Page 42 of Property of Blade (Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska #1)

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Hannah

T he ride back to my place is quiet, the wind against my face a strange mix of refreshing and chilling.

I can feel Blade’s body heat in front of me, his presence a constant reassurance, but the tight knot in my stomach only grows the closer we get.

He occasionally reaches back and squeezes my leg.

This small touch shows me how much he cares.

As Blade pulls into the driveway, the house stands before me as it always has— simple, quiet, unassuming. The small garden I once prided myself on is still there, though some of the flowers have since wilted in neglect.

Swallowing hard, I stare at the front door.

Just go inside, Hannah. It’s fine. It’s not what you think.

Blade climbs off the bike, his hands on my waist as he helps me off, his touch a grounding force against the whirl of emotions in my chest. He stands behind me now, a silent strength I didn’t even know I needed.

I hear him murmur something, but the words are lost on me.

Everything is spinning—memories, fear, the weight of my past threatening to swallow me whole.

Taking a deep breath, I force my legs to move, one foot in front of the other, toward the door.

Blade’s footsteps are steady behind me as I step over the threshold. My breath hitches, and I pause, feeling the weight of everything hit me all over again. It’s different. It’s still my house, but it feels different.

Holding my breath as I step farther into my home. Blade steps around me and disappears into the kitchen. With slow steps, I follow him but stop at the hallway. Closing my eyes, I turn to look down it. Finally, I open them, and I’m surprised there’s no blood.

No trace of the violence that once claimed this space. The floor, once stained with red, is spotless. The furniture, the walls, and the windows are all in perfect condition. If I didn’t know better, I would think it never even happened.

I glance around the room, my heart pounding in my chest, trying to process the sight. Everything is as it should be. Moving farther into the kitchen, it’s pristine. The couch in the living room is untouched. The smell of the place is familiar but without the sharp, metallic tang of blood.

“Blade...” My voice is shaky as I turn toward him. I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to walk in and see everything as it was. But it’s more than that. It’s as if the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders.

“Yeah?” he asks, his eyes softening as he watches me, sensing the shift in my mood.

“I... I don’t understand,” I whisper. “How is this possible?”

Blade takes a step toward me, his eyes scanning my face with concern. “The guys took care of it. They cleaned up for you.”

“Why... why would they do that?” I whisper, almost afraid to ask.

His smile is small but sincere. “Because you’re part of the family, Hannah. And they’d do anything to make sure you’re safe. That includes making sure you’re not carrying around the shit from your past.”

I stare at him for a moment, the words sinking in.

Family . The word echoes in my mind. My life has been nothing but chaos since my accident, and a constant reminder of everything I thought I didn’t want.

But the MC, everything I assumed was bad and dangerous, has turned out to be exactly what I needed. Blade, especially, has changed that.

I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it.

But with Blade, it’s different. He’s different.

The way he makes me feel, he doesn’t fit into any box I’ve tried to put him into.

He makes my heart race any time he’s near, and all the little things he does to make me feel cherished from buying my favorite tea to taking care of me.

After the accident and Travis, I never wanted to need anyone again.

I thought I was better off alone. And even though I barely know Blade, I already feel something stirring deep inside me. Something I didn’t expect.

The house, my life, it’s all been restored. Not just the physical things but the way I feel. The way my world feels whole again.

Moving back toward the hallway, I take in the sight of everything looking just as it was when I first moved in. It’s as if nothing’s changed except me and the peace I feel now. I take a deep breath, the air in my lungs steady and clear.

And then Blade’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, his tone soft but steady, the way he always is when he speaks to me.

“You’re safe here. You’re with me now, Hannah.”

For the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself believe him. I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, this is where I’m meant to be.

Nothing matters but the way he makes me feel, the way I feel safe for the first time in a long time.

And for the first time, I don’t need to run anymore.

Blade’s arms encircle my waist, his chin resting on the top of my head. “You’re going to need a new bed.”

I sigh, looking up at him. “Yes. Is there a furniture store in town?”

“Yep. It’s not big, but if nothing suits you, they can order something in.”

I twist in his arms, placing my hands on either side of his face. “I love you.”

Blade exhales, then pulls me close, kissing me with a fierce passion that leaves me breathless.

“Get your things. We’re going to my place so we can be as loud as we want, and then I’ll take you back to the clubhouse.” Blade’s voice is low, thick with desire, and the promise of what’s to come sends a shiver down my spine.

Not needing to be told twice. I move quickly, grabbing my bag and a few clothes, my heart racing with anticipation. Blade is already halfway to the door, waiting for me, that dark, intense look in his eyes making my pulse spike.

As I step toward him, he catches me by the waist, his fingers trailing down my spine in a slow, deliberate touch. “You’re not getting away that easily,” he murmurs, pulling me close again, his lips grazing my ear.

“I’m not trying to.”

With one final kiss, he takes my hand and leads me to the door, the promise of what’s next hanging between us.

“Wait! I just need to grab some tea and Grace’s food and harness.”

“Hurry.”

“I’ll be two seconds!”

With a growl, he lets me go, and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing my favorite tea from the counter and everything for Grace.

My mind is in a bit of turmoil as I wonder why Blade made me feel safe.

Travis never cared. Travis left when I was broken and needed him the most. And yet, here’s Blade, offering something I never expected from anyone.

I glance out the window, something red catching my eye in the wind.

Without thinking, I pull back the curtain over the sink, and my breath catches in my throat when I see the heart-shaped balloon floating outside.

“Blade!” I call out, my voice tight with surprise.

He’s by my side in an instant, his gaze following mine as I point toward the window. “Stay here,” he orders, his voice low and commanding.

Blade opens the back door with a smooth, practiced motion, his eyes scanning the area. On the ground, just beneath the window, sits a box of chocolates with a balloon attached to it—red, with a heart-shaped message written in delicate script.

I step forward, my pulse racing as I try to make sense of what I’m seeing. I stammer, my words barely audible. “T-Travis?”

Blade steps closer, his jaw tightening. He shakes his head slowly, his expression unreadable. “I don’t think so.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “Then who?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Blade says firmly, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “Whoever it is, they won’t be getting any answers here.”

I nod, trying to calm the flutter of anxiety in my chest. But the sight of the gift, the balloon, and the strange connection to my past makes it hard to shake the unease crawling under my skin.

I want to believe Blade, to trust that this is just some messed-up coincidence, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Travis and the question that’s hanging in the air.

“Let’s go,” Blade says, his voice softer now but still carrying that protective edge. “I’ll take care of this.”

I let him lead me away, trying to push the nagging thoughts aside, but the presence of the gift and the way my past keeps creeping back into my life isn’t something I can easily forget.

“Wait. It could be Travis.”

Blade shakes his head slowly, the calmness in his gaze not matching the anxiety building in my chest. “No, it’s not him.”

I throw my hands in the air, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Okay, Blade, you promised me answers. So, now’s the time. How do you know?”

The sound of laughter from behind me makes me jump. My heart skips a beat as I turn around, and Jasper is standing in the doorway with a smug expression plastered across his face.

“Go on, you freak,” Jasper taunts, his voice dripping with amusement. “Tell her how you know it’s not Travis.”

Blade’s body goes rigid, his stance protective as he positions himself in front of me, blocking me from Jasper’s view. He lowers his voice. “It’s you?”

Jasper steps forward into the house, his eyes scanning the room with casual indifference. He closes the door behind him with a soft click. “Yep,” he says, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world.

My pulse races as the weight of the situation hits me. This is escalating fast, and I have no idea what Jasper’s game is.

Blade takes a step toward him, and the shift in energy is instantaneous. Jasper pulls out a gun, the cold steel catching the light as he levels it in Blade’s direction.

“Pretty sure you could take me, sport...” Jasper sneers, “... but not before I put one in her.”

My breath catches in my throat. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension is suffocating.

Blade’s body stiffens in front of me, but I can see the moment he weighs his options.

He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down. But I can feel him holding back, waiting.

Blade’s entire being is coiled like a spring.