Page 90 of Steel

I don’t know. This stuff is exhausting. How the hell does Steel do it? How does he constantly stay on guard?

“Whoever he is, he’s good. No one is picking up anything, and that scares me the most,” Reva says.

“Yeah,” I reply quietly, watching as she heads back toward the front.

Because that could mean they’re a lot closer than any of us want to admit.

Chapter twenty-four

Didn’t really notice howdamn exhausted I am until I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror this morning. The tightness around the corners of my eyes, the firmness to my lips beneath my beard and mustache, and the overall weariness in my expression spoke volumes.

With all the shit I’m dealing with, I’m burning the goddamn candle at both ends. It doesn’t help that Heather’s got some fucked-up shit in her head that’s causing her to bring toxicity to my life again.

I’m not fucking innocent, know that, but I don’t control her actions either. She’s a grown ass woman.

The only bright light in all this is my two girls. Spending time with Lyric and Bailee was much more than I expected. Watching those two together settled something inside me that I didn’t realize was unsettled. As much as riding my bike brings me peace, there is a contentedness when we’re all together that I can’t recall ever experiencing before.

It’s been days since I’ve seen my Hummingbird, and I miss the fuck out of her.

When I pull up to the clubhouse after a long fucking morning chasing after leads and shit with Crow and the others, the last thing I want to deal with is Heather’s ass, but considering she’s pacing back and forth in front of the damn gate, I got no choice. I need to do it fast too because I don’t need her causing too much of a scene around here about Bailee. Don’t know what she knows about her, but her being here is never a good thing, and I knew when I introduced Bailee to Lyric that there was a chance Heather would find out because I wasn’t gonna ask my kid to lie to her mom for me.

Heather doesn’t know about Bailee’s connection to the club. At least, I don’t think so. It’s not a chance I can take, though.

I stop at the gate and wave the others through while I deal with Heather. Crow and Tweek stop beside me, staring Heather down as she stands next to her car with her arms folded over her chest, her eyes narrowed, and her foot tapping away, showing her impatience.

“Got this, brothers.”

Crow’s lip curls up in a snarl at Heather before they roll on through the gate. Once they’re through, I shut my bike down and straddle it as I watch her movements. They’re all too familiar—the twitching hands, the way she’s unable to stay still, the way her eyes flit around—and unease churns in my stomach.

I use the heel of my boot to pull the kickstand down and climb from my bike, marching over to stand in front of her. I pinch her chin between my fingers and lift her face so I can get a better look at her eyes.

There’s no sign of recent substance abuse in them, but the other signs are obvious, so I’m not discounting the fact that she’s been using again. She may not be high right now, but she’s craving and going through withdrawals, which means she’s been back on the shit since our talk.

“When’d you use?” I growl.

She yanks her face out of my hold and scowls at me. “Don’t worry. I didn’t touch it when your precious daughter was with me. I know what happens if I’m stupid enough to do that.”

“Why you here? Lyric okay?”

“Of course, she is. I’m not a bad mom.” She rubs her arms roughly as she starts pacing in front of her car again then swings back around, pointing her finger at me. “She told me all about Bee. How they painted each other’s toes and nails and watched movies together. All night long, I had to listen to my daughter brag about another woman trying to take over my spot in yours and Lyric’s lives. It’s not happening.”

“Get in your car and go home.”

Heather’s eyes widen at the roughness in my voice. “What?”

“I said, get in your fuckin’ car and go home. I’ll be right behind you. You got shit to say and don’t need people in my business.”

She glances around and a sly smirk flirts around her lips that should have warned me, but I’m so pissed that I don’t pay any attention to it.

“Fine.”

I make sure she’s down the road before heading over to the prospect manning the gate. “Prospect,” I bark, grabbing his attention from whatever he’s watching on the monitor.

Prospect Jordan glances up and pierces me with his dark eyes. “Sir.”

“Let Wraith know I’ll be back. Got shit to handle with my girl’s mom. The woman doesn’t come in without me. Understood?”

He gives a sharp nod. “Understood.”

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