Page 157 of Steel

“Tell us what happened that day,” Wraith orders.

We all listen quietly as Bailee walks us through that day. Seeing it all through her eyes, experiencing the fear she felt, her pain when she got shot, and then her reluctance to involve me and the club, it has the blood pumping through my veins in icy torrents.

Glancing around at my brothers, I realize I’m not the only one affected by her story. He did the one thing we try not to do unless it’s a last resort—he touched a woman. Not only did he touch one, but he went after one who belongs to one of us, and he won’t stop until she’s no longer breathing.

“Anything else you two need to tell us about what’s going on?”

“I need my phone from the lockbox,” she states, and Wraith nods at Gremlin, silently ordering him to grab it from the prospect.

After Gremlin passes it to her, she goes through it and pulls up the messages she was getting.

As far as I know, she hasn’t received any more since she’s been staying at my house.

“I was getting these when I was staying at Sinful Saloon,” she says, passing the phone to Wraith.

He reads it, his brows furrowing as he tries to decipher them. “Why do these look familiar?”

“I think it has to do with the stuff going on at Sinful Saloon,” she tells him.

“Brooke? And the roses and shit?” he clarifies.

Bailee nods, regret and guilt written all over her face. “Yeah.” She sniffles, wiping a tear that’s sneaked from her eye. “I already apologized to you, Wraith, but I didn’t get a chance to apologize to the rest of you. I shouldn’t have had Steel keep me from you all because that put him at odds with his brothers. He trusted you, so I should have as well.”

She clears her throat and rubs her palms against the table.

Reaching over, I place my hand on her thigh, reassuring her that I’m right here with her.

Bailee takes a deep breathe before continuing. “Fear is a bitch, and when you’re dealing with monsters, it expands until it takes over your entire way of thinking.”

Her tone says she’s speaking on more than just what’s going on with Killer. If I had to guess, it has something do with that fucked-up father of hers.

“Won’t say it’s all good because people got hurt, but you’re here now. Next time, come to us, Bailee. You should know us enough by now that women are off limits unless they fuck up badly. You didn’t betray the club.” Wraith holds up a canister of film. “You’re doing what you can to make up for it. This will help a lot along with your story of what happened.” Wraith turns to Tweek. “Got your laptop?”

“Does my dick hang low and to the left?” he quips, running his tongue ring along his teeth before smiling. “The answer is yes. Yes, it does.”

My lips twitch at his ridiculous ass while Wraith just shakes his head and hands him the roll of film.

“Use the film scanner we ordered for Rembrandt and his shit. Go over these. Don’t destroy her pictures.”

He peers over at Bailee and taps his finger on her phone. “Do you mind if I let Tweek go over these messages and pull what he can from them?”

Bailee shakes her head, lifting her hands up to rub her arms. “No, of course not. Whatever helps.”

“All right. Do you mind going out and waiting for Steel out there? We have some club business to run through.”

“Sure. If you need anything else from me, just let me know,” she says, climbing to her feet.

Lee peers down at me. “Want me to check in with Lyric?”

I nod, reaching out to wrap my fingers around her thigh and giving it a squeeze. “Grab my phone from the prospect and give her a call.” I shake my head, climbing to my feet. “Never mind. I’ll walk you to the door and let him know to give it to you.”

Once I have her situated with my phone, I take my place back at the table.

“Right. Let’s go over our plan for the Night Skulls,” Wraith says.

An impending war is coming, and I’m fucking excited for it.

Chapter thirty-seven

---