Page 27 of Blade (Spartan Watchmen MC #5)

She nodded. "We haven't exactly had time to figure any of that out, between kidnappings and shootouts and hospital stays."

A rueful smile touched his lips. "Not the most conventional start to a relationship, that's for sure."

"So what happens?" she pressed. "When Jose's dealt with, when I'm healed... what then? Do I go back to my life? Do you go back to yours? Do we... I don't know, try to build something together?"

The questions had been gnawing at her since she'd regained consciousness, since she'd had enough clarity to think beyond immediate survival.

They'd declared their love for each other, yes.

But love alone didn't answer the practical questions of how two people with such different lives might forge a shared future.

Blade was quiet for a long moment, considering her questions with the seriousness they deserved. "What do you want, Lily?" he finally asked. "If you could have any future, what would it look like?"

The directness of the question caught her off guard. What did she want? She'd been so focused on survival for so long, first from her blackmailers, then from Jose and his men, that she'd barely allowed herself to think beyond the next day, the next hour.

"I want..." she began hesitantly, then found her conviction strengthening as she continued.

"I want a home. Security. The freedom to be all parts of myself without fear or shame.

I want meaningful work that helps others.

And I want... I want you. By my side. As my partner, my protector. .. my Daddy."

The last word emerged as barely more than a whisper, vulnerable in a way that had nothing to do with her physical injuries.

Blade's expression softened, something like wonder crossing his features. "You can have all of that, baby girl. With me. If that's what you want."

"But how?" she pressed. "You're the club's enforcer. You live a dangerous life. I'm... well, I'm me. A civilian with a social work degree and a penchant for stuffed animals and coloring books."

A small smile curved his lips. "A civilian who can field strip a handgun in under thirty seconds and take down armed men to protect those she cares about," he reminded her.

"Fair point," she conceded. "But still. Our worlds are so different."

"Maybe not as different as you think," he replied thoughtfully.

"The club isn't about violence and territory and old-school MC politics.

It's evolved. Most of the brothers have their own little girl to look after. You already fit in really well with them. We do charity work, community outreach. We only take part in violence when absolutely necessary. To protect our own or our community. To keep Grand Ridge safe. We don’t go looking for trouble. "

This aligned with what she'd observed during her brief time with the club, but it still seemed a far cry from the conventional life she'd once imagined for herself.

"And your role as enforcer?" she asked. "That's not exactly a nine-to-five job with weekends off."

"No," he acknowledged. "It's not. But it's also not as all-consuming as it might seem. And..." He hesitated, seeming to debate with himself before continuing. "I've been thinking about stepping back. Not leaving the club, but maybe taking on a different role. Something with less direct risk."

That surprised her. "Because of me?"

"Partly," he admitted. "But also because of me. The man I want to be going forward. The life I want to build." His hand tightened around hers. "The club will always be family. But you... you're something else entirely, Lily. Something I never knew I needed until I found you."

His words filled her with a warmth that had nothing to do with hospital blankets or medication. "So you're saying it's possible? Us? A future together?"

"More than possible," he assured her. "If you want it, we'll make it happen. One day at a time."

The simple confidence in his voice was comforting. Of course, Blade would approach building a life together the same way he approached everything; with determination, careful planning, and an unwavering commitment to success.

"But first," he continued, his expression hardening slightly, "we deal with Jose. Permanently. So we can have that future without constantly looking over our shoulders."

"And then?" she prompted, needing to hear him say it.

"And then," he said, his voice softening again, "we build something together. Whatever that looks like for us. I don't have all the answers yet, baby girl. But I know that I love you. That I want you in my life, by my side. The rest... we'll figure out together."

It wasn't a detailed five-year plan. It wasn't a perfect roadmap for their future. But somehow, it was enough. More than enough. The promise that they would face whatever came next as a team, as partners.

As Daddy and little girl, yes, but also as equals in the ways that mattered most.

"Okay," she whispered, a sense of peace settling over her despite the pain of her injuries, despite the uncertainty still ahead. "Together."

"Together," he echoed, bringing her hand to his lips for a gentle kiss. "Now rest, baby girl. Save your strength. You're going to need it."

As the pain medication began to pull her back toward sleep, Lily held onto Blade's hand like an anchor. The future was still uncertain, still fraught with immediate dangers that needed to be faced.

But for the first time in longer than she could remember, she had hope. Real hope. For healing. For safety. For a life where she could be all of herself, with a man who loved every part of her.

It was enough to make her believe that everything they'd suffered—all the pain, all the fear, all the bloodshed—might somehow be worth it in the end.

If it led to them. Together.