Page 156 of Steel

He takes it, rolling it between his palms as he stares at her. “You’re gonna need to let us know everything that happened that day. We need to know what we’re up against.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

He turns to me. “As soon as the others get here, we’ll hold Church.” Then he turns back to Bailee. “Outsiders normally wouldn’t be allowed to join. Since this concerns the club, however, we’re making an exception.”

“I understand,” she replies with a solemn nod.

Wraith lifts a brow. “Do you really? Because if you speak to anyone about what goes on in there, you forfeit your life.”

I climb to my feet quickly, not appreciating the fact he just threatened my woman’s life. “Too fuckin’ far,” I growl, stepping up to him.

“Watch yourself, Road Captain,” he snarls softly. “You’re already on thin ice with me.”

Bailee steps up beside me, placing her hand on my chest and pushing to create space between me and Wraith. The only reason she’s able to move me at all is because her touch always has that ridiculous fucking calming effect on me.

“It’s okay, Steel. He’s doing what he’s supposed to. You would do it with anyone else in this situation. He can’t treat me any differently. I don’t blame him, and you don’t need to either.”

I bring my hand to the side of her neck, feeling her pulse beat erratically against my palm. “He threatened you.”

Bailee nods, lifting her hand to cover mine. “He wouldn’t be doing his job as your President if he didn’t.” She turns back to Wraith. “I really do understand.”

Bender, Jagger, and Linc walk through the clubhouse doors, causing the tension between me and Wraith to dissipate.

We nod at each other before Wraith turns to the common room and lifts his fingers to his mouth to let out a sharp whistle. “Church in five.”

When they walk away, Bailee pokes me in the stomach. “You can’t be going head-to-head with him.”

Grabbing her finger, I bring it to my mouth and bite down. “Told you. Always got you.”

“And I love that, but these guys are your family, and I won’t have you fighting with them.”

She keeps her voice low while peering around to make sure no one is listening in as she puts me in my place. Not that I give a shit what anyone left in this room thinks, but I appreciate that she wants to respect me.

I tug one of her short red locks. “Hear you, baby girl, but won’t do well if your life keeps bein’ threatened.”

Bailee grabs my beard and pulls me to her mouth. Her tongue teases mine in small, velvety swipes, tempting us both with whispered promises for later.

“Guess we’ll just have to make sure no one has a reason to threaten my life,” she says when she pulls away with a bite to my lip.

A few minutes later, we’re heading toward the chapel.

Bailee grabs my hand, holding it tightly, the slight tremble belying the calm pretense she’s trying so hard to maintain.

I pull us to a stop in front of the prospect at the door holding a lockbox for our phones.

“Prez wants all electronic devices in here,” he says.

We don’t do this with every meeting because too many of us have kids and shit, but because of everything going on and because Lee isan outsider, Wraith wants no chance that anything will get out.

I grab mine from my pocket and stick it in while issuing an order to Prospect Poe. “My daughter calls, you bring it to me.”

“Understood, sir,” he replies, closing the box and locking it after Bailee adds hers.

Bailee straightens her shoulders and lifts her head, her posture screaming that she’s going to war and is determined to come out the victor.

She goes ahead of me, but as soon as she gets in and is surrounded by a roomful of men in leather staring her down, she stops and wrings her hands together.

Wraith left an empty chair next to mine, so I guide her to it with a hand to the small of her back. We take a seat, and Bailee places her hands flat on the table in front of her, sitting straight. It’s an unconscious move to present herself as non-threatening.

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