Page 180 of Steel

I hear Steel step into the room, and even though I’m not sure what all he heard, I still warn him off with a headshake as I cup her face in my palms. “You listen to me, Lyric, okay? I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I am not going anywhere. I willalwaysbe in your life unless I don’t have a choice. I willneverwillingly leave you. Do you hear me?”

Lyric leans her forehead against mine. “Promise?”

“I absolutely do.”

“‘Kay.”

“Love you, little bit,” I whisper.

“Love you too, Bee.”

I kiss her forehead. “Now, why don’t you go get dressed while I finish this up?”

Lyric takes off but skids to a stop when she spots her dad leaning against the doorjamb. “Daaaddd, you were supposed to be in bed. We were gonna bring you food.”

Steel wraps her in his arms for a tight hug before setting her away and tweaking her nose. “Next time. Get to sit at the table and be blinded by the beauty of you two.”

“Smooth talker,” I say, infusing my voice with warmth.

“Love you, Daddy,” Lyric whispers.

“Love you, Princess. Get dressed.”

When Lyric skips out of the room, Steel strides my way, his steps heavy and purposeful. He doesn’t stop until he has me backed against the counter. His warm, calloused hands settle on my face. Squeezing my cheeks between them, he stares at me intensely.

“Fuckin’ love you,” he says in that harsh way of his.

I blink a couple times, giving his words time to register with my brain. When they do, my eyes water and spill over when I blink owlishly at him.

“For real?” I whisper, overwhelmed.

“Wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

“I love you too,” I cry, my heart hammering inside my chest.

Is this really happening? Did we really just take that step?

Why the hell does it fill me with trepidation instead of pure happiness?

Chapter forty-five

The threats continue tocome through on my phone, and as much as they scare the crap out of me, I haven’t told Steel about them yet. I’m worried about myself, but I’m more concerned about him. He’s run so thin between the club stuff he has going on and the attacks from the Night Skulls that have picked back up.

Sage and Hendrick were kidnapped recently, and from what I was able to piece together, it was bad. The poor thing has been in a coma for the last few days now, and Crow is going out of his mind. My heart hurts for both of them. Shoot, it hurts for the whole club. The strain is beginning to show on Steel’s face, and tension hangs heavily over the clubhouse.

There’s been so many times over the last week that I’ve considered running. If I do that, Killer will follow me and leave the Dirty Mavericks alone. All the problems the Night Skulls are delivering is because of me. I know they already had stuff going on because of the lifestyle they live, and it’s a given that they probably always do, but Killer seemsbiggersomehow, like he’s an enemy they’d normally not go up against if they can help it.

But no matter how much I consider running, I won’t do it. I made a promise to Lyric, and there’s no way I’ll break that promise to her.

So, I’ve been practicing to protect her. Steel set me up a little shooting range out back, and when he can, he trains with me in self-defense. If he’s unable to do it, he gets another club member he trusts to spar with me.

Thrasher’s been teaching me all the ways I can harm someone with a knife, and Phantom and Blade are working with me on stealth. Those exercises are fun despite the seriousness of why I’m having to do them. It’s like an adult version of hide and seek. Granted, it’ll be much more serious when I’m in a life and death situation.

By the time evening rolls around each day, I’m so exhausted and just want to climb in a hot shower and go to bed. I wouldn’t miss my time with my girl for anything, though. They’re some of the most precious moments of my life.

Today is an off day from my training, and Lyric is with her grandparents, so I grab my camera and gun and head out for a stroll. Steel has such a beautiful piece of property, and there’s so many things to photograph. I don’t go out too far from the house, knowing Steel has someone watching over me.

Too bad Lyric isn’t here because we could have our own little photoshoot out here. Her daddy tucked her safely away with his parents after Sage and Hendrick were kidnapped. I miss her, but I’d rather her be safe. I make a mental note to set it up for later, though, because our girl would absolutely love doing something fun like that.

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