Steele Her Heart: Steel Bros Book 4 Read online

  Steele Her Heart

  Steel Bros Book 4

  Elizabeth Knox

  Contents

  Available Now

  Coming Soon

  Playlist

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Social Media

  Prologue

  Available Now

  By Elizabeth Knox

  Series: Skulls Renegade

  Reign

  Redemption

  Revenge

  Relentless

  Reckoning

  Reclaimed

  Regret

  Reckless

  Reclusive

  Retribution

  First Generation: A Skulls Renegade MC Boxset

  Series: Steele Bros.

  Tough as Steele

  Stripping a Steele

  Protecting a Steele

  Steele her Heart

  Series: Reapers MC

  Scarred

  Blackjack

  Here Kitty, Kitty

  Booger

  Widow

  Kade

  Hawk

  Bull

  Cobra

  Series: Iron Vex MC

  Enraged

  Series: The Clans with Iris Sweetwater

  Promised

  The Trade

  Cherished

  Deceit

  Love is War

  Defiant

  Shattered

  Ruthless

  Covert

  Sin City Fets with Linny Lawless & Aubree Valentine

  Switched

  Coming Soon

  By Elizabeth Knox

  Bet on Me

  (Royal Bastards MC: Baltimore Charter #1)

  Heretic

  (The Clans #10)

  Guns Blazing: A Mafia Anthology

  Rocked to the Core: A Rockstar Charity Anthology

  Mouser

  (Reapers MC #9)

  Steele her Heart

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

  Steele her Heart. Copyright © 2020 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E. Knox.

  https://www.facebook.com/elizabethknoxbooks

  Cover Design: Clarise Tan, CT Cover Creations

  Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing

  Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing

  Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing

  Photographer: Golden Czermak, Furious Fotog

  Model: Dante Dellamore

  Created with Vellum

  Playlist

  Drew Berrymore — SZA

  Bad Liar — Selena Gomez

  The Cure — Lady Gaga

  Stay Together — Noah Cyrus

  Still Got Time — ZAYN ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR

  Malibu — Miley Cyrus

  Craving You — Thomas Rhett ft. Maren Morris

  All These Years — Camila Cabello

  Moonlight — Ludwig van Beethoven

  This Love — Camila Cabello

  Cry for Me — Camila Cabello

  Yummy — Justin Bieber

  Red Wine White Couch — Danielle Bradbery

  Acknowledgments

  My Betas, Courtnay, E.C., Jai, Chas, Tania, Janet, Taneesha, Kim, Isabelle, Jojo, Michele, Cynthia, Heidi, Vikki & Lisa— Thank you ladies so much for helping me with this novel. You’re always here for me no matter what, but this time I really needed you guys. You all tell me whatever I need to hear even if I don’t really want to hear it in the first place. From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for keeping me in check, even if it means being late on a deadline to give my body the rest I needed during the flu. Love you all so much!

  My Cover Designer, Clarise— It’s a little hard to believe we’re in the last book of the series right now, or that I’m even typing this. Thank you for continuously working with me and turning my vision into a reality.

  My Blogger Team— Well, we’re here y’all. Thank you so much for supporting the Steele Bros and I hope you enjoy how the series ends!

  My Editor, Kim and Proofreader, Jackie— Thank you both so much for putting up with my hectic schedule. I know it’s insane, and please know how grateful I am to have both of you by my side to help me get through all of this. I treasure you both so much as employees and friends. Well, let’s get onto the next one!

  Rae, E.C., and Raven— Thank you ladies for always being an ear for me to vent to. Whether it’s about getting writers block mid-way through a book or something entirely miniscule. Its an honor to know you ladies and I love y’all dearly.

  Rae— You keep crushing it girl. I can’t wait for the amazing things that are coming to you in 2020. This is just the beginning!

  E.C.— Your motivation to succeed is inspiring. Keep up that attitude and keep doing what you’re doing.

  Raven— Here’s to being the longest running accountability partners ever. We got this! Let’s crush these upcoming goals. I’m so ready for everything coming our way!

  To the ones who are scared of their love— don’t be. Trust in it and live the happiest life you can.

  Timing Note

  Steele her Heart takes place after Covert (The Clans #9) written by Iris Sweetwater and Elizabeth Knox. The Steele family, in particular Madigan was a heavy focus in the storyline. Please be aware Covert is extremely gruesome and has scenes with detailed violence and/or torture. If you choose to skip Covert that is okay. Elizabeth will be touching base on what happened in that book during this story.

  Trigger Warning

  This book is intended for mature audiences only. If darker books are not for you, please do not move forward. After re-adjusting my trigger warning system, I will not be giving any spoilers. Please understand that this is not your run of the mill romance and tough subjects will be spoken about in this storyline.

  Prologue

  They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered.

  ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

  Jordan

  That One Summer . . .

  Birds fly and swoop down to the lake to pick up fish as they come to the surface. I lay on the hammock that hangs between two trees on the sand, maybe a hundred or so feet from the small pier we have out here. After just graduating with my Masters in Business Administration I’ve needed the break before I dive into the family business. I have no doubt this will be the only break I ever get from my family.

  Just finishing The Art of War for the third time I place my hardback copy on the sand below, fully taking in the combinations of pink, orange and yellow that paints the picture of the sunset before me. It’s crazy to know I’m only a mere two hours from Atlanta and yet this is an entirely different world out here.

  The sound of a screen door not being shut pro
perly jolts my attention toward the guest house where the one and only thing I’ve ever craved more than anything is staying. Lacey; my own personal forbidden fruit. She walks toward me in a deep red sundress, her dark hair flowing as the wind blows against her face. Her typical porcelain skin has been exposed to the sun’s rays giving her a light caramel touch these days.

  She never demanded my attention with her darling good looks or persona until I was shocked with her presence this summer. As far as I knew I had the lake house to myself, but I was wrong. My father gave Lacey permission to stay in the guest house and relax before she went to college. Ironic, right? I thought so at first until I had the uncanny feeling my father was trying to play matchmaker. It’ll never happen. Lacey is far too young for me, eighteen and I’m, well, a bit older than her.

  It doesn’t mean being here with her hasn’t been difficult though. Neither of us have really been communicating with the neighbors since they’re a good distance away. We barely go into town except for groceries and when we’ve gone together everyone mistakes us for a couple. I didn’t even correct them the first time it happened. Not sure why I didn’t. Hell, maybe I want people to think Lacey is mine. There’s this one kid in the store who is the epitome of trouble, always staring at her whenever we’re there. I’d break his fucking hands for so much as touching her. I’m sure a part of me says I’m not telling people the truth when they make their assumptions because I want to protect Lacey, but it’s far more than that. Or, maybe it isn’t.

  The girl has been through a hell of a lot in her life. She lost both of her parents in a freak car accident when she was barely a teenager. The one time in life where she needed them the most. Since then she’s been living with her grandmother, Esme, who has worked for my family for years. Esme is an extension of the Steeles in a way.

  “Jordy!” I cringe at hearing the god-awful nickname she’s given me since spending time together. Even though she’s a good distance away from me I can see the devious smile that spreads across her face as she extends her arm and shows me a bottle. Ah, she must’ve found my father’s stash.

  Barefoot and carefree she comes running up to me, hopping on the hammock like some relaxed hippy. I raise a brow, looking to her and the bottle. “A responsible adult would rip that from your hands.”

  “Good thing you’re not responsible.” Lacey chuckles, unscrewing the cap. She brings the nose of the bottle to her lips and takes a gulp, squints her eyes and shakes her head. I want to laugh, but she brought it on herself. My father enjoys strong, bitter alcohol.

  I roll my eyes at the cocky young woman, watching that devious smirk grow wider. Her deep chocolate brown hair now has bits of a lighter tone coming through it. My guess is the sun has done her some good. Her dark eyes stare intently at me as she offers me the bottle, “You can have a drink too as long as you don’t go pouring it out. Our relaxing summer is ending really soon.”

  It’s the end of July . . . so I don’t know why she says it’s ending. I don’t have to go anywhere for another month. “Way to be a Debbie Downer. We have all the time in the world.” I state, taking the bottle from her hands I take back a swig. Fuck, this is some strong shit.

  Lacey’s expression falters, “I’m only here through the weekend.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, we can move into our dorms on Monday, so I’m packing up Monday morning and heading off to college.”

  To say I’m shocked is an understatement. I thought we had more time together. I take another swig of the liquor, wanting the burning feeling to replace the one in my chest. “Jordy, you okay? You look sad.” Lacey asks, placing her hand on my forearm.

  I take a deep breath, feeling her light touch on me and internally curse myself. Every decent part of me is telling me I need to walk away, but the damn devil on my shoulder is telling me to do what I want, to give into this.

  This would be one night of passion, pleasure and need. She and I are going our separate ways and I’ll get it out of my fucking system.

  Fuck it.

  I pull my hand back, making it so I’m holding hers in my own and freeze. Every positive and negative thought is running to the forefront of my mind at the same time. If I do this . . . if I cross this line with her and shit goes south it could cause so much tension between our families.

  The question is: is it worth it?

  Here’s the thing, though. The devil on my shoulder doesn’t care about anyone else. I know what I’m going to do, but I’ll have to treat her like the delicate flower she is. Lacey isn’t ready to see the depths of my inner darkness. Hell, I don’t think she’ll ever be ready. No woman ever has been.

  Chapter One

  Beneath every behavior there’s a feeling. And beneath every feeling there is a need

  ~Unknown

  Lacey

  Present Day . . .

  Moonlight by Beethoven plays in the background as I stare at the notes I’ve taken from my session with today’s client, Mumbe. She’s a recently immigrated Kenyan-American woman who started sessions with me last week. We’re meeting once a week for the foreseeable future, but today she revealed something I wasn’t quite prepared for.

  At first, I sensed some anxiety when it came to her sexual needs. She didn’t want to answer certain questions I had the last time we met and it made me believe there was some aspect of trauma she hadn’t yet revealed. I was right, and I hate it when I’m right.

  She expressed some discomfort when stating she’d been going out on dates with men as of late. Although, when the relationship starts to veer towards the sexual realm she always sabotages herself. Mumbe identified the issue and went online to find someone like myself who could help her with her problem.

  Today Mumbe revealed to me that at age sixteen her father mutilated her vaginally. Female circumcision is something that’s commonly done in countries like Kenya and so many more. While there are activist groups calling for the immediate halting of this practice, I believe it will be years before it’s completely eradicated. These are cultural differences after all. They didn’t happen overnight and they won’t stop overnight either. She belongs to the Kamba people, or did before she came here to the United States. While female genital cutting has been banned since 2011, it’s primarily done underground in an illegal form. Mumbe was cut before it was outlawed, however she expressed her personal distress in our session today because it’s primarily done in the homes of where these girls live now. I can only empathize with the pain she feels. I am not a Kenyan woman, nor have I ever had firsthand experience with the trauma so many Kenyan women go through.

  I stare down at my notes contemplating how I’m going to help Mumbe. She’s the first client I’ve had in this particular scenario. My self-doubt comes screaming into my mind but I quickly gather myself. There are reasons sex therapists are certified, it’s another resource we can use to chat with our colleagues and see the successes they’ve had in treating women in similar situations.

  From my time with Mumbe I can see she’s having difficulty progressing her relationships in a sexual manner due to her mutilation. But more than that, she’s an extremely passionate woman who doesn’t condone the actions of her elders. At the end of our session I suggested she reach out to activist groups to see how she can volunteer and help others. Although, I did give her homework.

  She recently went out on a date with a man named Will. From what she says he’s the entire picture, but like she always does she shied away once he had kissed her. She’s been ghosting him, not responding to messages. Her homework is to see Will and express why she ghosted him. I even told her she could bring him to our next session if she thinks it would be easier. It’s obvious she wants to explore things with Will but is fearful she’ll be rejected because of what was done to her.

  I close the notebook I take client notes down in, open my drawer and shut it. Scanning my eyes around my small but cozy office I smile. The scents of lavender and eucalyptus float through the air, causing the room to be even more
relaxing. The walls are painted a deep, yet dull blue. It reminds me of the color the sky turns before it begins raining. I’ve found blue is quite comforting, which is why I chose it.

  A gray couch with yellow pillows sits against the wall to the right and to the left I have two upholstered chairs with the same gray color. If I look straight out I can see a beautiful view of the city, and on the remaining wall is where my desk is, next to the door where clients come into my office. I rent out a shared office unit where we all operate much like a salon does. Typically, hair stylists rent out a chair for the month, or an extended term. It’s the same process here.

  It’s a little after ten p.m. on a Friday night. I typically work in my office from seven to nine with clients on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. During the day I work eight to four at Steele Enterprises as Christian’s executive assistant. No one knows about my side gig, or how I practice sex therapy. They know I graduated with my Masters in Psychology and have a couple of certifications but I never dove deeper into that with them. I have a great set up at Steele Enterprises and will never let them down, but therapy is in my heart and soul.