Page 55 of Steal

Cassidy

A heavy arm over my stomach is the first thing I feel as I slowly wake from the best night’s sleep that I’ve had in four years.

I don’t need to open my eyes to know I’m not on the couch anymore, and I certainly don’t need to open my eyes to know Steal is asleep behind me.

I always slept best in his arms—damn traitorous body! It’s times like these I wish I didn’t sleep so deep because one peep from Moira, I’m up like a lightning bolt, yet Steal picks me up and I’m like a corpse and, I’m not stupid, I know it’s my subconscious proving I trust him despite everything. But my head won’t give in.

“I know you want to move, to scream and shout at me, but please, Trouble, just give me five minutes before you get up and chew me out…” Steal says sleepily from behind me, his warm breath on the back of my neck sending shivers down my spine as his arm tightens around me.

Even though my body is pleading with me to stay in his arms, to stay wrapped up in his warmth, I move out of his hold, making him groan, "Come on, Cassy….” But I ignore him and look around the large room.

In the four years we were together, I never came to his house. If I stayed the night, it was usually in his room at the club. I didn’t accept his cut, so I didn’t feel like it was right I stayed here, and the fact Faith was continuously in my ear about them apparently still sleeping together didn’t help, although I did ride on the back of his bike a lot, which was exhilarating every time.

My eyes take in the light gray walls. The back wall behind his bed is black, with three large white photo frames, pictures of him and me on either side, and one of me on my own at my college graduation in the middle, a picture I know Perrie took. The furniture is dark oak, and the room is neat and tidy.

It’s nice considering he’s a man and all that….

“Where’s my daughter?” I ask, not stupid, while trying to ignore the photos he has of me. I knew he had my phone, and I know he most messaged Tanner pretending to be me, and probably snooped through the device.

The itch to shoot him again hits hard, knowing he’s invaded my privacy, all because he’s decided to be a macho, alpha man ,who suddenly wants me—okay, not suddenly, I know he loves me, I know he claimed me, tattooing my name on his ring finger, something I was shocked to see—but it’s still not alright.

He made his bed, now he has to lie in it….

“Ourdaughter, Trouble!” Steal snaps, and I turn to look at him with a sigh.

“Where isourdaughter?” I rephrase. I haven’t got the energy to get into an argument, especially when I haven’t had a cup of coffee yet, because I’ll probably shoot him again.

He falls on his back, and I gaze down at his tatted hard-muscled chest, which, yes, makes my mouth water, but I ignore it as he admits, “In the adjoining room. She was asleep when I picked her up.”

I nod even though he’s not looking at me, then turn, seeing three door, but only one is open, and I walk into the room.

My eyes land on my sleeping daughter, her mouth wide open, her arm hanging over the side of the pink bed guard.

The room looks pretty bare. A few teddies are sitting on the floor, and pink and blue paint cans are near the wall. I swallow hard.

I always thought Steal and I would be forever. Despite putting my schooling first, I had the usual girlie dream: moving in with my love, getting married, having babies, and building a life.

While, yes, I got the baby, I didn’t move in or get married. Instead, I got the gun to the head and killed the man who assaulted me, and then I shot the man I love in the arm.

Crap, I really could have ended up killing him or, worse, shooting him between the legs, and that would have been a damn shame.

Moira sighs in her sleep and I smile a little, but it drops when an arm slowly glides around my waist, Steal’s body pressing hard against my back, and again I silently chastise my body for wanting to melt.

Gently he kisses my neck before whispering, “And the best thing right now is you won’t kick me in the balls because our extremely beautiful daughter is asleep only a few feet away, so I can get away with this for a little while because, damn, I have missed you….”

I smirk. “She’s also exactly like me and can sleep through anything, and whose fault is that?”

He hums, then kisses my neck again, causing my clit to pulse, and again I silently chastise it.

“It is my fault, and I’m taking full responsibility for that, and we both know you won’t risk waking our daughter, especially when I need you to stitch my arm. It’s hasn’t stopped bleeding since you shot me, and as much as I’d love to finally meet our daughter properly, I don’t fancy scarring her,” he whispers against my skin, and I turn round and face him in shock, my eyes wide as they lock on his arm.

Oh, God….

The bandage is weeping blood, and my heart stops before anger takes over, and I lock eyes with him, glaring.

He grins, and I sneer quietly, “It is not funny, Colt Brody!” His grin gets wider at my using his legal name, but I ignore it and continue, “It could get infected, you idiot, and then what, huh? Have your arm cut off because of sepsis?”

Shaking his head with amusement, he grips my hips and pulls me away from our sleeping daughter and back into his room, before he spins me around, making me gasp, then guides me into the middle door and, of course, there’s a girl’s dream bathroom.

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