Page 20 of Steel

Austin nods, and I set the remote down.

“Don’t leave this room, okay? Wait for me.”

Austin pulls the blanket to his chin and rolls onto his side. “Okay.”

I dig a hair tie out of my pocket and pull my hair up into a loose ponytail before walking over to the bedroom door. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and let it settle my nerves. Just because I can’t leave doesn’t mean they’d starve my little brother.

I don’t think.

Reaching for the handle, I open it to find a guy I don’t recognize standing on the opposite side. His patch tells me he’s a prospect, so he’s likely been standing guard all night.

I slip out into the hallway before he can stop me and close the door so Austin can’t hear us.

“You’re supposed to stay put.” The prospect lifts off the wall.

He’s a scrawny guy, but he towers over me as he steps close. His jet-black hair is slicked back, and his dark-brown eyes narrow.

“I know.” I force a smile, hoping honey catches more flies with bikers. “But it’s already past nine, and my brother is hungry, so I wanted to see if Steel could—”

“Steel wants you to stay put,” he cuts me off, loyal as ever to his merciless leader.

“I’ve got this, Sonny.” A voice comes from the other end of the hall, and I turn to see Havoc walking in my direction.

From what I gathered last night, when they got back from picking up Austin, Steel trusts Havoc, and my shoulders relax at a familiar face.

“My brother needs breakfast,” I tell him.

“Food’s in the kitchen.” Havoc waves me forward before looking back at Sonny. “Stay there.”

I don’t like leaving Austin alone in this place, but I don’t have a choice when I know he needs to eat.

Glancing from Sonny to the bedroom door, I pause, biting my lip, trying to decide if Havoc will just get the food for me.

“Don’t worry,” Havoc says. “The door locks from the inside, and only Steel has a key, so your brother will be fine.”

Havoc’s long dark hair is pulled back, and tattoos cover the full length of his arms. He’s burly and big—solidmuscle. But when I look into his eyes, there’s a soft edge that has me trusting him, whether I should or not.

“Thank you.”

He nods, leading me down the hallway.

In the morning light, the clubhouse is even less appealing than it was when I first came here. A few men and women are passed out on random pieces of furniture, but at least they’re wearing more clothes than they were when I was searching for the bathroom.

The air reeks of stale cigarettes and leather, and my shoes stick to the floor with every step.

Havoc guides me through the bar to a door in the far corner of the room. “Food’s in there. Help yourself. I’ll let Steel know you’re awake.”

I nod, watching Havoc make his way back down the hallway.

I’m not sure where Steel slept last night since we were in his bedroom. The last time I saw him, he was ordering a prospect to fetch us fresh sheets and blankets. Then he left us to ourselves.

Pushing the kitchen door open, I find a few girls standing around drinking coffee. I recognize one as the blonde who was working behind the bar last night, and she doesn’t appear any friendlier this morning. The moment she spots me walking into the kitchen, her smile drops.

Her bleached hair is brighter in the daylight, and without makeup, her face is washed out. But she’s naturally pretty and has an hourglass figure, so I can see what Steel must see in her.

“Can we helpyou?” she asks.

“Reina, be nice.” A girl with purple and blonde hair rolls her eyes.

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