Page 60 of Steel

Unsure what we’re dealing with, I head to the basement and the hidden armory I keep down there. I strap my guns into the holsters at my shoulders, shove my tomahawks into the holders at my hips, and grab a couple other weapons I’m proficient with—a garrote, a few more spare knives.

By the time I make it to my bike, I look like I’m going to war, and considering the shit we’ve been coming across, we just might be.

Needing Bailee to be safe, I pull up her contact and hit the call icon, listening to it ring as I lock up.

“Hey,” she murmurs in greeting.

Other than the sound of her voice, it’s quiet on her end, so I’m guessing she’s in her apartment. My shoulders loosen and Ishake my head, not even realizing I had been tense until then. “You good, Hummingbird?”

“If you’re asking if I’m safe, the answer to that is yes. I’m tucked all nice and snug down in the apartment. I’d be more comfortable if I had a big burly biker in bed with me. If you’re asking if I’m okay, then physically, yes, but mentally, no. I’m exhausted from all the running and hiding, and I freaking miss you, okay? I know that’s against our rules, and I probably wouldn’t even be admitting this except see my previous comment about being freaking exhausted.”

“Better only be one fuckin’ burly biker in your goddamn bed, baby girl, or I’m goin’ to spank that ass,” I growl, tossing my leg over the seat, connecting the phone to my Bluetooth, and rolling backward so I can turn around.

“Of course, that’s all you heard,” she mutters.

“Miss you too, baby girl. Stay by the phone. Shit’s goin’ down with Crow’s Old Lady. I’ll call you back when I can. Doors locked, Lee.”

“Be safe, Steel. You better call me, and if you come to me hurt, I’m kicking your butt after I heal you.”

The worry in her voice does some crazy shit to my insides. Instead of acknowledging that, I turn the key in the ignition and flick my wrist, sending my bike roaring to life.

“I get you, ass,” she says with a laugh. “Made you gooey inside, huh?”

“Fuckin’ wench,” I mutter. “Later, baby girl.”

The loud roar of pipes coming up behind me after I’m on the road has me glancing in the mirror. A grim smile curls my lips when I spot my club brothers, and we automatically fall into a semi-formation once we’re all caught up and riding together.

Most times when I’m on my bike and riding with my brothers, it’s peaceful and free. Tonight, it’s not as peaceful as I wish it was, because if I’m to judge the savage and empty expressionon Crow’s face when he glances over at me, we’re about to walk into hell with no fucking idea of what we’re facing or what the outcome is going to be.

The orange glow of flames eating up Trinity lights up the darkness and greets us long before we actually reach our destination. The blaze is still burning hot when we pull up, and battle-weary firefighters are going to war with the sea of flames as they try to save any part of the building they can.

There’s a warning in my gut the moment we come to a stop and I spot the two body bags laying reverently on the sidewalk. That warning builds into a tight ball of dread when I take in the look in Sage and Jagger’s eyes as they stare at the bags. Someone has taken tremendous care when placing them.

My fists clench, and I fight the urge to grab one of my weapons. It’d be useless, because right now, the enemy has no goddamn face. I won’t know who the hell I’m fighting as we’ve yet to figure out who the fuck is behind Crow’s shit.

I shift my eyes around the area, cataloging details and searching for more threats. They pass over a familiar hunk of carbon, steel, and chrome before it registers. Somehow, I missed it when we rode up, but Bozo’s bike is sitting like a lone soldier next to the ambulance.

I’m about to search through the crowd for him when Wraith calls out to Crow, and my body locks solid at his question.

“Crow, where’s Bozo? His bike is here, but I don’t see him.”

My gut clenches when Crow’s reply is a respectful nod toward the black bags.

Ah, fuck.

I squeeze my eyes shut tight as pain and rage collide inside me, creating such a wrathful vortex, it could probably go to war with the orange inferno raging in front of me and come out the victor.

“Fuck,” Wraith whispers, the cracking of his voice the only outward sign of his grief. “This is fucking bullshit.” He piercesCrow with such a savage look, I’d about think he was the devil himself. “I want whoever the fuck is responsible for this. I want their goddamn head on a silver fucking platter at my table.” Wraith glances around so that he’s addressing us all. “Am I understood? Whoever started this fire took our brother from us while he was trying to protect an Old Lady.”

Growls rumble out around me, blending in with the roaring of the fire, the grief-stricken cries from Sage and the others who have had to bear witness and feel this loss, and the frustrated shouts from the exhausted firefighters.

“We find them and we show them what happens when you mess with one of ours,” Wraith roars then tosses his head back and opens his mouth to let out a devastated howl. We all follow our President, letting out our own desolate howl that grabs the attention of the people around us.

Grief and pain continuously try to crowd their way back in, but I fight them off, not ready to deal with it.

Sage, Crow’s Old Lady, locks eyes with her man then takes off sprinting toward him. The big man braces himself to catch his tiny woman and locks her tightly in his arms. I catch the first few words out of her mouth and step away, giving them the privacy they should have.

Wraith and Nova stick around while the others and I split off to check in with Voodoo, the President of the Hades Hellions. For this mission, and because we’re in his city, they’re our allies, and we’re working together to find the motherfucker who did this.

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