Chapter 54
BLAIZE
Icould get used to waking up like this every morning.
Kadence looked beautiful in my arms after a sensual night together.
The threesome turned Kadence on, but she didn’t want rough—she wanted gentle love making that still left a permanent mark on her skin.
I loved everything about this woman, and I wanted everything with her.
I still didn’t know what I did to deserve this happiness.
Kissing Kadence’s shoulder, I carefully slipped out of bed.
I needed to work on things, but I had hit nothing but dead ends on finding the person who wanted to hurt me and destroy my town.
Focusing on my relationship was important, but I also had to protect her.
I couldn’t lose Kadence, but I didn’t need to fracture what we had again.
When I walked into my office, Hunter was sitting in my chair with her feet propped up on my desk. “What are you doing?”
“We need to talk.”
“Is it Drew?”
She shook her head. I didn’t get an update on what Drew was doing with Holy Trinity, so I hoped it meant he stopped, but Drew was just like his sister—stubborn. “No. It's about Everly.”
I cocked my brow, folding my arms across my chest. “What about her?”
“She wanted me to hate you, but you’re my best friend.”
“Why would she want you to hate me?”
She sighed, running her hand down her face. “Because she’s in love with me, and she hates you,” she said quickly, and I barely put together her quick slip of words.
I figured Everly would fall in love with Hunter, but Hunter didn’t say anything about loving her back. “Are you planning on dating her?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “This is why I don’t do relationships—they cause issues. I just wanted to fuck. If I date her and she hates you, then there is tension. She can also get the fuck over it. Our friendship is more important than a woman.”
“Do you love her?”
She clenched her teeth. “I don’t know. I don’t fucking know. I hate the feelings I have for Everly when I said I wouldn’t have them. I don’t…” She groaned furiously. “I hate this.”
“If you want me to talk to her and see if I can fix or mend whatever I did for her not to like me, I will. She hates me, but the feeling is mutual. I never liked her, honestly.”
She laughed bitterly. “Then why did you hire her? I wouldn’t be in this predicament if she was never here.”
Everly was hot, and I wasn’t blind. She knew how to dance, and her energy was magnetic. Even if she was a bitch. Everly didn’t do anything that caused issues in my club, so she was fine. Her attitude was only toward me, but everyone else got the side that Hunter did.
“I know how to make money. I didn’t think you two would hit it off. If you want to date her, I will talk to her.”
Hunter groaned again. “Blaize, I don’t know how to date. Sex is easy. Kink is normal. Feelings? Relationships? I’m not the romantic type.”
“Just think about it. You deserve to be happy, too, Hunter.”
Pain flickered across her face leaving shadows dancing in her eyes. “Happiness is…I’ve never been happy, Blaize. I don’t know how to be happy.”
“You try, and stop letting your past dictate your future. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“Don’t hit me with reversed psychology.”
“Then try and be happy.” My phone dinged before she could respond.
DAMON
You and Hawke need to get here. I have news. Your girl is in danger.
“I need to go, Damon has something. It involves Kadence. Watch her tonight until I get back.”
“I got her. Be safe.”
I texted Hawke on my way to the clubhouse to get him.
Damon walked us into his office when we arrived in Bellevue. He had one of his men standing in the room with him as we took a seat.
“How is Kadence in danger?” I asked, not giving him a chance to talk.
“We caught a recording made to an out of state number. The person used the bar phone to make it, and every call is recorded. I expected sex talk, but it wasn’t.” He grabbed a tape recorder and hit play.
“What?” a male voice hissed.
“Caden Carpenter is very much alive and hiding out in Westhaven, Washington. The skank is a stripper at Hades and fuckin’ the boss.” The voice was distorted on the recording.
“So my little bitch survived and ran for the hills?”
“Yeah. I would’ve found you sooner, but I had to let the bitch get close to Blaize so I could rip her fucking heart out. I want her gone. For good this time. Fuck her. Torture her. I don’t fucking care, just kill the dumb bitch.”
“Me and her have unfinished business. Send me the address and I’ll be there.”
“Perfect.”
“Do you know who the man is?”
“He never said a name,” Damon said. “Kane took pictures from the cameras, but we don’t have enough lighting to see a face.”
Kane handed us a folder, and Damon was right. I couldn’t make out the face. Even in the pictures with the person leaving, they kept their hood on and avoided the cameras. They knew where the cameras were in his bar.
I scrunched my nose as Hawke stepped closer. The voice…the only man I knew who would want to hurt Kadence was…fuck. “Dominic,” I accused. “He’s the only man in her life who would want to hurt her. Her dad might be an asshole, but I don’t think he’d come all this way to kill her.”
Hawke’s face drained of color. “Wait, I saw a car before you showed up. I didn’t think it mattered until now.”
“What is it?”
“New York tags. Dominic might be in Westhaven now.”
“Shit. Thanks, Damon.” I pulled my phone out and immediately called Hunter, but she didn’t answer. Kadence wouldn’t have her phone on her, but I tried calling her, too. “Move your ass, Hawke.”