Taming Blade (Kings Reapers MC Book 5) Nicola Jane (suggested reading TXT) 📖

lights another cigarette, watching us. “Does he always behave like a controlling dick?” asks Ethan.

“What can I do for you today?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Where did Blade get the bruises? Looks like he took a good beating.”

There’s not much of Blade that isn’t turning a shade of blue, yellow, or purple right now, and both his eyes are swollen, not to mention the cuts to his cheek and eyebrow. “See what happens when you mess with me?” I joke. “You got off pretty damn lightly.”

“Acid is missing,” says Ethan, his tone serious.

My smile fades quickly. “So?”

“You haven’t even asked me who he is,” mutters Ethan. “Is it a coincidence I gave you an address and now the president of that club is missing?”

“I never went to the address,” I lie.

“Bullshit, Tillie,” snaps Ethan, and I see Blade push off from the wall. The other cop stands in his way and my anxiety level goes up a notch.

“Alright, alright,” I hiss. “I went there, but he wouldn’t help me. He was a complete ass, so I left. I haven’t seen him since. Why are you here asking me about this?”

“Because I wanna make sure I do everything possible to keep you out of this investigation,” he growls. “Is there anything that can bring me back to you?” I shake my head. “Not one scrap of anything, a drop of blood, a fucking hair from your head?” I shake my head again and he visibly relaxes.

“Why would you do that for me?” I ask, smiling again.

“Cos I feel bad,” he mutters and shrugs. “I fucked up before and it was a shitty move.”

Blade is getting more vocal with the other cop, so I nudge Ethan with my shoulder. “That’s kind of sweet,” I say.

“Yeah, well, I’m a sweet kinda guy,” he mutters. “And you have terrible taste in men. I feel bad for you.” I laugh and he raises a grin. “Take care, Matilda. And if you ever need me, for anything at all, just call me and I’ll come running.”

The other cop smirks before turning away from Blade and heading off with Ethan. Blade glares at me. “What the fuck was that?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not doing this again,” I say, breezing past him. “I miss the funny version of you.”

He stomps after me. “I suddenly don’t feel so happy these days,” he snaps. Frankie looks up from the bar, watching over the rim of her reading glasses. “So the funny me is taking a break.”

I spin to face him. “Are you saying I make you unhappy?”

“I’m saying we don’t have much to laugh about recently.”

“Oh, and that’s my fault, is it?”

He rubs a hand over his stressed face. “No,” he mutters, sighing. “Fuck, when did it all get so hard?” I shrug and smile sadly, heading off to my room. It’s where I spend most of my time since coming back to the clubhouse.

BLADE

“That was heated,” observes Frankie, leaning on the bar.

I take a seat. “Since we got back, it’s been hard work,” I admit.

“What has?” she asks.

I shrug. “Everything,” I say. “Her, me, sex.” I place my head in my hands and sigh. “I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Who said you have to?” asks Frankie. “Just relax. Let it work itself out. You’re putting all this pressure on yourself, and for what? If you can’t fix it by stressing, take a back seat.”

“And what if that don’t work?”

“Then try something else. She’s right, ya know, we miss your smile around here.”

“Like I said, we don’t have much to smile about lately.”

She eyes me for a second, then shakes her head. “Really?”

“What?” I ask.

“You survived what looks like a severe beating. You walked away with your woman still alive. Better than that, she’s pregnant. You still have a life and you have it together. Wake the hell up and appreciate what you have. Some of us don’t have any of that.”

She’s right, as always. Frankie’s been single for years, then there’s Hannah, who lost her wife weeks ago, and when I really think about the shit the women have been through in this club, I shudder. Tillie was lucky to get out of there with nothing but cuts and bruises.

“You’re right,” I say, heading for the exit.

“I always am,” she shouts after me.

Tillie’s asleep when I return, so I crawl over her, stopping when we’re face to face. I gently kiss her lips and she smiles. “That’d better be you, Blade,” she whispers.

“What would you do if it wasn’t?” I ask.

“I’d shout for him and he’d kick your biker ass,” she says with a laugh.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and she opens her eyes. “For everything. I’ve fucked up so many times, I don’t know how I haven’t lost you.”

“We’re both guilty of that,” she says gently.

“And I spoke to Frankie. She made me go away and think about some shit.”

She raises an eyebrow. “And what did you conclude?”

“I don’t know what that fancy word means, but I realised some shit,” I say, and she laughs again. I’ve missed that sound. “Firstly, you’re amazing,” I say seriously. “Fucking amazing.”

“Well, I don’t like to blow my own trumpet but . . .”

“I’m serious,” I say. “You’ve accepted me and my brothers and all that involves and you’re here, with me. I can’t even find the words because it makes you so fucking brave and strong.”

She smiles with uncertainty. “Blade, what’s gotten into you?”

“Most people would have ran by now. From that messed up first date, and I’ll be honest, Sunshine, I didn’t get it back then, when you freaked out. I was so used to death that I didn’t think how that fucked with your head. But despite everything, you’re still here.”

“I’m not sure it makes me brave or strong. I’ve cried almost every day,” she says.

“That makes you human,” I say. “If you stop crying, then you’ll be conditioned to death too, and I don’t ever want that.”

“Well, I’m pleased you’ve been on some kind of