Gio (Steel Demons MC #6)

Chapter 21

Harper

A fter the deepest, most dreamless sleep of my life I woke up feeling refreshed and satisfied and wearing the biggest damn smile. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever woken up with a smile on my face but today it was all about Gio and the way he’d rescued me yesterday. The way he’d protected me. How good he made me feel after everything.

And it was that reminder of everything that wiped the smile quickly from my face. Those guys had tried to kidnap me. No, they had kidnapped me and if not for Gio who knew what fresh hell I’d be going through right now. This situation with the Blood Reapers was becoming all too real and I knew I’d have to be more careful and more vigilant going forward.

With that thought at the forefront of my mind, I sat up and noted that Gio’s side of the bed was cold, which wasn’t all that surprising. He’d slept fitfully last night and was probably eager to get with the guys to tell them about what happened and make a plan to retaliate. Retaliation. It was inevitable in this life and despite the fear when I thought of what they did to me—attempted to do—I knew it required a response from the Steel Demons.

I accepted that.

More than that, I was fine with it.

My stomach rumbled and I glanced at my phone with a groan. I needed to get dressed and get some food in my belly before I headed back to the hotel. It was the last place I wanted to be and when I answered Nicole’s call half-dressed, those words were on the tip of my tongue. I kept my temper in check even though my jaws clenched hard enough to crack a tooth. “Yes Nicole, everything is coming along just as it should. I’m on schedule and everything.”

“That’s good,” she answered with a heavy sigh. “I wasn’t sure if you were ready, but I guess I was wrong.” She ended the call after that.

“Bitch,” I grumbled out of habit and shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans, which served as another reminder. I needed to go back to Gio’s to change my clothes, and then pick up the rental car which was still at the hotel. I let out a sigh, nothing about this morning would be easy, so before I did anything I’d grab myself some breakfast.

When I got downstairs, the clubhouse was buzzing with activity even though it was just after ten in the morning. There were trays of food loaded up on a table at the far end of the room and a few of the old ladies and their kids sat at tables eating and quietly chatting. The club whores moved around efficiently but almost silently, taking care of the details.

It was an odd dynamic the way these women coexisted, and I wondered as I piled scrambled eggs and sausage on my plate with one biscuit, how they all dealt with it. I further wondered if I was strong enough, trusting enough to handle this dynamic.

And then the question popped its peroxide head right in my line of sight. She was bottle blonde and busty, dressed scantily and pouting in a way that some men seemed to appreciate. “Gio is mine,” she snarled in my face, the stench of cigarettes and cold coffee hit me with a strong gust of wind.

This was his type?

I studied her for a long minute, and I laughed to myself. Of course she was Gio’s type, she was every guy’s type, at least temporarily. But after last night I wasn’t in the mood to be good little Harper. “Well Gio never mentioned you to me so if there’s a problem you should take it up with him.”

She smacked her palm against the table holding the food. “I’m taking it up with you, bitch. He’s mine. Leave him alone.”

The conversations halted immediately, and I didn’t need to glance around to know that all eyes were on us. I fixed her with a steely look and said, “Since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you what, no I don’t think I will leave him alone.”

Her gaze narrowed and she took another step forward to make sure she was right in my face, leaving me at a disadvantage with the plate of food in my hand. “Leave him alone. Walk away or else.”

I took a step forward too and my plate found its way smashed against her big fake tits. “Or else what?”

She gasped in surprise, and I smiled because I knew her type well. She was good at playing the role of the bully until challenged. “I was in his bed before you came along. He’s mine.”

I nodded. “Well I’m there now and if he wants you back in his bed instead of me, he’ll tell me. I’ve never known Gio to hold his tongue in all the years I’ve known him.” Yeah, bitch, take that little reminder that I’ve known him longer than you have.

“You’ll regret this bitch,” she snarled again, oblivious to the spittle that flew from her red painted lips. She was angry as hell and that gave me pause. And questions. A fuck load of questions.

I gasped when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist but settled when Gio’s familiar scent also wrapped around me. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” the blonde said quickly.

“Your friend was just telling me that I needed to walk away from you, or else. She staked her claim.”

His arms tightened around me and his whole body tensed. “You said that, Cindy?”

“Gio,” she squeaked. “You don’t have to fuck her to take care of her!” The only thing missing from that whine was a foot stomp.

If she hadn’t threatened me, I’d almost feel sorry for her. “I need to get going since my breakfast is ruined and my appetite is gone.” Both were true. The reminder of Gio’s past was just what I needed to remember that whatever this is, it’s not permanent. He didn’t do permanent. “My car is back at the hotel, and I need to get to your place first to change clothes.”

“She’s staying with you?” Cindy’s voice was a mix of disbelief and a pout.

Gio ignored her and spun me to face him. He cupped my cheek gently as his gaze searched my face as if he heard my thoughts and sought to wipe them from my head. “I’m taking you to work today and for the next few days. After everything I can’t leave you alone.”

Why did he have to be so sweet just when I reminded myself to keep an emotional barrier between us? “Thank you.” I wanted to argue. The strong, independent woman in me was desperate to argue but the woman who couldn’t forget yesterday was happy as hell to have him with her all day. “I appreciate that.”

“Of course,” he moaned and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.

Cindy huffed loudly and stomped away even louder.

When Gio pulled back, I arched one eyebrow at him and shot a look to his former conquest. “Want to talk about that?”

“No,” he groaned as if that was a real choice. “Look, I fucked her a couple of times and that’s it. She was on her third night,” he began and shut his eyes as if he was embarrassed. “The night Cole asked me to come get you.”

I knew all about his three-night rule. “And that was going to be it?”

He nodded but his gaze was fixed on the floor.

“She wants her third night,” I teased. “And a fourth and forever.”

He shrugged. “What she wants doesn’t matter to me. I know what I want, and I think that’s what you want too.” He pulled me close, and I felt his heart race beneath my palm. “Want to grab breakfast before I take you to the hotel?”

“I do.” Breakfast with Gio—it sounded so normal, like something a real couple would do. It wasn’t something I pictured Gio doing with a woman, and after a quick stop off at his place so I could change my clothes, we ended up sitting across from each other at a cute diner while we ate.

And talked.

“Cindy seems really angry.”

He shook his head, seemingly unconcerned about the woman. “She is but she’ll get over it. She knew the deal going in and it’s not my fault she thought she’d be the one to change my mind.” He reached across the table and took my hands in his. “She never stood a chance. I realize that now.”

I wanted to ask what the hell that meant but I was too much of a coward. Still, those words stuck with me throughout a completely uneventful day at work.