Steel Hearts: Amazing Grace

"What did you do this time?" Beau asked from the door seeing the look on Grace's face and how she leant away from him.

"I told her the truth, isn't that what you said I should do?" he asked.

"Yes," he narrowed his eyes. "What truth put that look on your face?" he asked Grace.

"That he thinks a menage would be good because it would be hot for you two to watch each other with me," she said in an accusatory tone.

"Fuck, Sax, seriously?" Beau groaned and wiped a hand down his face, and came to sit with them.

"I told her that after I scared her at the workshop that day, I went to see her in Eversley and heard her sing. After finding out about the stalker, I told her I was in her life and didn't want to let her go and that I wanted this relationship for real. She's the one who told me she has a thing for you, and surprisingly, even to me, I'm okay with that. I doubt I would have been okay if it was anyone else, but it's not," he said as if that all made sense.

"So rather than telling her that I don't date because I have issues of my own, you decided we should be a threesome," Beau rolled his eyes.

"Your turn to be truthful," Saxon shrugged. "Where's your lunch?"

"Ate it already," he looked at Grace. "Eat. It will get cold otherwise. I'll handle him."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't want to be the boyfriend in this plan to catch her stalker," Saxon challenged.

"I already told her that I would have been happy to be that guy for her," Beau admitted. "That's not the point."

"And the scars are?" Saxon challenged.

"My issue, not yours," Beau snapped.

"I'm going to hang with Teddy while you two sort out your bro-mance. I said this was all too much, and you're both just adding to that," she finally snapped. "I have my own issues, not that you care, so leave me out of whatever this is. I'll stay with Teddy until we catch this guy because this, I can't even," she waved her hand around, encompassing both of them, and practically ran from the room before they could stop her.

Once out of the room and faced with a small crowd of men looking at her, she fled to the bathrooms. She just needed a few minutes to get her head together. She leaned over the sink and splashed water on her face while taking a deep breath. She was a basket case, and it was getting worse. She had to finish this whole singing thing. Those men had been there all day, taking this gig seriously. She didn't want them to think she wasn't as serious about it because she was a diva.

"Hey chick, what's going on," the familiar voice of her best friend asked from the now open doorway.

"Jenna! Oh my God, Jenna!" Grace gasped in delight. "Thank God you're here. I need you," she hugged her tightly, not letting go.

"I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere now that I finally got past the gatekeepers," she chuckled. "Their security checks are pretty thorough. Alana and Drew are here too. Chloe can't leave her current job for another week. Drew and Alana jumped ship as soon as I told them what happened with Carole and that Saxon offered us work here. It just took us a few days to get the security clearance, or we would have been here sooner."

"Oh my God. I fucking love you right now. Are Drew and Alana out there now?" Grace asked.

"You realise there is a buffet of hot men out there. But, of course, they are out there and happy as pigs in mud. They're all waiting on you to return, however," Jenna laughed. "So, what the hell are you doing in here looking like your about to lose your shit?"

"It's a long crazy story, even crazier than my normal," she laughed and grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser dabbing at her face. "Fuck I needed to see you. Tell me you can stay for a while or at least until I can get rid of all that," she said, waving her hands at the door and what was beyond it.

"Babe, you got me all night if you want. I can't wait to hear what has you all shaken up," Jenna gave her a sly smile. "Just tell me it's one of those hot guys and which one so I don't flirt with him."

"It's not one of the ones that was out there before I came back," she smiled sadly.

"So, it is about a guy!" Jenna said, pleased with the news. Grace didn't date much, but it was losers that she dumped after a week, if she did. Grace held up two fingers, and Jenna's eyes widened. "Alright, I have to hear this, so let's get whatever that is sorted out so you and I can talk," she grinned and opened the door for Grace to walk through.

There were a lot of girlish squeals of joy and hugging when Grace greeted her other friends and finally sat down. Saxon and Beau had not returned yet, and she breathed a small sigh of relief until Teddy pointed to the bar where both men stood watching the small group. Then he waggled a finger between himself and her and nodded towards the opposite side of the room. She nodded and stood, excusing herself from her friends.

"You okay?" Teddy asked, a frown furrowing his brow.

"I am now that the girls are here," she sighed. "It's just a lot, Teddy. Sax said he talked to you today, and you were okay with me dating him for real." She wasn't sure what she expected him to say. It wasn't a question. Saxon did not need to lie to her. In fact, she didn't think he would lie to her after their last conversation.

"He's the best guy I know. Why wouldn't I want you to be with him?" Teddy asked. "He's not a loser who is going to mistreat you or beat you or leave you high and dry after the chase is over. I know he's different to the guys who would romance you with flowers and sweetness to get into your pants, but that's not him. He's loyal, protective and honest. That's how he is with the Six, and from what he has said, that's what he wants with you. It takes a lot for any of the six to trust and love someone outside our circle, but I guarantee you have at least four of our hearts already." He pulled her into an embrace. "You're right. You've had a lot to deal with and think about in the last week, but you have me and the guys and even your friends here now to talk things through with."

"What if Saxon wanted me to date both him and Beau at the same time? Would you still feel so magnanimous then?" she challenged.

"Impf," he hummed, thinking about it. "I guess that weirdly makes sense. Who am I to judge what makes people happy? As long as you are doing what you want to do, I'm good," he encouraged. "Once you're in this life, though, there is no easy or safe way out, so do what is right for you and fuck everyone else, okay? Saxon will survive, me and the guys will survive, we won't be happy if you choose to leave, but we will survive."

"Thanks, Teddy. I needed to hear that from you and Jenna both," she smiled crookedly. "I'm good now. Let's go jam a bit with these guys so Sax can choose the winners, and then we can have some fun with the girls," she said, feeling better about the strange world she found herself in with her touchstones of friends and family around her.

"I'm going to get up there and sing something for my brother that everyone knows, trust me, and you guys come join in when you're comfortable, okay?" she said to the musicians, who all nodded and murmured their agreement.

She stepped up on stage and poked her tongue at Teddy, and tapped her legs lightly as she prepared to start this thing acapella, hoping at least one of the musicians would get up quickly to join her.

"Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry; You don't know how lovely you are; I had to find you, tell you I need you; Tell you I set you apart; Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions; Oh, let's go back to the start," she sang clearly and as if she were confident even though on the inside butterflied were eating her stomach from the inside out.

"Running in circles, coming up tails; Heads on a science apart; Nobody said it was easy," she sang, and a guy came and plugged his bass in beside her as Taylor made himself comfortable at the piano. "It's such a shame for us to part; Nobody said it was easy; No one ever said it would be this hard; Oh, take me back to the start," she continued as the slow bass started to throb through the speakers.

She continued to sing as two more musicians grabbed their guitars and joined in with the final part of the song. Then, with barely a pause, one of the guys launched into Fix You, another Cold Play song, and she threw the mic to one of the guys who wasn't playing yet and walked off the stage to hug Teddy. Coldplay was his thing, not hers, and she found Fix You annoying as most people she knew with real issues did.

"I know you don't like Cold Play, so thanks," Teddy grinned as one of the guys heard and raised his eyebrows before looking back at the guys still playing.

"What do you like to sing?" the guy asked, interrupting the brother and sister moment.

"She likes soundtracks from chick flicks," Teddy teased.

"This is supposed to be a speakeasy, so something a bit more subdued is probably more appropriate," She rolled her eyes. "He's right, though. I like soundtracks," she laughed.

"Like what?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Guardians of the Galaxy volume one and two, and I am hopeful three will be just as good. The Shades of Grey soundtracks. Ooh and The Bill Chill, Me Before You, Love Rosie and well never mind," she laughed.

"Let's sexy this place up a bit," Jenna said, coming to sit with her. "Dim the lights get into the piano bar vibe for happy hour.

"It's not the happy hour!" Grace looked at her friend.

"It is for us! How often do we get to hang out anymore and Chloe is on her way now. So give those guys a number and clear the stage," Drew grinned as she joined her friends. "It's our turn to get our sexy on."

"You can't put us in a room with this many hot guys and expect us to ignore all the testosterone, did you? How are you not in a sex coma right now?" Alana said, looking meaningfully at Teddy, who held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm officially frightened," he chuckled. "I'll clear the stage for you."

"Can you ask Taylor and Happy to stay for a few songs?" Grace asked. "You girls can be in charge of the guys and back up singing unless you want the lead?"

"Fuck no, singing is your thing. We'll be harmonies as usual," Jenna held up her hands as if warding off something horrible. "But can we do the sexy version of True Blood?"

"Ooh yeah," Drew agreed as Alana nodded with bright eyes.

"And a jug of Sangria, please. I can't do Margarita's again," Alana puffed out her cheeks, making them laugh.

"Okay, you organise drinks with that guy at the bar. His name is Beau, and the man beside him is Saxon. He owns this place. I will see if Taylor and Happy know Bad Things or if I need my guitar," Grace laughed, feeling more herself with her friends there. "True Blood," she corrected herself as Jenna gave her a confused look.

"Great, I wanted to talk to those two guys. They are so hot it's a crime they aren't joining the party," Alana said sweetly and walked away toward the bar as Grace laughed.

*****

Seeing Grace interact with her friends was a revelation for Saxon. She gained confidence just from being with them, and they each seemed to make each other brave enough to take risks with several belting out slow sexy numbers alongside Grace or having her back them up. He and Beau moved closer throughout the night to ensure that while her friends were welcome to flirt and, in one case, make out with whoever they wanted, his men needed to keep a strictly hands-off policy with Grace.

Early on, he and Beau had decided that the man who had sat on the couch with her and Teddy discussing what she liked to listen to, not just sing, would stay and become part of the house band. Another guy talked to Teddy directly about similar stuff and hadn't taken over the stage after her first Cold Play song would take the house band's final spot. The others could stay as security if they wanted that way, they would be close at hand if replacements were needed.

The two men talked quietly amongst themselves as the night wore on, staying close enough to intercede if necessary, but giving Grace the space she needed with her friends to work through all the shit that had happened to her in the last week. They were closer than the other members of the six except maybe Mitch. Each owed their life to the other, but only Beau bore the physical scars, in the form of burn and grafting scars on his lower torso and legs that he never let anyone see.

For Beau, physical intimacy had never been an option. He exposed himself only for as long as it took to fuck himself and his partner to climax and only ever did that from behind her. He knew how his skin looked to others with its patchwork of grafts and ridged scars. Sex was a painful euphoria he loved and hated but never shared with anyone as anything but a strictly physical transaction. Saxon was offering him physical intimacy with Grace on a romantic level and a voyeuristic opportunity to watch her fall apart in ecstasy that he might not otherwise see.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted the relationship with them, and he knew Saxon felt the same way because Beau could fill that romantic void and connection that Saxon struggled with on several levels. He had all the feelings. He just couldn't always read them in others or express himself the way he intended. No one ever mentioned Saxon's childhood diagnosis of mild Asperger's. Beau doubted even Mitch remembered, but at times like this, where Saxon struggled with what he wanted, it was evident to anyone who knew.

It was late when the guys finally convinced the girls to let them drive them home, and Saxon led Grace upstairs. He helped her to bed with the utmost care and removed her jeans and shoes, leaving her in her top and underwear. Even passed out drunk, she was beautiful, and he adjusted his rapidly hardening cock. It had taken a lot of willpower throughout the night to keep his dick under control, and now all he wanted to do was fuck her sober. Shaking his head, he turned toward the door as Beau let himself into the room Saxon shared with Grace, without even knocking.

Beau raised his eyebrows at the lustful look on Saxon's face wondering if he had interrupted something. Looking at the passed out girl on the bed, he dismissed the idea. Decisions would need to be made about how this would work if what her friends had just told him as he escorted them outside and chaperoned them until their rides pulled up to take them home was true.

"According to the drunk girls we just sent home, Grace is down for a threesome with the hot boss and her teenage crush," Beau cracked a smile again, thinking about the way they had phrased it as he repeated their words to Saxon, who gave him a questioning look.

"Ah, but will she still feel that way in the morning with a hangover?" Saxon laughed. "Is that what you want?" Saxon asked. They'd talked, but no specific agreement had been reached between them.

"If she agrees, then I'm in, but there has to be ground rules or at least an understanding between us," Beau said. "I'll tell her about the scars when and if I am ever ready for that type of intimacy."

"That's fair," Saxon nodded. "What else?"

"I guess we negotiate those hurdles as we come to them but, we do it before it becomes an issue between us. There is too much at stake in our world not to do this right," Beau said, being the aggressor for once."

"Still, there's hope, huh? That she will agree, and it will work out as we want," Saxon said quietly.

"Stop whispering. I can't eavesdrop properly," Grace said from the bed, her eyes still closed. "Go back to negotiate those hurdles when we come to them. That was a good point."

"Your awake?" Beau asked.

"I didn't drink as much as my friend's because of the whole audition thing. But, I want the two guys who were talking to Teddy. They were nice," she said in a tired voice, her eyes remaining closed.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Saxon agreed, coming to lie down beside her, making her roll onto her back and fling an arm across her face. "You should sleep, Missy. You had a big night down there. You must be exhausted."

"I am, but Beau was right. The girls pointed out that my brother's best friends have come to my rescue, found me a place to live and want to date me, for real. It's like I'm living in a romance novel. Well, one of them wants to date me and will also let me date his best friend at the same time if he says yes, which he hasn't yet," she opened one eye and squinted at Beau in the dim light. "It's weird, but I'm getting the best of both worlds, and no one is forcing me to do anything in return for being rescued and dated. So it's a win-win. Or is something going on I don't know? Aside from the singing, which is only to catch the creep. But I like to sing, so still a win."

"It could be dangerous dating me. We are a MC after all, and we have rivals, but I would keep you safe, always," Saxon said.

"We would keep you safe," Beau said, coming to lie on her other side. It was a tight squeeze, but he made it work, nestling up beside her.

"Okay," she said, turning her head to Beau. "Don't kiss me goodnight. I want to remember our first kiss properly." Then, she turned her head to face Saxon, "You can, though. I already have that first locked away."

Beau watched as Saxon leaned in to claim her mouth. He wasn't jealous. He'd seen them kiss many times in the last two days. Instead, he ran his hand down to her hip and helped her roll toward Saxon as he felt the familiar pull of damaged skin that was part of his arousal. She was everything he never let himself dream of having, and yet here he was with her and a man he loved like a brother. This could work, he thought to himself as he bent to kiss the spot where her neck reached her shoulder and felt a real thrill when her hand lifted to stroke his cheek. But, he revised his thinking at that moment. He was going to make this fucking work.

*****

Grace woke slowly, blinking at the sunshine streaming into the room. She felt pretty good despite the drinks she'd had the night before. Stretching and lifting her hands above her head, she hummed and lowered her arms, hitting the hard body beside her.

"Good morning," Beau smiled. "How's the head this morning?"

"I feel pretty good, but I didn't drink as much as the girls did because of the auditions. So what's the time?" she asked.

"Almost nine, but there's no hurry this morning. Do you want to have a shower while I make breakfast?" he asked.

"We have plans for today?" she asked.

"You do, yes," he chuckled. "We can talk about it over breakfast."

"Beau," she said as he got up from the bed to give her some privacy. "Can we talk about us, the three of us, or did I dream that conversation last night?"

"We can, but after you have showered and put more clothes on. I'm only human, Gracie," he chuckled and let his eyes drift down to her now exposed underwear and legs. Then he turned and left the room before he said or did something he would regret. He wasn't sure how he would approach being with her yet, but he knew he wanted to try. It was just so much easier to envision it when Saxon was there with him, taking the lead.

Grace watched him go. The friendly smile and banter seemed edged now, and she couldn't understand why. Was it such a big step to take their friendship further? They'd been friends for years, not that they saw each other that often, but they'd always been close like Teddy and the other guys. Did he honestly not know how she felt about him? She sighed and headed for the shower grabbing some clothes on the way.

Beau busied himself in the kitchen. Saxon had gone to get some of the more urgent work done this morning, giving him time to talk with Grace alone. To tell her as much as he could without going into too much detail or exposing his scars and frightening her. Not that he thought she scared easily. She hadn't called Teddy about her stalker until he left a threatening message on her mirror, but still, everyone had a limit.