Page 89 of Steel

“I have no idea, babe. How much longer are y’all putting that off for, anyway?” she asks.

There’s no judgment in her tone. Reva knows how much it bothers me that Steel is keeping this from his club. Hell, we both know how much it’s eating at him to do it. I keep telling him he can bring it up to them, but he says he hasn’t found out how much of a threat Killer is to the club yet, and with everything going on with Crow, they can only handle one threat at a time. Until he can figure it out, he said he’s got to fight that on his own. I hate it, which is why I caved and let my brother and Emmy Lou dig in.

“Hopefully not much longer. It’s wearing on Steel. He tries to play tough and act like it’s not killing him to do it, but it is.” I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth. “If it goes on too much longer before we find anything out, do you think it’d be a mistake if I went to Wraith myself? Maybe if I do, it’ll lessen the damage for Steel. I can take the blame and then I’ll be the one punished instead of him. He loves his club, Reva, and I don’t know how it’ll affect him if they turn their backs on him.”

“I think it’d be a mistake to go behind your man’s back to do it. He’s got his reasoning for feeling this is the right play. If you feel for him the way I believe you do, then your job as a proper Old Lady is to have your Old Man’s back no matter what.”

“We’ve not gotten that far in our relationship, but wouldn’t me having his back also mean me making sure nothing hurts him? Why does he get to be the only one doing the protecting? A bit archaic, if you ask me. That’s been his issue from the start with us. He thinks I’m too soft for his world, not realizing the hell I grew up in. I had to battle for my life nearly every day and I couldn’t let anyone know about it. Do you know how hard that was to keep from my brothers? My dad hated me, and I never understood why, but he was sure quick to show me with his fists any chance he got. My brother showed me a long time ago how to protect myself, he just didn’t know why I asked him to do it.” I peer over at her. “Plus, you and I both know in order for me to be his Old Lady, I have to be claimed in front of the club and that can’t happen.”

She waves that off. “Meh, that’s only a formality at this point, babe. You know damn well that man has claimed that fine ass of yours. As soon as he gets the chance, he’s gonna drag your ass in front of them and slap that property ink on your delicate skin.”

Just the thought of it makes me shiver. Not really fond of the idea of a property tattoo on me, but I remember what he once told me about the meaning behind being claimed. It’s not about actually owning someone at least not in the way most people would assume. It’s more about trust, family, and love. Of course, there are members who don’t give a shit about the sacred meaning of it all and will betray their Old Ladies any chance they get, but for the most part, the guys treat their Old Ladies like freaking queens.

Our conversation trails off as we get busy again. Before I know it, another few hours have passed and Reva is hollering for thelast call to customers and waitresses while Kenna and Farryn close out the night with the special dance number they always put on together.

I admire the movements of the two of them as I help clean up, feeling a sudden kinship with some of the customers as I do. There’s beauty in the sensual way they move together, removing one article of clothing from each other at a time as they twirl and twist around one another. The music rises to a crescendo as the lights that were shining on the women begin to fade out just as they start gyrating against one another, their mouths drawing closer. There’s about an inch left between them when the stage goes dark and the melodic bars begin to drift out until only silence is left.

I smile and give my attention back to my task, knowing from experience that they’ve split apart and exited the stage as soon as the lights went down.

The raucous drunken cheers and wolf whistles from the crowd are the reason the ladies always do a last dance together. They’ve said it’s their most lucrative dance of the entire night, even with splitting the tips, and it’s not hard to see why. That was hot, and if Steel was here, I have a feeling he’d be fucking me in a dark corner while we watched them.

I’m about to head to the apartment when my phone goes off in my pocket with an incoming text message. Hoping it’s Steel, I pause in the middle of the hallway and pull it out with a smile.

But I’m left staring down at an unfamiliar number while trepidation tickles my spine. My finger hovers over the screen as I consider opening it.

After sawing my teeth against my lip enough that the coppery tang of blood teases my tongue, I click on the message notification.

UNKNOWN

Peek-a-boo. I found you.

If I wasn’t so terrified of a simple message, I’d probably laugh at the high-pitched scream that tears from my throat and the way I throw my phone down the hall like it will make the words disappear.

My hands shake, my body trembles, and I struggle to draw air into my lungs as I stare at the stupid chunk of plastic laying in the hallway.

I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to run. He’s found me. Killer knows where I am, and he’s going to be coming for me. I can’t let anyone get caught in the crosshairs, especially Steel and my little heart song.

Something heavy lands on my shoulder, and another scream rips from me as I tear away from the touch as I spin to face whatever it is.

Reva is staring at me, her eyes regarding me like a wounded animal while worry is written all over her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about coming up behind you. Are you okay?”

“Yes.”No. “What’s up?”Hurry up, so I can grab my stuff and get out of here before they come for you too.

“Lennox got another rose with a note. Same as the others.”

“So, Georgia Rose and Lennox each got one tonight?”

“Looking that way.”

I nod, willing my heart to calm down. Killer hasn’t found me. It’s just more of the same crap from whoever is stalking the girls around here. Steel said Killer doesn’t play games, so whoever this is, isn’t him.

Blowing out a breath, I roll my head along my shoulders as I work the tension from them and shake my arms to loosen up. Reva watches me, speculation bright in her pretty eyes, but I ignore her as I walk down to grab my phone from the floor.

Thankfully, it didn’t hit the wall or anything when I threw it away from me, so it came out relatively unscathed.

I close out the message and put it in my pocket before turning back to Reva with a small smile. “Okay. Fill me in.”

The thought flits across my mind that I should tell Steel about receiving one of the threats as I stand here and listen to Reva. Was it really a threat, though? All it said was one stupid line. Granted, it felt menacing and as much of a threat as if they’d actually said one, but I also can’t just assume things. Not with everything Steel has going on already.

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