Page 159 of Steel

I spend a few minutes just staring at her, wondering what the hell I did to deserve such beauty in my life.

Not just once, but twice.

My soul is filthy and completely undeserving of someone like her.

My boots land heavily against the cement as I close the distance between us.

At the sound of my steps, her head turns my way, and she watches me with shuttered eyes.

I climb onto the table behind her and place one leg on either side of her before curling an arm around her to pull her back against me.

She holds herself stiff, her reluctance easy to read, but she’s not trying to get away, so I take it as a positive sign.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize quietly.

“You’re not responsible for someone else’s actions, Steel.”

Her empty tone has me grinding my teeth.

“Know that. Gave her the ammunition to use against you though.” I blow out a breath, my thumb caressing the small patch of skin on her stomach. “You called me that night, I was fuckin’ her. Told you that the night I picked you up. Wasn’t a monk and hadn’t seen you in three fuckin’ years, but the moment your name flashed on my phone, my attention was focused on you.”

She stands and paces back and forth in front of me, running agitated fingers through her short hair.

I rest my elbows on my thighs and dangle my hands between my knees as I wait for her to burn off the excess energy pumping through her.

Another five minutes passes before her shoulders slump and she stands in front of me. “You don’t owe me anything. You never did. I don’t have the energy to fight every girl in there. More than that, I don’t want to and shouldn’t have to.” Her eyes are still blank when she lifts them to mine. “I’m ready to go home now.”

She turns and heads across the lot toward my Bronco.

With a sigh, I drop my head and rub a palm along the back of my neck.

Fucking Rachel.

The club whores know goddamn better than to start shit like that in the clubhouse. You’d think they’d learn after Candy pulled her shit and she was dealt with.

The slamming of the vehicle door pulls me from my thoughts, and I climb to my feet.

I really wanted to take a fucking shower before I went home to my kid. Looks like that ain’t happening now.

The trip back to the house is made in silence. The few times I glance over at her, she’s staring out the window, her fingers picking at the material against her thigh.

She’s shutting down, and I understand it. She’s protecting herself.

Don’t fucking like it, but I do understand it.

Reaching over, I still her hand and guide my fingers between hers before bringing them to rest on my thigh.

We still don’t say anything, but when her fingers tighten around mine, I know she’s still with me for now.

I pull up next to my parents’ vehicle in my driveway and shut off the engine.

The warmth of Bailee’s fingers against my face startles me, and I jerk out from under the touch.

“Just want to look you over for blood before we go inside to Lyric and your parents,” she says softly, her fingers connecting with my face again.

She turns my head to one side before bringing it back and twisting it to the other side. Not spotting anything that way, she pushes me back a bit, her eyes roaming over the rest of me before nodding in satisfaction.

“You’re good,” Bailee states before climbing from the cab.

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