Page 19 of Blaze
Her head snaps to me, a frown creasing between her brows as she glares at me. “Excuse me?” she spits out before crossing her arms. “It’s not like you gave me a chance to say anything with your tongue in my mouth.”
I shoot her a smirk. Her outrage is... adorable. Fuck, when was the last time I thought anything was adorable? “Whatever helps you sleep at night, kitten.”
She scoffs, rolling her eyes, and looks back out at the road. At least it seems like I’ve distracted her enough that her shoulders aren’t up by her ears and she’s not looking in the side mirror every few seconds.
Two glowing lights appear ahead in the distance, followed by more, and the tightness in my chest eases. The Knights are here for backup, finally. I really didn’t want to go full demon in front of Kennedy, and that’s what it would have taken to protect her from the assholes shooting at us.
I might not be familiar with the family she married into, but I know mobs don’t give up easily. Reaper will have Stubs on his computer, pulling any information he can find. The demon is a genius when it comes to tech, and while this mafia family on Kennedy’s ass might be good, Stubs is better.
As the Knights race past us, she lets out a long breath and slumps against the seat. A moment later, she’s propping her head up in her hand against the door, like she’s fighting off a headache.
“God, I can’t believe I’ve dragged other people into this.” Her voice is quiet and bitter. “I’m so fucking stupid, thinking I could get away from them.”
Something twists in my chest at the self-deprecation in her words. I want to reach out and grab her other hand, the one that was so small in mine when I’d held it earlier. I don’t let myself, though. She’s leaving as soon as she can, she’s made that clear, and I’m not made for this comforting bullshit. It’s why I’m always clear with the chicks I hook up with. They want to fuck a Knight of Hades, a demon, or just a dangerous man, and I just want to get off and forget about the world for a few minutes. After that, we go our separate ways.
“If you’re worried for us, don’t be,” I say at last as the clubhouse lights appear on the horizon. The party is still going hard and will be for a few more hours. “We deal with bigger assholes than them on the regular. If they’re that bad, we’ll set you up with a new identity and send you somewhere safe to start over.”
I don’t know why I’m offering this, since she isn’t a client of our security company, but I make the promise regardless. Reaper won’t say no, even if we usually charge a couple grand for the service.
Kennedy opens her mouth to say something, to argue no doubt, but she wisely shuts her mouth and stares out the side window. The cab is silent as we close the distance to the clubhouse. I want to break it, the need so great I literally bite my fucking tongue to stop myself from saying anything.
I’ve already made more promises to her than I’ve made to any other woman. I don’t need to give her the idea that I’m some hero in shining armor, meant to shield and protect her from the darkness in the world.
I am the fucking darkness in the world.
7
KENNEDY
Every part of me wants to sprint into the Knights of Hades’ sprawling clubhouse, but I force myself to walk calmly. Blaze lost whoever was chasing us pretty quickly, especially when a handful of bikers roared past us in the opposite direction to back us up. No one is waiting in the shadows to shoot me, and I can’t let Riccardo and the Santi Pastori have power over me when they aren’t even nearby.
But isn’t that what I’ve been doing? Letting them control my life through my fear ever since that day?
The breath I heave in stutters, and the weight of Blaze’s gaze settles on me as he walks with me across the dusty area between the garage and house. He doesn’t say anything, but he steps closer. I might be able to stop myself from bolting inside the clubhouse, but I can’t stop myself from grabbing his hand and squeezing tight. I staunchly ignore the words he threw at me earlier. Right now, I just need him to be an anchor for long enough I don’t fall apart.
The party is still raging, like the interruption and close fight never even happened. Blaze doesn’t take me towards the courtyard, though. We head in through a side door that leads to an empty hall. When the door closes behind us, the music is muffled and tension flows off of me like water.
Touching my jaw, I hadn’t even realized how tense I’d been. Exhaustion replaces it, and I cover a surprise yawn with the back of my hand. I give Blaze a sheepish look.
His lips twitch, like he’s fighting a smile. “Adrenaline crash. Come on, I’ll get you set up here.”
We retrace our steps from earlier and head back up the stairs. At the top, near where Reaper’s office is, a door opens and feet pound.
“Oh my god, are you okay? Reaper told me.” Sydney storms up to us, her eyes wide. She grabs my shoulders, looking me over. The hard-ass woman has disappeared and in her place is a concerned, motherly figure. I recognize the fear lining her face. It’s fear created from experience. I don’t have a chance to answer before she turns to Blaze, eyes narrowing on him. “You were supposed to keep her safe!”
“The fuck do you think I did?” Blaze snarls, his hand tightening on mine like Sydney might rip me away from him. It makes a funny feeling flip my stomach. “I cleared your place and then they opened fire from across the fucking street. I got her out without a scratch, didn’t I?”
I’m pretty sure I’ve got a scratch or two on my knees, but I keep my mouth shut. Besides, I have no idea if they’re from running in the desert or when Blaze tackled me to the floor.
“I really am okay,” I tell Sydney, grabbing her hand with my free one. Her eyes dart back to me, as if searching for a lie. Then I think about the mess her apartment now is. “I’ll pay for the damages somehow. And I’m sorry that Blaze broke the rule of no Knights in your place.”
She blinks at me, before rolling her eyes. “I’m pissed about my place but it isn’t your fault. I’ve got insurance, and the Knights will cover what it won’t.”
“Yeah, but if I’d never stayed there, it’d never have happened.”
Sydney sends me another glare, and I’m pretty sure she’s about to argue. Blaze’s name is barked down the hall, and we all look behind her where Reaper is standing in his office doorway.
“Come on,” Blaze mutters, tugging me past Sydney. To Sydney, he says, “You can crash here and check on her in the morning.”
