Page 41 of Steel

“What do you think about handin’ the roll of film over to Wraith and the club? It’ll be a show of good faith, and he could use it to hopefully barter with Killer.”

My hand freezes in front of my mouth as his words stick in my brain. He wants me to give up the only form of protection I have? The one thing that guarantees, for now, that I keep breathing?

Food drops from my fork as my hand trembles. “Hand it over?”

Steel nods. “If Wraith has it, then we can figure out how to come at it from a club angle instead of tryin’ to be lone rangers at this. You’ll have more protection and won’t have to hide out down here from everyone except Killer and his guys.”

I stare down at my plate and push the food around, suddenly no longer hungry. It all sounds good in theory, and I know it’ll keep us from trouble with the club, but what if they choose to hand me over to Killer? What if they realize I’m not worth the war he’ll bring to the Dirty Mavericks? I’ll no longer have leverage to with. As much as I trust Steel to protect me, I’m not as familiar with the rest of his club. I don’t know what kind of men they are. Outside of Steel and Thrasher, the only time I interact with them is . . . well, I don’t really remember there being much of a time outside of any rescue attempts when my family called them. They seemed decent, but is that enough to risk my life?

Steel reaches over and tucks his finger under my chin, pulling my face around to his. “Trust me.”

“I do,” I reply quietly. “I just . . . this is my life, Steel. Right now, that film canister is the only guarantee that I’ll stay breathing. Can you give me that if we turn it over to your club?”

He opens his mouth, thinks about something, snaps it closed, only to open it again.

Shaking my head, I sigh and sit my plate on the table. “That’s what I thought. You trust your brothers, Steel, but that trust has been built over a long period of time. You’ve had time to cultivate it to where it needs to be so that you can feel safe going to war with them at your back.” I lift a shoulder before letting it fall. “I don’t have that with them. You know what happens when you betray your club. Technically, I didn’t, but all it would takeis one little false whisper and Wraith would have my head on a platter.”

With a growl, Steel tosses his plate on the table next to mine, and I watch dispassionately as food flies off and onto the carpet.

Just another mess in my life I’ll have to clean up.

He runs his hand through his hair. “If you don’t trust the club, then trust me, Bailee.” His fingers move from his hair to run down my cheek. “Trust me. Know I won’t let anything happen to you, even if that means goin’ up against my own club, Hummingbird. Would kill the last human part I have left, but won’t let them hurt you for something you couldn’t control either. You didn’t plan for Killer to be out there and usin’ those woods as his own personal killin’ and burial ground. Wraith will understand all that.”

I nibble on my lip. “Are you going to tell them what’s going on? That you’re stashing me here? I know you said they had stuff going on before you stopped to grab dinner, but the way you’re pushing this makes me guess that you’ve decided to not wait any longer.”

“Shit’s still goin’ on with the club, but I’d like to be ready once that stuff is settled. Hopin’ I’ll have something before then, but the way this shit is goin’, I don’t know when the hell that’s goin’ to be. The club can only juggle so much, and right now, what they’re up against is important enough that it needs their focus.”

“I’m not sure, Steel. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s really hard to hand over the only thing that has a chance of keeping me alive. Can you give me some time to think about it?”

I remind myself that he’s risking one of the most important things, outside of his daughter, that means everything to him by keeping me a secret.

So, why am I finding it so hard to risk the one thing that means the world to me?

Chapter eleven

She doesn’t trust me.

That’s the only thing that keeps playing on repeat in my head as I clean up the dinner mess.

After everything I’ve done for her, after everything I’ve risked, she still doesn’t trust me. Hell, can I really blame her? The shit I put her through from the moment we met would have broken anyone. I think it did break her heart to an extent, But she’s Bailee motherfucking Sterling, and underneath that gentle heart and romantic soul lies a core of pure fucking titanium.

I want to prove to her that I can be trusted, but I think I’d only be fooling us both. Oh, she can trust me to keep her safe as best as I can. Anything outside of that, she’s smart not to put her trust in me.

She brushes against me as she goes to throw something away, and my body tightens as my cock grows behind my jeans. That’s all it takes from her—a single rub of her body against mine. Her pheromones or some shit seem to be a fucking siren’s call to my dick. It’s always been this way, so fucking potent that just beingin each other’s vicinity is enough to set us on a collision course of demon-ridden madness.

As much as I want to lift her onto the counter, spread her out, and bury myself to the hilt inside her, I know it’s only going to complicate things even more. She’s not any more eager for this thing to start back up between us either.

I have two options: go home and fuck my fist until I’m raw, which I know still won’t get rid of this craving I have for her, or go to the club and get one—or a few—of the girls to work this shit out on. Neither will replace the one thing I truly want, but they’re the safest choices for now.

“Lock up behind me. If you need anything, call. Think about what we talked about. It’s a good idea, Lee,” I tell her, walking to the door after finishing the cleanup.

“You’re leaving?” Bailee asks in a monotone voice.

My feet come to a stop before reaching the door, but I don’t turn around. If I do, I’m going to go to her and do what I desperately want. I’m not a man who’s used to not getting what I want, so it’s a battle I’m struggling with.

“Told you, there’s shit goin’ on with the club. You’re not the only thing I’m dealin’ with,” I snap.

Bailee clears her throat, fighting off the melancholy that was in her voice. “You’re right. I apologize. I didn’t mean anything by that. I was just surprised by the abruptness of it. I’ll think about the film and give you my decision soon. If you’ll go ahead and go out, I’ll lock up behind you. A warm shower is really calling my name. My leg is bothering me, and I need to rest it.”

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