Page 9 of Property of Blade (Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska #1)

I follow her, my boots thumping softly against the floor. When we step outside, I walk her to her car, a sudden awareness of the cool night air brushing against my skin. I open the door for her, then pause, standing there with my hand still on the handle.

“Thanks for dropping by, and...” I trail off, trying to find the right words, but they don’t come easily.

She glances up at me, her eyes steady but warm, as though she’s waiting for me to say what’s on my mind.

“And?” she prompts softly, her lips twitching into that knowing smile again.

I clear my throat, the words finally spilling out, raw and unguarded. “And I’m glad you did. Really.”

“Give me your phone.”

Puzzled, I frown but do as she asks. Hannah holds it up to my face so she can access it then puts her name and number into my contacts and hands it back to me with a grin.

“So you can call me for our date.”

Hannah holds my gaze for a long moment, the silence between us comfortable, filled with the unspoken tension of something that might just be starting. Then she nods before sliding into her car.

“See you soon, Blade.”

I close the door, and she drives off, leaving me standing there in the quiet of the night, my heart a little louder than before.

“You’re slipping, asshole,” I mutter, not even turning around. “You need to be quieter than that if you wanna sneak up on me.”

Vex moves to stand next to me, his eyes still locked on the taillights of Hannah’s car as it disappears into the night. “She seems nice,” he comments, his tone casual, but there’s something underneath, a hint of skepticism.

I grunt, turning to head back inside. Vex follows, picks up one of the cookies, gives it a tentative sniff, then gags, quickly setting it back down.

“Jesus, they smell awful.”

I roll my eyes, picking up the offending cookies, not caring much about his dramatics.

“They taste like they look,” I say, walking toward the trash.

But then, for whatever damn reason, I hesitate and set them down on the kitchen counter instead.

“It was nice of her to make them for me. No one’s ever done that before. ”

Vex’s eyes narrow as he watches me, his expression unreadable. “She’s broken. She can’t tell when someone’s dangerous. Came here alone and didn’t tell anyone where she was going. Might be best, Prez, to steer clear of that one.”

The words hit me, a rush of anger flooding my veins. Without thinking, I turn to face him, my jaw clenched tight. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

Vex, ever the observant one, steps back, reading my body language with practiced ease, putting a cautious distance between us.

“Hannah is new in town, that’s all,” I snap, my voice low and dangerous. “She’s just looking to make friends.”

Vex chuckles, the sound dry and knowing. “Hannah?” He shakes his head. “Don’t mean to overstep, Prez, but just looking at her, you can tell she’s broken.”

I feel the heat of my anger start to fade, replaced by confusion. “How?”

Vex shrugs, a flicker of something dark in his eyes. “The scar on her face won’t be the only one she has. I bet she’s got more, and I’m not just talking about the physical.”

His words hang in the air, the weight of them pressing down on me. For a moment, I don’t know what to feel. Is it anger or something else?

I shake my head, my frustration bubbling back up, but this time, it’s not just with Vex. “Shut the fuck up.”

He says nothing else, but I can feel the unspoken words hanging between us. The way he’s looking at me as if he’s waiting for me to understand makes me want to punch something.

I don’t get it. What the hell does he know about her? About me? About anything?

I stare at the cookies again, irritation boiling in my gut. They might taste like shit, but at least she cared enough to bring them. That has to count for something.

Vex watches me silently, and I can tell he’s still waiting for me to do something, to react in some way he understands. But all I can do is stand there, my mind spinning in a thousand different directions.

I can’t seem to shake the feeling that there’s something more to Hannah, something I haven’t figured out yet. And that only makes me more determined to get closer.

“You keep your opinions to yourself, Vex,” I mutter under my breath, the words coming out sharp and low. I move toward the door, my hand gripping the handle. “And don’t tell people where I live.” I swing the door open, my patience fraying. “Now, fuck off. I’ve got things to do.”

Vex smirks that infuriating, cocky grin of his. “Sure,” he says, unbothered as though he’s already forgotten about the tension. Then he points at the cookies with a mocking gesture. “Don’t eat them all at once.”

I glance at the cookies, then back to where Vex had been standing, but he’s already gone. The bastard is quick, and I’m left feeling like an idiot for letting him get under my skin. Still, I’d been about to give him the beating of his life.

I slam the door shut behind me, my hands curling into fists as the anger surges. I step outside, the cool night air biting at my skin, and I shout into the empty space, “Fuck you, Vex.”

His laughter carries through the trees, mocking and light, but I can’t see him anywhere in the woods. It’s typical of him to disappear without a trace. I might be stronger than Vex, but the guy is quicker than a damn fox. Chasing him down would be a waste of time, and he knows it.

Frustrated, I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the anger is still burning in my chest. I glance at the darkness of the woods again as if expecting Vex to pop out and taunt me some more, but the only thing I get is silence.

With a growl of frustration, I slam the door shut again, the sound echoing through the night.