Chapter 61

Blake sat in the War Room waiting for the meeting to start. Annis was absent, but after being shot, it was expected. Jovan was also missing. The door open and Cohen stepped in. His jaw clenched as he took a seat. “How is she?” Rayner asked.

“She’ll be fine,” Cohen answered. “She just needs to rest.”

Blake wondered about the baby, but didn’t ask. It wasn’t his place.

“So, this meeting is about you, Blake,” Noah said.

Why wasn’t he surprised?

“Why don’t you tell us what happened back there,” Noah said, sipping his whiskey.

“What do you mean?” Blake asked.

“What happened with Annis?”

Blake looked around the table, unable to believe they would think he shot Annis. He’d been in love with the woman, for God’s sake.

“You still think I shot Annis?” he asked. He wished Jovan were present, as he seemed to be the only one who believed him these days, and he had the means to prove it with his ability to detect truth.

Hudson shrugged. “We’re just trying to get a feel for what happened.”

Blake was about to tell them to go ask Annis who shot her, but then he remembered it had been daylight and she had been blind.

His monster roared, telling him that he didn’t need this shit, that all he needed was a little H, and all this would disappear. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm the bastard. “I didn’t shoot Annis,” he muttered. “I came out of the house with Sophia and Micah shot Annis. I then killed him.”

Noah glared at him.

“It’s the damn truth!” Blake yelled.

“You can understand why we’re a little hesitant to believe you,” Noah said. “You had it bad for Annis. Annis chose Cohen over you, and then you pretty much went off the rails, Blake. You want me to tick off the things you’ve done that have been less than honorable, starting with almost letting Cohen die at the hand of the Platoon?”

Blake sighed and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. “What would I gain by killing Annis?”

“Revenge,” Rayner chimed in. “You get revenge for her choosing Cohen over you.”

“You’re joking, right?” Blake asked. He watched as Rayner’s eyes slowly turned red.

Rayner shrugged. “We’ve got to consider all the possibilities.”

Blake realized he would most likely never have the trust of the Saviors again. He’d screwed up one too many times. Throwing his hands up in the air, he stood. “Look, I told you what happened. That’s the way it went down. I’m sorry you don’t believe me. I don’t have anything else to say. Have Jovan find me when you feel like the truth needs to be validated.”

He strode from the room, embarrassed that his feelings were hurt. He’d tried to repair his relationship with the Saviors, but they still didn’t fully trust him. Not that he really blamed them—he’d pulled some pretty bad shit. He really needed to think about what his next step would be. Sophia and Megan were safe. The Saviors most likely weren’t going to ask him to stick around, and frankly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to hang with people who didn’t trust him.

As he waited for the elevator, he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He glanced up and was surprised to see Cohen coming at him. The doors opened, and Blake strode in. Just as the doors were about to close, Cohen shoved his boot in and the doors parted. He stepped in.

“I’d like you to come to down my quarters with me,” he said.

“Why?” Blake asked.

“Because I want to talk to you.”

“Look, Cohen—”

“Blake, after everything you’ve done, you at least owe me this.”

Hell, he really didn’t feel like chatting it up with Cohen, but he was right. Blake did owe him. Even after all he had done, Cohen had still healed him, helping his body recover from the abuse.

“Okay,” Blake sighed.