Page 71 of The Devil's Weakness

My body shakes at his words. With anxiety. With nerves. With need.

“I agree, it’s happening way too fucking fast, but I don’t want to fight it anymore. I’ve given up a lot, rolled over, and taken the shit life dealt me. Everything in me is telling me to stay away from you. I’m bad for you;the life I liveis bad for you. You’re way too good for a bastard like me. If I was a better man, I would let you go, but I’m not. And I’m tired of rolling over. I’m going to fight for you.”

He takes my chin between his hands, dips his head, and kisses me softly. I close my eyes, shut my mind off, and let myself feel.

Just then, I hear a door slam outside. I tear my lips from Blade’s and look out the front window.

“They’re here already?” I ask no one.

I look back to Blade and take his hand in mine again.

“Please, I’m begging you. Can you be on your best behavior?”

“I can’t promise you that, but I promise I’ll try.”

I take a deep breath and walk to the door, opening it before Steve has time to knock.

“Whose truck is—” Steve begins before he notices Blade standing in the living room, arms crossed and looking like he could kill.

“Um, this is Blade,” I swallow. “He helped me with my car and gave me a ride home.”

Steve doesn’t move or speak. He just glares at Blade.

“Hi, Michael, how are—”

Michael enters the house, and it’s as if he doesn’t see either of us standing there. He walks right back to his bedroom and shuts the door.

“—you?”

I rub my forehead, my chest is tight, and I’m already significantly more stressed out, knowing he’s probably about to get high.

“Thank you, Steve, again. For everything,” I say to him.

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” he responds, then turns his attention to Blade. “Thanks for your help. I’ll take it from here, though.”

I have to hand it to Steve; he’s not intimidated by Blade. Or if he is, he’s not letting it show. Blade takes one step toward Steve, but I walk into his path, stopping him from the pummeling I’m sure he’d like to deliver.

“Actually, I offered to buy him lunch at the diner in exchange for his assistance. We were just about to head over there.”

“Oh,” Steve says. “Well, I thought we could catch up, and you could tell me about yourtrip.”

“It… wasn’t very eventful. You know West Virginia pretty well. Not much trouble to get into there.” I turn my head slightly and catch Blade’s upper lip twitch as he fights back a smile. “But, I’d love to catch up another time? I also need to explain my absence to Ellie. I think it would be best to do that as soon as possible. Hopefully, I still have a job.”

I add that last part to up the urgency of Blade and I needing to leave, which will hopefully push Steve out the door.

“Makes sense,” he says, still eyeing up Blade. “Call me later?”

“Definitely.” I nod as I walk to the door and open it for him.

“See you,” Steve says, laying a sneak-attack kiss to my cheek as a big “fuck you” to Blade.

“Bye!” I slam the door closed behind him and throw my body in between it and an incredibly furious Blade. “Stop!”

“That motherfucker is dead,” he exclaims.

“He only did that to make you angry. Please let it go; I can’t handle this right now.” I place my hands on either side of his face.

His temper tantrums are something that I will not be able to live with. He can’t just go around acting like a damn buffoon every time he gets angry.

---