Blade (Silver Shadows MC #1)

Chapter Eight

Beck

I hated mornings. I always had. Why anyone wanted to be up at the crack of dawn when they could sleep was beyond me. Ok, so it wasn’t exactly the crack of dawn, but nine o’clock was still early.

I regretted telling the girls I would meet them for brunch.

I wanted to stay in bed and hide under my covers for the rest of the day.

So much had happened over the last two days. My life felt like a whirlwind. The emotions I had felt over the last forty-eight hours had me exhausted.

But I was a woman of my word. I had two hours before I needed to be at The Diner. That gave me about twenty-five more minutes to lie here debating my life choices before I had to get in the shower.

Eventually, I got myself ready and headed downstairs to check on Grams before I headed out. I found her sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

“Grams, how are you feeling this morning?”

“I am fine, dear.”

“You are not fine. You couldn’t go grocery shopping yesterday because you were tired out, and then you left the party just as it was getting started. From what Jingles told me the other day, you are the life of those parties.”

I watched my grandmother smirk. There was something she wasn’t telling me, and I needed to understand it. Sitting down at the table with her, I waited for her to respond.

“Darling, I am not as young as I used to be. I get a little more tired than I used to. And I wanted to leave you at the party so you could get to know everyone without you feeling like your grandmother was hovering over you. If you had wanted to stay with someone for the night, I didn’t want my presence to put a damper on it.”

“Grams, I had no plans to stay the night anywhere but here. Alone.”

“Well, yes, I gathered that when I came outside to find you and Blade arguing. Beck, honey, why can’t you give the boy a chance?”

I looked at her incredulously.

A chance?

At what?

“Grams, I have tried to be nice. The guy is a jerk. Every interaction I have had with him it is like he’s trying to make me mad. I honestly don’t know what his issue is. I have literally known him for two and a half days and every time he has said something to make me angry. And the growling. What the heck is with the growling?”

Grams stood and put her cup in the sink. “Just try to cut him some slack, ok? You never know what someone else might be going through.”

She left the kitchen, and I felt chastised for being a bully.

Seriously?

Sometime later, I walked through the door of The Diner. I saw the girls sitting in a booth in the far corner. As I walked past the counter, I noticed two men with cuts sitting there. The girls explained yesterday they are called cuts, not vests. It had something to do with the arms being cut off what was originally a jacket or something.

Jack and Blade sat there with their backs to me. For about a half a second, I considered stopping to ask if he was following me. Then I remembered Grams’ words, and I continued past them to go sit with the girls.

When I got to the table, I saw Rachel, Lily and another girl sitting together. I slid into the booth next to Rachel and said hello.

“Beck, I am so glad you’re here. You remember Lily, I’m sure, and this is Grace. She is around our age and moved to town about two years ago.”

“Hi, Lily. Hi, Grace, nice to meet you.”

“Rachel said you grew up here with her?” Grace asked, and then took a sip of her mimosa.

“I did. We were friends throughout school.”

“Hey,” Rachel protested playfully as she bumped my shoulder. “We’re still friends. You just took a long vacation.”

“A vacation? I wish.”

Despite the memory of why I left, I still couldn’t help but smile at Rachel. Looking over Lily’s shoulder, I noticed Blade staring at me.

“I don’t want to sound paranoid, but are they here because we are here?”

I knew I was bringing attention to myself, but there was just something that felt off about those two sitting there. Especially since Blade couldn’t seem to help himself from looking over here.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I looked over at Rachel.

“Seriously?”

“Well, me specifically and possibly Lily. Cash doesn’t like me to be out and about without someone with me. I’m sure Jack volunteered, hoping Samantha would be here, and she should be here soon. Blade and he are tight, so usually where one goes, the other follows.”

“Wait, you can’t go anywhere without someone watching you? Isn’t that a huge red flag? That seems like controlling behavior.”

Lily started laughing and I couldn’t imagine what she found so funny.

Grace spoke up next, “You’re new to the club, aren’t you?”

“What does that have to do with it?”

“These guys are cavemen. They are possessive and protective. But it isn’t about control. It’s about safety. I work at the bar across town and every night there is at least one brother sitting at the bar drinking soda. Usually it’s Johnny the prospect.”

Lily turned to Grace.

“Wait, you too? What have you not told me? Who wants you?”

Grace laughed at her friend.

“No one wants me. Johnny said King wanted someone there watching out for me because I am friends with you and Rachel. I imagine Beck will have her own tail before long.”

“Oh heck, no, I won’t.”

Just then, Samantha rushed through the door and crashed into our booth next to Lily. “Sorry I’m late, had some stuff at home I had to work out. So, what are we talking about?”

“Beck just found out why tweedle dee and tweedle dumb are sitting at the counter,” Rachel remarked as she pointed to Jack and Blade.

“Honestly, what do they think is going to happen? Nothing ever happens here.” Samantha slipped off her coat as she motioned for the server to bring the menus and a couple more mimosas.

“Just be glad you don’t have someone following you around,” Lily said, looking at Samantha.

“Oh, believe me, they tried. Those prospects are easy to lose when you live outside of town.” Samantha giggled as she looked over her menu.

I’m guessing since she worked here, she wasn’t really reading it, she probably had it memorized.

“How do you not see this is a problem?” I asked. If I caught anyone trying to follow me around town, then I would file a restraining order against the whole flippin’ MC.

Rachel continued on, “It isn’t a big deal. They try not to be intrusive. They don’t follow us in stores or anything, mostly.”

She tipped her head toward the two sitting at the counter.

“They just hang around in the background to make sure we’re safe. It’s actually quite sweet.”

“I don’t find it sweet at all,” I replied as I saw someone headed toward our table. When I looked up, Jack stood there.

“Good morning, ladies. How is everyone today? Sammy, you are as beautiful as ever.”

Samantha glared up at Jack.

“How many times have I told you not to call me Sammy?”

“You love it, babe.”

Samantha rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Looking up at him, I asked, “Jack, why are you here? I remembered last night you were specifically told this was girls only.”

Grinning, I waited to see if he would tell me the truth.

Jack pulled his gaze from Samantha and smiled at me. “I volunteered.”

“Told you.” Rachel smirked.

“Volunteered for what?” I questioned.

“To watch over you ladies.” Jack grinned at me like I should have already known what he meant.

I was about to go off when Jack added, “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure, just wanted to say hi and let you all know you can drink as much as you want without worry. Blade and I are right over there if you need anything.”

I looked over toward the counter and saw Blade looking at me over his shoulder. He glared at me the same way he did in the clubhouse when he went toe to toe with King. All at once, I realized the club was not something I wanted to be a part of. I would have to talk with Grams about pulling back on her Saturday night dinners.

Jack walked away as I turned toward the girls.

I was here to reconnect with Rach and get to know the others. It would be good to have friends again. People I could talk to and count on.

I looked up when I heard the bell over the door chime and saw Grant walk in. The moment he noticed me, a big smile spread across his face as he strolled in our direction.

I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at Blade. As I suspected, he was glaring at Grant. He was no longer looking over his shoulder, though. He had completely turned around on his stool.

The girls stopped talking once they saw Grant standing before our table.

“Ladies, good morning. What a treat to see so many beautiful women in one place.”

I noticed Samantha rolled her eyes and turned toward Lily.

“Hello, Grant.” I smiled up at him.

The man was handsome.

I mean, he wasn’t anywhere near as sexy as Blade.

Wait, no.

Blade wasn’t sexy. He was arrogant. Bossy. He was just plain mean. He wasn’t sexy. Nor was he hot. He wasn’t someone I would ever consider.

I snuck a peek over to where he was sitting, and he still stared over here. Not stared, glared. Why was he always glaring at me? Just once, I would like to see him smile at me.

Oh, wait, he did smile once, in Grams’ kitchen when I stood there practically naked.

The jerk.

“So, Grant, what brings you in today?”

Seriously? Food, Beck, food brought him in here. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

I blamed Blade.

Yes, I could blame him for everything.

“Well, I was just picking up an order. I am really glad I bumped into you, though. How about dinner on Friday night? Yesterday we talked about catching up. So how about it?”

I glanced at Blade one last time before answering.

“You know, that sounds great,” I replied as I looked up at Grant and his beautiful smile. The man always smiled at me. Grant didn’t glare. He didn’t growl. He was easy on the eyes. Too bad I didn’t feel a gosh darn thing about him, though. But it would be nice to catch up.

“Perfect, I’ll pick you up at six. I have to run. You ladies have a wonderful day.”

I watched Grant as he walked over to the counter, grabbed his food, and headed for the door. He turned back just as he opened it. “I’ll see you on Friday for dinner, Beck.”

Waving goodbye to Grant, I looked over at Blade and winked.

I saw his lips thin.

Silently, I dared him to say something.

He had no right, and he knew it.

“Beck.” I turned toward Rachel. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

Did she see me wink at Blade?

“Girl, you are playing with fire. Why would you make a date with Grant? You don’t even like him.”

“That isn’t true. I like Grant just fine. And it isn’t a date. We are just catching up.”

I noticed Lily, Grace, and Samantha all look at me with their mouths open.

“What?”

“She doesn’t know, does she?” Lily asked Rachel.

“Know what?” I asked.

“She hasn’t got a clue,” Rachel said as she shook her head.

“What are you talking about?” I glanced from one to the other, waiting for an answer.

Grace was the one who filled me in.

“Beck, I just met you, but I have known the guys in the club for almost two years now. Blade hates Grant. And vice versa. You just made a date with Grant, and he made sure Blade knew it. You are so screwed.” Grace was on the verge of laughter as she said that last part.

“Why do I care who Blade likes or doesn’t like? He has no bearing on my choices.” I picked up my mimosa and took a sip, wishing it were something stronger.

This time, it was Samantha who spoke up. “Beck, you belong to Blade…”

I immediately choked on my drink, spitting orange juice everywhere.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

She opened her mouth to repeat herself and I interrupted before she had the chance. “I don’t belong to anyone. What the heck?”

“Listen, there are certain rules in the MC,” Rachel started.

“Rachel, I am not part of the MC, nor do I want to be.”

“Beck—”

“No, Rachel. No.”

“Ok, let’s just talk about something else.” Samantha must be the peacemaker of the group.

“Listen, Blade doesn’t even like me. He has never said a kind word to me. All he does is growl and grunt.”

I watched as each of these women rolled their lips between their teeth. It was at that moment a light bulb went off. I looked over at where Blade and Jack were sitting. Jack was talking to Blade with their heads bent together, and Blade stared right at me.

I turned back to the girls.

“No.” I stood, grabbed my things and threw some money on the table. I looked over at them one more time and repeated, “No,” before walking to the front door.

This time, I glared right back at Blade as I walked by.

“No,” I said, as he lifted an eyebrow, questioning me.

No was a complete sentence, and that was all he would get from me as I walked out the door, got in my car, and headed home.