same to me. He doesn’t need me. He’s got any number of willing women.”
Breezy knew she sounded bitter, but she couldn’t help it. “While he was partying, I was having a child alone and learning how to survive outside a club. I did it, and for the first time, I feel pride. Self-esteem. I’m not going back to that scared little mouse standing frozen in front of him, too terrified to say what I think.”
“Honey,” Lana said, her voice gentle. “You’ve heard me tell my brothers to go to hell. Do you think they hit me? That they would dare hit me? I’d slit their fucking throats if they tried it, not that they ever would. They aren’t like that.”
“Steele just threatened to kill a man, and he meant it, Lana,” Breezy reminded.
“He threatened to kill the man, Bree,” Lana pointed out. “Not you. He would never lay a hand on you. Not like that, no matter how upset he was with you.”
“Bree.” Darby glanced at her mother and then her gaze jumped back to Breezy’s face. “I know you don’t know me very well, but Czar and Blythe always encourage us to say what we think. I’ll admit I’ve never seen Uncle Steele like that, but I did see the way he touched you. So gentle. He wasn’t going to hurt you. When we first came here with Czar and Blythe, we were scared, and every time one of the men moved too fast or sounded scary, we jumped—or froze. The men who took us tried to train us like that and they only had us for a few days. They had you for years.”
Breezy’s heart nearly stopped beating. She had never considered herself a victim. She was born into the club life. She was a daughter of a high-ranking member. She was a useful club asset. She was a lot of things, but not a victim. What Darby said to her made sense. She’d been trained to be a mouse. To stand still and never voice her opinion. To stay as quiet as possible, to soothe tempers, to anticipate needs, whatever they might be.
To some extent she was still that girl and always would be. She had trained herself to notice details, to observe, so that had translated over to her waitress work in serving her customers. She knew what Zane needed almost before he did. She’d always been good at anticipating Steele’s needs or wants. She hadn’t considered that training, she thought it was her nature. Now, having heard Darby and giving it consideration, she knew it was both.
“He’d never hurt you,” Blythe said with complete confidence. “You’re Torpedo Ink whether or not you claim them. You belong. They will surround you with protection. They’ll surround your son with protection. You love Steele. There’s not a doubt in my mind that you love that man. Just give it a chance.”
“I don’t share.” She didn’t care how they all tried to explain things away. No one could explain Steele and the other women.
“Men are idiots,” Alena muttered and slipped off her stool. She picked up the platter of potatoes and went into the dining room.
Blythe handed Breezy two pitchers of fresh squeezed orange juice and picked up the other two. “My sister grows oranges in a greenhouse so we’re very lucky. Player and Transporter did the honors this morning.”
“They squeezed all the oranges to get the juice?” Breezy was shocked.
“We do have a little machine,” Blythe clarified. “Although if you ask, I’m certain they’ll act like they did it by hand.”
She went out with Lana following behind, carrying the platter of French toast. Breezy stood there for a moment staring at the archway between the kitchen and dining room. She felt like that mouse all over again.
Darby reached out and touched her arm. “They’re all here to figure out how to get Zane back. Think about that. Just keep it in your head that they’re here to help. I told myself that thousands of times and it sank in. Now, for the first time, I think it’s sinking in for Zoe.”
Breezy nodded her head, took a deep breath and followed Darby into the dining room.
SEVEN
Breezy forced her body to work when it wanted to do its frozen-in-place thing. The only chair open at the table was next to Steele. The men were heaping food on their plates and pretending to stab at the bacon and pancakes on Zoe’s plate. Kenny sat beside Darby. He’d clearly put food on