Page 32 of Property of Blade (Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska #1)
––––––––
Blade
H annah is curled up on my couch, Grace nestled comfortably in her lap.
The sight of them —her soft and relaxed, Grace purring in contentment—should calm me, but it doesn’t.
Not when I can hear Vex’s approach outside.
He’s making enough noise to warn the dead.
A deliberate tactic, I know, to make sure I don’t get spooked and accidentally eviscerate him.
I let out a quiet breath, the tension in my muscles easing, but only a little. When he knocks on the door, it’s not a soft tap—Vex doesn’t do subtle. Hannah jumps, clutching Grace tighter to her chest. The cat lets out a disgruntled cry, followed by a sharp hiss of protest.
“It’s me, Vex!” he shouts from the other side, a smirk in his voice, even though I can’t see it.
Hannah relaxes, but only for a second. Grace jumps off her lap and pads toward the door, her little feet making soft taps against the wooden floorboards. I watch her, my gaze flicking to Hannah. Her nerves are still there, but she’s trying not to show it.
Opening the door, Grace immediately rubs herself against Vex’s leg, giving him a bit of a friendly greeting. It’s almost as if she can tell he’s not the biggest threat in the room, though she might be the only one who thinks that way.
“The cat is broken like its owner,” Vex whispers so softly that only I can hear. His voice is low, tinged with the usual edge of his sarcasm, but there’s a truth in it that stings just a little. It’s a jab aimed at me. “It doesn’t realize it’s in a building full of monsters.”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Vex, meet Grace.”
He nods, glancing down at the cat with a frown on his face. “Nice to meet you.” His gaze shifts to me, and the usual amusement lights up his eyes. “Got a beer or ten?”
“Yeah,” I reply flatly, stepping back to let him in.
Conversation is always a game with Vex.
Hannah stands from the couch, smoothing her T-shirt over her stomach. The motion is casual, her eyes meet Vex’s, and I see a flicker of recognition cross her features.
“Hey, Vex,” she says, her voice soft.
“Hannah.” Vex’s smile is like a wolf’s—sharp and knowing.
He approaches her, and without hesitation, he reaches out, placing a hand on her arm.
It’s not a casual gesture—it’s purposeful, the touch lingering just a little too long.
“I’m so sorry you’re going through this,” he says, his voice so sincere that it’s almost believable.
Almost.
A growl rumbles in my chest before I can stop it.
The sound of it is deep and dangerous, letting him know Hannah is mine.
Vex’s eyes snap to me, and that damn smirk never leaves his face.
He winks at me, his hand dropping from Hannah’s arm—he’s just teasing me.
The fucker is always playing with me, even now.
I clench my fists at my sides, but I don’t do anything more. Vex knows how to push buttons, and right now, he’s doing exactly that.
Ignoring him, I reach out to Hannah, my fingers brushing against the spot where Vex’s hand had just been. Her skin is warm against mine as I place my hand there.
“Do you want a drink?”
“A beer sounds good,” she replies, her voice softer than I expected.
My eyebrows shoot up almost to my hairline. “ You want a beer?”
She nods, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, might calm my nerves.”
I let out a low chuckle, walking toward the refrigerator.
Vex bends and scoops up Grace, cradling the cat against his chest as if she is some comfort. “You should keep an eye on this one,” he says, his voice darkening. “Don’t want her getting lost in these woods. There are dangerous things lurking in the dark.”
Hannah takes Grace from him, her movements delicate as she places the cat on the couch. She glances back at Vex, her eyes narrowing, the words laced with an edge of anger. “Seems like there are dangerous things hiding in plain sight.”
I catch Vex’s eyes, narrowing mine slightly. The warning is there—Hannah doesn’t know about us, about the world we live in. She doesn’t need to. Not yet. But as usual, Vex doesn’t take the hint.
“What sort of dangerous things?” Vex asks.
“Vex, shut the door,” I mutter, my tone sharp as I make my way to the refrigerator.
“Oh, you know,” Hannah says as she watches Grace stretch out on the couch. “The kind that hurt innocent animals.”
Hannah’s gaze flickers to the cat, who lets out a loud, throaty howl and pads her way back to Vex. The old bastard looks stunned as Grace rubs herself up against his leg, tail flicking in a lazy arc.
“What is she doing?” he asks, his face completely bewildered.
“Grace is a good judge of character,” Hannah replies, her lips curling into a smile. “She likes you. She’s rubbing her scent on you so everyone knows you’re hers.”
Vex’s jaw drops, the humor draining from his face. “Tell her to stop it,” he demands, but there’s no real heat in his words.
Hannah walks over to me, smiling, a soft, amused glint in her eyes as she takes the beer I’m holding out to her. “Won’t do any good,” she says, her voice warm but laced with a hint of amusement. “She’s a cat. They pretty much do as they please.”
I laugh, throwing a beer at Vex. He snatches it out of the air with one hand, his gaze still fixed on the cat.
“Guess you’ve got a girlfriend now,” I tease, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
For just a second, his face falls, the usual tough-guy mask slipping. The vulnerability is fleeting, barely noticeable, but it’s there. He bends down and picks up the cat, holding her against his chest as if she’s the only thing in the room that makes sense.
“Well, I guess someone likes me,” he mutters, his voice quieter than before.
Grace purrs in response, rubbing her face against his in a gesture that’s almost affectionate. It’s hard to tell if she’s marking him or just making herself comfortable, but the sight is oddly tender.
I take a swig of my beer, my eyes flicking to Hannah, who’s watching the scene unfold. She’s holding her beer, but her focus is entirely on Vex and the cat.
“This is some weird shit,” I say, shaking my head, but there’s a smile tugging at my lips.
Vex, still cradling the cat as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, looks up at me. “Yeah, tell me about it.”
We settle around the table. Vex places Grace on the floor, but she’s having none of that.
With a flick of her tail, she leaps onto the vacant chair at my dining table, her golden eyes scanning the room as if she’s the one in charge.
Vex scowls but doesn’t argue, standing to pull the chair out just enough to let her get a better view of the room.
The cat might be a pain in the ass, but there’s no denying she knows how to make herself at home and twist us around her paw.
“How did tonight go?” I ask, my voice low and cryptic, hoping Vex won’t spill too much in front of Hannah. She doesn’t need to know the full scope of what we’re dealing with.
Vex leans back in his chair, his eyes flicking toward Grace before he answers. “Nothing to report. They didn’t do anything unusual. Just another day in the life.”
“You’re sure?” My voice tightens. I need to know things are under control.
Vex nods, unfazed. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, the weight on my chest lifting slightly.
Relaxing a little, I lean back in my chair, my hands clasped in front of me.
“This is good,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone else.
Knowing Tessa hasn’t talked about us to anyone might mean she’ll keep our secrets.
But the moment is shattered when Hannah speaks up, her voice soft but curious. “Are you two talking about me?”
I reach out instinctively, my hand covering hers gently, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “No, babe. The MC has a lot of business deals and Vex was just making sure everything is going to plan.”
Her eyes narrow a little, a flicker of doubt in them. “What kind of business deals?”
My lips press into a hard line, the walls going up instinctively.
We don’t talk about the MC’s business with outsiders.
Hell, we don’t even talk about it with each other all the time.
Each of my men has different business deals they look after.
But Hannah isn’t just an outsider anymore—she bears my mark, but she hasn’t fully chosen me in the way I need her to.
I want to trust her, with everything inside me telling me I can, but it’s not just me I’m putting out there. It’s the whole fucking club.
The silence hangs between us for a beat, my mind racing. Staring at her, I’m trying to gauge her sincerity, but her eyes are steady. I can feel her waiting for me to answer, for me to give her something more.
Pulling my hand back, I rub my thumb against my bottom lip as I look away. “Not everything is for you to know, Hannah. Not yet. Some things... they belong to the MC, and we keep them inside the club.”
Vex shifts in his seat, a small grunt escaping him, but he says nothing. The air in the room is thick now, tension building, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ve said too much or if I’ve said too little.
“I get that,” Hannah says, her voice steady, and I’m more than surprised by her response.
“You do?” I ask, raising an eyebrow, genuinely taken aback.
She nods, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her beer bottle. “Yeah. I do the books for a lot of different businesses. I wouldn’t tell you about them. Well, not yet, anyway.”
I watch her closely, trying to read her face. There’s no hesitation in her eyes, no sign of doubt or discomfort. She’s serious, and something about the way she says it makes me think she’s more like me than I gave her credit for. Maybe more than she’s letting on too.
Vex shifts in his seat, a low chuckle escaping him. “Guess we’re all keeping our secrets, then.”