All Chapters of Steel and Sin: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The clubhouse reeked of smoke, and spilled liquor. Ashley slipped through silently, shoulders tight, doing everything in her power not to draw eyes. Laughter bellowed from the bar, pool balls cracked against each other, a pair of hangarounds screeched over the jukebox. She ducked into a shadow near the hall, catching her breath. Her heart was still pounding from Jax. She pressed her palm over the spot like she could hold on to the warmth he’d left there. But just as quickly, her chest squeezed. If Detective Ramirez was right, if one wrong word turned the club against her, even Jax’s strange, quiet comfort wouldn’t save her. The longer she stood there, the more suffocating the noise became. The Vipers clubhouse wasn’t built for silence… it thrived on chaos, raised voices and deals struck over spilled shots of whiskey. She found herself scanning every corner like prey searching for the nearest bolt-hole. Even the familiar fac

Silence settled over the clearing. Engines clicked as they cooled, smoke drifted from Ace’s cigarette, and no one spoke after Nolan’s promise. Ashley kept close, unsure if she was safer by the trees or next to Nolan.The Vipers weren’t good at silence. Normally there was laughter, curses, some sarcastic jab tossed between brothers. But tonight, the silence felt strained, ready to snap at the smallest sound.Jax finally broke it. “We need eyes back on the highway.” His voice was low and serious. “If they were willing to chase us down, they’re setting up more than a drive-by.”Ace flicked his smoke away, grinding it into the dirt with his boot. “He is right. Fangs aren’t dumb enough to waste bullets unless they’re sending a message.”Nolan’s hand gave a quick squeeze at her waist before he let go and stood straighter. “Then let’s hear the message.”Cole’s gaze darted between Ashley and Nolan before he mounted his bi

The next two days blurred together, restless and uneasy. The clubhouse never settled—engines revving outside, brothers coming and going, phone calls ending fast whenever Ashley walked past. Smoke and whiskey hung in the air, but beneath it all was the same knot of worry Ashley carried inside.Spider’s death still weighed on them. The brothers showed their grief in loud ways—yelling, slamming doors, picking fights in town and coming back beaten up. But Nolan handled it differently. He hid it under work.That afternoon, Ashley stood behind the bar, watching. Nolan was at the pool table, papers spread out with maps and notes she couldn’t make sense of. Jax leaned nearby, rolling a knife between his fingers. Ace slouched in a chair, looking bored but paying attention. Cole stood tall and silent, eyes sharp, as if the whole deal rested on him.Ashley felt like an intruder again, though no one told her to leave. She busied herself with wiping glas

The doors slammed shut behind Ashley and Jax, locking out the night. Ashley was still trembling, her steps unsteady. Nolan spoke first, his voice breaking the silence. “Three Fangs, in town, after her?” He dragged a hand through his hair. “That is not a coincidence.” Cole leaned against the wall, arms crossed, sharp eyes taking her in like she was part of some unsolved equation. “None of her schedules are public. Or she is leaking without knowing it.” Ashley’s stomach sank. He hadn’t accused her outright, but it still felt all the same. From the porch doorway, Ace exhaled smoke, his eyes locked on her. The smirk he usually wore was gone. “She is shaken, and people who are shaken mess up.” Ashley crossed her arms, trying to hold herself together. She wanted to snap back, but no words would come. Then Jax spoke. “Enough.” The single word hit hard, shutting everyone up. Every gaze swung his way as he kept a steady hand on her back, guiding her forward. “She doesn’t have to answer

The clubhouse felt hollow that night. Smoke hung in the air, but no one laughed, no one drank. Derrick’s death weighed on every face, turning the room into a graveyard of silence. The brothers sat scattered, eyes shifting between Nolan, each other, and Ashley—waiting, as if the next words spoken might decide everything. Ashley could hardly breathe. Nolan’s order kept echoing in her head… you don’t get to ask. The words trapped her tighter than Jax’s arm around her. She wasn’t just watching from the sides anymore. She was theirs now—tied to this world whether she wanted it or not. Her heart pounded. She tried to meet Nolan’s eyes, but he refused to look at her. Jax’s thumb moved in slow circles on her hip. Cole’s stare cut into her from across the room, sharp and unblinking, while Ace lounged back in his chair, relaxed on the surface but taking in everything. Nolan finally broke the silence, his voice rough but steady. “From now on, no one is safe. The Fangs started this. We are not