Page 82 of Blade

We weren’t dancing long when a guy I didn’t recognize walked up behind me, placing his hands on my hips.

I spun around and stepped back.

“Hey, beautiful. I’m Angel.” He reached out for me, and I stepped back again.

“Wrong way, babe. I have a room upstairs.” He pointed over his shoulder at the hallway and grabbed my hand. He pulled me through the crowd, and I looked back at the girls.

“RACHEL!” I yelled, praying she heard me over the loud music. How was this happening again?

“Hey, Angel. Where you goin’, baby?” Jade stepped in front of us, blocking Angel’s path.

“Hey, baby. You’re looking good tonight.” Angel looked over at Jade. His eyes tracked up and down her body while clinging to my hand.

“How about we head up to your room and I can show you how good I am?” Jade ran her fingernail down Angel’s chest, leaning into him.

“Maybe later, babe; this beauty and I are heading up now. I’ll come find you when I’m done.” Angel tried to walk around her, and she slipped in front of him again.

“Angel, baby, she isn’t available. I am. How about I grab Crystal, and you can get a two for one?” Jade ran her hands from Angel’s shoulders down to his wrists, trying unsuccessfully to get him to release me.

“I told you, babe, later. Right now, I’ve got her.” He held my hand up in the air, showing Jade he wasn’t letting me go.

“She told you Beck wasn’t available. I suggest you take Jade up on her offer.” That beautiful growl came through menacingly, and my fear quickly abated.

Angel turned us around, and I looked up to see Blade seething at him.

Chapter Nineteen

Blade

After I dropped Becca off at Grams to get ready, I took off knowing there was something I needed to take care of before going back and picking her up.

I needed to have a little conversation with Grant-Mother-Fathers-Nicholson.

Chuckling, I thought about Becca’s words. She still couldn’t bring herself to cuss. Just thinking about her silly words and phrases had me smiling in a way I hadn’t in a very long time. She didn’t know how fucking adorable she was.

I pulled into the hospital twenty minutes later.

I couldn’t let Declan know I was here. It would piss him off if he knew I was here, interfering with his case. And if King found out I was here, he would beat my ass for pissing off his brother.

Strolling up to the front desk, I smiled at Shirley.

“Hey, Blade. What can I do for you?” she asked, leaning on the counter in front of her.

“I need to know what room a patient is in.”

“You know I can’t do that, Blade.” She held up a hand to stop me when I opened my mouth. She dipped her head and spoke to the paperwork on her desk. “I heard what happened. You should know better than to ask me if GrantNicholson is in room 428. I can neither confirm nor deny where he is at.”

“Are you sure, Shirley? I just wanted to talk to him.” I continued the ploy in case anyone close was listening.

“Absolutely not,” she said, shaking her head.

I nodded, letting her know I understood. There were video cameras covering Shirley’s desk. Cameras that did not include audio.

“I understand, Shirley. Thanks anyway.”

“Tell Beck I hope she’s ok. She was always a wonderful girl, despite that mother of hers. Thank goodness she had Willow’s influence.”

“I will, Shirley, thanks,” I said, knocking three times on the counter. Turning back the way I came, I walked toward the doors leading outside. When I knew I was out of range of the front desk cameras, I hung a right and walked through the door marked stairs. Taking them two at a time, I climbed to the fourth floor.

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