by Jenika Snow
Steel thrust the knife into Hanson’s gut and slowly pulled it up. The blade was sharp and went through his abdomen like a hot knife through butter. But he wasn’t done just yet. Using his forearm to keep Hanson pressed up against the wall, he held the bloody knife in front of Hanson’s face. Blood trailed out of the fucker’s mouth, and he started coughing, drowning in his own body fluids.
In a move just as slow as when he cut him the first time, Steel brought the blade across Hanson’s throat. He took a step back and stared at the prick gurgling and choking, and clawing at the ground right before he stilled and took one last, labored breath. He should have made the fucker suffer even more.
He grabbed a rag that was on the ground, spilled from the trashcan, and cleaned off his blade. This certainly wasn’t the most violent thing he had ever done, but it was the most brutal.
Steel stayed in the corner, his hands tightly fisted at his sides; the anger he felt for a dead man still ringing through his body. It had been days since Eloise had been taken to the hospital, days since he’d taken Hanson out, yet he wanted to kill the man again and again. She’d woken up, but he hadn’t been here the last time, and all he wanted to do was hold her. Her face was so bruised and swollen still, and he hated that she hurt like this. But, the doctor said she was healing nicely, would even be able to go home soon.
“Steel?” Eloise’s voice was so soft and distant and it sounded slightly confused.
He pushed away from the wall and moved toward her. He took the seat by her bed, held his breath, and felt his heart jump to his throat. With her hand in his, he waited to see if she’d woken up, or if she was just talking in her sleep. “I’m here, baby.” He brought their intertwined hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
Her brow furrowed, and she groaned as she shifted on the bed.
“Does it still hurt?” Of course it does, you asshole. He closed his eyes and exhaled. God, he hated seeing her like this.
She opened the eye that wasn’t swollen shut, and although he knew she was badly hurt and probably scared as fuck, she smiled at him. “It feels like I was run over,” she said in a soft voice. Even like this she tried to be strong. “What time is it?”
“It’s late, baby. It’s really late.”
She sighed and nodded. “I feel a little loopy, but the pain isn’t so bad so I can’t complain,” she smiled again.
Steel lightly brushed hair away from her forehead. “The doctor gave you some pain meds, which is why you feel out of it, but he said you’re healing nicely and that you’ll be able to leave soon.”
She nodded, closed her eyes as she shifted, and a wince crossed her face. “I hurt all over, but my face and side hurt the worst.” She shifted again on the bed. “He was going to kill me, Steel, or hell, worse I think, because killing me wouldn’t have been the worst thing that asshole could have done to me.”
He pressed his hand to the top of her head, smoothed her hair away then brought her knuckles to his mouth to kiss them once more. “He won’t hurt you ever again, baby. No one will ever hurt you again.”
She closed her eye, and he watched as a tear slide out of the corner of it.
Steel brushed it away and kept his hand on her cheek.
“I tried to get away, and managed to knee him in the crotch, so at least I did that much.”
“Good, baby. I’m glad you got a good hit in.” He ran his hand over her forehead. “You’re so damn strong and make me so proud. I’m just sorry, and regret it so damn much that I wasn’t there to save you, to protect you.”
She swallowed again. “I know, Steel. But God, I hate being a victim, hate that he had that kind of control over me.” She lifted her hand and brushed her tears away in an angry manner. “What if he comes back?”
Steel shook his head. “I told you, he won’t hurt you ever again.”
She stared at him, and then realization of what he was talking about covered her battered face.
“You…” she didn’t finish.
He nodded once. “And I wish I could do it all over again.” Steel leaned forward and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent and silently promising her that he’d always look after her. He held her for several minutes, and just having her close felt so fucking good. He couldn’t get lost in this experience of being with his woman, because the sight of her mangled, the idea that some other fucker had dared to put their fucking hands on her, had him feeling more homicidal than he had ever felt before.
“I just want to go home Steel,” she looked up at him. “I just want to go home with you.”
He leaned back, but only kept an inch between them. “Let me make sure with the doctor that it’s okay for you to leave tonight, because I want you in my bed tonight, with me holding you close.” He kissed her softly again. “But I don’t want you at that apartment anymore, Eloise. I want you with me, at my place, and at my side.”
She didn’t respond right away. “Steel, your place is barely big enough for you, let alone another person,” she looked up at him, but he could see her happiness amidst her hesitation. “Besides, we haven’t been together that long. Don’t you think it’s rushing it?”
He shook his head. “Eloise, I have never felt more sure of anything else in my life than I am of having you by my side. I want to be able to hold you every night, to make sure you’re safe.” He tightened his hold on her hand. “I won’t let you leave my side. I can’t because I’m fucking in love with you.” He brushed his lips along hers. “You’re my old lady. And if my place is too small then I’ll get a bigger place, one where you can be happy, have your space, and where I know you’ll be safe.”
She smiled and lifted her hand to cup his cheek.
“I need you by my side, and I need to have you safe, baby.”
“I know, Steel, and I want to be with you, too.” She was still smiling, and even with the bruising and swelling in her face, he could still see the submissive woman that had opened up something inside of him and changed him for the better.
“I’d like to stay with you, but let’s take it one day at a time, okay?”
Steel kissed her once more and stood. “Okay, baby. I’m going to check to see if you can leave.” He left the room and strode down the hallway to speak with whoever was in charge of getting her out of here. He was taking his woman home, and he’d make sure she was safe, even if it took his last breath to do so.
One month later
Eloise didn’t know how she got so lucky. Apart from being beaten, almost raped and killed, she’d had a pretty decent month. The bruising was fading fast and her ribs were no longer causing her pain. Her biggest problem was her nose. It still needed to be bandaged up. She hated it, but Steel wouldn’t allow her to remove it, which she didn’t mind.
“I look hideous,” she said, coming out of his bathroom after washing. She couldn’t get her nose wet and so she’d been forced to take hand washes because of all the bangages on her body. She didn’t want to risk using he bath tub.
“Baby, you do not look hideous. You’re beautiful.”
“I’ve got a mask over my nose, Steel.”
“When did you get so vain?” He was laid on the bed with one arm behind his back. She crawled beside him, lying with her arm over his waist, being gentle as she placed her face next to his.
“Since there is a club full of hot, sexy, young women with perfect bodies and flawless skin without the broken nose to keep you company.” She stroked the tips of her fingers across the expanse of his chest.
“Baby, they could be fucking porn stars, princesses, or the sexiest women in the world down there and they wouldn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Why?” she asked, getting a thrill at his words.
“Because I know you want me as much as I want you. You’re the other half of me, Eloise. I love you and when I love someone, I don’t step out on them. I’m yours.”
He rolled over so they were facing each other. She tensed as he reached out to run a finger do
wn her nose. “This was broken, but it shows me that you’re a fighter, Eloise. To be my woman, my old lady, you’ve got to be a fighter. This world isn’t for everyone, but Demon and Joker have both found women to complete them.” He took her hand, pressing it over his heart. “You’re in here. I’ve never met a woman like you.”
“Damn, Steel, I didn’t know you could be so romantic.”
“And you’ve got the best, tightest pussy and ass I’ve ever been inside. There really isn’t another like it.”
She slapped his chest. “Now there’s the Steel I know and love.” She smiled at him as her pussy pulsed recalling how amazing it could be between them. “You’ve not bruised me in a long time,” she said, remembering their play before she went into the hospital. He’d been brilliant at using his belt on her. She wanted it again, begged for it, needed it, like it was her way of breathing.
“Eloise, baby, you’re bruised enough already at the moment. I’m not going to be putting any new marks on you until I know every mark was made by me and not that fucker.”
His fist tensed where it lay on the bed between them. Licking her dry lips, she placed her hand over his. “Okay, I’m sorry.”
“I wish he was alive so I could kill him again.”
She chuckled. “I know I shouldn’t be laughing, but you can’t think like that, Steel.”
“He hurt you and I want to kill the fucker all over again.”
“I don’t want you to kill him all over again. Once was enough.” She knew deep down in her heart she should be terrified of Steel. He’d killed Hanson without blinking an eye. Since her release from the hospital, she’d heard several of the men at the club talking about it. Steel hadn’t been nice in his torture methods. Hanson had been a mess, so bad that no one would even recognize him if they tried to get a positive ID, which they’d never do. The Soldiers of Wrath MC never left anything open to chance. They all cleaned up loose ends. Markam’s now belonged to the club, and they organized the staff along with the business side of things. That was where she worked, no longer at the club. She didn’t want to know how they got Hanson to sign over the deeds, she was only grateful that they had.
As far as everyone knew, Hanson had gone on an extended vacation, skipping town without taking care of anything else.
“You’re not running away screaming.”
“I’m not as weak as you think I am,” she said.
“I killed a man.”
“I doubt he’s the first man you killed.” She raised a brow at him. “Steel, I’ve spent my whole life being afraid of what I needed, what I wanted. Since I’ve found you, you’ve given me more than you’ll ever know. I love you. I knew from the start an MC wasn’t about fairytales or princesses. You’re my dark prince and you’re hard as steel. I get where your name has come from. I’m not afraid of you. You’d never hurt me unless I wanted you to.”
He cupped her face, caressing over her bottom lip with his thumb. “And you wonder why I’d happily be with you than some of those whores downstairs. There could never be enough of them to satisfy me, Eloise.”
“There you go with the charm,” she smiled at him.
“I don’t give a shit about your broken nose or you bruises. They only serve to remind me how close I came to nearly losing you.” He leaned in close, brushing his lips against hers. “I’m not going to make that same mistake again.”
“It wasn’t your mistake. This is what I’m talking about, Steel. You can’t keep blaming yourself when something bad happens. This wasn’t your fault and you’ve got to stop this.”
He left the bed, and she frowned as she watched him go to a drawer at the far end of the room.
“What are you doing?” she asked, sitting up.
“My brothers think it’s too soon but I know a good thing when I’ve got it. I’m never going to give you up.”
She continued to frown as he came toward her, putting his hands behind his back.
“I’m a little nervous here.”
“I’ve beat your ass with my belt, bruised, and played with you, and yet you’re nervous about this.” He brought his hand between them. There in his palm lay a deep blue velvet box.
“Steel, what is that?”
“Eloise, will you be my wife,” he said.
Her heart pounded inside her chest as she stared back at him. “You’re proposing to me?”
“Yes. There’s no other woman in the world I want more than you. I promise to be faithful to you, loyal, and to love you forever. What do you say?” he asked.
This man never failed to surprise her. He knew what to say and do to make her feel like the most special woman in the world.
“Yes, yes, yes.” She wrapped her arms around him, slamming her body against his. “I love you, Steel. I want to be yours. All yours.”
He held her tightly, stroking her hair.
“Good, because even if you said no, I had plans to make you agree to be my wife.” He pulled back, dropping his lips against hers.
Eloise melted against him, loving the feel of his arms around him.
“Come on, let’s go tell the guys the good news.” He took her hand, leading her downstairs.
“Another brother bites the dust,” Shakes said as Steel leaned against the bar. He watched Eloise show off her ring to Deanna, Amy, and a couple of the club whores who were actually nice. The smile on her face was worth every second of pain he’d been through to get to her. She was his soul mate, the love of his life.
“Do you have any regrets?” Joker asked.
“Regrets about what?”
“Asking her to marry you?”
“No. I love her and I’m man enough to admit it.”
“The whores are going to be mourning your loss, but I’m sure the prospects will more than make up for it,” Demon said, taking a long pull on his beer.
“I can’t believe we’re standing here now with three of us already settled down.”
Steel glanced over at Shakes. Something twisted in his gut as he stared at the other brother. He was going to bring some problems to the club. Steel wasn’t a fool. Something was going on between him and Daniella. He didn’t know what, but he hoped the brother knew what he was doing.
Eloise walked toward him, swaying her hips. Even with the white plaster over her nose, she was the sexiest woman in the world to him.
“Do you want to back out?” she asked, showing him the ring.
“No, I don’t want to back out. I know what I want.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She was his, and he looked forward to the moment he owned her in the eyes of the law.
She pressed her lips against to his.
“When do you want to get married?” he asked.
“As soon as possible.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want you to change your mind.” She smiled, cupping his cheeks. “I want to own you like you own me.”
And that was why he wanted her to himself. Eloise was the one woman who completed him. He didn’t give a shit about the club whores waiting around. She was the only woman for him. The only woman he wanted to sink his cock into and put his baby inside of.
Banding his arm around her, he held her close, knowing he’d never let her go.
Their happily ever after
They’d left the BBQ that had been thrown at the Soldiers compound just twenty minutes ago. He wanted his woman to himself, wanted to be able to show her that although she was healed, maybe even still healing inside, she was all he wanted.
She’d moved into his place, and he liked having her around, loved it, in fact. She was everything he’d ever hoped of finding in an old lady, everything he thought he’d never find. Steel had never seen himself settling down and honestly hadn’t wanted to. He’d liked fucking, liked the fact there were no strings attached, he could come and go from bitches’ beds as he pleased. But all that had changed when he’d met Eloise and fully claimed her. She was sweet and gentle, but also so damn strong it made him proud to have
her by his side.
He stared at her as she took off her cardigan and tossed it over the edge of the chair in the living room. She wore this short as fuck dress, but had on these black stretch pants that stopped at her calves. Damn, she was fine piece of ass, and all his.
The dominant side in him rose as he saw the light bruises that marred her upper arms. He remembered when he gave her those, remembered when he’d held her down, fucked her until she’d drifted off, a smile on her face, and the sweet scent of her release coming from her. He loved giving her the pain as much as watching her come around him.
“Look at me.” He said in a deep, stoic voice.
She turned around, her eyes widening slightly, and then she started breathing heavily.
“Get undressed for me.” He wanted her now.
For a second she didn’t move, just stared at him, her desire clear.
“You are here for my pleasure, solely to make me happy,” that was true to an extent, but he also was here for her pleasure. When she was totally nude, standing before him in all her nude, curvy glory, he reached down and adjusted his hard cock. “Go to the room and get into position.” He knew she was aware of what he spoke of. He watched her walk away, loved how her ass slightly bounced as she moved away.
Once she was in their room, he unzipped his pants and pulled his cock out. He stroked himself, imagining her waiting for him, standing in position, and needing him just as badly as he needed her.
When he made his way into the room, he had to stop in the doorway and stare at her. She stood before him naked and looking so fucking beautiful that he was starving for her. He pulled his belt free from the loops of his jeans and kept tightening his hold on it. The images of bringing the smooth leather down across her ass and the back of her thighs had his cock throbbing.