Page 3 of Blade

I looked up at him and couldn’t help but smile back.

As we stepped inside, it was like stepping into the past. It hadn’t changed at all. From the black-and-white tile floor to the red vinyl booths along the wall to the left, and the giant Coca-Cola clock above the counter that stretched out to the right of the front door.

Rachel and her men—I thought of them as hers because they followed her in the restaurant like a harem—headed to one of the various tables spread out through the middle of the room where Blade was already sitting, and I followed.

He looked up as I sat.

The narrowing of his eyes and the look of animosity startled me.

“Hi,” I whispered.

Blade looked at Rachel. He questioned her without saying a word. She shrugged and sat on one side of me as Jack sat at the end of the table on my other side.

Blade stood up and glared at Rachel. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ll meet you all back at the clubhouse.”

Then, he walked away, and I wondered what could have made him feel like he couldn’t stay.

“Was it something I said?” I asked awkwardly, because the only word I’d uttered to him was hi.

“Beck—” Rachel started before Cash cut her off.

“Let it go, Doll.”

Rachel closed her mouth and smiled at me. “Blade takes a bit to warm up to people. Don’t worry, it was nothing you did.”

I looked back at the door and thought about what Rachel said. It sure seemed like it was something I did.

The waitress stepped up to the table, and I saw that her name tag said Samantha. She wasn’t someone I recognized, and I hoped she was new to town in the last few years, so I didn’t feel like there was another person I had forgotten.

“Hey, guys, what can I get you?”

“Another night with you is the first thing on my list, babe.”

“I told you, Jack. Once was all you get. You can’t improve on perfection.” Samantha winked at Jack.

I looked over at Jack, who was grinning at the waitress.

I heard Jingles and Cash chuckle.

“Come on, babe, you know it can only get better with time. Wait, that came out wrong.” Cash and Jingles were no longer hiding their laughter as Rachel looked over at me, grinning. “See? Jackass.”

I couldn’t help but laugh along with them. I had forgotten how much fun it could be just sharing a meal with friends. Samantha took our orders and walked away,with Jack following like a puppy hot on her heels, trying to convince her to give him another shot.

“So, all of you are part of the motorcycle club across from Grams’ house?”

Despite the ease I felt sitting here with these guys, they were the first bikers I had ever met. Letting go of all those stereotypes wasn’t easy, and I just needed to be sure Grams wasn’t in any danger.

Cash answered with a skeptical eye, “We are. The Silver Shadows MC.”

“Cash is the vice president.” Rachel beamed.

“How many members do you have?”

“Why do you ask?” Cash leaned forward and looked at me like he was staring into my soul. I wasn’t afraid to admit I could see why this guy was VP. He was very intimidating.

“Cash, knock it off. Beck is living with Grams across the street. It’s normal for her to question what is going on at the clubhouse. There are about roughly twenty members, though I’ve never actually counted.” Rachel, always the peacemaker, was a godsend when I saw Cash relax and sit back.

“So, what are we talking about?”

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