Page 17 of All Our Ghosts

“Maybe we should get you a bell.” I tease, playfully narrowing my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest.

Cole laughs, his head tilting back slightly. “That would ruin my element of surprise, Kade.” He smirks and flashes me a wink before standing straight, nudging his head behind him. “You want some coffee?”

I smile shyly, dipping my head down for a moment at the nickname before glancing back up at him. “Yeah, coffee would be great.”

I follow him into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. “So, do you live here?” I ask, leaning back into the wooden chair.

The clubhouse from the outside doesn’t look big, but on the inside, it’s spacious with an entry hallway and another long hallway off of the kitchen that I noticed. A few closed doors and two double doors at the end of the hallway.

He nods as he moves throughout the kitchen, grabbing a mug for me from the cabinet above the sink. “I stay here when I need to,” he confirms, and I get the feeling there’s more to that. I don’thave any right to push for information about him, so instead I hum softly. Cole pours me a cup. “Two sugars and one creamer right?” He asks, glancing over his shoulder at me.

I tilt my head slightly. “How did you—?”

“Between Maggie’s and the office yesterday, you had about ten cups. Hard not to notice after a while.” He shrugs as he rips open two sugar packets and dumps them into the dark liquid.

“You were watching me?” I ask, the anxious pit forming in my lower stomach again as I sit forward in the chair, and as if he can hear the nervousness in my voice, he turns, glancing at me as he pours the cream.

“Not like that—” Cole reassures, setting the cup down in front of me on the table. “I was in the military–Holden and I both were–you learn to pick up on certain cues.” He slides the chair opposite of me out from under the wooden table and sits down, leaning back.

The nervousness doesn’t leave as he watches me try to hide the panic across my face. I don’t want to tell him about what happened or that Jeremy is still a very real threat in my life, and a part of me doesn't want to admit it either because admitting it means my fears are real. But the longer he studies me, the more his gaze feels like a truth serum threatening its way into my veins.

“I see.” I pick up the mug, taking a sip.

His gaze doesn’t let up as he begins to drum his fingers against the ceramic. “What are you runnin’ from, Kade?”

I freeze at the question, the lump in my throat making it difficult to swallow. My eyes meet his pleading for a silent pardon not to have to answer him.

“Nothing,” I whisper, my eyes dropping to my coffee.

“Does nothin’ have a name?” Cole asks gently.

I purse my lips, shaking my head. “Nope.”

He nods, narrowing his eyes for just a moment. “I made you a promise, Kadence, but that’s a hard promise to keep if I don’t know what I might have to protect you from.” Cole’s fingers stop drumming. “Whatever it is, I don’t need to know now. I don’t even need to know today—” He tilts his head to catch my gaze, “—but I can’t have anything threatening the club. You understand what I’m sayin’?”

I nod. “Yeah, Cole, I do.” Sooner or later I know shit is gonna come out but I can’t relive it today. “I don’t want to ruin what you have here, so if it’s better for me to just be a customer, I’ll figure out a different way to get the money for the Comet.”

His brows furrow. “I think you’re a little more than just a customer now, don’t ya think?” Cole takes another sip of his coffee.

I raise a brow. “You realize how kidnappy that sounds, right?”

Cole almost spits out his coffee, coughing once he finally gets a breath in. “I didn’t, until now,” he chokes out between coughs.

I grin, shaking my head softly as the tension begins to dissipate, not fully but enough that I don’t feel the weight of my secrets as much anymore.

“I should get out to the office.” I offer as I stand. “Gotta reorganize your mess.” I tease, grabbing my coffee cup.

Cole grins as he runs his hand over his bearded chin. “You know, Kade. I think you’re gonna fit in just fine here.”

I scoff, leaning against the door frame. “After last night, I think you’re the only one who believes that.”

He winces. “About that…”

“It’s okay, Cole,” I say almost instinctively.

Cole stands so fast that I take a step backward into the hallway, causing him to stop, his face crumples for a moment, realizing just how jumpy I am.

“What Holden did isn’t okay, Kade. His actions were not okay.” He inches towards me, “You know that right?”

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