Steel

by Jeanne St. James

  Steel took a breath before answering, “She isn’t my woman.”

  “You two are mirrored images, Steel,” Ryder said.

  “You couldn’t find anyone more perfect for you,” Hunter told him.

  “I’m not looking,” he reminded them.

  “Sure?” Hunter asked. “You brought her back to Shadow Valley. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “To keep her safe,” Steel insisted.

  One of them snorted.

  “Keep telling yourself that,” Brick said with a grin.

  “You sleepin’ with her?” Ryder asked, tipping his hat up enough for their gazes to lock.

  “How soon’s that plane landing?” Steel asked Mercy, avoiding Ryder’s searching gaze.

  “Not before you answer that question,” the big man answered.

  “We need to get back ASAP.”

  “And we will,” Ryder said. “D will hold shit together in the meantime.”

  “I sure as fuck hope so.”

  “Unless you’re about to sprout wings, we aren’t getting there any fucking faster than Paranzino’s private jet,” Mercy said.

  “We still need to find out how the fucker keeps locating Kat.”

  “And we wanna know why you’re avoidin’ the question,” Ryder said, sitting up.

  “What question?” Steel asked, wondering how he could get them to drop this interrogation.

  “Ah, fuck,” Ryder laughed. “You got it fuckin’ bad. The asshole got his toe caught in the trap.”

  “Or dick locked in a cock cage,” Walker added with a grin.

  “Or both,” Brick said.

  Then they all laughed. Except for Steel.

  Yeah, it was real fucking funny.

  “Just because all of you got your dicks caught in a cage doesn’t mean I will.”

  More fucking laughter.

  “Except me,” Brick announced, still chuckling.

  “Your dick isn’t in anyone long enough to get stuck,” Ryder reminded him.

  “Yep. And that’s the reason I keep moving,” Brick answered with a grin.

  “That’s his life. Swipe right,” Walker said seriously.

  “That’s right. Swipe and go, fuckers,” Brick said. “No fuss. No muss. No clingers.” His eyes hit Steel’s. “No cock cages.”

  Steel grabbed his crotch. “Cage free, brother.”

  “Wouldn’t it be a pisser if it was Kat who didn’t want Steel?” Ryder asked, watching him closely.

  Then they all laughed again.

  Great.

  “I’m irresistible,” he grumbled.

  More laughter. Louder this time.

  “What-fucking-ever, assholes. Can we use this down time to figure out how McGill keeps finding Kat?”

  Laughter died and grins flattened.

  There was a time to work and a time to play. Right now they needed to work.

  “I’m saying it’s her phone,” Walker said. “No other way.”

  “Maybe,” Steel mumbled.

  “Okay, then,” Walker ran a hand down his cheek, “what other electronics does she have?”

  Steel shrugged. “I think a tablet and a laptop.”

  “I wonder if any of them were in her place when he broke in? Could he have put an app or program on her tablet or computer without her knowing?” Mercy asked Walker, who was their resident tracker.

  “Anything’s possible when someone’s determined,” Walker replied.

  “We know that all too well,” Hunter said.

  “We could test that theory by gathering her electronics and using them as a trap. Then we know for sure. And, bonus,” Brick shouted, “we get the fucker.”

  “That sounds like a plan, but in the meantime—”

  Steel cut Mercy off. “In the meantime, we need to get those electronics away from Kat.”

  Mercy added, “And out of the fucking compound.”

  “We don’t want that sick fuck anywhere near the women or kids,” Hunter agreed, especially since he had a woman and kid in that very compound.

  “A-fuckin’-men to that,” Ryder muttered.

  “I’ll text D and get Slade to give her shit to him,” Steel said. “Then he can put them in one of those bags that blocks the signal until we’re ready for the trap.”

  “Yeah, but if McGill can’t pick up the signal, won’t he go to the last known location anyway?” Ryder asked.

  “Are you worried about him getting into the compound?” Hunter asked. “We can give Slade, Dawg and Linc the heads up. It’s still the most secure place for her.”

  Mercy spoke up again. “I think we need to have the boss man give everyone in the compound the heads up. Anything suspicious, they notify him.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Lot more eyes there than if we move her elsewhere.”

  Steel agreed once again with Mercy who approached him and slapped him on the back. “Don’t worry, asshole. Your woman will be okay, and we’ll get that fucker. Guaranteed.”

  He sure as fuck hoped so.

  But Mercy’s words didn’t relieve the churn in his gut due to knowing “H,” aka Henry McGill, was on his way to Shadow Valley and had a head start.

  One of the bikers had brought some kind of special bags to put her cell phone, tablet and laptop into. Dawg explained they were RFID-blocking. The younger biker named Linc said they blocked radio frequencies in case “H” was using her electronics to track her.

  It would make sense since “H” kept finding her. But so far, none of the big men in leather vests with patches proclaiming them members of the Dirty Angels MC, had mentioned that “H” had found her this time. Though, all of them seemed suspiciously alert.

  Really alert. And it was rare that in the last few days all three of them were in Nash’s house at the same time.

  Even Steel’s boss, Diesel, occasionally stopped in. Each time he’d been wearing an infant in one of those carriers that strapped the baby to his massive chest. If seeing a beast of a biker, covered in tattoos, wearing what was explained as “colors,” also wearing a tiny baby girl wouldn’t stop traffic, nothing would.

  It was like King Kong cuddling a newborn kitten, which made it hard not to stare. Or rub her eyes to make sure she was seeing what she was seeing.

  But this new activity within the house set her on edge and no one gave her an explanation beside a placating, “Just bein’ cautious,” until the Shadows returned.

  They apparently were on their way as soon as they caught a flight.

  Which hopefully meant that they’d found “H,” and this would all soon be over. But she’d heard nothing from Steel the whole time he was gone. Not a call, not a text, nothing.

  If he wanted to play it like that, so could she. Even though her fingers had itched to call or text him.

  To get an update on the situation.

  That’s all.

  Nothing else.

  She had no other reason to talk to him since she was simply his “job.”

  A financial transaction.

  She had given him more than any man. She should’ve known better.

  Her mistake. One she wouldn’t make again.

  Her attention was drawn to the closing of the front door. Was he back?

  Her heart began to pound like the traitor it was.

  Fuck him, the toothpick-chewing asshole.

  She blew out a breath.

  Her eyes slid to the king-sized bed. She had been distant with him before he left. But, even so, she hadn’t been able to resist sleeping with him.

  More than sleeping with him.

  Not that they had spoken much during the run he insisted she take with him. Or later that night when they worked up a sweat again between the sheets.

  He was good in bed. She reluctantly gave the man that. Not that she had a lot to compare to. But he sure knew how to light her on fire and bring her to orgasm.

  And his mouth, his fingers... His fucking addictive cock.

  Fuck.

  Now that she knew
what she’d been missing, when she got back to LA, she’d be more open to finding a man to...

  A man to...

  She closed her eyes and tried to imagine a man—any man—other than Steel doing what he’d done.

  She couldn’t.

  But she had no choice.

  “You okay up there?” Slade yelled from what sounded like the main floor.

  She moved to the bedroom doorway. “Yes, just resting.” Sort of the truth. But not really, since she’d been pacing the floor restlessly.

  “Dawg had to go open the gun shop an’ Linc had to go open The Iron Horse.”

  Both businesses owned by their MC. Kat was surprised how extensive their club was, with not only members but businesses. It was run like a well-oiled machine from the conversations she’d had with her biker babysitters. For some reason they had felt the need to give her the run-down on all things club related.

  “They’ll be back later if Steel ain’t back by then.”

  So, it wasn’t Steel walking in the front door. It was two of the bikers walking out.

  She fought her disappointment. Which made her even more disappointed at herself for being disappointed.

  Damn it.

  A few minutes later, Slade once again yelled up the steps. “You smell smoke? Gonna check the perimeter. Stay put.”

  Where the fuck was she going to go? The only transportation she had was her two legs. She highly doubted Slade would let her get far. He was a good guard dog. And while she was in shape, he was in even better shape, just about as built as Steel and Kat wasn’t about to go a few rounds with him.

  Though, he looked nothing like a biker, except for the excessive tats. If anything, he looked more military-like. Just like the Shadows with short, cropped hair, and Kat had noticed the faint outline of dog tags under his worn T-shirts and leather vest.

  Kat had always had the impression that bikers were scruffy, smelly, dirty, and had beer guts. So far, none she’d met in the DAMC looked like that. No wonder their women were hot. And smart. Seemingly well-educated.

  Caught up in her thoughts, she realized she never answered Slade. “Okay.”

  When all she got was silence as an answer, Kat decided to stop hiding upstairs like a pouting child and see if she could help Slade search for the source of the smoke.

  She didn’t smell it until she hit the foyer. She headed toward the back of the house where the kitchen and the sliding glass doors to the deck were.

  She was surprised to see one of the sliders wide open, which meant the alarm was off. She poked her head out and called, “Slade?”

  Nothing.

  She leaned out farther. “Slade?” she called even louder. He was probably circling the outside perimeter like Steel had done on many occasions in Boulder City.

  She stepped out onto the deck, wrapping her arms around herself since the temp had dropped again and there was a cool breeze rattling the dried leaves in the trees. Good thing this was all coming to an end soon, since she’d need warmer clothes if she was stuck in Pennsylvania any longer. She was ready to head back to a warmer climate.

  Her eyes scanned the area and the woods directly behind the house, not seeing any fire or source of smoke, but she still could smell it faintly in the air. She stepped farther out onto the deck, her bare feet quickly turning to ice on the vinyl decking. She glanced at the house two lots down to the right. Nothing.

  The lot to the left was empty, too.

  Still no sign of the biker.

  “Slade!”

  The eerie sound of the breeze through the leaves was her only answer. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself tighter.

  She needed to put on a pair of shoes and search for him. She also couldn’t call or text him since the house didn’t have a landline and her cell phone had been taken from her by Dawg.

  “Fuck,” she muttered under her breath. Before she could turn to go back inside, a movement around the corner of the house caught her attention. It was a brown-haired man, tall, thin, with glasses, but wearing a familiar leather vest. The DAMC colors. “Hey! Have you seen Slade? He was checking to see where the smoke was coming from and—”

  As the man rushed toward her, he said, “He wants you to come with me. There’s a fire and I’m supposed to get you somewhere safe.”

  This guy didn’t look like a biker, but then the others hadn’t fit the mold, either. Well, except for Diesel and Dawg, somewhat. So, she shouldn’t be surprised that this one looked like a librarian. An accountant, maybe? A nerd, for sure.

  As he closed in on her, her gaze dropped to the patch with his name.

  Slade.

  Her chest compressed, making it hard to breathe. He was wearing Slade’s cut.

  Where the fuck was Slade?

  “I... uh... need to grab some shoes first. I’ll be right back out,” she managed to say.

  “No, Katheryn. You’re not going anywhere but with me.”

  Her spine stiffened and she became hyper-focused on the man only steps away from her now.

  She readied herself by softening her knees and curling her fingers into fists.

  She was ready for the fight of her life.

  Right here. In Shadow Valley. On the deck of an unoccupied house.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she answered as calmly as she could.

  “We’ll see.”

  “Yes, we will,” she agreed. Instead of retreating, she met him across the deck and as she launched into her first roundhouse kick, something black and compact appeared in his hand.

  Her brain began to spin as her body did.

  Gun?

  Was she going to die right there?

  Then whatever he held made contact with her calf. As fifty thousand volts of what she now knew was a stun gun hit her, she dropped instantly to the deck as her weight-bearing leg crumpled beneath her and her body was no longer her own.

  She had zero control as he kept the voltage flowing through her body and he dropped over top of her. She could do nothing as a needle was pulled from somewhere on his person and was jammed into her thigh through her thin spats.

  She couldn’t resist, she couldn’t scream, she couldn’t escape.

  She was fucking helpless.

  Goddamn helpless.

  All the training she’d gone through; all the skills she had honed; all the blood, sweat and tears she’d endured to become a champion. All of that meant nothing in those few moments as her body betrayed her due to the electrical current running through it.

  And eventually, whatever was in that syringe switched her world to “off.”

  Kat’s vision was blurred. Not just from whatever her stalker had shot into her bloodstream, but from whatever was covering her head. White lightweight cloth. Possibly a pillowcase.

  Her wrists were bound, as were her ankles, and she knew she was in a vehicle. Most likely the backseat of one since she was laying down.

  She needed to puke.

  Her head was foggy but her brain still spinning, her gut twisted in knots.

  Bile threatened to rise from her stomach. But if she threw up, it would get caught in the pillowcase. So, she sucked air in through her nose as best as she could to fight the nausea. Unfortunately, the bumpy ride wasn’t helping.

  She tried to speak, but her throat felt raw, her tongue thick, her lips dry. Even so, she forced herself to ask, “What did you give me?”

  Her body hurt everywhere, and her muscles felt weak.

  Still helpless.

  “Why, Katheryn? Why? Why? Why? Why didn’t you just do as I asked and come to me? We could’ve had a good life together. Why did you have to fight what we have? Why did you give your innocence to that man? He doesn’t love you like I do. Why? Why did you make me do this to you?”

  “What did you inject me with?”

  “You were supposed to be mine!” came the shriek, making Kat wince since her head was still throbbing.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Home. Where you
belong.”

  Her heart, already racing, kicked up a notch. “Where is home?” Was it somewhere where she’d never be found? Would her stalker win?

  “You don’t have to worry about anything, Katheryn. I’ll handle everything. I’ll make sure you’re happy and our children are happy. I’ll provide for you and our family.”

  Fuck.

  Fuck.

  Fuck.

  “If you want to make me happy, you’ll let me go.”

  “Then you’ll continue to be lonely. I saw it. Your life is empty. You have no one but yourself. I saw it in your eyes. They were vacant. I want to fill them with joy.”

  “Drugging and kidnapping me doesn’t fill me with joy,” she whispered.

  “You’ll see. You’ll see the error of your thinking. You’ll thank me later. When you’re holding our firstborn in your arms.”

  Kat quickly did a mental body scan. Had he raped her while she was unconscious?

  Her spats were still in place and she didn’t feel any fluids between her thighs. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?

  She shuddered at the thought of “H” sexually assaulting her while she was drugged.

  She tested her bindings which felt like zip ties. Secure and just tight enough so she couldn’t slip them.

  She needed to figure out a way to get out of this situation. She had no idea where “H” was taking her and she had no idea how long they’d been driving. She just knew the farther he took her from Shadow Valley, the harder it would be for Steel to find her.

  In the meantime, she had to play along with “H’s” fantasies. By being compliant, she could buy time and hopefully keep the man on an even keel, so he didn’t do anything rash.

  She needed to play his game.

  She also needed to win it.

  Chapter Seventeen

  As they disembarked from the small Cessna, everyone’s phone binged or vibrated. All at the same time.

  Which was not a good sign since all the Shadows were on the jet together. That meant it was a mass text from Diesel.

  As one, they glanced down at their phones.

  Warehouse. Now.

  Diesel was never chatty, but his short and to the point message made a bead of sweat pop out on Steel’s forehead and his asshole squeeze tight.

  Something was wrong.