Blade’s arms encircle my waist instantly, pulling me closer.His warmth wraps around me, a solid comfort in the frosty night.“What for?”
I look up at him, my heart racing in a way that’s both familiar and new.“Taking care of me and Grace.”I wave a hand at the clubhouse.“Letting us stay here.No one’s ever taken care of me like you do.”
His gaze softens, the lines of his face more relaxed than I’ve seen them before.“Life up here is pretty simple.You protect what you love.”
The way he says it catches me off-guard, and my gaze drops to his chest, suddenly feeling a little too warm under the weight of his words.
I laugh nervously, trying to shake off the unexpected stir of emotions.“Anyway,” I say, quickly shifting the subject.“I didn’t realize you had a guy like Chrome who prefers the quiet life.”Even to me, this sounds lame.
Blade watches me for a moment but doesn’t press.The air between us feels thick now, and I know it’s not just the silence.As much as I’m drawn to him, something inside me pulls back.I barely know Blade, so he’s still a stranger in so many ways.And after Travis, after everything I’ve been through, I need to be careful about who I let in and trust.My heart has been through too much already to risk it on a man I barely understand.I can’t make the same mistake again.
“Come on, let’s get you inside before you turn into a popsicle.”Blade’s arms drop to his sides, but he reaches for my hand and leads me back inside.
The warmth of the clubhouse wraps around me as we enter, and Blade guides me into the kitchen.My eyes go straight to the counter, where plates are stacked high at one end, and not two, butfourlasagnas are in massive trays.If there was any doubt that these men could eat, the sight of it immediately clears it up.There’s a garlic bread for every person, at least.I glance around, trying to figure out where I fit into this picture.
“Hungry?”Prophet asks, looking at me from across the room.
“How much do you people eat?”I joke, raising an eyebrow.
Blade chuckles, his deep voice low.“We’re big eaters.”
Ranger, ever the helpful one, picks up a plate and hands it to me with a grin.“We eat like the big bad wolf.”
Blade’s eyes narrow, and he shakes his head at Ranger in mild annoyance.
“I can see that.”I give him a teasing smile.“Do you want me to serve the lasagna?”
Prophet shakes his head, his grin full of amusement.“We normally serve ourselves.”He hands me a metal spatula, his eyes twinkling.“You go first.”
I glance at Blade for a moment, unsure if he’s serious, but there’s a quiet warmth in the room.Pulling my attention away from him, I focus on the food instead.
“Thank you, kind sir.”I give Prophet a playful smile and dig into the lasagna with the spatula, scooping out a perfectly crisp corner piece.
“She’s taking the best bit,” Rooster complains, his voice dripping with mock indignation.
“For that, you go last,” Prophet says, his tone firm but with a glint of amusement.
Rooster’s face transforms into a scowl, his lips pressing into a thin line, but he doesn’t say anything else.Instead, he crosses his arms and huffs, clearly not pleased with being bumped down in the queue.The rest of the room carries on, unbothered, and for a moment, I’m struck by how easy it feels as though I’m simply another part of their club.
“Do you like garlic bread?”Blade asks, his gaze flicking from the lasagna to me, a teasing edge in his voice.
“Yes,” I reply, a little too quickly, then laugh and shake my head.“But I couldn’t eat a whole one.Can we share?”
Blade’s lips curl into a grin, his eyes softening with amusement.“I’m good with that,” he says, reaching for one of the garlic breads, breaking it in half, and offering me a piece.Something is comforting in the way he doesn’t hesitate, as if sharing this small moment is as easy as breathing.
“Thanks.”I place the garlic bread on my plate and head for the huge table with their logo carved into the wood’s surface.
As I sit, a quiet falls over the room, like the air itself is holding its breath.It’s subtle, but I can feel the eyes of the men on me, a weighty silence that wasn’t there a second ago.I glance up at Blade, wondering if I’ve done something wrong.
“Are you okay?”I ask, my voice a little uncertain.
“Ah...”Blade smacks his lips together, a moment of hesitation that feels like a lifetime.He looks around at the other men, their eyes all shifting between him and me.“I normally sit there.”
“Oh, sorry, I can move.”I’m suddenly acutely aware of every pair of eyes on me, and I don’t want to make this more uncomfortable than it already is.
Blade’s eyebrows come together as if he’s trying to figure out the right thing to do.His gaze flicks back to me, but before he can respond, I quickly stand, feeling a sudden need to ease the tension.I pick up my plate, shifting it to the left side of the table, out of the way, so I’m not sitting at the head.A low murmur runs through the room as I sit again, and I can’t help but feel like I’ve just crossed some invisible line.Something in the air has changed, but I can’t quite tell if it’s for better or worse.
Blade reaches over and drags my plate next to his at the head of the table, his hand brushing mine in a quick, reassuring motion.“This is a first, and we’re handling it badly,” he admits, his voice low, a hint of discomfort threading through his words.“It’s just that women don’t sit at the club’s table.They never have.The only people who sit at this table are members.”I sit frozen, unsure of how to respond, but before I can say anything, Blade’s eyes meet mine, softening as he continues, “But tonight, we’ll make a change.”He gives a slight nod as if acknowledging the shift in the room.“Everyone has an assigned seat according to their rank in the club,” he adds.“Right now, you’re in Vex’s seat.”
