Page 25 of Steel

Bailee’s body jerks against mine, and I catch her quiet cry. The club is packed, and unless I protect her, she’s going to keep getting knocked around.

Pulling us to a stop, I lean toward her so she can hear me over the noise. “Goin’ to maneuver you in front of me. My arms will be around you to act as a barrier. Lean your weight back against me. Make sure you don’t get knocked around.”

She nods and scoots in front of me with my help. Her plump little ass settles against me, and I clench my jaw as I fight the memories of tunneling my cock into its snug warmth.

It’s been three fucking years since I’ve buried myself in that tight hole, but neither my mind nor my dick has forgotten. Truth is, ain’t no ass since then that compares. Hell, no cunt has either, and I’ve yet to figure out what it is about hers that makes it so special.

Walking to the bar is awkward as fuck, but when someone runs into us, they bounce off me instead of colliding with Bailee.

I guide her onto a barstool and lean my elbows on the bar top beside her. “Want a drink?”

Fuck. She’s not supposed to be drinking on her meds, but before I get the chance to back out on the offer, she answers.

“Whiskey on the rocks.”

Reva stops in front of us and smiles, her twinkling amber eyes flitting between us before settling on me. “Hey, suge. Been a few days since I’ve seen your pretty face here.”

“Had shit to do. Beer for me, whiskey on the rocks for her,” I reply, tilting my head in Bailee’s direction.

Reva’s smile widens. “Well, hey there, firefly. Not used to seeing this one bring a woman in here.”

“Oh, of that, I have no doubt.”

Not missing the trace of bitterness in her voice, my hands curl into fists as I hold back a sigh. Until I put her through hell with my toxic bullshit, she was the most upbeat and positive person I knew. I didn’t take all her light, but I can tell I took some of it. Guilt claws at the back of my throat. It’s a useless emotion. I can’t fucking change what I did to her. I can’t fix the piece that I broke, because doing that would mean she’s going to be in my life longer than getting her shit taken care of with the Night Skulls. Be damned if I let that happen.

“Firefly?” Bailee asks.

“Your hair, it’s fire engine red, and you remind me of a fairy or some shit. Hence, firefly.” Her eyes roll over as much of Bailee that she can see. “Gotta say, though, you rock that shit. You’re fucking gorgeous, and if this one was inclined to share, I’d take you for a spin with him.” She leans closer to Bailee. “I can eat pussy as good as I can suck cock.”

I watch as Bailee’s eyes go hooded. “Good to know.”

“Our drinks,” I bark, breaking the spell between them as my cock weeps in sorrow.

Reva’s husky laugh dances between us. “Don’t worry, suge. I ain’t gonna steal your girl.” She makes quick time getting our drinks and setting them down in front of us. “If you two feel like playing sometime, you know where I am.”

While she deals with a few customers, I flip around and rest my back against the bar as I scan the crowd.

Most of the faces I see here regularly. Since we bought the place from Marco and shipped him out, business has picked up. We’ve made a lot of changes in here that have attracted new customers but have also lost us some. The first thing that went were the sexual services the girls had been forced to provide. The Dirty Mavericks don’t sell skin, and the only sex workers we’d ever have under our name are the women and men who choose to do it willingly. There have been one or two who requested they still be allowed to see clients, and after they were vetted thoroughly and passed a health check, we provided three rooms.

We made sure to offer them a higher wage in case that was their reasoning. We don’t ask for any of their earnings from that side of their job, but the women choose to give the club some anyway. They say it’s because we treat them like humans and provide protection when they’re with a client. Usually, it’s about twenty-five percent of what they make, but if they’ve had a good night, they’ll give us half.

Most of that money goes back into the club so we can make sure the girls are as safe as possible. Any new hires are informed that while it isn’t a requirement, we ask that they sign a non-disclosure agreement. Most people know we don’t hesitate to take out anyone who betrays us, but it never hurts to have additional protection in place.

Once there is a lull in customers at the bar, I nod for Reva to come and join us as I take Bailee to a booth in a dark corner of the room.

I help Bailee onto the seat before scooting in beside her and tossing my arm along the back of the booth while I continue to survey the customers and employees.

Reva brings us each another drink before sliding into the other side and leaning her elbows on the table. “What’s going on?”

“Bailee needs a place to lay low and blend in. Got people after her who can’t get their hands on her. Stowin’ her away here, stayin’ in the other apartment and workin’ here as a waitress while I figure out how to get her out of this mess. No one can know she’s here, Reva. No one. I’ll fill the club in when I get a chance, but until then, don’t say a word about her to them either.”

The words are sour on my tongue. I fucking hate not telling the club this shit, and I know they’ll likely see it as a betrayal and there will be hell to pay when they find out, but I’m not going to pull them in on this unless they’re needed. I ain’t going to let anything happen to my brothers or Bailee, even if it means going at this alone. At least, not until I know more. Divided focus with something so dangerous could have devastating consequences.

Reva leans back with a frown and shakes her head. “I don’t know, Steel. I work for the club, not just you. I can’t afford to piss them off.”

“Nothin’ will happen to you or the others. Give you my word.”

They all know around here that when we say something, we stick to it. Our words are all we have in this world, so we do our best to keep to them.

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