Phoenix Bar: A Steel Demons MC Novel by Annelise Reynolds Page B

that way.”
                  “No, I won’t.” With all the new information that Gavel just gave me, I was more anxious to know what was in Abby’s past that forced her to keep her identity hidden from the world and I was determined that she wouldn’t hide it from me for much longer.
     
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                  The opening was two days away. I made excuses every day to go to the bar or I sent someone there for whatever reason I could come up with.  I told Titan to keep an eye on the girls as well, that something was going on that we needed to be ready, in case anything happened.
                  “Hey,” I walked up behind Abby and wrapped my arm around her. She smelled so good, I nuzzled my nose in her neck inhaling her scent and planted a kiss beneath her ear. She shivered in my arms. After our talk the other day, she allowed me to be more physical toward her, but she didn’t call me Brice yet and it was nowhere near as close to her as I wanted to be. “I realized that I have not yet taken you for a ride. Take a few minutes off with me.”
                  “I can’t. I’ve got so much to do.”
                  “I know, but take a few minutes, and when we come back, I will help you. Another set of hands to work with will more than make up for the time on the back of my bike.”
                  She bit her lip and I almost made a move to bite it too, but I held back. “I guess. I haven’t taken a lunch break yet so…” I didn’t need to hear anymore, I grabbed her hand and pulled her behind me. I saw Roper bringing in crates of booze. I nodded to him on our way out the door.
                  I climbed on the back of my bike and grabbed the helmet I had bought for her. It was black with a flaming bird on it. Cliché, I know, but I figured to keep the name going. Once I helped her put it on, she climbed on behind me. I was rock hard when her thighs gripped my hips and her arms wound around my stomach. I knew this would be sweet torture, which is probably why I had not taken her for a ride before, that and she had been busy.
                  When I took off, she automatically squeezed tighter and got closer if it were possible. I headed toward the clubhouse. If she was ever going to trust me, she needed to know everything up front. No hiding, no secrets. We were going to the club’s property where it backed up against the lake, that way we could have privacy.
                  The area where I parked was heavily wooded, we had a great view, but people would have to really be looking in order to see us. I parked the bike and Abby hopped off. I snagged her around the waist and pulled her onto my lap where she straddled me. I unsnapped the helmet and let it fall to the ground. “This property belongs to the club.” I started. “I have a lot to tell you, Abs, not all of it you’re going to like, but I want you to trust me. I’m hoping that by placing my trust in you, you will feel more comfortable to trust me.”
                  I started by telling her about my mom and then working my way to my ex-wife. She never interrupted. Her eyes looked pained as I explained how the two women in my life, who were supposed to and who professed to love me, had betrayed me. I know telling her wouldn’t excuse what I did, but I hoped that it would at least give her insight as to why I did what I did.
                  Then it was time for me to explain the hard part. “Abby, there is something you need to know about the club, something I know that you have an idea about, but I want you to understand the whole of it.” I hope to hell I didn’t lose her when I explained about the women at the club. “I told you that I’ve rotated women in order to keep them at arm’s length. Well, at the clubhouse, we have “club girls” is what they are called. There’s a handful of them and they are