“Having dinner with Hannah,” Blade cuts him off, his voice a low growl that leaves no room for interpretation.
“Hello, Vex.Did you want to join us?”I ask, grateful for the interruption, but at the same time not wanting to be rude.
“No, he doesn’t.He’s busy.”Blade’s words are short, clearly done with the conversation.
“I could come in for a drink?”Vex tries again, his grin not fading.
Blade crosses his arms over his chest, standing his ground.
“Of course you can.Blade, let him in,” I add, feeling a little more relaxed with the intrusion.
Blade takes a step back, allowing Vex to saunter past him.Vex makes a beeline for the refrigerator, acting as if he’s been here a thousand times.
He holds up a bottle of beer and looks at Blade.“Do you want one?”
Blade nods, still looking at Vex with that steady, serious expression as he shuts the door.
“I’m having tea,” I interject.
“Blade doesn’t drink tea.”Vex’s gaze lands on the canisters on the kitchen bench, his eyebrows lifting.“When did you get those?”
“I ordered them,” Blade states flatly, holding out his hand for the beer.
“Well, look at you.”Vex hands him a beer, clearly impressed by Blade’s sudden interest in tea.
“One drink, and then you’re going.”Blade’s tone doesn’t change, but there’s a subtle edge to it now.
“Actually, I might take this to go.”Vex winks at me.“Nice seeing you again, Hannah.”He heads toward the door, then pauses in front of Blade.“I’m happy for you, brother.”
Blade’s expression softens, just for a moment, and he nods once at Vex, who then opens the door and steps out into the night, leaving us alone.
“I should go,” I mumble, my voice trembling slightly, unsure of everything that’s happening.
Blade’s head whips around in my direction, and his expression changes immediately.“No.”He holds up his hands, looking up at the ceiling in frustration.“Fucking Vex.He has a way of—” Blade stops himself, exhaling sharply, puts the bottle on the table, and closes the distance between us.His hands gently cup my face.
“I don’t care about your scars,” he says, his voice steady and firm.“I’m not sure how many times I need to tell you, but I’ll keep telling you until you believe me.”His eyes lock onto mine, and I can feel the sincerity behind every word.“Hannah, you’re beautiful.”A gentle pause fills the space between us, his words sinking into me.“Can you feel this thing between us?Can you feel the pull?”
I blink, trying to find my voice.“The pull?”I ask, confusion slipping through my tone.
He shifts slightly as if rethinking his words.“Sorry.Everyone feels it, but for humans?”Blade shakes his head.“I know it’s different.”
“Humans?”I ask.
Blade looks at me, his expression softening, but there’s something in his gaze—almost like regret for letting something slip.“Nothing,” he mutters.“It’s not important.”His thumb traces the line of my jaw, tender and reassuring.“What matters is this, between us, it’s real.And it’s not going anywhere.”
All my nerve endings feel as if they’re on fire.Every part of me is screaming for him to kiss me again.His eyes lock with mine, and for a moment, neither of us moves.Blade’s hands fall from my face.
“If you still want to go, I’ll drive you home.”
I don’t have to think about it.“No.”The word slips out before my brain can catch up.
His lips curl into a smile, and I feel a knot loosen in my chest, though the rest of me is still on edge.“Okay.How about we eat?”His eyes are still on me, but there’s something warm in them now.
I smile back, trying to hide the chaos swirling inside me.“Yeah, let’s do that.”
The air between us crackles with unspoken words and unmet desires.I try to ignore the way my heart beats harder in my chest as he moves to the stove.It’s not just the hunger for food that makes my stomach tighten.It’s the way he’s so close but still distant, as though there’s an invisible line I can’t cross, no matter how badly I want to.
Soon, the smell of sizzling hamburgers fills the air, and I feel my stomach grumble.I sit at the table, sipping green tea, hoping the warmth will soothe my nerves.It doesn’t.If anything, it only adds to the unease that is bubbling beneath the surface.
