Page 34 of Steel's Secret
The room gives a low rumble of laughter. Normally, I’d smirk, throw a jab back, but today it grates like sandpaper.
Rock slides a folder toward me. “We’re debating expansion for the Ridge roads. Might partner with the Lumber crew to clear.”
“I don’t give a shit about the Ridge right now,” I snap.
The room goes still. Even Throttle’s grin fades. Rock blinks hard, like he’s trying not to take it personally. “Alright. What do you give a shit about?”
Aria’s name sits on the back of my tongue like a live wire. I don’t say it.
I rake a hand through my hair. “Routes. Perimeter. Who’s been coming in and out of town? Patterns. Traffic cams.”
City’s eyes sharpen. “You expecting trouble?”
I don’t get the chance to lie because that’s when my phone buzzes.
Short. Sharp. Like a warning shot.
I pull it from my pocket, expecting another supply question from Throttle or a check-in from Honor.
My stomach drops when I see her name.
Aria.
I open the message. A picture fills the screen. My blood freezes.
Aria and me. In the cot. Her head on my shoulder. My hand on her hip. Her mouth on my neck. The photo was taken from inside the garage. Close enough to touch us while we slept.
Underneath the image, a message.
Unknown Number: We know where she sleeps. And where you don’t.
My vision tunnels.
Rock asks something, but it’s just noise.
“Steel?” Crusher says sharply. “You breathing?”
My breath stops cold in my chest. Every instinct I own turns predatory. I don’t feel the phone slip from my hand. Don’t hear it clatter to the floor. I just hear the roar in my head.
“What the hell?” Crusher demands.
I force myself to breathe, pick up the phone, and turn the screen so only he can see. His jaw clenches hard enough to crack.
“Fuck,” he mutters. “That’s… who was in the garage with you?”
“No one,” I grit. “No one we saw.”
Rock comes up behind us. “What the hell’s going on?”
I shut the screen off. “Nothing we can’t handle.”
“Bullshit,” Crusher says under his breath.
I turn on him so fast he stiffens. “Don’t start.”
He doesn’t back down. Never has. “You gonna tell the room, or you gonna keep pretending this is personal?”
“This is personal,” I snap. “It’s also not anybody’s fucking concern.”
