Page 60 of Up in a Blaze

He gasped, turning to me, but pushing himself into the passenger side door. Likely wasn’t the best thing to start with.

I shrugged. “My French firecracker cursed at me and called me a fool when I refused to let him call for help. He could have walked away. But it wasn’t in him. He likes to help anyone he can. His heart is big and beautiful. He deserves the fuckin’ world, and it’s my job to make sure he has everything he wants.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“He took me to his house, patched me up, and looked after me. That was when I fell in love with him. But I fucked up and picked my business over him. When he gifted me with his time again, I made sure I’d do nothing to fuck that up again. I’d do anything he asks of me.”

“Blaze—”

“He’s worried about you.”

Sawyer groaned, as if my words pained him. “He doesn’t need to be.”

“Don’t cut him off from your life. He likes you. Likes Arlo. I can tell already from what I’ve seen on the cameras.”

“Why would I cut him from my life?” he asked softly.

Christ. I hoped I didn’t fuck this up. “Henri would do anything for you. Means I would too.”

“Why do you think I’ll cut him from our life?” he pressed, voice tight with anxiety.

“You’re hiding something. I know you don’t live where you said. I don’t know what you’re going through, but Henri and I will do what we can to help. You just gotta reach out to him. Us. I fuckin’ hope I didn’t screw this up and you run because Henri will make my life hell if I did.”

I chanced a glance at him to see he’d dropped his head and tears were dripping onto his lap.

Fuck.

“I ain’t saying you have to come to us and spill all the beans now, kid. Just, fuck, please reach out if you need us. We’ll do anything to help. Henri’s already proved that by having your back.”

Sawyer sniffed, swiping at his nose with the back of his hand.

“Did I fuck up, kid?”

He sniffed again and shook his head.

What did I do now?

Henri was gonna kick my ass for making him cry, and I doubted Sawyer would let me go inside on my own to send Arlo out so Henri didn’t see how upset the kid was.

I was screwed since I just turned down our street.

“I… just need a little more time. If my plan doesn’t work out, I’ll talk to Henri.”

“You won’t up and disappear because I said anything? I really gotta know so I can keep an eye out for the traps Henri sets, or he’ll just straight up kill me in my sleep.”

Sawyer snorted but cut it off. “He isn’t that bad.”

“Kid, you haven’t seen Henri on a warpath.”

Sawyer’s bottom lip trembled, but he bit down on it as he drew in a deep breath through his nose. “We won’t disappear,” he whispered.

Grunting, I nodded. “Good. You just saved my ass.”

I caught him rolling his eyes as I pulled the car into the driveway. He didn’t believe me, but it was the truth. Henri would be a terror to me if Sawyer up and left because of something I said. Especially since Henri had been worried about saying something to Sawyer. He hadn’t wanted to risk anything.

When we got out of the car, I heard the front door open. Sawyer and I walked around the corner to see a smiling Henri.

His smile dropped, and his brows pinched.