Steel

by Jeanne St. James

  His fingers flexed on her wrist. “How about you just take my word for it.”

  She lifted one shoulder. “Thought you might like a challenge since you think you’ve got a set of steel balls.”

  “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” Steel said. “I can guarantee mine are bigger.”

  “Why? Are they infected?”

  Using her wrist, he pulled her closer and dropped his head until their faces were just inches apart. “If you want to challenge me at every turn, go ahead. I like a good challenge in and out of bed, Kitty Kat. But I can tell you any challenge you lay at my feet, I’m going to win. You think you’re tough, but I can guarantee I’m tougher.”

  “You make a lot of guarantees, Steel.”

  “That’s because I can.”

  “You’re also very cocky.”

  “So are you, which again makes me think, especially with that short hair, you might like pussy.”

  “Because I’m not fawning all over you?” She jerked her arm again and this time he released her and she fell back a half-step. “And if I did, what would it matter? You keep saying you’re here to do a job. So, Steel, do your fucking job. And by the way, who I fuck is none of your business.”

  She turned and shoved the door open, slamming it closed behind her before he could follow.

  She picked up her pace when she heard the French door burst open, slam shut and his heavy footsteps following her. She moved as fast as she could without breaking into a jog, but he caught her out in the hall with a hand to the back of the neck.

  With her heart racing, she spun on him, using her elbow to break his hold and took two steps back. He took two steps forward and she did not like the look in his dark eyes as he bumped her with his chest until her back was to the wall. Then he went toe to toe with her, not quite touching but close. Close enough she could feel his heat searing her and his warm breath on her parted lips.

  “You’re right, who you let lick your pussy doesn’t affect my job one way or the other,” he growled. “What I give a fuck about is you listening.”

  She did her best to steady her breathing, not wanting to give him any indication on how he affected her. “Are you done?”

  “Are you going to listen?”

  Kat pinned her lips together, avoided his eyes and then gave him a single nod. She’d agree just so he’d leave her the hell alone. “The sooner this is over, the better.”

  “Agreed.” He stepped back and stared at her for a few moments, then said, “I’m starving. I Googled the closest Thai restaurant and they’re delivering. Do we need to meet the driver at the gate?”

  The sudden switch in topic made her head spin. This man was certainly going to keep her on her toes. “No, the guard will let them in.” She also hated the fact that Thai food was one of her favorites. Damn it.

  “Well, that’s assuring. Any whack job just needs to say they’re a pizza delivery driver and they’re in.”

  “They could also just walk through the unguarded gate at the west entrance.”

  He dropped his head back and blew out a breath. “Great. So, this neighborhood isn’t secure at all.”

  “Most aren’t.”

  “No, but having a guard posted at any entrance is somewhat of a deterrent. Even if they’re ninety years old.” He stepped back. “At least the house has a decent security system. Don’t go outside unless I’m with you.”

  “Even to use the pool?”

  “Is the pool outside?”

  Kat ground her teeth and shoved away from the wall. And like he did to her in the garage, she made sure to bump into him as she pushed past him.

  Chapter Four

  Steel sat on the plush leather couch, his feet kicked up on the fancy schmancy coffee table, his Mac in his lap and the large overpriced TV hanging on the wall tuned to a sports channel. He had the volume turned low because the sports news was about a variety of sports—not just ones he was interested in—and some of those bored the fuck out of him.

  Tapping a small white ball into a hole didn’t get his blood pumping.

  Though, right now, his veins were thumping but not over golf. His eyes scanned the emails that Jewel had forwarded to him and the rest of the team.

  So far, no one else had responded. But then, it would take a while to sort through all the shit the boss lady had sent.

  Steel downloaded all the attachments, which he assumed were the scanned copies of the notes left behind. He wanted to read them all in order to see if they escalated as they went. Luckily, Jewelee had marked the attachments and emails by chronological order.

  He pulled up the first letter, which had been mailed with no return address to her condo outside of Los Angeles.

  My sweet Katheryn,

  You don’t know me yet, but you will. I have to confess, you’ve caught my eye. The moment I saw you I knew you were the one for me. My forever. My soulmate. I’m sure of it. And since you don’t know me, I’ll give us some time to get to know each other first. I’ll continue to watch you and you can read my letters.

  Then the day we meet face to face, we’ll already know everything about each other.

  It’ll be perfect.

  Until then...

  All my love,

  H.

  His sweet Katheryn.

  Sweet. Steel snorted.

  The letter wasn’t dated, but the email indicated that it was received about a year ago.

  A whole fucking year. This bastard had been stalking Kat a whole year. How she kept her shit together, he had no idea.

  Physical and mental strength were two different things. Yeah, she was physically strong, but this had to wear on her mentally.

  He was surprised she went as far as admitting it to him upstairs. Especially since Berger had given no indication that was true.

  She was keeping it from her manager. That’s why. She probably didn’t want her life or career to be controlled by a stranger.

  So, she continued forward like a good soldier and kept moving. However, the bastard managed to find her.

  How?

  She was in the public eye, but still... If he sent the letters to where she worked out or competed, that would be one thing, but he sent letters to her second apartment, too. An apartment with the rental agreement not even in her name. An address that certainly hadn’t been publicized.

  He read another letter “H” had left at her original condo in California.

  My sweet Katheryn,

  I love watching you. You are so intelligent, beautiful and have the perfect figure. You would make a great mother for my children. When I think you’re ready, I’ll stop by when you’re home and say hello. For now, I’ll court you with gifts in hopes that when I come forward, you’ll give me a chance to show you how much I love you.

  I can’t wait until the day we’re together forever.

  Until then...

  All my love,

  H.

  Steel wondered what the gift had been that accompanied the letter. Probably something with his cum on it.

  He read one more. One that had been left in the apartment she’d rented outside of Las Vegas after she fled California.

  My sweet Katheryn,

  I’m upset you moved so far away. It’s such a long trip to come visit you, my love.

  You probably think I’m crazy. I admit I am. I’m crazy in love with you.

  Please don’t move again. It makes my life much more difficult.

  Until we’re together forever, my sweet Katheryn...

  All my love,

  H.

  He skimmed through a few more, but there were so many, and like Berger said, “H” started emailing Kat through her website’s contact page. Between emails and physical letters, there were dozens. He wondered how many Kat threw out from either frustration or anger. Or not taking this sick fuck seriously at first.

  My sweet Katheryn,

  I am so in love with you. I hope you love the presents I leave you. I will give those to you in person soo
n. My hope is that those “gifts” will eventually give us the gift of life. We would make the perfect children together.

  I only want what’s best for you. And that’s me. No one will ever love you like I do. No one will ever take care of you like I do. Please meet me at...

  “H” gave an address to a coffee shop somewhere in Vegas. Of course, she didn’t meet him. Jewel’s email stated the police had been sent instead, but they couldn’t identify “H.” And, of course, there was an emailed response from the man afterward.

  I waited four hours for you, my sweet Katheryn. You stood me up. Why are you ignoring me? Maybe I’ll just come to your apartment. I only want to talk. I need to explain. I just want you to hear how much I love you.

  Please just talk to me. Let me prove my love.

  That seemed to be the point where she came home to her apartment broken into and found cum all over her bed with a note left behind on the pillow which read, in part...

  You know by now just how much I love you, my sweet Katheryn. But after all these months, all my love letters and gifts, you continue to ignore me.

  And that’s when she moved to her current location. This fucking monster house owned by a sponsor.

  After the Thai had been delivered earlier, she’d taken a plateful and went back up to her room. He was tempted to force her to eat with him, but he figured it would just make everything worse.

  She didn’t want him there. He got it.

  But she didn’t have a choice.

  And the more he read what the stalker wrote, Steel knew that “H” wasn’t just going to go away. Eventually his stalking would come to a head and Kat could get hurt or killed. The man was unstable, as were all stalkers.

  He heard a noise in the kitchen and twisted his neck to listen. She most likely brought her plate back down and he waited to see if she would join him.

  After he heard nothing else from the kitchen after a few minutes, he figured she’d gone back upstairs.

  Tomorrow would be a new day and hopefully a new attitude. He’d give her tonight since she needed time to get used to him being around and to face the fact he wasn’t going anywhere until this was over and she was safe. Or until Diesel ordered him home.

  And he didn’t give a fuck if she liked it or not.

  Kat slid to a stop in the entryway to the kitchen, then quickly backed up so she wouldn’t be seen.

  The smell of coffee wafted over, and her eyes practically rolled in ecstasy. She slept like shit again last night. Even with her bulldog of a bodyguard a few doors down from her room.

  That bulldog was now standing in front of the stove with his back to her, again in one of those white wife-beater type tanks.

  She heard sizzling from the frying pan, and it smelled almost as good as the coffee.

  She pressed a hand to her stomach when it protested loudly.

  “Good time to tell you that I have eyes at the back of my head.”

  Kat cursed silently. They had a couple of hours before she was due to meet Berger at The Strike Zone, so she could conceivably go back upstairs until he was done with his breakfast.

  “You can’t keep avoiding me.”

  Fuck, it was like the man could read her thoughts, too.

  “I can try” was on the tip of her tongue. But she bit it back and entered the kitchen instead, heading directly to the coffeemaker and grabbing a mug out of the cabinet above it.

  “Help yourself,” his deep voice rumbled.

  “I will, since it’s my coffee.”

  “Your sponsor didn’t pay for that, too?”

  “Are you jealous, Steel? You’re not good enough in the ring for a sponsor?”

  “I no longer fight in those types of venues.”

  “What types of venues do you fight in?”

  He shut off the burner and turned, his eyes immediately raking down her body.

  Kat did her best not to react. Instead, she stood there, preparing her coffee and ignoring his heated gaze.

  “That’s what you sleep in?”

  She fought the urge to glance down at herself, instead she lifted the mug to her lips. She was wearing what she typically wore around the house. A sports bra and shorts. This morning she’d rolled the waistband of her grey fleece shorts down almost to her hip bones because they gapped too much at her waist.

  “You don’t know what I slept in last night? I figured you’d sneak into my bedroom and sit in the corner watching me.”

  “You would’ve known if I did because you were probably awake.”

  How did he know she wasn’t sleeping?

  “I have good instincts, Kat, it’s why I’m good at what I do.”

  “You mean being a legal creepy stalker instead of a criminal one?”

  He pursed his lips as he studied her, catching her off guard when he suddenly changed the subject. Again. Typical boxer, keeping her on her toes. “Do you only wear sports bras? Just so you know, they’re not flattering for your tits.”

  She didn’t wear them to be flattering. “They’re comfortable. That’s all that matters to me.”

  “The hair. The sports bras. No makeup. Not even lip gloss. Again, makes me think you like to eat pussy.”

  Jesus. This man must have constant fantasies of two women together. He probably thought he was man enough to handle two at once.

  “Did you lie in bed imagining that last night?” When he didn’t answer, she asked, “And anyway, what do you know about lip gloss?”

  “More than you, apparently. I also know what it looks like when it leaves a ring around my cock.”

  “I bet you know what herpes looks like, too.”

  He unexpectedly jerked forward and she froze. But all he did was grab a plate sitting on the counter and turn back to the stove.

  He was good at letting things roll off him. But then, so was she. And if pushed, she could out-asshole him.

  She took another sip of coffee—at least he knew how to make it—and watched the muscles in his shoulders and arms flex as he scooped whatever he had in the pan onto his plate.

  She dropped her gaze to the dish when he turned.

  “That’s what you’re eating? Just an egg white omelet?” He had added veggies to it but no cheese. How boring.

  “Yeah, my body is a temple. But I’m also having coffee and,” he picked up a banana off the counter as he passed it, “this. You wanna banana?” He held it down low, almost at his crotch.

  Kat didn’t miss his intent. But she wasn’t going to let him fluster her, either. So, she snagged it from his hand, peeled one end and lifted it.

  His brown eyes followed every movement she made and he now stared at the tip of the banana held just a hairsbreadth from her lips.

  His eyes narrowed and his own tongue flicked across his bottom lip, leaving moisture behind.

  And he waited.

  So did she.

  Did she dare?

  Yes, fuck him. If he wanted to be a jerk, two could play at that game.

  She flicked the end of the banana with the tip of her tongue, tasting the slight sweetness. Then she touched it again, more intently this time.

  And... one more time, sweeping her tongue across the end.

  His nostrils flared and so did his eyes.

  Dropping her eyelids low, she stuck her tongue out and ran the tip of the fruit down it, then closed her mouth, making sure he could see her swirling her tongue around the end of the banana.

  An audible rush of air escaped him, but he didn’t move.

  He was watching her mouth so closely, she continued to work it, letting a small groan bubble up from the back of her throat.

  She had him in her palm. Because of that, she smiled around the banana, opened her mouth wider and bit the end off between her teeth.

  She continued to chew as he winced, and his hips jerked back just the slightest bit.

  “Fuck,” he groaned.

  “Was it as good for you as it was for me?” she asked after swallowing the mouthful of fruit.


  “I figured you preferred a halved peach,” he grumbled and moved over to the table, putting his plate down.

  As he came closer, she stepped out of his way so he could grab a mug and fill it. He snagged two more bananas off the counter before settling in at the table.

  “Seriously, is that all you’re going to eat?”

  “You have something else for me to eat?” he asked, his tone holding all kinds of suggestions.

  She was glad he wasn’t looking because heat had slipped into her cheeks. She hadn’t blushed in a long damn time.

  She couldn’t let this man get to her.

  She finished off the banana, went to the fridge, grabbed the eggs and an angus T-bone she had picked up at the butcher in town.

  She turned on the gas under the built-in grill on the Viking stove and they ignored each other the twenty minutes it took for her to grill her steak to rare and cook her eggs just how she liked them. The whites firm, the yokes runny.

  She took her breakfast over to the table and slapped half of her steak onto his now empty plate. “You’re welcome.”

  He stared at the steak for a second, then lifted his head to watch her settle into the seat across from him. “How do you know I’m not a vegetarian?”

  “Because there was chicken in your Thai last night.”

  “How do you know I’m not a chickatarian?”

  Kat blinked. “You mean pollotarian?”

  “Yeah, that. Something you’re not because you like your meat. Preferably in a taco, right?”

  “Jesus, Steel, we haven’t even known each other twenty-four hours, can you give the sexual innuendos a break?”

  “What sexual innuendos?” he asked with a grin, getting out of his seat and grabbing a steak knife from the wood knife block on the counter. He was still grinning when he dug into his steak.

  “Good?” she asked around a mouthful.

  “Fuck yes. Fuck those egg whites.” He cut off a bite of steak and leaned across the table to dip it into one of her runny yokes.

  “Hey!”

  He popped the piece into his mouth and moaned. “You’re on breakfast duty from now on.”