Page 61 of Blade

“I can’t do that, Rachel. This is my mess.” Looking back out the window, I sighed. “I need to fix it.”

“Babe, you can’t fix anything. Guys like Grant don’t tell you why they are assholes. I’m not even sure they know why. I think it is hard-wired into them to be douchebags upon birth.” She gave me a quick glance before continuing, “Look, Declan is involved now, anyway. He will keep the guys from going overboard.”

“What the heck is going on there? The sheriff and the biker sounds like the plot of a reverse harem romance novel.”

I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.

Stereotypes dictated cops and bikers were mortal enemies.

Yet, King hugged his brother before he left, so they must be close.

“When the guys started this chapter here, Declan followed. The old sheriff—emphasis on old—retired, with someencouragement, and Declan took over.”

“Wait, the town elected the brother of the MC president as sheriff?”

That was surprising. Even more surprising was that the town allowed the MC to set up camp here.

“Well, they didn’t exactly know they were brothers until after. Now Declan can keep them out of trouble, mostly, and the town sees the MC as a benefit. They own quite a few businesses in town. Shit, I wasn’t supposed to say anything about the sheriff helping. Please don’t tell Blade I said anything. Cash will kill me.”

“I won’t. You know I would never throw you under the bus. Besides, Blade and I don’t talk like that, anyway.”

Gazing out the window once more, I thought about that kiss.

Dream of me tonight.

And boy did I.

After the dream I had, I had almost completely forgotten about Grant. That was until I walked into the clubhouse to find the sheriff asking for a statement.

“…I was shocked to find out Grant was still alive.”

“Wait what? What are you saying?”

I hadn’t realized Rachel was still talking until she said something about Grant being left alive.

“Beck, you had to know that calling Jack would set the guys off. We had the conversation about safety and the prospects following us. They don’t want us in situations like that. If you’d had a prospect following you last night, Grant wouldn’t have been able to even touch you. Let alone attack you.”

I didn’t want to admit Rachel was right.

Instead, I stayed quiet while she continued.

“I was saying it was surprising they left him alive. Though that’s probably because it was Jack. He wouldn’t want to take that away from Blade.”

That got my attention, and I asked, “Take what away from Blade?”

“Vengeance.”

She said it so casually. Like it was a foregone conclusion.

As if it was obvious.

Like it was normal.

Nothing about my life after coming home had been normal.

Home.

This place hadn’t felt like home since I was fifteen and my world ended. It was said that home was where the heart was. Yet, my heart was buried six feet underground in the Diamond Creek cemetery.

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