Chapter 33

I hopedand prayed Steel would come, but when Susan shot my dad, and then Nancy stripped me of my pants and removed the makeshift catheter, I lost all hope. She was going to rape me. There isn't a doubt in my mind that she planned on carrying through with her promise to fuck me.

She told me if my dick didn't get hard while she ground against me, she'd shove pills down my throat to force an erection. At the thought, a wave of nausea hits me and I'm filled with gratitude that Steel arrived just in time.

Yes, this still messed with my head, but it could have been far more devastating. He came in the nick of time. Steel should have killed them on the spot. He showed remarkable restraint and I'm glad he did. The fact he didn't let them have a quick death fills me with glee. They'll wish they were dead by the time Steel is done with them, though, of that I have no doubt.

The look in his eyes when he saw me told me everything I needed to know. This man would burn the world down for me and I almost threw that away because of fucking Nancy.

My jaw drops as Draco bursts into the garage while I hastily put on my pants. What the hell is he doing here? My dad's lifeless body on the floor in front of him causes him to freeze. In a rush, he covers his mouth with his hand, his face contorting in disgust as he gags. He looks up at me and I can see the sorrow already, the apology ready to fall from his lips for something he doesn't need to be sorry for. Regaining his composure, he rushes over to me and hugs me so tight I feel like he might squeeze the air from my lungs.

"What are you doing with Hell's Mayhem? How did you get here?" I ask and he smirks, looking over at Steel.

"He sent someone for me to see if I could help with any leads or information to find you. We pieced it together, and I demanded to be here in case they found you. I wanted you to have a familiar face besides this possessive alphahole."

Steel's determination knows no bounds, evident in his efforts to locate and reach me by tracking down my best friend. Thank God for him. Thanks to his relentless obsession, I am now reaping the benefits and feeling grateful.

"You need to be seen by a doctor. And your dad, Iggie? Oh, my God… your dad. He knew? He was helping? I'm so sorry." His voice is frantic as he jumbles sentences together in a flurry.

I tightly shut my eyes and vigorously shake my head. "He helped, but not in the way you think. Not even in the way he thought, from what it sounded like. To him, it was supposed to be an intervention since I was seeing a gang member." My eyes dart to Steel, and he winces.

"He tried to talk them out of it… to let me go. Then they told me to choose my dad or being with Nancy." My voice cracks and a sob leaves me. "I killed my dad!"

Steel pulls me close, his arms enveloping me in a comforting embrace. "Listen to me, Iggie," he says, his voice gentle but firm. "You didn't kill your dad. They did. And I won't let you shoulder that blame. They made the choice together, and they pulled the trigger. It's not your burden to bear, and I won't let you think differently for even a second. We're in this together, through thick and thin. You're not alone, Iggie. We'll get through this, side by side."

A small smile crosses my lips, a sense of relief flooding through me as I think about Steel's words. He's right, but I'm gonna need time to process my dad's final words and I'm not ready to share them with anyone yet, not even Draco.

"We should get you out of here. Take you to a hospital and then, if they release you, you can come back to my place," Draco offers.

"No!"

With adrenaline coursing through my veins, I hold Steel's forearm with an iron grip. "I mean, no thank you. I wanna go with Steel." I look at the man in question. "Can I go to the clubhouse with you? Please."

He nods, smiling. "I planned on it. I have a doctor on call waiting for you. There's no way you're leaving my sight for a while. Hope you're not still mad at me, baby. I'm gonna be on your ass like glue."

"Okay," is all I can say. What else can one say to that?

Steel swoops me up like a strong gust of wind and carries me effortlessly to his truck. He parked really far away and I don't understand why. I have to be getting heavy and am capable of walking, but he doesn't put me down until he gets to the truck. With one hand, he opens the door and gently places me inside before quickly moving to the driver's side and taking his place behind the wheel.

Steel grips my hand, brushing his thumb over my knuckles as we drive in silence. It"s exactly what I need right now. I just have to focus on getting my thoughts in order and accepting that I"m finally rescued. No more Nancy and Susan.

When we get to the clubhouse, he parks his truck and carries me inside, straight to his bedroom. It's odd to find the clubhouse completely deserted, with not a soul in sight.

He gently places me on his bed before retrieving his phone and pressing it against his ear. "We're here."

Minutes later, a large bearded man strolls into the room with a black medical bag. He sets it on the bed and holds out a hand. "Iggie, I'm Shank. The club doctor and yes, I have a real medical degree, but I'm also a member of the club. Is it okay if I check you over?"

"Yeah. That's fine," I assure him while nodding my head.

Shank pokes and prods me everywhere. Before taking my temperature, he thoroughly examines my eyes, ears, and mouth. As he puts the stethoscope back in his bag, I can see the nervousness in his eyes as he looks at me.

"I hate to ask, but I have to. Did she… they… or, umm, anyone assault you?"

"No. She kissed me and ground against me a few times, but that's it, minus when she put the sketchy catheter on my penis," I tell him honestly.

Despite nodding, his attention keeps shifting to the pacing, growling president in the corner of the room. "Then we won't do a rape kit. I'll give you some antibiotics just for the cuts; it's better to be safe than sorry. Otherwise, just rest." He digs in his bag once more before pulling out a business card. "This is a friend of mine. Her name's Holly. She's a therapist but works from home, so it's all telehealth. You should make an appointment."

"I will."

The moment he exits the room, I quickly abandon the comfort of the bed and make my way to the bathroom.

"Where ya goin'?" Steel asks.

"Taking a shower. I haven't showered since the morning of my abduction and I'd really like to clean up." I strip before getting into the shower.

Turning on the water, I jolt when the cold water rains down on me, but it quickly switches to hot and I lean my head back, letting the warmth beat down on me. The door opens, and when Steel steps in front of me, I tense. He can't think we're going to be intimate, right? I'm not ready and we still aren't together. Although that seems trivial now that he searched and came for me.

"I don't expect anything, Iggie. Relax." He places his hand gently over my heart, prompting me to take a deep, calming breath. "I just wanna take care of ya, baby."

Grabbing a cloth, he squirts some soap on it and slowly runs it over every inch of my body. As promised, he sticks to washing me and doesn't venture into anything more. The cloth glides over my cock and balls, devoid of any sensual or tender touch, purely mechanical.

As I rinse off the soap, I twirl around to wash the suds off the front of my body. Steel takes that opportunity to lather my hair in shampoo, and I can't help but let out a soft moan as his strong fingers work their magic on my scalp. After thoroughly rinsing my hair, I turn off the water, feeling the droplets slowly trickle down my body.

Steel quickly steps out and wraps a towel around his waist before grabbing another one. He holds it open, waiting for me. As soon as I get out, I feel his arms encircle me with the cozy towel, and then he silently departs the bathroom.

"I'm gonna get you some clothes to sleep in. Do you want pants or just some boxers and a shirt?"

"Shirt and boxers are fine," I reply. Nodding, he walks over to the dresser, quickly grabbing both and passing them to me.

"Get dressed and I'll do the same. Then we'll go to bed."

After I dry off, I slip the shirt over my head and pull the boxers on. I flick off the bathroom light on my way out, making my way to Steel"s bed. Snuggling into it with the blanket wrapped around me, I sigh softly and close my eyes, surrendering to the peacefulness of the moment. The bed dips as Steel slides in behind me, his presence bringing a comforting warmth. He pulls me close, his arm holding me tightly. "Sleep, baby. I got you."

* * *

With a racing heart,I jolt awake, startled by a scream that escapes my lips, shattering the silence. Rocketing up in the bed, my eyes scan my surroundings, taking in the familiar sight of Steel's room and the comfort of his bed.

"Shhhh, Iggie. It's okay. Just a bad dream. You're safe here with me. Nothing and no one will hurt you again. I swear it. Go back to sleep. I'll watch over you." His calloused thumb rubs small circles on my biceps and I lie back down.

As I take a deep breath, my heart rate starts to slow, and I find solace in closing my eyes, shutting out the world around me.

I'm safe. I'm with Steel. I'm at the clubhouse. Nancy and Susan can't hurt me here. I recite this to myself over and over again in my head until I pass back out.

When I wake again, it's nine in the morning and Steel isn't in the bed anymore. Where did he go?

My question is answered when the door opens, and he appears holding a tray. "Morning, Iggie. I went and grabbed us some breakfast."

He hands me a plate overflowing with a delicious feast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast.

"Thank you." I take a bite and hum at the buttery goodness of the toast.

As I'm savoring the taste of the crispy bacon, the bedroom door violently swings open, causing a loud thud when it slams against the wall. Kiki hobbles in, her face lit up with an enormous grin and Marni trailing behind her.

"Long time no see, Iggie." Kiki sits on the bed next to me and snags a piece of sausage from my plate. I look over at Marni and she takes a seat in the chair by the door.

"What happened to you?" I ask, turning back to look at Kiki. She looks like she went through a meat grinder.

"Same thing that happened to you. The bitch's plan went awry, though, and I fought back. My attacker is dead. What about yours?"

I wince. "Not sure. I'm not ready to know yet."

"Fair enough."

Steel rises from the bed, balancing his plate in one hand. "Well, I have to call church to go over last night. The girls are gonna keep you company and I'll be back, okay?"

"We'll be fine, boss man. Go on." Kiki waves him away.