house. You can shower while I cook something for us.”
“I can do the cooking.” She stood up and wrapped the towel around her waist, leaving her breasts bare. There were faint marks there, little strawberries from the scrape of his teeth. Like a brand. His. He found satisfaction in that.
She had always enjoyed making meals for him when she’d had the chance. He’d set up the kitchen with her in mind, but it was important that she didn’t think he expected her to do all the cooking.
“After your shower, come join me in the kitchen.” He stood up as well and wrapped his towel around him, letting it ride low on his hips. He needed to cover up the fact that just looking at her brought him to attention. He wanted to make love to her. Slowly. Gently. Take his time in the bed, not take her like the wild animal he could be.
Breezy laughed softly. “I’ll never find it. I’ll get lost in this place.”
He grinned at her. “Code came with me to look at it and he got lost, either that or he found the racquetball room and just got stuck there.”
“There’s a racquetball room?”
He nodded.
“Do you play racquetball? Any of you?”
“Nope. But it’s there.”
“What in the world were you thinking, buying this house?” she asked.
He slung his arm around her neck and pulled her beneath his shoulder. He was taller than Breezy by quite a bit and his arm circled her shoulders and draped down so that he could caress the curve of her breast with the pads of his fingers. Each stroke sent a little electrical charge through his bloodstream.
“I was thinking my woman deserves the best and I was going to find her and bribe her to come back to me with this place.”
She looked up at him, her green eyes moving over his face. Searching. It was the truth, and he let her see that it was. He knew he’d told her repeatedly, but she would need reassurance often after the things he’d said to make her leave. He stopped abruptly just at the glass door and took her mouth.
Kissing Breezy was a singular experience and one he would never get enough of. He was addicted to her taste and the fire in her mouth. The way she gave him everything that was her instantly, the moment his lips settled over hers. He made his demands with his tongue and then waited to feel the delicate stroke of hers, such a contrast to his aggression and insistence. He loved that. He loved everything about it.
Steele couldn’t believe his woman was there—in the home he’d bought and furnished for her. He knew it would overwhelm her at first. He’d intended to overwhelm her. She wasn’t getting a bargain. She might protest as much as she wanted, but he knew. He knew the way he was, and he knew what was locked up inside of him. Chances were, when they made their run to find their son, she’d see, because once that monster was loose there was no putting him away until he was satisfied.
He walked her up the stairs and waited to see if she chose the frameless shower or the one in the enormous double bathroom that was part of the master suite. She went with the smaller free-frame. He loved that. He loved that she would choose the one he was certain she’d like. He left her to it and headed down the stairs.
Maestro and Keys were already in the kitchen. Maestro indicated the camera with his chin. “Got your shots for you, bro. She really is beautiful.”
“Always liked that girl,” Keys added. “Sweet. She was always fuckin’ sweet to everyone. Never saw her pass up one of the kids without stopping to talk to them.”
Steele nodded. “Yeah, she’s amazing. She can forgive anything. That’s a good thing because I’m going to fuck up royally most of the time.”
No one argued with him. He took out the chicken he’d bought. Breezy liked chicken, and he was good at grilling. He’d learned when he rode with the Swords.
Keys washed potatoes. “You good?”
Steele shook his head, looking down at the chicken that was already cut up. His stomach rolled as images pushed into his brain. Children he knew. Children with the skin flayed off of them looking up at him, expecting a miracle he couldn’t deliver. It was all too close after opening that door.
Breezy thought the worst had been beatings. It hadn’t been the