Page 14 of Up in a Blaze

“You’re still willing to have me here? To take care of me?”

“Oui.”

Christ, my heart had ached with the swarm of warm emotions flooding it. “Then I promise to take care of you too,” I told him.

In French, he said, “You may be a beast, but I can see your soft side. I am not promising anything, but I would love to get to know you. To spend time with you.”

“Affaire,” I replied, committing to the deal.

What he didn’t know was that he’d just signed himself up to be mine.

CHAPTER FOUR

HENRI

A figure dashed by the waiting area to my left and took my attention away from a very busy game of solitaire on the computer. When I saw Sawyer rushing toward the break room, I stood and moved toward the tech room. After a quick knock, I poked my head in. “Mon amour, can you please watch the front for a moment?”

His fingers stopped flying over the keys, and he pushed his chair back to stand. No questions were asked as he made his way to me. I rocked up to my toes and kissed him quickly.

“Thank you.”

His reply was to kiss me again, palming my ass.

I skipped off to the break room and entered. Sawyer had just sat down with a tray in front of him. He didn’t look up at I approached. He was too busy hiding the packets of food he picked out from under the table in the bag he held between his feet.

My heart broke.

The poor boy was hoarding food for a reason.

“Bonjour,” I called loudly to one of the escort girls, who waved in return with a smile while she ate. I saw Sawyer jolt and pull his hand up onto the table, picking up a spoon. He stared down at the table while he slowly ate the hot dishes.

Pulling out the chair opposite him, I sat. “Bonjour.”

His cheeks flooded with heat as he glanced up and down quickly. “Hi.”

How could one as shy as him be in the sex work industry?

“I never asked, but would you wish for me to call you Sawyer or Pixie?”

He shrugged. “Either.”

“How are you settling in, chéri?”

He watched his spoon as he slid it through the stew. “Fine.”

“I wanted you to know that if there was anything you ever needed, I am willing to help. If you do not wish to speak to any of the big burly bikers, who are pussycats deep down but can seem scary, I will always lend an ear to listen.”

Even when I saw how stiff he was, there was still a small smile on his lips when I’d called the bikers pussycats.

Finally, he nodded once. “Thanks, Henri.”

“You are welcome, chéri. You can also let me know if you have any clients you wish to never see again. Like the managers here, I won’t allow anyone to hurt you, Sawyer. In any way.”

He bit down on his bottom lip just as it trembled, and he cleared his throat.

My stomach churned at the thought of someone already hurting him. “I have my own security who I can count on if you need backup.” I smiled gently. “He may look like a handsome but grumpy ogre, but I have him wrapped around my pinkie.”

It was true. My Blaze would do absolutely anything for me.