Page 27 of Steel

When r u coming? Lyric is whining for her daddy.

Even through the text I can hear the normal bitter snarkiness. Heather loves Lyric, but she’s resentful of the bond my daughter and I have. Don’t know when the fuck she’ll realize her daughter loves her as much as she does me. Heather’s just too worried about everything else to notice it.

STEEL

Be there soon. Have her ready.

“Gotta go,” I tell Bailee. “Reva will take care of you. Need anything, you have my number. Be back as soon as I can.”

Climbing to my feet, I toss a fifty-dollar bill on the table. I hesitate because Bailee still needs help to the apartment, but I know if I don’t get to my daughter, I’ll have to deal with Heather’s bullshit.

“Just go, Steel. I’ll get there on my own.”

“I don’t mind looking after her, boss,” Reva says.

Her tone has me jerking my head her way with a scowl. “Keep your hands, mouth, and pussy to yourself, woman.”

I shoot Bailee one last heated look before I stride away.

The possessiveness I feel for Bailee is a huge warning sign that she’s burrowing under my skin faster than she should, just like she did seven years ago.

Or she never left.

Which means I need to get the fuck away from her even faster.

The farther I get from her, the more my skin tightens and the more the itching escalates.

After climbing into my Bronco, I rest my head back against the seat. I work on shoving the feeling so far down in my psyche that my skin loosens and the itching suddenly disappears, giving me instant relief.

No bitch is taking my freedom again. I don’t give a shit what I feel for her.

It’s a lot harder to do with Bailee in my life again because she’s got a hold on me that, despite my previous thought, I’m not sure I want to let go of.

But I will because she doesn’t fit in this life.

She never has.

Goddammit.

I’m so fucking screwed.

Chapter seven

My phone goes offback-to-back, and each time, I glance at the phone holder on the dash. Heather is pulling her usual bullshit, and I know she’s wanting to take off for her next fix of drugs or dick.

I don’t give a fuck. I’m just glad she’s waiting until I get my girl before she does it. At least I can give her that—she’s not so far gone that she doesn’t put our daughter in danger.

‘Course that bitch knows I won’t hesitate to put her ass in the ground if anything happens to Lyric while in her care.

At least that’s what I tell myself.

I’ve only recently bought a place, otherwise, I’d already have custody of my daughter. The club is too unstable of a life for her, and too much shit goes on there that I don’t want her around. That’s the only reason Heather’s even maintained custody of Lyric.

When I first met Heather, she wasn’t as bad as she is now. Or maybe she was, and I just didn’t see it. It’s not like I was paying attention to much outside of what she had between her legs.

That’s all there’s ever been between us.

Halfway decent sex.

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