Page 64 of The Devil's Weakness

“I don’t know. He went for cigarettes earlier in the day and never came back. I went out searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found until later that evening.”

Two nights ago? While I was in an underground cell, Michael washere? Did Blade know that and not tell me? That was the night he brought me food, and we played the question game. Maybe he didn’t know about it at all.

“He was really messed up. Someone must have taken pity on him, though, because I got a call asking me to come pick him up.”

“Do you know who it was?” I ask.

“No, but he sure didn’t sound friendly,” he answers. “Those Skulls are bad news. The brute who strong-armed him into my car when I got there—”

“What did he look like?” I blurt out a little too eagerly.

“I don’t know, dark hair and eyes. Why?”

He just described everyone in the Club other than Pretty Boy.

“Oh... no reason. I was just curious if I would have recognized him from seeing them around town.”

The silence on the other end of the line tells me he doesn’t believe me. I pinch the bridge of my nose and try to think of what else to say.

“Okay, well, I should be able to come pick him up in a little while. Is it okay if he stays there a little longer?”

“Yeah. Of course,” he answers.

“Thanks, Steve. You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah…” he says before I end the call.

Quickly, I shoot Ellie a text to let her know I’m okay.

Me: Hey, I’m okay. I’ll come by the diner in a little while and explain everything.

She responds right away.

Ellie: You better. I’m not happy with you right now.

Me.: I’m sorry.

Ellie: I know. You know I worry about you.

Me: I know. I’ll see you soon.

I throw my phone on the bed and change out of Blade’s shirt. As I’m about to toss it into the hamper, something stops me. I hold the worn fabric up to my nose and inhale his scent one more time. Heat blooms in my stomach. It reminds me of when his body covered mine on the workbench yesterday. The intensity in his gaze and the powerful way he thrusted into me, sending me soaring to a place I’ve never been before, sends chills of pleasure over my skin.

It reminds me of the soft and delicate way in which he washed me in the shower last night. Taking care to make sure every inch of my body was tended to.

It reminded me of the way he took me last night, unbridled and with wild abandon.

My core clenches, and I try my best to ignore the tingling sensation emanating from it.

Instead of depositing his shirt into the hamper, I stuff it into the bottom of my bag as a parting gift. I can’t see myself with him. We lead completely different lives, and being with someone like Blade… just doesn’t seem possible. But that doesn’t mean I need to quit him cold turkey. It’s just a little memento to remember him by.

As if you’d ever forget him.

The sex aside, I look at everything that’s happened in the last few days. I’ve never been involved in so much criminal activity before in my life.

I’ve never been involved inanycriminal activity in my life.

What would happen to me if I stayed? Would I become an outlaw? How far will I go before I’m the one committing wrong-doings without batting an eye?

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