Free Riding Steele: Aftershock by Opal Carew Page A

beer the guys had been sharing outside. Dom opened a bottle and handed it to Laurie. She took a sip, then just stared at the burger Rip placed in her hand. Her stomach growled at the smell of food, so she unwrapped the paper around it, but after one bite, put it down beside her.
    Silence hung in the air as everyone ate. Steele encouraged her to eat a little more and she finished about half, then gave up. It tasted like sawdust in her mouth.
    “Hey, this place has a pool,” Raven said. “Why don’t we be real badasses and go swimming even though we’ve just eaten?” She grinned.
    It was a warm day, and the thought of relaxing in the sparkling water had its appeal, but Laurie shook her head.
    “You all go ahead. I’ll stay here.”
    Raven looked hesitant, then put her hand on Laurie’s. “I’m just trying to get your mind off all this, since there’s nothing we can do right now.”
    Laurie took a deep breath. “Thanks, Raven, but I’m just not up to it.”
    “It’s okay. I’ll stay with her,” Steele said. “Rip, just leave the phone with me in case Killer calls.”
    “You got it.” Rip stood up and pulled the cell from his pocket and handed it to Steele. “The pool’s just around the corner of the building, so if you need us, let us know.”
    Steele nodded and they all filed out and Dom, the last one out, closed the door behind them.
    Laurie turned to Steele and rested her hand on his cheek. “Oh, Steele, I’m so sorry I got you into this mess.”
    “It wasn’t your fault. You were a victim in all this.”
    She shook her head. “No. I chose to go out with him. I made the mistake of not seeing Donovan for what he really was. You tried to protect me and now you and your crew are pulled into this whole thing.”
    “Don’t worry about us. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal. It’s you I’m concerned about.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I’d do anything to protect you. Anything.”
    She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Letting the steady rhythm and the feel of his strong arms holding her tight, calm her. She could drift into sleep right here in his arms. Just let her cares slip away and surrender to unconsciousness.
    He stroked her hair and she tightened her arms around his waist. They sat there quietly, just holding each other. In the distance she could hear the others splashing in the pool. She closed her eyes and just let her thoughts go. Surrendering to nothingness.
    The cell phone rang, and she jumped.
    Steele pulled the phone from his pocket.
    “Steele here.” He gazed at her grimly. “Yeah, we’ve been waiting for your call.”
    She heard the rhythm of the voice on the line, but not the words.
    Steele answered questions, explaining what had happened. He glanced at her a few times.
    “Yeah, she’s pretty shaken up, but physically okay. Except for a few cuts and a twisted ankle.”
    She shifted beside him.
    “No, we haven’t taken her to a doctor. It doesn’t seem to be broken, but it is swollen.”
    Steele gave a few more details about the attack, telling him about the cage and admitting that he had hit Donovan.
    “He was in the cage when we left him.”
    Her stomach clenched.
    After a few more minutes, he hung up.
    “He said we should just stay put and hold off on going to a doctor for your ankle right now, unless it’s really bad. He wants to save you the stress of being picked up until he knows more.”
    “My ankle’s fine,” she said. It hurt when she walked and the swelling made it uncomfortable, but she could live with that.
    Steele insisted she lay back and put it up, then he fetched ice in a plastic bag, wrapped it in a towel and arranged it on her ankle. When the others returned about a half hour later, Steele wrapped her ankle in a bandage he’d bought when he’d gone to get the burgers earlier and they filled up the time playing cards and drinking.
    After ordering a late dinner of pizza, they all returned