” she said my name as if it were a question.

“Yeah, Simone.”

She took a step forward and I heard her deep inhale. “Can I have a minute of your time, please?”

I moved out from under the camper awning so only a foot separated us. I stared at her for a long moment. It felt just like that moment she’d told me to show her how bossy I could be.

Fire burned through my body. In the faint light from my camper, I saw she had become even more gorgeous than I remembered.

“Sure. Come with me,” I said, grabbing her hand.

I ushered her into my camper and slammed the door closed.

She pulled her hand from mine. “I don’t mean to bother you, but—”

Actions spoke louder than words, and I wrapped her up in my arms and kissed her hard. Hopefully my aggressive kiss said she would never be a bother. I deepened the kiss. She moaned, raised her leg up alongside mine, and shoved her hands around my waist to my back.

Yeah. I had to have her. Though, I’d limit it to this one last time.

She tore her mouth from mine. “God, Steel. I almost forgot how great a kisser you are.”

That dazed look in her gleaming brown eyes – I could eat it up.

I reached for my wallet and the thought of a condom stopped me. “We need to talk.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m here.”

I gave a slight head shake and cut right to the chase. “Someone fucked with my condoms back in December. I found out when I got home, but by then… I had no way to reach you.”

Her brows drew together. “Who would – another woman did that?”

I leaned my head back with a sigh.

Time to face the music.

My eyes locked with hers. “Yeah. She’s been taught a fuckin’ lesson. Seriously, Simone, I’d have called you that day, but we didn’t exchange numbers.”

Her eyes rounded, those lips pressed together, and she nodded once. “Yeah, I wish we’d done that since I’ve been wanting to get in touch with you.”

A hollow feeling hit me. She hadn’t freaked about the condoms.

“What about?” I asked.

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