Page 55 of Up in a Blaze

Silence met me on the other end.

“Henri,” Blaze called.

“I will be back, Sawyer.” I muted the call again and shifted on the seat to face Blaze.

“State has someone to fill in. We’ll go pick Sawyer up, and I’ll stay?—”

“Non, mon amour.” I glanced to Torch when he walked back. He nodded. I smiled. “You do not need to stay with us at the house. We will be safe. You have the cameras you can watch from your toys at Polished. Plus, Torch has organized the security office to put our place on rotation for tonight.” I smiled. “All sorted.”

His jaw clenched. He didn’t like it, but I would be safe.

“Take this panic button for home,” Death said from behind me, making me jolt. He handed me a small device. “Just press there, and the cavalry will come.”

“Thank you, chéri.” After pocketing it, I reached out and took Blaze’s hand. “See, we will be safe.”

When my lover nodded, I kissed his hand before dropping it and hitting the Unmute button before placing the phone to my ear. “It is organized, Sawyer. Blaze and I can drop over to pick up your brother?—”

“Wait, um, no, thanks. I can drop him at your place before I go to work. Is that okay?”

He wished for us to not see his residence. Why?

“That will work, sweet Sawyer.” I gave him our address, and we ended the call. Standing, I got all the scattered papers together. “Sorry to cut this short, ladies. But I have a babysitting duty…. Wait, what do eleven-year-olds like to do? We have those gaming systems you love, mon amour. Do they color? What do they eat? What time do they go to bed?” I dropped to the seat again as my body twisted with nerves. “I should not have agreed. I know nothing about eleven-year-olds.”

“Relax, Henri. You’ll do fine. You were a little boy back in the day,” Raya said.

“Kids like pizza, ice cream, and cookies,” Courtney suggested.

“You can call any of us if you’re stressing out. Or reach out to Lucas’s parents. You’re not alone,” Eve told me. I nodded.

Blaze’s hand clamped around the back of my neck. “There’s nothing you can’t do.”

I tipped my head back and stared up at him. “Thank you, mon amour.” I stood again. “And many thanks to you all. I will reach out if needed.”

“Good luck,” Wrenley said.

I blew her a kiss, and we said our farewells. I wanted to make sure the house was tidy and we didn’t have any sex toys lying about.

Blowing out a breath, I clasped my sweaty hands together and looked to the clock on the wall again. They should be here any moment, which would leave Sawyer enough time to get to work. Turning to Blaze, who sat on the couch watching me with a slight smile on his lips, I suggested, “You and Sawyer should drive to work together.”

His brows rose.

“It would save taking two cars and then I know you’ll come home at a decent hour to get some sleep if you have to drop Sawyer back.”

“You want me to talk to him?”

“Well, yes. If he will talk to you.”

“What happens if he’s too scared to get in a car with me?”

I scoffed. “Please, you are not scary, mon amour.”

“Others think differently.”

“You are big, but you are not the only one. Quake is ginormous too.”

He stood, crossing his arms over his chest. “Ginormous?”

I snickered. “You are large, mon amour, and if you cut out the resting bitch face, I am sure Sawyer would be happy to travel with you. Tell him it’s for safety.”