Hard as Steel (2 page)

Once she finished, she grabbed the bag of money to be taken to the bank, and made her way into Hanson’s office. He was sitting behind his desk, looking smug about something.

“Here are the deposits. Everything is there, no problem.”

He took the bag from her.

“Sit down, Eloise.”

She took a seat, staring across the desk at him. “Is anything the matter?”

Ever since Steel had threatened Hanson, he’d kept his distance. She’d noticed his gaze on her, but he’d never been alone with her until now.

“I have to say I’m a little disappointed in you, Eloise.”

“What? Why? I work hard for the store.” If she even tried to think of working any harder for him, it would make her sick to her damned stomach. Hanson was a slave driver. He’d do anything to get out of paying overtime, or crediting the staff with good work. They put up with it because at least a shit job was better than no job at all.

“Oh dear, we’re not going to see eye to eye.” He stood up, moving around the desk to lean on it. She didn’t like how close he suddenly was. “What will you do to keep your job?”

“Are you firing people?”

He leaned forward, putting his hand on her thigh. “Come on, Eloise. You must know what you do to me.”

She panicked as he moved his fingers down her thigh, past her knee, and grabbed the hem of her skirt. He teased her flesh, making her sick. Slapping her hand over his to stop him from moving farther up, she glared back at him. “What the hell are you doing?”

“If you want a job, you’re going to have to spread those pretty fucking thighs. I’m sick of seeing you in those skirts, of teasing and tormenting me.”

Eloise pushed the chair back. Hanson didn’t stop as he reached out and grabbed her. There was nowhere for her to go. He grabbed her arm, hauling her up against him. “You’re going to give me what I want.”

“Let go of me.” She screamed the word, kicking him in the shin. He released her long enough for her to step back. It wasn’t far enough for her to get away, though. Before she got to the door, he’d reached out, tugging her hair back. She cried out at the sudden burst of pain. He threw her away from the door with enough force that she fell. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him shut then lock the door, closing off her way toward freedom.

“You’ve not got a choice. If you want your job, you’ll fuck me.”

Getting to her feet, Eloise didn’t have much time as he shoved her back down. She fell to the floor, and he was on top of her. He pushed her skirt up and started to claw at her panties. Fear, unlike anything she’d ever felt, consumed her.

“Stop! Stop it! Let me go!” She screamed, yelled, and fought him as he tried to take from her what she wasn’t offering.

“You little bitch. You’ve done nothing but tease me.”

She’d done nothing, had not teased him, or lured him in. Eloise had done everything to stay out of his way.

Fighting with all of her might, she was no match for him. He was bigger and outweighed her.

There was a loud bang and, suddenly, the door to the office slammed open. Eloise barely had time to think before Hanson was pulled off her.

“You filthy, fucking, piece of shit.” Steel slammed Hanson against the wall. He glanced down at her. She quickly pushed her skirt down, trying to calm herself down mere seconds from being attacked.

Steel didn’t stop. He started to attack Hanson, slamming his fist in the other man’s stomach, face, and body. She was amazed as he threw the other man around as if he weighed nothing.

“When a woman says no, she means fucking no,” Steel said, yelling each word.

Getting to her feet, she stumbled after Steel. Hanson tried to land a few blows but nothing hit flesh.

“Stop, Steel. He’s not worth it.”

Steel slammed his fist into Hanson’s face one last time. She heard the distinctive sound of something breaking, and Hanson fell to the floor, out cold now.

Eloise couldn’t believe what had happened only moments before.

“Shit, baby, are you okay?” Steel reached out to cup her face.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling right now.” She glanced over at Hanson. “He’s alive?”

“Yeah, the fucker should be dead for what he was about to do.”

“Should we call the cops?” she asked.

“No, no cops.” Steel said.

He was right. “No, I can’t talk to the cops.” She couldn’t talk to anyone. The thought of telling anyone what happened freaked her out. There was no way she’d survive it.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I don’t.” Tears filled her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she looked at him. “I don’t want to do anything like that right now.” She shook her head. “This is insane and crazy. I can’t believe this has happened.” Staring down at her hands, she saw they were shaking badly.

“Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“What about him? We can’t just leave him like that.” Fuck, what about her job? What was she going to do? This was a shit job but at least she had one, one that paid the bills.

“I’m going to get you home, and then I’ll come and have a talk with him.”

“I need this job, Steel.” She stared into his eyes.

“You can’t work here after what just happened.”

“I don’t have a choice. I’ve got bills to pay.” She couldn’t believe she was even thinking about this.

Steel caught her face in his hands, cupping her cheeks, and stopping her from pulling away. “I’ll think of something. Come with me.” He eased an arm around her and before she knew what was happening, he was helping her into her car.

“I can drive.”

“You can’t even think straight right now. I’ll handle it. I’ll handle everything.” He moved toward the driver’s side, climbing in. She was so confused right now. What was he doing?

Eloise couldn’t find her voice. She was all over the place emotionally.

Steel surprised her even more by driving her straight to her apartment building.
How does he know where I live?
Before she could ask, he climbed out of the car, helping her toward her place.

“Steel?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m going to sort everything out and you don’t have to be concerned about a thing.”

She reached into her skirt pocket, pulling out her apartment keys. Eloise had such a small set of keys that they fit into her pocket and she hated carrying around a purse. He took the keys from her, escorting her up to her apartment.

“I want you to take a shower, drink some hot chocolate or coffee, or whatever the fuck women drink, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Why are you helping me?” she asked.

“Someone has to. Tell me you can do this. I’ve got to go and settle things with Hanson.”

She nodded, biting her lip. “Go, go and take care of what you need to.”

He stared at her for several seconds before he nodded. “I’ll lock the door on my way out.”

Steel was gone, leaving her watching after him. What the hell had just happened?

S
teel drove back
to the grocery store, parked her vehicle in the back of the parking lot, and felt adrenaline and rage move through him. He’d called a couple of his brothers from the MC to come to the store and follow him back to Eloise’s so he’d have his bike and her car at one place.

He should have killed the bastard, made him suffer and pay for putting his hands on Eloise. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t Steel’s old lady. It also didn’t matter that she’d turned him down. He wanted her, and this dark desire to possess her, to own her completely in any way that he saw fit, consumed him. Hell, he knew where she lived because he’d followed her home one night. How fucked up was that? He could have been called a damn stalker for coming to her employment and just watching her through the window, but the truth was he didn’t care what label someone put on him. He’d seen Eloise and something had sparked inside of him; he knew he had to have her no matter what.

He moved through the store and placed his hand on the office door as it barely hung on its hinges. Steel leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. Hanson was awake, holding a bloody rag to his face, and looking like he’d just gotten the shit beat out of him.

He’s lucky that’s all that happened. He’s lucky he’s still breathing.

When Hanson saw Steel standing there, he scurried back against the wall and tried to stand. His eyes were wide, and the stench of fear filled the small office. Good, the motherfucker needed to be afraid, needed to worry about his life.

“No more,” Hanson said and raised a hand in front of him, as if that would really keep Steel away if he’d wanted to approach.

Steel pushed away from the doorframe and stalked closer to Hanson. No matter how much that man squirmed and tried to move away, Steel came closer. The wall stopped his retreat, caging him in so he had nowhere to go. When Steel grinned, not one of amusement, but one of predatory delight, Hanson started stuttering.

“No more,” the other man said.

“Listen up, motherfucker,” Steel took a step closer. “You fucked with Eloise, the woman that I’ve claimed as mine. I don’t want anyone touching her, even coming up to her and speaking to her if it causes her harm.” Steel felt anger boiling inside of him as he pictured this little weasel touching what was his. He pointed his finger at Hanson’s chest, jabbed the digit into the other man’s boney fucking flesh, and bared his teeth. “You understand me, asshole?”

Hanson nodded frantically.

“Because if I ever find out you put your hands on Eloise again, touched her in any damn way, I’ll hunt you down like a dog and slit your fucking throat.”

Hanson stuttered out something, looked away, and Steel reached out and slapped him across the face.

“You fucking look at me when I’m talking to you, asshole.”

Hanson promptly looked up.

“Eloise will no longer work here, but what I said still holds true.” He leaned in an inch. “I know how to make a person look like they died on accident, or fuck, not found at all, got it?”

Hanson nodded.

Steel turned and left, not about to deal with this piece of shit a second longer. He wanted to go back to Eloise and make sure she was okay, make sure she wasn’t alone after that fucking prick attacked her. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn’t give up on what he wanted with her, wouldn’t just walk away. There was something about her that Steel wanted, something innocent and pure, totally different from what he was used to. Steel fucked hard and liked dark temptations. He saw a glimmer of something in Eloise that called out to the man that was not only a biker, but a Dom as well. The images of Eloise tied to his bed, her body stretched out for him, and the thought that he could do anything he fucking wanted, had his cock so hard on so many occasions that not even beating off had relieved his ache.

Shakes and Striker showed up shortly after he stepped outside. Shakes climbed out of the SUV, and once Steel handed over his keys to his bike, the three of them headed toward Eloise’s place. Striker could take Shakes bike to the clubhouse once they got to Eloise’s, and then Steel was going to have her all to himself.

He was going to lay it out there for her, tell her that he wasn’t just going to walk away, not until they sated each other into sexual exhaustion. If she was done with him after that then Steel could try to step back. However, if he fucked her and needed more, well then, he might not be able to walk away.

Eloise twisted her
fingers together and stared out her window. She knew Steel would return, felt that knowledge in the pit of her stomach. He might not know she was aware that he’d been outside the store on several other occasions, watching her, maybe trying to convince her that she was for him, or at least for one night. Maybe she should have called the cops, because hell, wouldn’t that constitute stalking? He knew where she’d lived. Despite the creepy factor, there was another part, an almost forbidden part, which liked that he had taken such an interest in her. What man had ever done that? She’d never been attractive in school, not with her chubby, short body, or the fact she was the geek. She’d never been so desired that a man felt the need to watch her, or insist that she be with him. Well, to be fair, he’d only asked her to go home with him once, but even though she’d said no, he still came to the store, still looked at her as though she were his prey.