Page 14 of Blake

Savannah yanked her hand away. "I don't need your protection, Blake. I told you I can't afford to pay you anymore.”

"Like I said, I don't care about the money. I care aboutyou.I'm not going anywhere, Savannah. You need someone on your side"

The tattered vinyl booth creaked beneath Savannah as she leaned forward, her green eyes blazing with defiance. "Why do you even care, Blake?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you so hell-bent on protecting me?"

"Look, I . . ." he hesitated. "I can't just stand by and let a young woman get hurt. It's not in my nature."

Her eyes flickered with vulnerability for a moment, then hardened once more. "Well, I don't need your help, Blake. I've been taking care of myself for a long time now, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."

With a huff of frustration, Savannah pulled a wad of cash from her purse and slammed it onto the table, the crumpled bills scattering across the stained surface.

"Here," she spat, rising from her seat. "This should cover the last three hours you spent playing bodyguard. Now leave me alone."

"Wait, Savvy!" Blake called after her, but she ignored him, storming out of the diner with her head held high.

"Stubborn as hell," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

Savannah's hips swayed as she hurried down the street, her little black minidress hugging her curves.

Blake couldn't help but let his gaze linger on her a moment longer, the memory of their fake kiss igniting a heat within him once more. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Pushing away from the booth, he grabbed her cash then dropped some ofhis own on the table before following her out into the night, his protective instincts impossible to ignore.

***

The crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting a faint glow on Savannah's front porch as she fumbled with her keys.

Blake waited, hidden in the shadows across the street, watching her movements with eagle-like precision. Finally, the door swung open, and Savannah disappeared inside.

"Safe and sound," he whispered to himself, his shoulders relaxing slightly. But as he turned to head home, a mix of irritation and sexual frustration bubbled up within him.

Seriously, what was it about this girl? He felt so strangely close to her. Like he knew her from a previous life. It didn’t make any sense.

Blake found his car in a side street a little way away from the Lucifer Club. He was tempted to explore the club some more, but he knew he needed to talk it through with his brothers first. He fired up the engine of his Dodge and drove back to Wicker Park, a lively and hip part of the city.

He lived in a former factory converted into an industrial-style loft apartment with his younger brother, Jax. An airy, modern place with exposed brick and high ceilings that served as his sanctuary from the chaos of his work. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him.

"Hey, big brother," a voice called out from the open plan space.

Blake glanced over to see his younger brother, Jax, lounging on the oversized leather couch, watching a news channel on the TV while simultaneously tapping away on his laptop.

"Jax," he grunted in response, dropping his keys on the nearby counter with a heavy sigh.

"Rough day?" His brother arched an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Blake admitted.

"Want to talk about it?" Jax offered, muting the TV and turning his full attention to his brother.

Blake hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? You know that girl I've been protecting? Savannah?"

"Ah, yeah, the one you insisted on helping," Jax said, his tone gentle. "What's the deal with her?"

"Long story short, she's in danger but she doesn't want my help anymore," Blake confessed, frustration creeping into his voice. "I can't just walk away from her, though."

"That's tough," Jax observed, nodding sympathetically.

"She's stubborn. Frustrating. Reckless."

"And you've got a crush on her?"

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