Page 30 of Sawyer (Sabre Security Daddies #6)

L ele’s entire body was shaking. Sawyer had been stabbed. When he’d collapsed on the chair, she thought for a second he’d died. She’d screamed and run to him, but he was still breathing. And bleeding. There was so much blood. She wasn’t sure how he had any left inside.

“What can I do to help, Daddy? There had to be something she could do. She couldn’t just stand there and watch him bleed.

“Grab a towel from the dryer, babygirl.” She also grabbed the scissors from the utility drawer in the laundry room and ran back to him.

“Don’t run with scissors in your hands!” he yelled. She didn’t slow down at all. Sure, running with scissors wasn’t the safest thing, but hello, priorities!

“You can spank me later, Daddy,” she’d told him, not slowing.

He’d said, “Oh, babygirl, you can count on it.”

Lele chose not to think about that.

When she handed him the towel, he pressed it against the gash on the side of his chest. That man had tried to stab her Daddy in the heart .

“Here, Half-Pint, help Daddy hold the towel against the cut.”

The door opened, and Ravage stalked in. Narrowing his eyes, he took in the scene, then asked, “You good?”

What the heck kind of question was that? No, he wasn’t “good.” He was as far from “good” as he could be.

Sawyer nodded. “I will be when Bones gets here. You catch him?”

She rolled her eyes. Men!

The thud of Ravage’s helmet hitting the kitchen counter echoed around the room.

The biker sat on the arm of the couch. “Fuck no. Sorry, man, I was too far behind him. He turned a corner, and I lost him on one of the side streets. Plate number was scratched off, but I’m still lookin’ for the Ducati from before.

I’ve searched half the town so far, but it shouldn’t be too much longer.

There aren’t that many people in this town who are gonna fork over the cash for a Ducati Monster. I’ll find it.”

If they were looking for someone in Elk Jaw, she could help. She was the only one from here, after all. Sawyer had saved her twice now. She should do her part.

“Ducati? Like the motorcycle? I can try walking the parking lot at the Videotopia once the bar gets crowded. Maybe I can spot it.”

Sawyer squeezed her hand. “Little girl, I would hate to have to spank that ass of yours right now. It would hurt like a mother, but not as much as it would hurt losing you because you put yourself in harm’s way trying to help.

So, please, for me. Don’t ever say anything like that again.

Or at least not until I’m healed enough to take care of the situation. ”

If that was what he wanted, that was what she would do. “There were times in prison when Mama Sam was always by my side. Wherever fights, or worse, broke out, she always seemed to be there to make sure I didn’t get hurt.”

Sawyer frowned. “Mama Sam? You’ve talked about her before.

You connected with her in prison?” I did.

We sat together at meals, and she always stayed close during recreation times.

She knew everyone and everything that happened there.

Usually, before it even happened. No one messed with Mama Sam and her crew. ”

“I’m glad she was there for you, babygirl.”

It seemed like an eternity, but only fifteen minutes had passed when Reid arrived with a doctor she assumed was Bones.

Bones assessed Sawyer’s wounds and offered a crooked grin. “That’s a deep cut, Sawyer, but I bet you’ve had worse. What kind of knife was it?”

“Oh, um… I think it came from my kitchen. I have a chef’s knife like the one he had, anyway. It’s supposed to be the sharpest chef's knife in the world.”

All the men were staring at her. She wanted to crawl onto the recliner next to her Daddy.

Bones looked back at Sawyer’s chest. “Well, I’d say the advertising is accurate. I don’t think I’ve seen a cleaner slice outside of the operating room. Okay, Sawyer. I have happy drugs here that will make you feel better while I stitch this up.”

Sawyer held up a hand. “Just numb it, Bones. I don’t want any meds that will slow my reaction time. We don’t know if the people coming after Lele are done. I need to be alert.”

That was a horrible idea. Wasn’t he already in enough pain? She couldn’t let him suffer even more. Not because of her. “Daddy, no! I’ll be fine. I’m not leaving your side.”

He tried to smile. “Hush, Half-Pint. It’s going to be okay. You being here, holding my hand, is all I need. Daddy’s going to be fine.”

“It’s the middle of the day,” Reid said. “We have plenty of time to get her moved to Darling. I’ll call the guys and get everyone here to load up whatever your Little girl wants to take with her. We’ll watch out for her.”

Sawyer’s voice was weary when he spoke. “If someone had tried to hurt Winnie, would you hand her protection off to someone else? I already know the answer to that, so don’t try to lie. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, none of us is going anywhere,” the biker called from the kitchen bar.

Sawyer smirked. “Good to know.”

“Stubborn jackass,” Bones said as he held up a syringe and drew numbing medicine from a tiny bottle. “This only needs three stitches, but you’ll still need to be careful.”

Lele’s mind spun. They were talking about moving her to Darling. No one asked her if she wanted to move. She wouldn't be very feminist if she just sat there and did as she was told. But that was exactly what she was going to do.

She had spent one whole day lying to herself. Telling herself that Sawyer wasn't the man for her. Daddy for her. And she'd been miserable all day.

Had he made mistakes, absolutely. And they would be having a long talk about that. But when a man is willing to jump in front of a knife, to be cut for you? To put his life on the line to save yours? It was a little silly to doubt his love now.

She didn't doubt Sawyer’s love any longer. And the relief that brought almost sent her to her knees. He loved her, and she’d almost lost him. This stabbing was her fault. She was supposed to be gone all week. If she hadn’t insisted on coming home, Sawyer wouldn’t have been wounded.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she whispered. “You got hurt and it’s all my fault.”

“You didn’t stab me, little one. It isn’t your fault. Bones, when you finish stitching me up, I want you to check Lele over.”

She jumped when Ravage said, “Not big on sitting around waitin’.” Slapping his thighs, he stood. “Headin’ across the street to see what shape Lele’s house is in. Call me if I’m needed.” Before anyone could answer, he stalked from the house.

“Reid, you sure the cameras and bugs are out of Lele’s house? Or did we catch a break and record who was in there?” Sawyer asked.

Reid tugged on his beard. “Our equipment is out, but we found something you’re not gonna like.”

Sawyer’s already tense jaw tightened. “Well, so far, this hasn’t been a stellar day anyway. What did you find?”

Reid gave a sharp nod. “You put three cameras in the house, right?”

Sawyer's jaw clenched tighter. “Yeah. Why?”

Reid’s expression turned grimmer. “Because we found four.”

Wait. What? Lele shook her head. That couldn’t be right. That would mean she had… no. “That means someone else has been watching me?” She felt like throwing up. “Where was the camera? They couldn’t see in my bedroom, could they?”

Reid shook his head. “From what Deke said, they hacked into the camera on your television.”

Bones finished stitching Sawyer’s wounds. “Thanks, Bones. Reid, how the fuck did they figure out someone had hacked the TV?”

“Dumb luck,” Reid answered. “The television came on by itself while they were there.”

Lele gasped, and Sawyer didn’t miss it. “Has that happened before, Half-Pint?”

It had. Lele was trembling now. Why were people trying to watch her in her house?

It wasn’t like she did anything exciting.

No one even talked to her. Why would they want to spy on her?

“Sometimes,” she answered Sawyer’s question.

“Not often. But also, sometimes the television was on a different channel when I turned it back on. I thought I’d hit the remote or something.

I was willing to put up with it because it was a graduation and welcome home present from Hector.

He said it was to make up for his never coming to visit me while I was at Blackford Correctional. ”

Sawyer exchanged a glance with Reid. One she didn’t understand. “Come here, babygirl.” He held his hand out to her.

She didn’t think twice. She crossed to the other side of his chair, his less injured side, but then hesitated. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Half-Pint, you’re not going to hurt me. I need to feel you close. Come sit here with me.”

Carefully, she sat beside him in the large chair and rested her head on his broad shoulder. Silence filled the room. And not the good kind of comfortable silence. This was a heavy, almost ominous silence.

“Look at me, Half-Pint.” As soon as she did, he asked, “Was the television Hector gave you doing strange things since the time he gave it to you?”

Had it? Now that she thought about it, it had.

She nodded. “Maybe not right at first, but it wasn’t too long after he gave it to me.

I mentioned it to Hector, in case he wanted to return it.

But he’d been insulted that I didn’t appreciate his gift.

It wasn’t a big deal, and it was a really nice gesture, so I didn’t mention it again.

I hadn’t even thought about it being a camera. ”

Sawyer gave Reid another of those knowing looks. “I’m on it,” Reid said, and a few minutes later, he and Bones left, leaving her alone with her Daddy at last.

She wasted no time. Swallowing back her tears, she said, “I could have lost you today, Daddy. I almost did. You could have died.”

He squeezed her arms. “I’m right here, babygirl. I’m not going anywhere.”

She snuggled close. “I understand why you didn’t tell me why you came to town.” He tensed at her words. “It hurt to think you suspected me, but you had a good reason. I gave you the ammunition because I lied first, all those years ago.”

“Lele— ”

She placed her fingers on his lips. “I love you, Sawyer Dorsey. The few minutes I pictured my world without you are the worst minutes I’ve ever endured.

The thought that you told me you loved me, and might not have ever heard me tell you how I feel…

I don’t ever want minutes like that again.

I love you, even when you make mistakes, because I’m going to need that extended to me, too.

I love the way you make me feel safe and loved.

I love that you’re fun. I just love you.

I, if you still want to be my Daddy, I would love that, too. ”

She held her breath, waiting for his response. He didn’t make her wait long. He pulled her face to his and kissed her. Thoroughly. And the coil of dread and sorrow inside her unwound.

“Babygirl, there is no world in this galaxy or any others that are discovered where I will not love you. You were made for me. I told you that the first time we talked. I kissed you, and you were mine.”

Laughter bubbled up from deep inside her, and he smiled. “I’ve never heard a more beautiful sound than the words I love spilling through those magnificent, sexy lips. When I get you home,” he paused and ran his eyes over her. The desire, no, the need in them made every erotic inch of her tingle.

But he didn’t get to finish his thought. A heavy pounding at the door demanded their attention.

Ravage walked in, carrying a shoe box. “Best I can tell, the only thing missing is a pair of shoes. Why the fuck would someone break into a house to steal a pair of shoes?”

Her heart froze. Yes, Ravage held a shoebox, but it hadn’t contained shoes. “That’s the box I kept my letters to Jaxon in. Daddy, that man stole my letters.”

This time, Sawyer’s look was for Ravage. “We need to find whoever is trying to hurt my Little girl.”

Ravage lifted his chin. “I’ll take care of it,” he said. “You gonna need me anymore today? ”

“No, we’re packing up and heading back to Darling. When you find something, call me.”

Without another word, Ravage walked out.

Sawyer gazed down at her, and the look in his eyes did wicked things to her princess parts.

“I want nothing more than to sink my fingers into your soft curls and show you just how much your words meant to me, babygirl. And I will definitely be doing that as soon as we get back to Darling. But right now, we need to get you packed so that we can leave.”

She sighed. The last time she’d left for Darling, she hadn’t thought she’d be gone long. This time was different. This time, she was moving to a new home where she would live happily ever after with her new Daddy. Nothing could stop them now.