Page 28 of Blade

“You know the rules. Once you leave, you can’t come back.”

“Are you kidding me?” Becca spun around so fast, it surprised me she didn’t get dizzy and fall on her ass. “He is going to walk my grandmother across the street, and you say he can’t come back? He isn’t really leaving.”

“Rules are rules. Once you walk through that gate, you’re done for the night.”

“Fine. Ryder, you can stay. I will head home with Grams.”

Ryder looked at me as I pulled out my phone to text Jack. He needed to get his ass out here now.

“Beck, it’s ok, I know the rules and I’m fine with it. You go back in and have fun with Rachel. This is your first biker party, not mine.”

“No, I will not be the reason you can’t come back.”

Jack stepped outside. Seeing what I could imagine to him looked like a Mexican standoff between Becca and me with the way she was glaring at me.

“Everything ok out here?”

“No, Jack, it is not ok. Grams wanted to go home, so Ryder, being the gentleman that he is, offered to walk her home, and this imbecile is telling him he can’t come back in if he leaves. So instead, I am going to go home with Grams.”

That had my eyes rolling so far back in my head I didn’t think they would ever come back down.

“How about I walk Grams home and you can both stay?”

Jack walked over and put his arm out like he was a fucking butler. Grams took his arm and smiled up at him as they headed for the gate.

“Thank you, Jack, but I am going as well. I suddenly don’t feel like partying.” Becca gave me one last glare before walking through the gate with Jack and Grams.

“You always were a dipshit.”

I spun around toward Ryder. “What the fuck did you say?”

“You heard me. When are you going to tell her?”

“Tell who what?”

Ryder shook his head and glared at me.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know? Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize my goddamned best friend?”

I stared at him. He knew?

“What are you talking about?”

“Fuck you, Micah!” Ryder turned on his heels and walked to his car.

“How long have you known?”

He turned back around and let out a long sigh.

“Since you came back to town.”

“I’ve been back for five years. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Why didn’t you? I figured you had a reason. We all knew your dad was shady as fuck. When we thought you were gone, the whole town mourned. No one like her though. She almost didn’t survive it.”

I looked down at my boots, not wanting to see the hurt on his face.

“I can’t tell her.”

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