Steel Beauty

Chela looked at it, slowly standing to look her in the face. The bruises marring her skin were numerous.

The dark-haired woman blinked before reaching out slowly to take Belle’s hand. “It’s a pleasure tomeet you, Luna.”

The uncertainty in her voice tugged at Belle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

Chela nodded, the gesture abrupt and tinged with fear. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you down to therestaurant.”

“Wait, Chela.” Rick strode into a different room, off to the right of the bedroom. He emerged pushing an

electronic scooter, complete with basket, in candy apple red. “Here.”

Belle looked at the scooter, then looked up at Rick. “I can walk.”

“I know. But you’re in a lot of pain today, and you’ll have alot  of walking to do. When your hip gets

tired, use the scooter to get around.”

Belle was stunned. She knew how much the damn things cost. She’d looked into it once, but her COBRA insurance had denied her claim and she hadn’t been able to afford it on her own. They didn’tseem to understand that you couldn’t push yourself in a wheelchair with a broken arm. She’d had to relyon Sarah, Sheri and Adrian to get around. Now that her arm was healed, she could use a standardwheelchair, but he’d spent a couple grand to make her life easier, knowing she’d only need it for a fewmore months. What kind of man did that?

He smiled like a kid when she settled into the seat. “The controls are simple.” He leaned over her andpointed at the handle bars. “Forward, reverse, and horn. The headlamp comes on automatically whenyou move.” He turned it on and watched as she learned to maneuver around the apartment. She couldfeel his gaze burning into her, the pride on his face visible to any who looked.

She stopped next to him and climbed off the scooter. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around him,cuddling in close, trying without words to let him know just how much both of his gifts meant to her. Notonly had he done everything in his power to see to her comfort, he’d handed her dream to her on a silverplatter. She had no clue how he’d found out she’d always wanted to run a restaurant, but she wasn’tabout to turn the gift down. No one had ever done anything like that for her before. It made herfeel…cherished. She was going to have to make sure she did something for him, something that wouldshow how much he meant to her. She’d just have to figure out what that something was.

He hugged her back, his face buried in the crook of her neck. She felt him smile just before he placed asmall kiss there. “You’re welcome.” He let go and winked at her. “Have a good day at work, my Luna.”

She watched as he strode out of the apartment, that incredible hair of his swishing above that equallyamazing ass.

When the door shut behind him she turned to Chela. “Where can a girl get breakfast around here?”

“So, that’s the general layout, all of the financial paperwork, and the employee records. What do you

think?”

What do I think? I think I want to kill Gina Maldonado, that’s what I think. Gina had been actingmanager of Lowell’s Steakhouse for the past year, and she’d pretty much run it into the ground. Keystaff had quit, preferring to work the front desk rather than be under Gina’s thumb. The financial recordslooked like they’d been done by a toddler.

But what really,really pissed her off was the fact that she’d signed certain documents as Gina Lowell.

Belle had learned a few things in the last four months. First, she’d learned who her true friends were.

Second, she’d learned that, distance notwithstanding, Rick Lowell washers  , damn it.

And third, she’d learned that she had zero tolerance for self-absorbed assholes with delusions ofgrandeur.Been there, done that, thank you very much.

Belle looked up and met Chela’s gaze. “Does Rick know any of this?”

Chela shook her head. “He’s been avoiding Gina ever since he realized what she was up to.”

“Up to?”

“Trying to forcibly become Luna.”

Belle tapped her nails on the wooden desk. “And how was she doing that?”

Chela hunched in on herself, becoming nervous. “By beating up the lesser females and surroundingherself with the strongest. Making sure she was the one who made the decisions normally made by the Luna, citing the fact that she’s the dominant female and Rickhad no Luna.” Chela’s shoulders relaxed asshe refocused on Belle. “At least, not until now.”

“And don’t you forget it.” Chela’s startled laugh was sweet. “So we need to deal with Gina, first and foremost.” Belle tried to discreetly squirm in her chair, but the pain in her hip was steadily growing.Looks like the Ibuprofen wore off again.

Chela frowned as Ben entered the office, a glass of milk in one hand and a small plate in the other. “Luna. Chela.” He put the plate and glass on Belle’s desk with a smile. On the plate were two pain pillsand some graham crackers. “Rick asks you to meet him for lunch, if your schedule permits.”

Belle smiled at Ben. “Thanks. I’ll meet him.”I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how formal the

Woof-Woof set is.

“He also wanted to let you know there’s going to be a Pack meeting tonight. If you’re not back at the

apartment by six, he asks that Chela escort you, as the meeting is at six thirty.”

Belle saw Chela nod to Ben before he smiled at both women and left. “If Ben knows you’re in pain, youcan bet Rick does. You might want to take that.”

She’d forgotten that, as Marshall, Ben could feel the physical well being of each and every Packmember. He’d know quickly if her medication was wearing off, and knowing Rick, he was under ordersto let him know if Belle was trying to hide her pain. Belle quickly took the medication. The last thing sheneeded was Rick breathing down her neck right now. “Okay.” She leaned forward, her expressionintent. “You’re Pack. Born or made?”

“Born.”

“So you have a pretty good idea about what will get Gina to back off, right?”

Chela nodded. “Total annihilation.”

Belle was silent for a moment. “So talking things out diplomatically won’t work, huh?”

Chela ran her hands through her hair, a hopeless look on her face. “Gina Maldonado wants to be you. She wants to be Luna, and she wants Rick. Always has, always will. If she can find a way to get rid ofyou without harming Rick, she’ll do it. If she has to share you with Rick, she’ll do it. And if she can killyou without it killing Rick, she will.”