Page 140 of Steel

Pride shines in his eyes, and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t have me straightening my shoulders to stand taller. It’s not often you see something like that from Crow. He’s a stoic motherfucker and refuses to let anyone outside of his pretty Little Dove know how he’s feeling. She’s the only person other than Wraith’s son, Hendrick, that I’ve seen him go soft for. If only he’d get his head out of his ass and claim her already.

Wraith comes at me much like Crow did. Brutal and unrelenting, he uses his two minutes wisely. I’m wavering, my vision going in and out as he lands hit after hit to my body. He’s calm and collected as his blows thunder against me, the face of my President looking back at me instead of my longtime friend.

His knuckles land with cold precision, and I’m fighting with everything in me to stay present.

Finally, the timer on Thrasher’s phone rings out, calling an end to my sentence.

Wraith pulls his punch as soon as the tone peels through the air.

I stumble, my legs giving out and my body intent on shutting down. Just when I’m sure my face is going to land against the ground, my President catches me in his arms.

“I’ve got you, brother,” he murmurs. “I got you.”

Wraith turns us to face the bloodthirsty crowd.

“Can you hold your head up or do you need help?” he asks quietly.

“Help,” I choke out.

He slides his fingers into the hair at the back of my head and grips it tight. Despite the violence that just took place here, his touch is gentle when he lifts my head to face everyone.

“Steel, Road Captain of the Dirty Mavericks, you have completed your required sentencing. Live to ride another day, brother,” he intones loudly.

A round of cheers and fucking howls go up around us.

“Now, let’s finish this shit with a fucking party,” he yells.

Everyone starts walking away while Crow steps up to my other side, sliding his arm around my waist.

Together, with the rest of my club at our backs, they help me inside and up to my room.

Chapter thirty-four

Phantom and Blade havetheir med bags with them when they step into the room.

Wraith and Crow settle me on the bed while Sprinkles and Kiwi remove my boots.

“Once they have you stitched, you can clean up. I’ll send a prospect up here to help you get in the shower. Doubt you want one of the club girls helping,” Wraith says.

“Prospect,” I groan, using the little strength I have to straighten up against the headboard.

The last thing I want is to go home looking like I do. It’ll worry my girls unnecessarily. I’m here, I’m fucking breathing, and my brothers are still standing at my back.

I’d say I’m fucking lucky.

Even if I did get my ass handed to me out there.

I’m out of breath by the time Phantom and Blade finish doing all their doctoring shit.

“Fuck,” I grumble, sliding down to rest my head on the pillows.

“Brother, maybe we should have Bailee come here. She can bring Lyric, and they can nurse you back to health here,” Wraith suggests.

“No,” I growl, struggling to sit up again.

“Steel, you ain’t in no fucking shape to ride back home.”

“Will be tomorrow. Just give me my phone and some pain meds. Be good to go then.”

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