at it, scowling and mentally willing it to shut the fuck up.
"Whoever it is, they can call back," I grumbled. The ringing stopped, then immediately started up again.
I wanted to ignore it and hear the rest of Steele's story—our story—but a small thread of worry wove through me. What if it was important? Archer had said Bree was in danger.
"Fuck it," I hissed when my phone started ringing for the third time. I stood up and hurried over to answer it before the call could cut out again. I hesitated a second with my thumb over the green "answer call" button, noticing it was Scott. But why call three times in a row if it wasn't important?
"Scott, what's wrong?" I demanded, bringing the phone to my ear. Steele stood from the couch, flashing me a whole lot of leg from the split in my bathrobe as he crossed the room. I could barely even concentrate on Scott's reply as Steele leaned against the counter beside me.
"...on my way over," Scott was saying when I tuned back in.
I startled. "Wait, what? On your way here?"
"Yes, Maddie. That's what I just said. Are you even listening?" Scott made it sound like he was joking, but there was an edge of irritation to his voice.
I rolled my eyes and bit back a sigh. "Sorry, I was just… busy. Now isn't really a good time, Scott. I'll see you Monday, okay?" I made my way over to my closet-sized laundry while I spoke. Steele's clothes were dry, so I pulled them out.
"It's no trouble, I'm almost there. I grabbed your favorite ice cream too!" Scott sounded so enthusiastic, but I just wanted to tell him to fuck right off. Except... I'd made a promise to myself the day I arrived in Aspen that I'd make more of an effort with friends. I couldn't stay so damn isolated all the time, so involved with Archer and his boys. I needed my own support network, and Scott was a part of that.
Or, he would be if he could get it through his thick skull that we would never be more than friends.
I stifled a sigh as I handed Steele his clothes, and he gave me a curious brow raise. As badly as I wanted to finish that conversation with him, it was probably for the best that we’d been interrupted. Every minute I spent with him, my resolve weakened, my anger faded, and my cursed forgiveness crept in. Besides, every time the secrets involved Archer I really did want to hear it from him firsthand.
"Okay, sure," I found myself mumbling to Scott on the phone. "I'll see you soon then." I ended the call and gave Steele a shrug. "You should probably go, anyway, make sure Kody and Archer haven't been arrested with a dead body in the trunk of their car."
Steele quirked a grin, taking his clothes through to my bedroom to get dressed. "If they have, they can get themselves out of that mess faster than it'd take to call me for help. Shadow Grove cops aren't stupid; they know who really runs this town."
He dressed and came back out in seconds.
"Oh yeah?" I commented, regarding him with a shrewd look. "And I guess that's you three, then?"
Steele gave an easy shrug. "Us. Zane. Ferryman. Hades." He handed my robe back to me, and I curled my fingers around the warm satin. "Shadow Grove hasn't been ruled by the police department in a really long time, MK."
I bit the inside of my cheek, hating that we were back to "MK" again but too much of a stubborn asshole to admit it. Instead, I walked over to my front door and opened it for him.
"Will you be okay here alone?" he asked with a frown, tugging his boots back on. "I can come back later if you want."
Yes, please come back.
"I'll be fine," I told him, contradicting my own thoughts. "Scott and I had an argument earlier; he probably wants to make amends."
Steele wanted to argue with me, I could see it all over his face. But he didn't. He just gave me a long look, then sighed and scrubbed a hand over his head. "Alright, just... call if you need me. Okay? No matter what time."
I jerked a nod and he exited my apartment. He made it all of three strides down the corridor before my control snapped.
"Did you mean what you said?" I called after him, bracing my hand on the door frame.