21

STEEL

 “What the fuck do you mean she isn’t there? Where is she?” Deck yelled into his phone.

We had been away for far too long. This run had turned from a run for specialist parts for the construction company and new guns for the gun shop and range to a trip up to Sydney to see our brother Lucky. He arrived back from an overseas hospital two days ago, more or less recovered from the attack on him at a base in Afghanistan. Booth thought we should talk to him, face-to-face, and even though I agreed, I also wanted to be with Mia. I wanted to be with her for the blood test today. I wanted to sit next to her and hold her hand. Then I wanted to bury myself deep inside her and release more of my come, making sure she was pregnant with my baby.

Discretely, I reached down and palmed my dick through my pants. The fucker was so hard that there was no way I was going to be able to get back on my bike anytime soon.

“They left the compound without a detail? Booth, you better tell me someone has eyes on my woman and Mia,” Deck shouted into his phone again, catching Darth’s and my attention.

“Brother.” I growled. Something was wrong. Deck was sitting in front of me, losing his shit with Booth. My gut knew it had something to do my woman going out with Teach. A cold shiver of dread ran down my spine. Rogue was out there somewhere, and he had a big, red target on my beauty.

Deck pulled in a harsh breath, and I could almost hear him mentally counting to ten. He dropped the phone from his ear and tapped on the screen to put it on speakerphone, setting it down between us on the table.

“Pres, what’s going on?” Using all my training, I tried to keep my voice calm and in control, but my heart was beating so fast that I could feel the beats in my throat.

“I took Stella to the baby furniture shop today. I left the compound in the hands of Ford, Seb, and Squid. Mannix and Creed have been crisscrossing between all the businesses today.” I could tell Booth was pissed off. This whole Rogue situation had him feeling completely out of control, and control was what Booth was all about.

“Where is my woman?” Deck shouted again, his teeth grinding, and his jaw ticking. I had no doubt that he was remembering the car accident she had been in and her car exploding in the car park of the same clinic Mia had an appointment at today. I could understand his unease. My woman was more than likely with Teach at that very clinic.

Alone. And without detail.

“Why the fuck didn’t Squid or Seb go with them?” I asked. I swore those fucking prospects had dropped the ball one time too many lately.

Booth let out a frustrated sigh. I could picture him pacing in the war room and running his hands through his hair in desperation. I understood his pain. I couldn’t lose Mia, not now. Not ever.

“They were busy, and the girls apparently didn’t want to bother them, so they went on their own. Shiloh is with Zoe’s parents and Jason for two days, so Charlotte must have thought it was okay to go,” Booth muttered. “I sent Creed to the clinic. He just called and has them safe and sound. The prospects are under a club inquiry, and Ford will be getting his arse kicked as soon as he climbs out of his tech cave.”

Fucking Creed. Of course, he was riding to Mia’s rescue. When wasn’t he? I didn’t care if it was irrational or just plain old-fashioned jealousy. I didn’t want him near Mia while I was not around to keep an eye on him. Mia was mine, and I would be telling him that as soon as I could get my arse back home. Then I was going to spank my beauty’s delicious behind.

“I will deal with them when Creed escorts them back to the compound. It is time we sit our women down and tell them more than we already have. It’s time they understand just how much this guy wants to hurt them,” Booth said ominously.

Booth’s last statement hit me right in the heart. I knew he was right, but I was scared as fuck Mia would panic and run off and take our baby with her.

“Don’t yell at Charlie, Booth,” Deck warned, fury radiating off him.

“I suggest you stand down, sergeant. I will conduct myself in my club any way I see fit. This is not the first time the girls have taken off without detail, Charlotte and my wife included. It’s time they understood their stupid actions could have dire consequences. And may I remind you, Deck, my own wife is pregnant, too, and I would never yell at her, so why would I yell at yours?” The line went dead, and Deck picked up his phone and locked the screen.

“Fuck.” Deck groaned. His handling of the conversation had not been ideal, obviously clouded by his obsession and love for his wife. Another thing I could understand completely.

“Brothers, I think you should both call your women, and then let’s get on with the mission. I don’t know about you, but I want to go home and kiss my girl,” Darth declared as he stood up and walked out of the gas station café we’d stopped at for a lunch break. Darth refused to call Vegas his woman, but he did just refer to her as his girl. If I weren’t consumed with worry, I would consider asking Darth his reason for that.

Maybe I would later.