Page 26 of Blade's Return
“Is he still trying to get you to come to the party?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you tell him why you don’t want to go?”
I rub my forehead. “No. You know that’s not something I can share easily. If Blade’s going to pressure me to do something I don’t want to do—while calling me judgmental—I’m sure as hell not going to open up to him.”
Ayita makes a disgusted sound. “Men can be so stupid.”
I can’t help laughing, the tension in my chest easing a little. “They really can.”
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” she promises.
“Please don’t. There’s no point,” I respond quietly. “Let him do what he’s going to do.”
“Love you, Livy.”
“I love you too.”
We hang up, and I stare at the phone for a long moment, before powering it off, then dropping it on the bar. Then, I walk into the living room and slowly sink into the couch cushions. I notice Dad has fallen asleep, the TV flickering soft blue light over his face. I smile. I know he didn’t sleep well at all last night for the pain. I stare at his chest, watching it move up and down. It fills me with peace and kind of makes me zone out. The house feels too quiet now, and I tell myself it’s better this way. But deep down, the silence hurts worse than it ever did before.
I miss Blade and I hate that I do …
14 BLADE
The clubhouse lights were still flashing when I left.
Music thumping, laughter rolling out of the back hall, whiskey in the air—but I didn’t stay. I didn’t even want to be there without Olivia. I went because I told Hangman that I would, but my mind was somewhere else the whole damn night. Layna—one of the club girls with red hair, a short skirt, a tight shirt cut low to show her huge tits—slid her hand over my chest and asked if I wanted to party. Normally I’d grin, flirt a little, maybe take her up on it. Since having Olivia in my life, I have no interest at all. Without her, I just feel empty.
Bottom line, I just want my Olivia—and she’s not here.
I told the club girl no, finished my talk with Bear about the concrete contracts—my sole purpose for being here and then, I hit the road. I drove too fast, wind howling through the open window, every mile stretching between who I was and who I’m starting to become. For the first time in my life, I’m thinking about walking away from the club.
I’d be doing that for a woman I’ve barely known two weeks. It sounds insane, yet it’s the damned truth. It’s also why I find myself standing on Olivia’s porch at nine in the night, heart pounding like I’m a fucking kid. The porch light’s soft, the house quiet. I hit the doorbell and listen to it echo inside.
Nothing.
I wait, then ring again.
Still nothing.
I’m about to turn and leave when the lock clicks and the door cracks open. Olivia’s gaze meets mine and I drink her in. She’s barefoot, wearing leggings, and one of those soft shirts that hangs off her shoulder. Her hair’s loose, eyes shadowed but steady.
“What are you doing here?” she asks.
I scrub a hand through my hair, trying to find words that don’t sound stupid. “Hello to you too, Livy.”
She sighs, glancing toward the hallway. “Come in. I don’t want to wake Dad.” I step inside. She closes the door behind me, locking it—probably out of habit rather than wanting me to stay. I can tell that from the way she folds her arms against her chest and stares at me.
“You want something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.” She nods but doesn’t move. Just stands there looking at me like she’s trying to decide if I’m real. “I went without you,” I say finally.
“Blade,” she sighs.
“I only went to talk to Bear and Hangman. One of the girls there came up to me, wanted to ‘party.’ I turned her down, finished my business, and left, Olivia. I came straight here.”
She frowns. “Blade, I don’t need a play-by-play of what you do. I wouldn’t even ask that if we were a couple.”
