Page 22 of Blade

“Black, gray, or blue, and all tees. I’m wearing my leather jacket and jeans. Not an option,” he responds. It seems that Orion bends for Vi, but only so far.

Vi doesn’t fight it. In fact, she comes up on her toes and plants a kiss on his lips. “Wouldn’t want you any other way,” she says. Then she turns to me. “I’m so glad we popped by. We just stopped in to say hello. We have to pick up the kids, but next week, after the shoot, we’ll see you at the barbecue. It’s the last outdoor grilling we do before the snow hits. See you then.”

I don’t even have a chance to reply because she’s already out the door, and Blade is walking up the drive toward me. He stops to greet Vi and Orion but makes it quick, and suddenly, I’m in his arms and he’s kissing me. My arms wrap tightly around his neck, and I kiss him back with the same eagerness.

When he finally pulls away, I see the brightness in his eyes, the crinkles of happiness that form when he’s smiling, making him look even more beautiful. “I missed you, baby,” he murmurs, his lips brushing over mine once more.

“Missed you too,” I answer, still trying to regulate my breathing. Every time Blade kisses me, I feel like I’m floating on a wispy cloud in the sky.

“Did you have a good day?” he asks. I know he has news to share, but he still takes the time to ask about me and my day.

“I had a great day. I booked two more weddings, and Orion is going to teach me SEO so I can get a higher ranking on my website.” I’m so impressed with myself that I’m using Orion’s tech lingo that I do a little happy dance inside. “We’re bartering. Orion will teach me stuff, and I’ll do a family photo shoot. Vi loves the idea.”

“That’s awesome, Emmy. I’m proud of you. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to get a business off the ground, and you’re doing it,” he says.

“Thanks.” I can’t help but blush. I don’t get many compliments, and I’m always embarrassed when I do. I change the subject and ask, “You said you had some good news too. Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“Let’s go inside first.” We’re still standing in the doorway, which I completely forgot. Blade leads me to my couch and sits me down. “I still can’t believe it.”

His smile is so big that I’m already happy for him, and I don’t even know why. “I’m dying of curiosity.”

“Guard and Satan’s Pride are opening another location in town. A new garage, smaller than the first, but that’s only because it’s for elite customers and restoration of vintage bikes and cars, and they want me to run it, with the option of buying into the place and becoming an owner. This is what I’ve wanted since the first day I held a wrench in my hand,” he tells me. He then says, “I’ve checked the contract out with Sofia, Demon’s wife, who is a lawyer, but she wanted me to seek independent counsel because she drew up the contract. I know Demon and Sofia and my brothers would never screw me over, but Sofia insisted. Then I went to see my father, and he took me to see his lawyer, who basically said that the contract was more than fair. My father was really impressed, and he’s even agreed to come to the gathering next Sunday with my mom and sister. You’ll get to meet my family. I just can’t believe it!”

“I’m so thrilled for you. You deserve this. Your brothers have faith in you, and you’re an amazing mechanic, if I do say so myself. My wheel hasn’t fallen off yet!” I say with a giggle.

He cradles my face in his hands. “Christ, Lady Luck is smiling on me. I never thought it would all come together the way it has. I love my work, I’m becoming my own boss, my dad is coming around, and I have a girl who I can’t keep my hands off of.”

His words melt my heart, especially the part about having a girl, because that’s me.

“Are you going to show me your new garage, handsome?” I tease.

“Babe, we’ve got reasons to celebrate. Two new clients for you, and Orion is a master with technology. Lady Luck is smiling on you too,” Blade replies. “Go get changed, and after I show off the new shop, we’ll go to La Grotta for dinner.”

I go in to change into my little black dress. It’s a simple knee-length dress that I can either dress up or keep simple. I pair the dress with stilettos, wearing more dramatic evening makeup than I normally would, but this is a special occasion, and I put on a chunky silver bracelet with a double strand of pearls.

Blade says that Lady Luck is smiling on both of us. And I want to believe this to be true, but it seems that whenever I feel like I’m moving in the right direction, catastrophe hits. I inhale deeply, close my eyes, then let out my breath slowly and count to five. I chant my mantra. I believe in me.

I hear Blade call my name, calling out that he’s hungry. I smile into the mirror, grab my clutch off the end of the bed, and join my man.

Thirteen

Environmentally Conscious

Blade

Two weeks later…

I’m living my best life. Since the day I met Emryn, it seems like all the stars have aligned. Emryn and I have settled into a routine. I leave her in the morning and go to the new shop to get things moving. Guard’s already secured enough business for the next six months. Demon is around a couple of days a week, but his music takes precedence, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. To deny the world his music would be a tragedy, but it’s good to have him around when he’s here. War is in the other two days, and that’s when I need to concentrate on the financial part of the business.

War is more patient than you can imagine. I’m smart, but numbers have never been my thing. War takes time to explain it all to me in a way that I get it. I think even down the road, I’ll let War keep the books in order. My goal is to make sure I know the day-to-day.

Between working on Ava’s car for Guard and a vintage Harley from a friend of Thunder’s, my hands are full and I’m in heaven. There’s nothing like working with your hands and watching the results come to life.

Emryn has been spending time with Orion and learning all she can about SEO and social media postings. Vi and Emryn have become close. I think Vi understands how much Emryn wants to succeed because Vi was in the same place at one time. Vi wanted to launch her jewelry business, and it took her a long time to take a leap of faith. The other Lady Pride women found out about Vi’s photo shoot, and they all want to book time with Emryn. It took some convincing, but she finally accepted that their help wasn’t coming from a place of pity, and that instead, they saw her talent.

Someone did a number on Emryn’s confidence, and I’d like to beat the shit out of them. I’ve noticed that she rarely speaks about her family, but she’ll sit and listen to me for hours about mine. She’s meeting my parents this afternoon at the club.

The other great thing that happened is that Dad is opening his mind to the Pride and my role in the club. He was shocked as hell when I showed him the contract. He insisted that we see a lawyer immediately and begged me not to sign until we had legal counsel. Dad’s lawyer read the contract over and over and couldn’t believe the generous offer that was in front of him. Dad finally relented, and that’s when he asked when the next gathering was at the club and if he and Mom could come.

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