Page 93 of Property of Blade


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Hannah’s face goes pale for a split second, and she looks away, clearly thrown off by his comment.My hand tightens around hers, a protective instinct rising.The anger is building, and I can feel it simmering beneath the surface.

“What the hell are you talking about, Jasper?”I ask, my voice dropping low, more threatening now.

Jasper steps back, raising his hands in mock surrender.“I’m just saying some of us know more than we let on.Be careful, sweetheart.The man mightseemharmless, but he’s a hell of a lot more dangerous than you think.”

Hannah looks from Jasper to me, her confusion mixed with a hint of fear.“What do you mean?”she asks quietly, her voice shaking slightly.

Jasper sneers, but before he can say anything else, I step forward, pushing him back lightly with a firm hand.“We’re done here, Jasper,” I mutter, my voice colder than I intended.“You don’t know shit, and you need to stay out of this.”

Striding out of the café, I head toward my bike, the sound of my boots on the pavement heavy with purpose.Hannah pulls her hand out of mine, but I keep moving, throwing a leg over my bike.The familiar weight of it between my legs feels grounding, but there’s a knot tightening in my chest I can’t ignore.

I hold out my hand to her, but instead of taking it, she folds her arms over her chest, her gaze locked on me, the frustration clear in her eyes.

“What did he mean about my old boyfriend?Did you do something to Travis?”she asks, the words sharp, a little colder than usual.

“No, but we think he’s missing or worse.”My voice is steady, but I can feel her pulling away, a distance I didn’t expect.

“We?”she asks, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“I’ve had the MC looking into him.”I glance over at her, meeting her eyes.“His rental car and his belongings were still at the hotel, but there’s been no sign of him.”

She looks at me, her jaw tightening as she processes the information.“And you didn’t tell me?”The hurt in her voice cuts through me, and I can see the confusion and concern warring with the trust she’s trying to hold on to.

“Babe, he was leaving you gifts.And then, with what happened to Grace, I thought it might be him.So, I asked the guys to bring him to me.”

Hannah’s face softens for a moment, but then her eyes drop to the ground, her voice barely a whisper.“Did they...did they hurt him?”

“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head.“They couldn’t find him.I swear, I didn’t want anyone hurt.We’re still trying to figure out what happened to him, but he’s vanished.”

She’s quiet for a beat, processing everything, and I can see the conflict in her eyes.The need to protect her is almost suffocating.

“Please, get on the bike, and we’ll talk about this at your house.”

Hannah hesitates, just long enough for me to wonder if she’ll walk away.But then, her hand finds mine, her fingers slipping in between mine, and she climbs onto the bike.The weight of her body against me feels right, but there’s an underlying tension I know won’t disappear until we talk this out.

“I have questions,” she whispers, her voice small but determined.

“And I’ll answer them at your place.”I start the engine, feeling the rumble beneath me.It’s comforting, but the knot in my chest is still there.

“Promise?”Her voice is tentative, but the trust in it cuts deeper than I expect.

“Yeah.”I look over my shoulder, meeting her eyes, my heart heavy.“I promise.”

She slips her arms around my waist, the familiar heat of her body pressing against mine, and I pull out of the lot, the engine roaring as we roll onto the road.The town fades behind us, the trees and open space taking over, but all I can think about is what’s coming next.The questions she’s got and the answers I don’t know how to give.