Breezy giving him everything. He just expected to get his way.
“Forget I said anything, Bree. Just breathe this away. We’ll talk about things at a later date.”
She straightened slowly, her lashes reluctantly lifting until he was looking into all that green. “I’m so scared,” she whispered. “I was scared every single minute I was growing up.”
“You don’t have to be afraid anymore. We’ll get Zane back and then we’ll talk about it.”
She moistened her lower lip with her tongue. “I’ll try, Steele.”
He shook his head. “Not like this. Not when you’re terrified. I pushed it too soon.”
“Swear to me.” She turned her head to look at him. “Swear to me Torpedo Ink isn’t anything like the Swords.”
“You have my word, baby, but we’re going to shelve this for now. I don’t want you worrying about it.”
She wrung her hands together, but she was breathing easier. “I’ll say yes, Steele …”
“No, baby, you won’t. We’re going to wait until you’re able to talk to me. I know you don’t like disappointing me, but I want us to wait.”
“You’re certain?”
There was a hopeful note in her voice. He rubbed the pad of his thumb gently over her chin. “Absolutely. And you work up the courage to talk to me about what you’re most terrified of. Not now. After we have Zane. I’m good with this, understand?”
She nodded.
He brushed his lips back and forth over hers and then kissed her gently. “Give me ten minutes to shower and then I’ll be right back to help you.”
She nodded again, and he stepped back to give her room to slide away. He was uneasy. They were riding to get their child back. He was willing for the monster to come out to get his son back to her. He was willing to die in order for her to have Zane. His club members would do the same.
Those riding with him were willing to risk their lives. He hoped she would see that, but in doing so, she would also see what they all were. It was one thing to talk of killing other human beings in the abstract, or because she was afraid for her child, but to actually witness it was something else.
Bridges was her father. Junk her half brother. They weren’t good to her, but they were all the family she had. He hadn’t been blowing off steam when he’d said he was going to take them apart before he killed them. Bridges had punched and kicked Breezy. Junk had held his hand over Zane’s mouth and nose, laughing while he did so. They’d taken the toddler from her. They were dead. Steele was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. His club was willing right alongside him. Breezy was about to see the worst in him, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with being a controlling bastard. He loved her enough to curb that. Killing those who threatened her and his child was another matter altogether.
ELEVEN
Breezy was exhausted. They’d been riding for hours. She was warm enough. Steele had seen to that. He even had gloves for her. They weren’t riding with their colors and she was grateful. She wasn’t a club girl and she didn’t want to be associated with a club again. She didn’t want to feel the way the Swords had always made her feel—worthless.
She was a little shocked at how many of the other members of Torpedo Ink had elected to go with them. Thirteen of the eighteen surrounded them. Even Savage. For some reason that surprised her. Savage always, along with Reaper, had stayed near Czar to protect him. The little she’d seen of him had made her believe nothing had changed. Reaper remained behind to watch over Czar and his family, but Savage rode with them. They’d brought a truck with them and Transporter was driving it. A car seat was in the backseat and just looking at it made her feel as if they were really going to get Zane back.
The Swords wouldn’t have considered getting a child back from a kidnapper an emergency. Most wouldn’t have bothered to go and if they knew there was a risk, most likely none would have gone. It wasn’t because they didn’t have a brotherhood, it was simply that a child was as worthless to them as she had always been.
Breezy pressed her face against Steele’s back, trying not to think about her breakdown in the kitchen. Panic attacks happened, but not very often.