Page 28 of Blade (The Dark Angel’s MC #1)

Luna

I watch as people go past Leo’s room, all looking inside with curiosity while a man who looks just like Leo watches me like a hawk, and I get it. They think I’m going to run or worse, try to kill myself, my admissions most likely scaring him but I’m not going to.

I think my emotion overload has numbed me.

Years I’ve kept everything deep inside of me, years I’ve dealt with my pain, and now that it’s all out, I kind of feel, maybe peace, I guess.

I mean, it shocked me at first. I felt sick that I told everyone the horrors that my brother allowed to happen, but peace or acceptance, I guess, surrounded me once it was all out.

There was one person still kicking and breathing, one person I knew I needed to confront for that peace and acceptance to take hold before I drown again.

Brock.

I just don’t know how to get past my guard dog, though I really shouldn’t call him that, considering he’s not only Leo’s dad but a former president who has earned respect. Well, apart from being a dog and cheating on his woman but respect none the less within the community and his clan.

I eye the leather cut over my body and my heart skips.

“I love you…”

His words swim in my head, and I just, I can’t believe them.

I told him I was dirty, used, that I couldn’t have kids, or well, screamed it, so how can he love me?

How can he claim me?

That is what this is, his cut on my body; it is him claiming me before his club because no president would leave his patch with a woman, heck no brother would.

“Let me through, prospect!” a woman snaps, and Leo’s dad sighs, shaking his head and muttering, “Fucking woman.”

I wince, recognizing the voice – Leo’s mama.

I watch as Leo’s dad’s jaw ticks while Leo’s mama continues to demand to be let through. I sigh, not wanting to witness an argument that is bound to happen if she continues trying to demand entrance.

“Did you know I met your daughter?” I rasp, clutching Leo’s cut, and his dad looks my way, our eyes meeting.

It’s striking how much he and his son look alike, right down to the dark blue eyes, just like Skylar's.

“You did?” he asks quietly, and I swallow hard.

I admit, “She stopped Brock one evening,” and he stands up straight, his eyes wide.

I murmur, “I lied to Leo about how I knew her, told him I saw her around school,” I swallow hard, “She heard me screaming and didn’t think about her safety.

She hit Brock over the head with a brick and he threatened her,” he growls, “She decided to do one better and held a gun to his head, scaring him off,” I feel myself go vacant, “She just didn’t realize that he was going to make me pay ten times worse that evening which he did by breaking a rib. ”

“Son of a…,” he curses, then looks at me and promises, “You’re safe now, Luna.”

My eyes tear, and I admit, “I’m not, though, am I?” He furrows his brows in confusion and replies, “Blade is about to get rid of your nightmares, sweetheart. You are safe.”

“But he’s still in my head,” I say, and his body deflates with realization, and I whisper, “His marks are still on my body,” Leo’s dad shakes his head, and I finish, “He’ll still be haunting my dreams, and I’ll still be looking over my shoulder every day.”

“He’s not Blade’s kill, is he?” he confirms, and I gently shake my head and he summarizes, “He’s yours.”

“My plan was to kill him then me,” I admit, and he flinches, but I don’t stop, and I explain, “I spent years fearing the dark because he always showed. Whether it was on club property or if it was at the diner or at school, he was there lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce, and every day, I envisioned stabbing my knife into his throat. I didn’t survive this long, years of abuse, years of being called a liar, a suicide attempt, and an abortion to watch a man I have fallen madly in love with, something I didn’t even think I was capable of feeling, to have that rapist’s blood on his hands. It should be on mine.”

“My son would kill a thousand men for you, sweetheart,” he rasps, and my tears fall as I croak, “But it isn’t his fight, and I can’t have any more guilt clouding me.”

The man looks down, struggling to decide his next move, but he tenses when Anna’s voice rings out. She says, “Cole, you need to listen to her.”

“What have I told you about calling me my legal name, woman?” the man snaps, but Anna isn’t deterred.

She reminds him, “I no longer have my cut, meaning I am not club, so why would I call you Brick?” She comes into view, “Heck, I don't even think I'm your wife anymore, haven't been since you fathered someone else's child.”

Brick scowls at her, and she raises a brow and comments, “You believe I'm sort of patch caser that sleeps around behind your back, so I have no idea why you even want me here anymore,” she swallows and even from here I can see her pain, “If you still believe I got with you for your cut then do us both a favor and divorce me so I can move on with my life because I refuse to live in limbo any longer.”

Brick tenses and anger radiates from him that even I can feel, and I flinch.

Well, I can understand why most clubs were scared of him.

I heard the rumors about the fierce Brick, that just one look could make you fear for your life, and I’m seeing it now at the thought of losing his wife.

Though Anna doesn’t pay attention, instead she looks my way.

Her eyes look me over with concern before they soften, seeing her son's cut laid over me.

She nods, like this was something she needed to witness.

I don’t know why, though, because I won’t be staying. Leo will see how much hard work it will be to be with me, how broken I am, and he won’t want me. Meaning I won’t stick around for him to realize it.

I’m killing Brock, and then I’m leaving for good. Whether that means living a full life without looking over my shoulder every day, well, that is to be determined, I guess.

“We’ll be discussing your fucking words later, Kitten!

” Brick growls then look at me and states, “I can’t let you have that on your conscience.

I get you’ve been through hell. I get that it will be hard to come to terms with everything, but maybe I can see if Blade will allow you to see that bastard's body to give you closure.”

Anna sighs, “Cole–” but I cut her off and state, “Leo would rather wrap me up in cotton wool, believing he knows what is best for me, but I know what is best for me, and he is mine to kill.”

“You called him Leo,” Anna whispers in awe, and I twitch my nose and ask, “I did?”

Brick smiles and admits, “You did, sweetheart.”

“Huh,” I mumble, “I thought I was just calling him it was in my head. I didn’t realize I was saying it out loud.”

Anna grins wide while Brick snorts, shakes his head, and confirms, “Usually, that is when your mind gives up trying to hide how you truly feel. You love my son. I can see it every time you look at him, and I know he loves you, so why not let him do this?”

“Because she’ll resent him,” Anna says, looking at me with understanding before I mention it.

“But her taking a life may ensure he loses the love of his life, Anna. Do you really want that for our son, even now, seeing what she means to him?” Brick snaps and Anna sighs, looking at him with fondness and a hell of a lot of love but also pain.

“He’ll lose her anyway if she can’t slay her demons herself, Cole,” she tells him and I watch as they lock eyes and to be honest I kind of feel like I’m intruding but I can’t seem to look away.

“Let her slay her demons, and both of us will ensure our son doesn’t lose his chance at happiness,” she demands gently, and Brick sighs, dropping his forehead against hers as she grips his cut. Then he mumbles, “Alright Kitten…” and my tears fall.

She fought for me. She hated me the moment she met me, yet she fought for me. At least, I think she hated me...

Anna looks my way, and her eyes soften, seeing my tears. She says, “We’ll talk in a few days once everything has gone through you with what is happening. I can understand how difficult it is to believe someone may love you, that people will stand by you and believe you, but we will talk.”

I nod slightly, and she holds her hand out to me.

Gingerly, I move my legs off the side of the bed as I sit up, moving the duvet out of the way but pausing as I gently pick up Leo’s cut.

I sniffle and gently rub my thumb over the leather, hoping some of the smell will bury into my skin, and go to place it on the bed but pause as Anna demands, “Put it on,” and I look at her with wide eyes along with Brick.

“Put the cut on Luna and be the first lady my son knows you can be and slay your demons before fighting to live. I can see it in you, the fight, the love you hold, so put that leather on,” she states, and I blink several times, my eyes blurring with my unshed tears.

Listening to her, I stand and gently pick up the cut and put it on over the t-shirt Leo put on me before walking over to his parents. Anna instantly wraps her arm around me and guides me out of the room while Brick moves behind me.

We enter the common room, which looks kind of like the Furies but more light I guess, and everyone looks my way, making me feel self-conscious. But Anna ignores them all and gently guides me to another hallway and opens a door. Not one brother stops her, but I guess Brick has ensured that.

Slowly, we descend the stairs, and it isn’t until we walk a few feet towards another door that the smell of blood hits us, and voices echo.

“She belongs to me, not you fucker!” I hear Brock scream, and I flinch, causing Anna to pause while keeping her grip on me so I can’t move forward.

“Should we–” she begins, but Leo’s words pause her as he sneers, “See, that is where you went wrong fucker. You see that amazing woman as a possession. I see her as my fucking life. She doesn’t belong to me. I fucking belong to her.”

I hear Brock scream again, but this time, I don’t flinch. Instead, I straighten my shoulders, allowing Leo’s words to wash over me. His truth fills me, and with all the strength he gives me, I walk towards the open door with his parents holding me up, being my armor.

It’s time to slay my demon!