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Chapter Four

Breanna stepped downthe concrete stairs from her client’s house, the third one in the last few weeks to have lost her EBT card. Once again, the client’s lost card was the fifth replacement in the past six months. Breanna had a niggling feeling that the lost cards were somehow related.

As she opened her car door, she spotted Steel driving a green Toyota Camry with his mother in the passenger seat. She ducked inside her car and scrunched down, not wanting him to see her. He drove by, glancing at her car and then back at the road. She pushed up a little and watched the car until it disappeared.

Mad at herself for hiding like a criminal from the biker, she threw her purse on the floor. There was no doubt about it—Steel disturbed her. He made her feel things she had no business feeling. The absolute last thing she ever wanted was a biker.

Her father’s ruddy complexion flashed in her mind. He was a big man: six foot four and over two hundred and fifty pounds. He’d been an absent father, even though her parents were together until she was in her teens. Her dad had belonged to the now-defunct Desert Lizards MC. Even though he had a wife and four kids, his heart, soul, and body belonged to the club. He’d missed all the important events in their lives, like birthdays, holidays, and football games. When he hadn’t been in jail, he’d been hanging out with his brothers, riding his Harley, and carousing with club girls. And when he’d decided to come home, he’d always reeked of cheap perfume, whiskey, and cigarettes. Then he’d disappear for weeks on end on road trips, or would crash at the clubhouse. She’d grown to hate leather and denim, the sound of cams, and the shine of chrome.

Her mom had taken her sham of a marriage badly. Instead of showing a backbone and booting the louse out, she’d given up and let Breanna take over the household. Her mom had taken to the couch and her bed when Breanna was twelve years old. She’d become a mother to her younger siblings: cooking the meals, making sure they did their homework, washing their clothes, and taking care of them when they were sick. Her mom had done nothing but cry and stare vacantly out the picture window in their living room. The only thing her dad had done was give them a monthly stipend. He hadn’t seemed to care that his wife was in a severe state of depression or that his oldest daughter’s childhood was gone. All he’d cared about was his MC. Breanna had to raise herself and her siblings, and she resented her dad like hell. Once the club dismantled, he’d taken off with one of the club girls. He didn’t even say goodbye to her or her siblings. He just left, never to be heard from again.

Her mom had ended up in a nursing home at the age of forty. Breanna was the only one of her siblings who went to see their mother. She’d smile and talk a bit, but most of the time she’d cry about how much she missed her husband. Breanna had sores in her mouth from biting the insides of her cheeks so she wouldn’t say what she really thought. Her mother never asked how she was doing or anything about Jeremy, Nicholas, or Shelby. All she talked about was her husband.

A pickup truck sped past Breanna honking its horn, the noise bringing her back to the present. She swallowed the lump in her throat, the images from her past overwhelming her.After enduring my dad, I can’t even believe I’m spending any amount of time thinking about Steel.But she was attracted to him even though she didn’t want to be. Her brain wanted one thing and her body craved him.He’s an arrogant sonofabitch who’d break any woman’s heart. I’d bet everything I own that he’s a player.But he was so gorgeous, even with that wicked scar on his face. She shivered as she imagined how he got it.

Shaking her head, she turned on the ignition and drove to the satellite office located by the entrance to the reservation, the cool air from the air conditioner enveloping her when she entered. Goose bumps pricked her skin and she wished she’d brought her cardigan with her.

“Hey, Breanna. How’d it go?” her coworker, Joel, asked.

“Okay. Don’t you think it’s cold in here?” She rubbed her arms vigorously with her hands.

“Not really. We got a couple of investigators sharing our space. The one guy keeps sweating. He’s the one who keeps turning up the air.”

“Investigators? Why’re they here?”

Joel shrugged. “The feds sent them. Something must be going down.”

“Maybe it’s the rash of lost EBT cards. I can’t believe how many replacement cards our office is issuing. How many times can someone be that spaced out? Something doesn’t ring right. Have you noticed it with your clients?”

“Not really. I don’t really pay that much attention. I just do what I have to and wait for five o’clock to hit. I’m the stereotypical county worker.” He laughed and leaned back in his chair, running his eyes up and down her hourglass figure. “You’re looking real good, Breanna.”

Self-conscious, she pulled down her knit top. “Thanks,” she muttered. She and Joel had been working together in the satellite office for the past few months. Each time she came in, he was generous with the compliments. He’d hinted about them going out for a drink one night after work, but she’d played it dumb. Every time he brought it up, she’d change the subject. She wasn’t sure why she kept him at a distance. He was nice-looking, intelligent, and educated. Most women in the office were dying to have him ask them out, but there was something about him that put her off. She didn’t know what it was, but she was wary of him. He seemed too cheerful, too solicitous, too much of everything.

“You up for grabbing a bite to eat after work?” His eyes scanned her face.

“Can’t. I already made plans.”With a movie and a frozen Mexican dinner.

“Bummer.” He kept his gaze on her.

She shrugged and slid behind her desk, opening her laptop. For the next hour, she inputted all the information from the clients she’d seen the day before and earlier that day. She glanced out the window every so often, and when she saw a green Toyota Camry, her stomach fluttered. She squinted her eyes and smiled when she saw Steel behind the wheel, his sunglasses shimmering in the sunlight. From her position, she could see his arm resting on the open window, his biceps tight and muscular. For some unknown reason, she wanted to curl her fingers around them and feel their hard muscles against her skin.

What’s wrong with you? Stop it. Now.She forced herself to look back down at her open files.Maybe I should ask Joel to take on Chenoa and her grandmother. That way I won’t have any contact withhim. But that wouldn’t be fair to Chenoa. Breanna had built a rapport with her, and the young lady trusted her. She couldn’t very well break the links just because the girl’s father made her body misbehave.

I definitely need to get out more.

She picked up her phone and called one of her best friends, Lacey.

“Hiya. I’m itching to go out drinking and who knows what else.” She laughed. “Do you want to go out for dinner and check out a couple of bars tomorrow night?”

“That’s too funny. I was going to call you to see if you wanted to do something on Saturday night, but Thursdays are good bar nights too.” Lacey’s laughter sounded like bells tinkling.

“Great minds think alike. I’m not sure if I’ll be available on Saturday.” Breanna lowered her voice. “I have an interview for a waitressing job, so if I get it, I may have to start on the weekend.”

“You’re getting a part-time job? Doesn’t the county pay well?” Lacey asked softly.

“Not if I’m helping family as well.”

“Nicholas?”