Jared looked at Tessa with pride. “No, she doesn’t, and that’s why even though I beat her boss’s ass, she’s still working here, because he knows good help and would be an idiot to let her go. Plus, all the customers said they’d stop coming if he didn’t rehire her.”
“You beat up her boss?” Katrina laughed, shocked. “Why? What happened?”
“Let’s just say he was disrespectful and made the mistake of putting his hands on what was mine.” Jared actually glared at Bobby, who glanced their way, then looked elsewhere.
“I swear, you Warriors are a jealous lot.” Katrina grinned with a shake of her head.
“Territorial,” he corrected her. “And speaking of such, Blaze has been texting me nonstop.”
“Oh, really?” Katrina’s interest perked up.
“Yeah, really,” he mocked with a grin. “Like you don’t want to know what about.”
Katrina stood. “I don’t, not really.”
Jared snorted then shrugged. “Okay.”
“I mean, is it something important?” Katrina wiped his already clean table off, trying to look over at his phone.
Jared caught what she was doing and smashed the phone to his chest. “Maybe.” Jared laughed. “If texting me fifty times to make sure everything is okay here and thinking I’m too much of a dumbass to figure out what he’s really asking is important.”
“Which is?” Katrina frowned, wishing she could grab his phone and run just so she could read the messages from Blaze. Yep, pathetic.
“Please, like you don’t know.” Jared’s disbelieving chuckle stopped. “You really don’t know.”
Katrina just shook her head and was now wondering if she wanted to know.
With a sigh, Jared glanced down at his phone. “This is from Blaze: Everything okay? Me: Yep. Fifteen minutes later: Any problems. Me: Nope.” Jared scrolled through his phone. “That was more or less the first forty-eight texts. Blaze: You guys still there? Me: Yep. Then me again: Dude, just ask. Blaze: What?”
She couldn’t help but grin when he did Blaze’s voice. He actually sounded like him. Jared looked up to see her grinning.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Katrina chuckled. “You just sound like him.”
“Yeah, I do grumpy asshole real well,” Jared said, looking back at his phone. “Me again: Dude, just ask what you want to ask. Katrina is fine. She has five guys trying to give her a ride home, one actually got a dance, and she is leaving here with enough tips to retire on.” Jared gave a snort with a sneaky grin.
“That’s not true.” Katrina wasn’t grinning now.
“Yeah, I know.” Jared snorted again. “Okay, this is Blaze: You better be getting names of those motherfuckers. I swear if I walk through that door and find some bastard with his hands on her, I’ll kill him. Get her the fuck out of there before I come there and tear the fucking place apart.”
Katrina’s head snapped back surprised. “He said that?”
Jared held the phone out to her so she could see the text, then pulled the phone back. “I didn’t respond for a few minutes because I was busy laughing my ass off so he texted: Hey! Blaze again: You hear me? And again Blaze: If you don’t fucking answer me, I’ll kick your ass first before I fuck those stupid motherfuckers up. And finally my response: Psych! Blaze’s final response: Fuck you!”
Speechless, Katrina stared at his phone before focusing on Jared. “Please don’t tell him you told me,” she finally said.
“Honey, I’m already going to get hell for fucking with him. Not that I care.” Jared put his phone down, giving her a smile. “But I’ve poked the fire man enough and actually don’t want my ass cooked, literally. So this is between us.”
“Thank you.” Katrina nodded calmly, but inside, her body quivered in excited glee. Was he jealous that some man might be showing her attention? It sounded like it.
Bobby called out to her and she gave Jared one last happy grin before getting her order. She could only hope that Jared was right. She never knew with Blaze, but it seemed he felt more for her than he let on.
Chapter 21
Blaze stood outside of Jax and Caroline’s door. His hand reached to knock, then dropped. Closing his eyes tight, he cursed then knocked quickly before he walked away. The door opened, and Blaze felt like the biggest dick. Caroline looked up at him, her eyes sunken and red from little sleep.
“I’m sorry.” Blaze hissed, seeing her state. “Fuck!”
Caroline actually smiled at him. “Don’t be sorry. Just please tell me you’re here to get this over with.”
Nodding, Blaze walked inside when she made room and then closed the door behind them. Jax entered the room. His eyes narrowed on him, but he didn’t say a word.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to call Lana to help me,” Caroline said; her voice sounded weak to him. “It’s dangerous for me right now to open myself up and I’m afraid—”
“Whatever you need to do.” Blaze didn’t let her finish. What in the hell had he been thinking to let her go through this? He had been a fucking coward. Jesus, he hated himself right now.
He watched Caroline walk out of the room with her phone. He looked toward Jax, whose focus was on Caroline. Jax’s features softened until he looked back at him.
“She’s the only reason this has gone on as long as it has,” Jax said to him.
“I didn’t realize how much it was affecting her because I was too worried about myself,” Blaze admitted, hating himself. “I’m sorry, brother.”
Jax stared at him for a long second before nodding. “Just make it right. That’s all I ask. No matter what, finish this fucking thing so I can have my mate back strong and healthy.” Jax walked to the refrigerator and grabbed two beers. “This shit with her and her sister is fucked-up, but we deal with it.”
Blaze took the beer offered and knew if he were Jax, he wouldn’t be as cool. He’d want to kill the son of a bitch who made his mate suffer. What the hell did that say about him?
Caroline came out actually looking better than she had before she’d left the room. “Lana and Sid are on their way now.” She smiled up at him. “We can go ahead and start.”
“No, we can wait,” Blaze said, not wanting to put Caroline through any more than he already had. “Why didn’t you let Jax kick my ass?” he finally asked.
“It wouldn’t have made a bit of difference.” Caroline laughed, before taking a seat. “It would have made him feel better, but the problem would have remained. Until you were ready, there was nothing anyone could do.”
“Well again, I’m sorry.” Blaze finished the beer feeling uncomfortable. He had never told a person he was sorry so much, but dammit, he was, and he felt like a bastard. He didn’t mistreat women, he cherished them, and look what he had done to Caroline, who was a gentle soul who only tried to help people.
“Accepted, so no more apologies needed.” Caroline glanced behind him before returning her gaze to him.
“Are they here?” Blaze asked, feeling odd even believing what was about to happen.
“Yes,” Caroline replied, her eyes searching his.
“You said ten were following me when we were working on your roof.” Blaze frowned, wondering who exactly the ten were.
“There were ten, but as time passed, some left. There are six, five males and one female,” Caroline informed him. “The others were what we call tagalongs. It’s normal for them to disappear after a while.”
“Female?” Blaze said aloud, more confused than ever. He’d thought he knew who it might be, but now he wasn’t sure and he didn’t like it.
She nodded, then tilted her head as she looked at him. “Why now, Blaze?”
He shrugged, not really wanting to answer that question but knowing he had to. He just needed to figure out how to say it.
“Daniel?” Caroline answered her own question; her eyes crinkled with a smile. “I heard about what he said to you.”
“The kid kind of shook me up,” Blaze admitted, then
chuckled with a shake of his head.
“Little Daniel has insight that is pretty amazing,” Caroline replied, then shivered. “But I also think a certain female has something to do with you wanting to get your past out of the way.”
Blaze glanced at Jax, whose face was a blank mask as he stared at him. Before he could answer, Lana and Sid walked in.
“Oh, you’re lucky,” Lana scolded him, but gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. “I was about to hunt you down and kick your ass.”
“Lana, leave him alone,” Caroline told her sister.
“Man, Caroline, you ruin all the fun.” Sid also clapped Blaze on the back then gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek. “I wanted to watch her kick his ass.”
“Yeah, well at least he’s here now.” Lana set down her bag and took off her coat. “Let’s get this over with. You ready, sis?”
“More than ready.” Caroline stood, looking stronger by the minute.
“Wait.” Blaze frowned, looking at Jax and Sid.
“Sorry, man.” Sid gave him a look. “We aren’t going anywhere. You might as well ignore us, because we won’t leave our mates.”
Jax agreed with a nod. “We already know most of the story. No judgment here.”
“You have three main spirits following you who are persistent,” Caroline started. “The first day you showed, they appeared and haven’t left. There is a total of six, but two who stand out the most, how should I say, are demanding I guess, in giving you a message.”
“My advice to keep me and especially Caroline safe is to stay,” Lana warned. “This needs to be finished so they can move on and in turn, Caroline gets her life back. Our hope is that this will also help you, but we can’t promise that. Only you will know the answer to that.”
“I know everything, but Lana doesn’t,” Caroline informed Blaze. “If any of the Warriors know, it’s not from me. I don’t even talk to Jax about anything they reveal to me, which drives him crazy, but this is your story to tell.”
“We remember when it happened, Blaze,” Sid broke in, backing up Caroline. “So we’re pretty sure who’s here and why.”
Blaze only gave a short nod, ready to get this shit done and over with.
“I’ll go first, Caroline,” Lana said, then looked behind Blaze with a frown. “Bryon Madison just stepped forward.”
Blaze felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. It was one of the many names he thought about every day. He couldn’t say anything, couldn’t move to even nod that he understood what Lana had just said.
“What do you want to tell him, Bryon?” Lana tilted her head, staring at nothing or at least nothing that anyone else but Caroline could see. “You can use me if you’d like?” Lana held out her hand then dropped it.
“Lana,” Sid warned, his body becoming alert.
“Shush.” She shushed him, which made Blaze’s lip twitch toward a grin.
Blaze looked back to see Lana staring at him in horror, a horror he understood all too well. He reached out when she swayed.
“Oh my God.” She grabbed his arms, pulling him to her and hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry.”
Sid was right there, worry for his mate pulsating off him, but his eyes looked into his with understanding. Lana let him go, her face streaked with tears as she looked up at Blaze.
He knew right then it was time. “Don’t cry for me.” Blaze looked first at Lana and then Caroline, suddenly wishing that Katrina was there because if he were honest, he was doing this for her. Not for him, not for Caroline, not for anyone else but Katrina. He actually glanced at his watch to see what time it was.
“I’m sorry. It just took me by surprise.” Lana wiped the tears from her face. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Wait.” Caroline was staring at Blaze. “You’re right. Katrina needs to be here.”
“How did you know?” Blaze asked, totally shocked that Caroline knew exactly what he had been thinking.
“Not me, them.” Caroline nodded behind him. “They know you very well and agree. They want her here.”
Sid was looking at his phone. “Jared said they’re back. He’s sending her up now,” he said, before clipping Lana’s chin up. “You okay.”
“I’m fine,” Lana said with a wobbly smile before looking back at Blaze.
Blaze stared off, wondering if he was making a mistake. Would Katrina look at him differently once she knew? But he couldn’t worry about that. This had to be done. His eyes went to Caroline, and he knew without a doubt no matter what, it would be done tonight. No longer would he be the cause of her suffering. He didn’t understand how her gift worked, but he knew how persistent the ones from his past were.
Jax went to answer the knock on the door. Blaze waited until he heard her voice before glancing her way and once he did, peacefulness settled over him, and he swore he heard a familiar voice inside his head whisper, She’s the one.
******
Katrina was heading to her room when Jared came running back toward her. “Hey, Sid wants you up in Jax’s room pronto.”
“Why?” Katrina asked, feeling uneasy. She knew when Jax was working a lot, they stayed there at the compound. Actually, that was the way with most of the Warriors who had homes with their mates. They didn’t like to be away from them or leave them unprotected.
“Didn’t ask.” Jared turned to walk away. “Move your ass.”
She followed him to the front of the compound where Tessa was waiting.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Tessa waved at her. “Good job tonight. Everyone loved you.”
“Thanks.” Katrina waved back while taking the stairs quickly. She had really wanted a soak in a bath as her feet were killing her. She just hoped whatever Sid wanted didn’t take too long.
Her feet throbbed and she tried not to think about it too much because she knew that wasn’t normal. She was a vampire; she shouldn’t be hurting anywhere, or at least not for a long period of time.
Finally at Jax’s room, she lifted her hand to knock, but the door opened before she made contact with it.
“Jared said Sid needed to see me,” Katrina said, then stepped inside when Jax moved out of the way. She saw Sid, Lana, and Caroline, but her eyes fixed on Blaze, who stood with his back to her. Finally, he turned to look at her over his shoulder, and the torment she saw on his face hit her hard.
“What’s happened?” Katrina feared that maybe her father had done something and was honestly afraid to hear.
Turning completely around to look down at her, Blaze’s voice was deep when he said, “I’m getting my shit straight.”
Chapter 22
At first, Katrina didn’t know what he was talking about, but then she remembered one of the last things she’d said to him the last time she had seen him. She had said that maybe someday they could get their shit together. Not really knowing what this meant, she tilted her head to stare up at him and then nodded.
She watched Blaze closely and could see his inner struggle and hated it for him. She understood inner struggles better than most, but she knew the best thing she could do for him was to be there, be present, and listen. How many times had she wanted that very same thing? Many, many times. Well, she was there to offer him any support he needed.
“I murdered my brothers,” Blaze said, his eyes never leaving her. “My VC brothers.”
Okay, that wasn’t what she expected, and she wasn’t sure if she should respond. She made sure her expression never changed. She just stood and waited, letting him go at his own pace. For a man, not to mention a Warrior, expressing any type of weakness was not done; it didn’t happen, especially in front of women. When Blaze still didn’t speak, his eyes hard as if reliving the past all over again, she decided that maybe she needed to pull him back since it seemed he was speaking to her.
“And there must have been a reason.” Katrina tilted her head, waiting for him to answer. “Why don’t you start from the beginning.”
Her voice seemed to pull him to the present. “My team
was set up, but we knew we were being tricked. Our plan was flawless, or so we thought.” Anger entered his tone, “We go in, take out the enemy, and I set the fire.”
She felt Jax and Sid move closer, but didn’t let her eyes move to them. She kept them fixed on Blaze. “What happened?” she whispered, urging him to continue.
“They—” Sid started when it didn’t look like Blaze was going to continue, but Blaze broke eye contact with her to glare at Sid.
“No!” Blaze growled, then looked back at Katrina. “My brothers went in while I stood outside waiting for the go-ahead.”
Katrina chanced walking toward him. She reached out and clasped his hand, never losing eye contact.
“Bryon came out and gave me the go-ahead, but the rest of the guys weren’t there.” Blaze’s hand tightened on hers, but she stood firm. He could break her fucking hand and she wouldn’t move. “He said they were out and on the other side of the building making sure no civilians were in range of danger.”
He stopped talking. His eyes hooded over as if he were once again lost in the past. She tried to squeeze his hand to bring him back, but it wasn’t working. He abruptly let go of her hand and stepped away.
“Goddammit!” he roared, the torment of that night escaping him. “I should have fucking known. That wasn’t our plan. Our plan was to meet where I stood, and then I set the fire. We didn’t break protocol and I knew it, fucking knew it.”
Sid and Jax had moved even closer to Caroline and Lana, their attention focused solely on Blaze.
“But I went against my instinct. I knew something wasn’t right, but with my leader shouting at me to go before it was too late, I did, not realizing the bastard standing next to me wasn’t Bryon Madison, but a fucking shifter like myself.” Blaze’s chuckle sounded demented and out of control. “Fuck! Why did I fucking listen when I knew it felt so wrong?”
Katrina went to grab his hand again, but he moved away with a shake of his head. She refused to let the rejection hurt because she understood his pain. Instead she made herself stand her ground to be there when he was ready to reach out for her.
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