Page 84 of The Devil's Redemption

“Definitely don’t blame you there,” Blade agrees. “Actually, Sasha and I are signing a lease on one of those houses up the road from the garage.”

“Are you? Oh, that makes me so happy,” Iron shakes his head, almost in disbelief.

I’m giddy over the fact that he’s so delighted for us. Not that I need a sign that this is the right move. But to see someone else as excited for us and our future is a relief.

“When do you get to move in?”

“A week or so, the first of the month,” Blade answers.

“You know, I’ve got to tell you something. This one probably won’t be too happy with me,” he nods toward Blade, “but I’m gonna say it anyway.”

“Oh, brother,” Blade sighs.

Lightly, I lay a playful slap to his thigh.

“I don’t know if you know this, Sasha, but Blade has had his eye on you for quite some time.”

Oh, I knew that. I knew it every time I saw him around town. Staring me down from the other side of the square in the middle of town. Or from the far end of the aisle in the grocery store. Or from across the street as I was getting my hair cut at the salon.

“No,” I lie, and only Blade knows that I’m being sarcastic. “I never knew…”

“I’ll never forget the summer festival two years ago.”

The summer festival was the weekend following mine and Blade’s very first encounter, when I’d overheard his secret conversation with Captain Turner.

“I noticed Blade was quieter than usual, and I wanted to check to make sure he was okay. When I walked up to him, I saw him staring across the park, very engrossed with whatever it was he saw.”

I look at Blade to make sure he isn’t angry or hating this conversation. He scratches an itch on the side of his face before running his hand over his chin. He’s uncomfortable, but he’s okay with Iron continuing his story.

“When I followed his stare, it led me to you. You were working a table with Ellie, serving food. At first, Blade’s expression was soft—well, soft for him anyway—but a few minutes later, it changed. It was like the sun disappeared behind a cloud and cast a shadow over his face. When I looked back to you, I saw two younger men had come up to place an order. I don’t know what they said, but you smiled at them so sweetly.”

I love hearing this. To know what Blade was doing… What he was feeling back then interests me very much because I always thought he was following me around as a threat. It’s rousing to realize he was following me because he liked me. Apparently, that translates to stalking in Blade’s world, but knowing him now, knowing who he is and what he’s capable of, I get it.

“He didn’t like those boys being there,” Iron laughs. “And I have not a doubt in my mind that if they were there for one moment longer, he would have made his way over to that table and beaten the shit out of them. The look of pure possession in his eyes was something I’d never seen in him before.”

The idea that Blade felt that dominant over me back then turns me on way more than it should, but I welcome it. I welcome every pin and needle and throb of my clit that I’m experiencing right now.

"Watching you interact with those boys stirred a beast inside of him. I've always known Blade had a dark side. It's something I've been helping him calm since the night I found him. But the fire in his stare that day was unlike anything I'd ever seen in him before. You were his from that moment on, whether you wanted to be or not, young lady.”

Holy shit.

“I’m glad it worked out so well.” Iron follows his last statement with a wink.

I swallow, unable to speak. I’m enthralled and completely turned on by the story that he just recounted. Struggling for something to say, I silently thank Blade when he clears his throat and speaks first.

“We should be getting back to the clubhouse, it’s going to be dark soon.”

“Okay, I’ll walk you out.”

We’re all silent as we walk to the front door.

“Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon, ya hear?”

“We will, thank you,” I finally manage to get out.

Blade and I walk hand in hand to his bike. Before he throws his leg over and takes his seat, he turns to me and grabs my head between his hands. His lips attack mine as he grinds his erection into my stomach. I open my eyes and realize he’s staring at me.

I see the fire in his eyes that Iron was talking about.

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