“That’s where things get messy.” Tinker responds. “A little over a week ago, this was the headline in the local paper where Tessa lived,” he hit the spacebar on his laptop again and brought up a headline about a local man who died in a car crash. “This man, Darrin, was engaged to one Alexis Hayes, Tessa’s younger sister. I checked Tessa’s email and it looks like she saw the headline and tried to reach out to her sister. I didn’t find a response, but it wouldn’t take a genius to trace the IP. It wouldn’t give them an exact location, but it would get them into town and, well, Proctor just isn’t that big. Side note, I’ve made sure that everyone has a VPN at the modem and device level now. It was an oversight on my part for not securing the rental when we did security,” Tinker nods to King and sits back down as King stands.
“So. Loose ends. One, where are these fuckers holding Evan. Two, what did David offer these guys to take the job. Three, how does the sister and fiancé tie into this whole mess? Axel, Sawyer, Remy, Gage, Cotton, and Tully. You six are riding out the day after next to Seattle; prepare a full kit and take two of the trucks. Make sure you’re prepped for the long haul, since there won’t be any backup. Oh, and make sure you have shit for a baby since none of you chuckle heads will think of that. Tinker, go deep and get the boys any intel you can get. I want blueprints, parking tickets, utility bills; anything that we might be able to use against Sir Shit-Stain, the Pikesmen MC, and anyone remotely associated with the group. I want leverage, and lots of it. I’ll have the full itinerary and plans for you by tomorrow night. Briefing at 6PM tomorrow for everyone, Sober Order in place until the team leaves.” with that King bangs the piston head ‘gavel’ on the table and gestures everyone out of the room.
Not willing to get caught up in any conversation, I jump from my seat and make a beeline for my room. I need to see her, need to hold her again. More than anything I need to make up for leaving last night and letting this happen.
Chapter 21
Tessa
After Sawyer left, I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t get past the dirty feeling of the caked, dried blood crusting on my skin. Needing to soak off the mess of the last twelve hours, I decided to go investigate the ‘bath’ that Sawyer said was here. Sure I was going to find just a shitty little shower, I was pleasantly surprised to find an amazing full sized soaker tub. I stripped down and sunk into the warm water, letting my mind go blank. It worked for a bit, but much sooner than I would have liked, everything started to close in on me again and I had to get out. So that’s how I find myself now; standing in the middle of Sawyer’s room, clad only in a towel, and fighting with myself if wearing his clothes is creepy or not.
The ache in my head wins out and I dig through his dresser for something to steal. I find a soft t-shirt that skims the tops of my thighs, just barely covering my ass, but it will have to do.
I stand next to the bed for a moment, wondering what side he prefers. He didn’t stay long enough last night for me to find out and he clearly doesn’t stay here long enough to leave a divot in the bed. The stabbing pain in my eyes and the ache in my skull make me just not care enough if I end up in his spot or not. I crawl back onto the bed under the covers and curl up, facing the middle of the bed. I try to give into the sleep that’s tugging behind my eyes, but I can’t just yet. I finally let go of everything I have been holding onto today and let the tears flow.
I had never planned on telling anyone my story, it was supposed to be my little secret, the dirty past that I left behind and never had to speak of again. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed to share it; to let the words out and send them into the void. The weight that left my shoulders in that room was amazing. I had been worried I wouldn’t be able to tell the entire story from start to finish, but as soon as I started, the weight lifted, and it just flowed out. Confiding in these men, trusting them had been a balm to my broken soul. I’ve felt so alone for so long; I hadn’t realized how badly I needed to trust someone, to have someone on my side. At least for a short while. I can’t afford to let my guard down so completely again. I’ll still need to leave once I have Evan back. This time we will go far enough that no one will be able to find us again. Whatever it takes to keep Evan safe; I already failed him once, I won’t do it again.
I startle awake to the sound of the door latching and heavy boots on the floor; I must have drifted off to sleep. Turning toward the sound, I find Sawyer sitting in the chair at the desk. He’s not looking at me, his elbows are propped on his knees and he’s holding his bowed head in his hands. The tight set of his shoulders and way he hangs his head makes him look downright tortured. I can’t imagine what must be going through his head after everything that got dumped on him today. I know a bit about what it feels like to have that person you’re with turn out to be a complete imposter.
He’s still here, that must be a good thing. Right?
“Sawyer…” I whisper. Not sure what else to really say but needing to let him know I’m awake and here for him. He lifts his eyes to mine and my heart breaks at the pain I see in their depths. His eyes are screaming that he needs comfort, but his body is tense, almost like he’s ready to react to some kind of danger.
Wait… he’s afraid of me? No. The guilt, the fear… he thinks I blame him! Fuck that.
I throw back the comforter and reach for him. I see him hesitate again, doubt plain on his face. “Please Sawyer,” I whisper again, pleading with him to come to me. “Please…” I encourage. With a heavy sigh, he stands as tugs his shirt off over his head tossing it into the corner. Tugging off his boots, he kicks his jeans into the same pile, leaving him standing in just a pair of tight black boxer briefs.
He looks at me, sitting in his bed, in his shirt, reaching for him. My damp hair is a tangled mess around my head I’m sure, but I don’t care. I need this man; I need to comfort him and soothe that tortured crease in his brow. He drags his hands through his hair, looking like he’s fighting an internal battle before he looks back at me again, a softness around his eyes belying his true need to be with me too. He crawls onto the bed and lays down on the dry pillow, pulling the heavy comforter over himself.
He stretches out under the comforter on his back and pulls me down to him, tucking me into his side. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pinning me to him as his other hand comes up and cradles the side of the face, fingers gently brushing the hair off my cheek. I curl into him, my arms coming up over his chest and my hand settles over his heart, my head resting on his shoulder. We lay like that, arm in arm, his heart gently beating into my hand, for a long while. His chest rises and falls with a steady rhythm of his breath, muscles occasionally twitching as he adjusts slightly. Neither of us willing to break the moment with the words for fear of spoiling it. Time stretches and we can so clearly feel it hanging between us.
Finally, he whispers, looking straight up at the ceiling like he can’t even bear to look at me while he says it. “I should have been there,” his voice cracks, like he’s barely controlling the emotion in it.
I curl further into him, my hand sliding more fully around him and squeezing him to me. “Don’t you dare take that on Sawyer,” I say into his shoulder. I feel him take a breath to protest but I cut him off, “I mean it. You couldn’t have known, no one did. If I hadn’t been so… so scared last night, I would’ve asked you to stay,” I confess, feeling the tears burning behind my eyes.