Page 32 of Blade's Princess

For the next thirty minutes, officers search the clubhouse, opening doors, looking under furniture, checking closets. Ghost volunteers to show them around, but the panic room where Angel remains with Max, is hidden so well they’ll never find it.

I stand rigid beside Blade, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure everyone can hear it. His arm around my waist is the only thing keeping me upright. My legs are weak with anxiety. My mind races with worst-case scenarios—Max being dragged away, Blade arrested for obstruction, the fragile new life I've begun shattered in an instant.

"Breathe," Blade murmurs against my hair, his lips barely moving. "They won't find him."

I nod, drawing strength from him. The minutes crawl by, each second stretching into eternity as we wait.

When the search concludes and the officers return to the main room, Detective Wilson's expression has shifted subtly—less certain, more contemplative.

"Satisfied?" Ghost asks, his tone carefully neutral.

Wilson nods slowly. "We've executed our warrant and found nothing. We'll be leaving now."

As they turn to go, Wilson pauses, looking back at me. "Miss Bennett, if you ever need assistance, my card has my direct line."

His tone makes me wonder if he's trying to tell me something beyond the obvious. Does he suspect what Aunt Margaret is really like? Has he seen through her carefully constructed facade?

The doors close behind them, and the tension in the room breaks like a snapped rubber band. Brothers slap each other on the back. Relieved grins replace grim expressions. Angel emerges from the hallway with Max, who bounds over to me immediately.

I collapse to my knees, burying my face in his fur as tears of relief flow freely. "Good boy," I whisper. "We're okay. We're both okay."

Blade crouches beside me, one hand on Max, the other on my back. "You were amazing," he tells me, voice low so only I can hear. "Stood your ground like a warrior."

I look up at him through tear-blurred eyes. "She won't stop, will she? She'll keep coming after me.”

His expression hardens, a muscle jumping in his jaw. "Let her try. Just let her fucking try.”

Chapter 13

Blade

"You look perfect," I tell her, leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed. And fuck, she does—the green blouse brings out her eyes, and the simple jeans hug curves that make my mouth water. The sight of her getting ready for her first day at the vet clinic stirs all my primal, possessive instincts.

"Are you sure it's not too casual?" she asks, turning to check her reflection again. "I want Dr. Keener to take me seriously."

"Trust me, princess. You look professional. Approachable. Perfect for handling fluffy kittens and uptight pet owners."

Her hair is pulled back in a simple braid showcasing the delicate line of her jaw, the subtle curve of her neck that I love to trace with my lips. The bruises have faded to faint yellow shadows, easily concealed with a hint of makeup. With each passing day, she grows more stunning—not just because her physical injuries are healing, but because something inside her is blossoming. Freedom. Confidence. The Sophie who was meant to exist before fear and abuse tried to take her down and didn’t succeed. My princess is too strong.

"Thank you for doing this,” she says, turning to face me fully. "For making this happen."

I push off from the doorframe and close the distance between us, my hands finding her waist, pulling her against me. "You earned this, Sophie. I just made the introduction."

"Still," she murmurs, her hands resting on my chest in that butterfly-light touch that somehow grounds me better than anything else in my fucked-up life ever has. "It means everything to me."

I brush my thumb across her cheek. "Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"If anyone gives you shit—anyone—you call me. Immediately." My voice drops to a growl despite my efforts to keep it casual. The thought of her facing any difficulty makes my fingers itch for my blade, even something as mundane as workplace drama.

She smiles that gentle smile that somehow manages to both calm and ignite me. "I can handle it, Blade. It's just a volunteer position at a veterinary clinic. The worst that could happen is I mess up cleaning a kennel."

I know she's right, but the urge to shield her from every potential hardship is fucking overwhelming. I've never felt this constant gnawing need to protect someone from the world's harshness. This balance between keeping her safe and letting her fly is unfamiliar territory for a man like me—a man used to controlling every aspect of his environment.

"Humor me," I insist, my thumb tracing the pulse point at her wrist. "Promise."

She rises on tiptoes to press her lips softly to mine, and I have to fight the urge to deepen the kiss, to lay her back on the bed and make her late. "I promise."

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