could say another word. He wanted to be long gone from the state by the time the sun was up.
Breezy swiveled around in her seat to stare at their son. “He’s so beautiful.”
“Put your fuckin’ seat belt on, baby. He’s not going to want anything happening to his mother at this late date. He just got you back.”
She turned slowly, her eyes on his face as she pulled the seat belt around her and snapped it in place. “Honey …”
“Don’t. We’re not talking about it right now. You were thinking of giving yourself up to them. I heard it in your voice.” He’d sworn he wouldn’t say a word until he had her in their home. Safe. Where he could hold her in his arms and make it very, very clear she wasn’t ever to go down that path of thinking again.
“For a second. Just for one second.”
She didn’t bother to deny it, which was a good thing because Steele found he wasn’t in the least bit under control—not when it came to the subject of his woman putting her life on the line for him and their child. That was his job and he didn’t give a damn if the world called him a fucking male chauvinist. He didn’t know what that even was. A man who wanted to watch out for his family? A man who respected his woman enough and loved her enough to keep her safe? What the fuck did that even mean? He wasn’t even certain he wanted to ask Blythe that question, mainly because he was terrified. He wasn’t afraid of anything … but Breezy terrified him with her courage.
“I said we weren’t talking about it.”
Breezy turned her face away from him and looked out the window. “This relationship thing is much harder than it looks, isn’t it?”
He had to agree with that. Blythe and Czar made it look easy. Reaper didn’t, but then Reaper was like a wrecking ball. He was just lucky Anya loved him enough to overlook all his craziness. Steele definitely didn’t think it was crazy to be upset because Breezy had nearly blown it after they’d finally gotten their child back.
“Do you think I would have left you with them if you’d confessed?” He couldn’t stop the demand, it hissed out like a coiled snake, one angry and rattling a warning.
Her gaze came back to him. “I wasn’t thinking in that one second, Steele.”
“I wouldn’t. The answer is, no, I would never have left you there. I would charge hell with a bucket of water to get you back. I’d fuckin’ search hell for you, Breezy. Don’t ever think you can exchange your life for mine, because it isn’t going to happen. I wouldn’t let it happen.”
He took his eyes off the road long enough to glare at her, letting her know he expected a response. She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip, a little show of nerves he recognized from long ago.
“I know you wouldn’t ever allow it. I do. I’m sorry, Steele, but sometimes I can’t help what comes into my mind. I hate that they have a direct tie to you through me. That’s all. I dismissed the idea immediately as ludicrous.”
The pressure on his chest eased. He rubbed his palm over his heart. “We’re going to straighten a few things out when we get home, woman. You get me?”
She nodded. “Yes. Of course. I really wouldn’t have done it, Steele.”
“I’m going to need fucking therapy you keep this bullshit up, Breezy,” he muttered.
She burst out laughing. “Therapy?”
“Yeah. Therapy. Haven’t you ever heard of therapy?”
“Not coming out of your mouth. What kind of therapy?”
He started to tell her but decided to think that over. A smart man might see a few advantages in that question. “Let me think on that for a while.”
Breezy laughed and the sound went through him the way it often did, lighting his world. She sounded bright and happy and she shed that light on him. She took him right out of the violence, the blood and death and vile world he lived in to draw him into the sunshine with her.
He glanced in the rearview mirror, so he could see their son. In the side mirror he caught a glimpse of Savage and Transporter as they rode the highway with him. In the back of the truck was his bike. His colors were tatted on his back so even if he left his jacket home, he was