the others drifted out to get food, presumably from a kitchen somewhere in the enormous building. “Those things aren’t going to do us any good. I told you, we can’t go near that place. If there’s really something you absolutely need, papers, things irreplaceable like photographs, I’ll go in at night. They’ll be watching your apartment. We don’t want to lead them back here …”
“By all means, stay as safe as you can,” she muttered sarcastically.
“We’re bringing our son back here, Breezy.” Steele was back in control, no flares of anger. Just absolute control. “That means we don’t want a single Sword to know this location or the name of our club.”
That made sense too. She detested that Steele made any kind of sense at all. “I’m not raising Zane in club life, Steele. You can get pissed if you want, but I’m not going to do it. If I have to stay close for a while, I’ll find a place to live and work near here, and that’s a huge concession. We can set up visitation if you think you’re going to take an interest in him, but—”
He leaned close. Took the spoon from her hand and set it on the table. “Look at me, Breezy.”
It was a command, nothing less, triggering her heart into overdrive. She couldn’t help but lift her apprehensive gaze to his.
“Zane is my son. Mine. You aren’t going to dictate to me what I can and can’t do with him. You aren’t going to live somewhere I can’t protect the two of you. We’re going to talk things out and we’re going to do what’s right for our boy.”
The quiet in his voice alarmed her more than anything. She knew they called him Steele for a variety of reasons. Road names were given for things from funny incidents to very serious ones. Some of the brothers had called him unbending. Once he made up his mind, no one ever got in his way because he’d just go right through them.
“You’re not taking him from me.”
“Did I say I was taking him from you? Did I one time indicate that? You’re a pair, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re both mine.”
She pushed away from the table fast, surging to her feet at the same time, knocking the chair over backward. “You’re out of your mind if you think that. Completely out of your mind.”
He didn’t even get up. He reached out, hooked the chair, pulled it upright and pointed back to the seat.
She glared at him, but the smell of the soup was too good, and it had been a long time since her last really nourishing meal. She sat back down and picked up the spoon. “You don’t get to dictate to me anymore, Steele. I’m not that girl, the one worshipping you and thinking you walked on water.”
“I’m very aware I lost that.”
“I don’t even know you. You were lying to me. To everyone, remember? So, no, I’m not yours. Zane, I’ll concede, is, and you have a right to visit him …”
“It won’t work that way. You know me, Bree. You know me. I might have misled things to the club, but I gave you the real man. I don’t back away from a fight and I win.”
She felt herself go pale. Dizzy. So light-headed for a moment she thought she might pass out. “You’re threatening to take him away from me.” Her voice was a whisper of fear.
“No, baby”—he leaned close again—“I’m threatening to lock you in a house with our son until you come to your senses. I told you, he isn’t going to be raised with one parent.”
“And I told you, he isn’t going to be raised in a club.”
“We’ll see. Eat your soup and then I’ll show you to your room, so you can get some sleep.”
“I slept all day.”
“You dozed on and off all day waiting for dark, so you could carry out your hare-brained scheme. Don’t remind me. It will just piss me off.”
She was tired, and she wasn’t going to argue with him for argument’s sake. He could posture all he wanted, it didn’t mean he would get his way. She finished the soup and then stood up, taking the bottle of water with her.
Breezy followed Steele down a long hallway. He pointed out a bathroom as they passed a door and stopped at the room just beyond it. He shoved the door open and stepped back to allow her inside. She knew instantly