Chapter Eleven
Piper
I’m not sure exactly what time it is when I finally wake up. My entire body aches when I roll over, splaying my hand out on Blade’s chest. Well, I try to touch Blade’s bare chest. My palm meets the cold fabric of my sheets, and I can’t pretend I’m not bothered by it. I sit up, wincing at the dull ache between my thighs. My ass still hurts from Blade’s teeth, but I’d beg him to do it again just for the visual of it. Him on his knees, just for me .
I shake the thought away, swiping a hand down my face.
“Blade?” I call out. Silence answers. No movement. My heart aches at the thought of him leaving without saying a word. Would I really have to lose him twice with no goodbye? I sigh shakily as I stand up, slipping on Blade’s hoodie before I make my way to the kitchen. My footsteps echo through my home, and I realize how big of a mistake I’ve made. I shouldn’t have allowed Blade to stay when there was always a possibility that it would end up the exact same.
Even though Blade has been alive and waiting for me all this time, nothing changes if he left. A dejected sigh ghosts through my lips when I finally make it to the kitchen. The missing picture is sitting on the countertop, and it gives me some sense of hope. When I glance towards the door, his shoes are gone. A false sense of hope, it seems.
“You’re joking, right?” I mumble to myself. I shake my head as angry tears well up in my eyes. Stupid fucking Piper. My jaw aches as I clench my teeth. My fingernails dig into the palm of my hands. There’s surely blood prickling in my hands, but I can’t be bothered to care. My entire life has been disrupted again , and it’s completely my fault.
I had every opportunity to stop this, but I am so fucking weak for Blade. In all the years I’ve known him, he has always been my source of strength. I never thought that he’d also be my Achilles heel. He’s a fucking vice. My fucking vice. The worst decision I could make, and yet, I do it over and over again. Like one day, I’ll be lucky enough that the outcome doesn’t end with me looking like a fool .
I pick up the picture–my favorite fucking picture– and grip it tightly between my fingers. As I stare at the smiling girl frozen in time, rage and a sense of longing settle deep inside my bones. It was the first time since I lost Blade that I’d felt somewhat normal. Looking at it now, I’m overcome with doom. With rage and betrayal. All over again. Six years of attempting to heal from him had gone down the drain in the span of twelve fucking hours.
The sound of paper shredding rattles inside my brain, and as I look down at the counter, I cry. I cry for the loss of Blade. I cry for the loss of my comfort. But mostly, I cry for the loss of myself. I have managed to let myself be ruined by a man on more occasions than I’d like to admit, and too often, it had been Blade who was at the center of it all.
I’m not sure how long I stood there with my head buried in my hands, but it was long enough for the sun to start lighting up the sky in a warm glow. My head aches when I finally lift it. Immediately, I’m mocked by the debris all over again. I roll my eyes, flicking my hand over the counter until the pieces fly around. I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh.
I catch a glimpse of blue ink on the white backing of the photo paper. I furrow my brows, flipping the other pieces simultaneously. Scattered letters then words. Then, finally, a full sentence forms as I slip the pieces back beside each other.
Wait for me one more time, Piper .
Okay… What the fuck? I stare at the words for what could’ve been hours. The sun has fully risen by now. It’s entirely too bright for the shitty mood I’m in. I groan and dig through the cabinet beside the oven. I pull out a roll of tape and get to work fixing the photo.
The entire time, my mind is racing with thoughts about where the hell Blade is. The kitchen is filled with the sound of ripping tape. The sad call of mourning doves filters through the house. Fitting . Even the birds are mocking me.
A shrill ring causes me to jump, and I place a hand over my racing heart in an effort to calm myself down. Rushing back to my room, I snatch my phone from the nightstand and accept the call without looking to see who it is.
“What?” I grumble to whoever is disrupting my sulking. Even if they’re unaware that I’m sulking, they shouldn’t be calling me anyways. It’s barely eight in the morning on a Saturday.
“Miss me already, baby” The voice on the other side of the phone teases. My heart sinks.
“You’re an ass,” I scold him.
“Mm, you keep saying that, but you still miss me,” Blade says. I can hear the smirk in his tone. I sigh.
“Where are you?” I ask him softly. I pace around my room as I wait for an answer I’m not sure I’ll get. I hear Blade’s own sigh, and it makes me feel even worse .
“Do you trust me?” Blade mumbles. I can hear the roar of an engine in the background.
“You better be driving towards me, Blade, because I swear if you’re gone again–” I start to threaten.
“Do you trust me?” Blade cuts me off.
“Damn it, Blade! Of course, I do!” I raise my voice. My throat aches with a locked sob, and I do my best to breathe through it.
“Piper, I need you to listen to me. You’re gonna pack a bag. Enough to last you for a while because I don’t know how long this is gonna take. I need you to get in your car and meet me. I’ll text you where, but I need you to hurry, Piper. Can you do that for me?” Blade rushes out. Thumping on his side causes me to furrow my brows as confusion settles inside me.
“What’s going on? Are you with someone?” I ask him skeptically.
“You trust me, Piper. That’s all that matters right now. I can explain later. Okay? Just–I need a few more hours. I’ll see you soon, baby,” Blade says quickly before ending the call. I stare at my phone in shock when a text flashes across my screen. The address is for a dingy hotel a few towns over. I purse my lips and do the only logical thing I can think of.
I start packing.
~~~~~~
Almost three hours later, I’m pulling into the parking lot of the Grim Nook Inn. Charming.
“What the hell are you dragging me into, Blade?” I mumble under my breath. My legs ache as I step out of the car. Blade failed to mention what room he was in, and unfortunately for me, there’s no signal here. To be honest, I’m not even sure there’s people here. Huffing, I walk to the main office.
A bell chimes overhead as I open the door. The lights are on, but there’s nobody home. The dirt and grime layer the floor so thickly that the tread of my shoes imprint on it. I grimace and continue to the desk. The dust layer matches the floor, and I opt to use my nail as I ring the bell sitting on the counter. A few seconds later, a grumbling clerk walks out. He gives me a go-to-hell look, but I smile tightly at him.
The worker looks about as clean as the lobby. His greasy blonde hair is slick against his forehead, and his clothes offer a lovely stench that can only be described as rot. I clear my throat and any more judgmental thoughts from my head. I have no place to be rude.
“Hi, I’m supposed to be meeting someone here,” I say politely as I try not to breathe too much. The guy– Kurt, according to his scratched up name tag– continues to stare at me. He looks miserable. So, I stare back. Rule number one of girlhood: Never break eye contact with a grungy man. He’ll think he’s won, resulting in an overinflated ego. We sit in silence for entirely too long.
“4B. Upper level. Last room on the left. Better hurry. Looked like your boys were about to kill each other. I really hate the smell of bleach, so don’t let them,” Kurt says with a monotonous tone.
“Boys? No, I’m meeting one guy here,” I shake my head in irritation. Either this guy is high, or he has a terrible memory. Based on the look of this place, I’d say both.
“Listen lady. Your boys are the only guests that have checked in to this hotel in the last two weeks. I don’t give a shit who you’re here to meet or how many. Quite frankly, I support the sluts and the whores. Just leave me alone!” Kurt groans irritably. I roll my eyes at him before spinning on my heel and following his directions.
I stand outside the room on the second floor praying that Blade is here. If he isn’t, I might be making a terrible decision. Wouldn’t be the first, but I’m not entirely fond of them.
Just as I raise my hand to knock, the door swings open. I squeal in shock, stumbling backwards a bit. A tattooed arm reaches out to stop me from falling, and I’m immediately met with Blade’s bright smile.
“Hi, baby,” he grins before pulling me into the room.
“Okay, Blade, I’m here, and the lobby guy is a bit of an ass, so start talking before I–Why the fuck is there a dude tied up and blindfolded on the bed?” I nearly scream when I notice the man on the bed. My eyes are wide in shock as I glance between Blade and the man sitting calmly on the bed. He doesn’t struggle at all, and it’s entirely unsettling. He’s just… content with the situation?
“Blade, what the fuck is happening right now?” I say slowly. Blade looks at me. Then, the man. Back to me. He laughs. Hysterically.
I’m staring at Blade, who’s currently gasping for air between laughs, waiting for him to give me any inkling of context. At this point, I’m not confident that Blade is in his right mind.
“Piper, you remember Owen, right?” Blade smiles as he gestures to the bed. I raise my eyebrows and purse my lips.
“No,” I shake my head, still staring.
“Makes sense. He’s a bit of a dick,” Blade shrugs. We’re still doing no context? Great. The guy on the bed mumbles something through the cloth placed in his mouth, and it causes Blade to roll his eyes. I clap my hands together and slowly back away.
“Okay… Blade, I’m gonna have to ask you one more time. Alright, honey? What the fuck is happening right now,” I say slowly. I feel like I’m speaking to a child with selective listening. Holy shit.
“Oh, right! We’re gonna kill him!” Blade grins. My forehead hurts from how much I’m straining right now .
“I’m sorry. We’re gonna what?” I wait for Blade to repeat himself because there’s absolutely no way he just proposed something this unhinged.
Sure, we’d talked about getting revenge, but part of me assumed it was post-orgasm nonsense. He can’t be serious about this. Then again, given the recent events, I don’t think Blade has ever been one to give up on his dreams.
“We’re gonna kill my brother, Piper,” Blade says smoothly, still harboring a small smile.
“And we’re gonna kill him… why?” I say slowly, taking another small step away from Blade.
“Hey, no. Don’t do that. Don’t be scared of me, please. You just gotta listen to me, Piper,” Blade says with a frown. I stop my movements. I’m never afraid of Blade. I don’t think I have it in me because I’m sure that he’s the only person who could ever make me feel safe.
“I’m not scared. Just confused and a little rattled,” I answer calmly, lifting my hands up defensively. In surrender. Because I’d always surrender to him.
“He’s the reason we’re in this mess,” Blade tells me.
“What are you–”
“He’s the one who got me shot, Piper.”