Page 8

Chapter Eight

“ I ’ll stand right here and shield you, Blue Eyes,” Blade said, turning his back after she’d taken off the jacket she’d been required to wear as well.

Sapphire scanned the area. He’d parked next to the bushes that lined her sister’s driveway. Between the greenery, his broad form, and the powerful motorcycle, she was about as covered as possible. Quickly, she unfastened her jeans and pulled them off. Her slide sandals were easily dealt with, and within a minute she stood poised and ready to join the party.

“You look edible,” he growled, wrapping an arm around her waist.

A flashback to sitting on his face popped into her thoughts. Shocked, she met his gaze. Surely he didn’t mean… Oh yes, he did. There was no mistaking the heated arousal in his gaze. “You are bad.”

“Very,” he agreed. Blade unhooked the cooler, hefting it under one arm, before holding out his free hand. “Introduce me to your relatives.”

Shaking her head, Sapphire linked her fingers with his and led him to the backyard. A dozen people stood and sat in groups, chatting. There was a set of long tables, groaning with food. The hubbub of conversation died out as Sapphire called her hello.

A man with salt-and-pepper hair walked forward to greet them. “Sapphire. I’m glad you’re here.” His gaze landed on their intermingled fingers. “Who’s this?”

“Dad, this is Blade Granby.”

“I’m glad to meet you, Mr. Jones.” Blade slid his fingers from Sapphire’s grip and held his hand out. The older man shook it politely.

“Call me Grant. How do you know my daughter, Blade?”

“Dad, this isn’t an inquisition. We met at my shop. Blade visited to see if I was interested in doing some designs for him,” Sapphire explained. She’d known her parents would treat him politely. They would wonder about his leather cut but would never ask pointed questions or make judgements. They trusted her. They would wonder privately.

“I see,” Grant Jones said, scanning Blade from head to toe as a petite woman approached.

“Hi, I’m Bonnie Jones—Sapphire’s mother.”

“Mrs. Jones. Call me Blade.”

“Are those knives sticking out of your vest?” Bonnie asked with astonishment.

“You must be Blade,” a cheerful voice interrupted. “I’ve heard your name babbled a bunch from Kinsley. I’m Ellen. Sapphire’s sister.”

“I have to ask. How did Sapphire get her name? Ellen, Bonnie, Grant. And then, Sapphire.”

“Oh, that was all me. I might have been a bit loopy on drugs, but I’d never seen eyes as blue as hers. I insisted on Sapphire,” her mother explained.

“It suits her perfectly.” Blade complimented the choice.

“She’s just lucky her eyes didn’t turn brown a week later,” a strident voice announced from behind Sapphire. “That’s what happens to some babies born with blue eyes.”

The group turned to see a man and woman standing close.

The man added, “She would have had to dye her hair blue or something to live up to that name. Oh, wait. She already did that. And tattooed her skin.”

Sapphire rolled her eyes. That duo would have to take the opportunity to make her look ridiculous. Keeping her tone pleasant, Sapphire said, “Blade, let me introduce my cousins, Amelia and Aaron.”

“Of course, the cousins.” Blade did not reach his hand out to shake theirs. His tone was chilling with an ominous shade of violence—unlike Sapphire had ever heard it.

She shook her head slightly, telling him he didn’t need to stand up for her. Sapphire was used to her cousins’ belittling statements. They’d been that way all her life.

“And you must be the requisite bad boy boyfriend Sapphire needed to find to fill out her bingo card of weirdness,” Aaron added.

“Now, Aaron. Let’s ease up on Sapphire,” her father gently tried to step in.

“Up. Up. Up.”

Everyone looked down at the toddler standing in front of Blade with her arms raised. Kinsley’s face was blotchy, as if she didn’t feel well. Blade immediately lowered himself to one knee and wrapped his arms around Kinsley when she threw herself against him.

“Blade, I’m sorry. Kinsley is teething and isn’t very pleasant to be around. I’ll take her and see if I can get her to go settle down with her toys,” Ellen suggested as she leaned over to pry the toddler away from him.

“No! Bla!”

“I think she wants to stay with me,” Blade said. “We’re pretty good friends.”

“Watch out, Ellen. Kinsley’s been spending too much time with Sapphire. Her aunt’s alternative lifestyle choices are starting to wear off on her,” Amelia suggested cattily, making Sapphire struggle not to roll her eyes at the jab. “You should have let me babysit instead of going to that ramshackle play-jewelry store.”

“Sapphire was an absolute doll to take care of Kinsley, and my daughter loves her aunt,” Ellen said stiffly as Blade rose with the toddler in his arms.

Blade patted a sniffling Kinsley on the back and stared directly at one cousin and then the other. “Just to let you know, there’s a reason I’m called Blade. I’m very protective of Sapphire and won’t allow anyone to speak poorly of her.”

“Oh, we were joking. She’s used to us kidding around,” Aaron said with a chuckle.

“I’m not.” Blade’s gaze locked with Aaron’s until the other man looked away.

“So, you brought your own hitman, Sapphire. What a hoot,” Amelia said, appearing completely unsettled despite her bravado.

“She brought the only person who could get Kinsley to sleep. I’m more than grateful to have you here, Blade,” Ellen said, waving a hand at the angelic face snoozing on the biker’s leather cut. “Besides, all these jokes are old. Surely, we’ve grown out of picking on each other by now.”

“I agree,” Bonnie said, beaming at Blade as if he were the mayor of Shadowridge who’d come to join their barbecue.

“Let me get you a beer, Blade,” Sapphire’s father volunteered.

“Thank you, Grant, but I’ll take a soft drink. I don’t drink when Sapphire is riding on my bike,” Blade answered.

“You’re a good man, Blade. I like you already,” Grant complimented him. “Ellen makes the best lemonade. Can I get you a glass?”

“I’d like that. Thank you.”

“Blade, come say hello to my husband, Stan. He’s minding the grill, but he’s always wanted to ride a motorcycle. Beware. He will have lots of questions,” Ellen said, looping her arm with Blade’s.

“You okay, Blue Eyes?” Blade asked.

“I’m good. Go talk to Stan,” Sapphire encouraged. Her brother-in-law would be tickled to meet anyone who could save him from his daughter’s tears. Kinsley had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Daddy. Oh, how that word could mean such different things.

“Sapphire, come talk to me. I haven’t heard what you’re doing in your shop these days. And you’ll have to tell me how you and Blade met,” her mother said, linking her arm with Sapphire’s.

“That’s got to be a good story. Sapphire was standing on a corner…,” Aaron started and closed his mouth with an audible snap when Sapphire’s mother whirled around to shake a finger at him.

“Aaron Jones. You may either talk nicely to Sapphire or leave. I may be old, but I understand what you are insinuating, and I’m appalled at your manners. Or lack of them. That’s the last time I want to hear you say something mean-spirited to Sapphire. Or to Blade. Ellen only invites you and your sister because I insist.”

Sapphire’s mouth fell open as she replayed her mother’s words in her mind. Her mother was an absolute angel, but she always tried to make everyone happy. Sapphire couldn’t believe her mom had said any of that.

“Yes, Aunt Bonnie. I’m sorry. I was teasing,” Aaron apologized stiffly.

“That teasing stops today. You’re not good at it. Unless you’re deliberately trying to be mean,” Bonnie told him as Sapphire looked on in shock.

“Of course he isn’t. Aaron, enough with the bad comedian routine.” Amelia turned on him.

“You too, Amelia. Be nice or leave,” Bonnie told her. “Come on, Sapphire. Let’s sit in the shade. I want to catch up.”

Sapphire glanced back over her shoulder as the cousins looked at each other. What had just happened here? It was as if Blade’s stance had shown her family how wounding her cousins tried to be. The corners of her mouth tilted upward. The Shadowridge Guardians MC cared for their own. Who knew she’d just needed a biker group in her corner?

“Thanks, Mom,” Sapphire said, sitting in a chair. It took effort not to wince at the effect of the hard Adirondack chair on her punished bottom.

“I don’t understand them. And I’m sorry. I should have said something long ago. Tell me about Blade. He’s different from the other men you’ve dated.”

“He’s definitely unique. Blade came to the shop to talk to me about designing a stone embellishment for weapons he crafts for motorcycles. He’d seen a bolo that I’d made for a cowboy.”

“Now, what’s a bolo?” her mom asked.

Sapphire smiled and explained. They were immersed in a conversation when Ellen came to join them with three glasses of lemonade.

“Oh, I lost track of time. Do you need some help?” her mother asked.

“Nope. With Blade as the baby whisperer, I got everything ready in a jiffy. It’s amazing what you can get finished without a toddler clinging to your leg.”

“She’s such a good girl,” Bonnie praised. “I love watching her learn new things.”

“She is. Sapphire showed her how to draw on paper. Now she loves decorating everything. My hallway became an art gallery last week,” Ellen shared.

“Make sure to use that special tape on paint,” Bonnie urged.

“Oh, no. I mean, the actual walls are an art gallery.”

Sapphire tried not to laugh. “She got quiet for a few minutes, huh?”

“Exactly. When I found her, my makeup was almost depleted. Do you know how hard it is to get lipstick off a wall?” Ellen asked.

“Scrape off and then use white toothpaste,” Bonnie counseled. When both her daughters turned to stare at her, she added, “Sapphire lured you into joining her decorating efforts a lot until I learned to put my makeup on the top shelf.”

The women laughed together, drawing the attention of the cousins who had been talking a few feet away. This time when Amelia and Aaron joined them, they were much better mannered. Sapphire actually enjoyed the gathering.

When they got ready to leave, Blade sent Sapphire to the bathroom with her jeans. She returned a few minutes later to find him chatting with her parents. “Here, Blue Eyes,” Blade said, holding her jacket out for her to slip into.

“Don’t you get hot in that?” her father asked.

“It’s better she’s protected in case something happens. Once we’re on the road, the breeze makes it comfortable,” Blade answered easily.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. You see kids on bikes all over in T-shirts and shorts. Even flip-flops,” Bonnie said.

“That’s before they have their first accident. Skin grafts are not pleasant,” Blade pointed out.

“I’m glad you’re taking care of Sapphire,” Grant said, quietly.

“She’s important to me. I’ll always do my best to keep her safe and happy,” Blade answered before Sapphire could think of something to say.

“Thank you for joining us, Blade.” Bonnie stepped forward and gave him a hug.

Her dad shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder. “We’ll look forward to seeing you next time.”

Happiness flooded Sapphire’s brain. She’d worried about bringing Blade and he’d fit into her family with ease—by being himself. She shook her head mentally and vowed to trust Blade in new situations.

Her parents stepped back as Blade put on his helmet and fastened Sapphire’s into place for her. She waited for him to throw his leg over the bike and lift it into position. When she moved to settle behind him, Blade balanced the bike between his powerful thighs and pulled her close. He zipped up the front of the jacket before telling her, “Now you’re ready, Blue Eyes.”

Sapphire slid onto the seat and wrapped her arms around his waist. Amelia opened her mouth, and snapped her jaw closed when Aaron elbowed her. What an amazing difference! Sapphire knew it wouldn’t last. They’d soon fall back to their crappy ways, but for today, she’d take this as a win.