Page 61 of Up in a Blaze

Jesus.

He looked from me to Sawyer to me and back to the kid before scowling at me.

“What did you do?” he demanded viciously.

Sawyer shot wide eyes at me before Henri pulled Sawyer close and tucked him under his arm, walking him into the house.

“Chéri, you tell me what my beast said to you, and I will make sure he regrets upsetting you.”

Sawyer’s bottom lip trembled again, which Henri caught.

My little firecracker sucked in a breath and turned on me. In French, he snapped, “I swear if you have done something to make him vanish on me, I will hold back my body for the rest of our lives. No, I will… I don’t know right now because I am so angry, but it’ll be something drastic and mean.”

I snorted. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body, and he was only lashing out now because he saw Sawyer upset and wanted to protect him. Even from me. Even when he knew I wouldn’t have done anything on purpose. Henri was just overwhelmed with worry and said shit he didn’t think about.

“Firecracker, take a breath.”

His gaze glowed with fury. “Take a breath, mon amour? Take a breath? I will take your balls—” He quickly cut himself off and turned to Sawyer, but Arlo was also there peeking around the corner. “Come, my children. It’s time for bed.”

Huh?

His children?

Bed?

“Sawyer, Henri said we could have a sleepover because he knew you’d be tired. We have to share a bed, but that’s okay. We do it at home anyway.”

“I can drive,” Sawyer said quickly, as if he was trying to get his brother to stop talking. His cheeks flushed a little.

“Non, you will sleep here, and it will save Arlo going out into the cold night air. Then, in the morning, no matter what time everyone wakes, we will make pancakes and waffles.” He curled his arm around Sawyer’s shoulders and started to move them toward the spare room.

“Henri,” I clipped.

He paused, sighed, and quickly rushed over to give me a kiss. “Welcome home, mon amour.”

I cupped the back of his neck but asked Sawyer, “Kid, let Henri know how I made you cry.”

“From being nice. I… I’m not used to people wanting to help. But I’m okay now,” he said and then added softly, “We won’t disappear.”

Henri’s gaze ran over my face as his own eyes misted. “I suppose I was hasty in my actions.”

“Like always, but I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

He grinned. “I am glad, mon amour, because you are stuck with me.”

“Now maybe ask Sawyer if he actually wants to stay.”

Henri nodded and spun around to face the boys. “Sawyer, if you agree, I would very much like for you and Arlo to sleep in the spare room. I have a towel and some of my spare clothes in the bathroom already for you. However, I understand if you wish to go home.”

Sawyer smiled and glanced to his brother who said, “Please, Sawyer. Waffles and pancakes.”

The kid didn’t have a chance. Henri had already won Arlo over, and Sawyer had already warmed to Henri when he’d started at Polished.

He wouldn’t want to disappoint Henri.

Which was why he said, “Okay. Just tonight.”

Arlo and Henri cheered, and they rushed off while Sawyer looked back to me. “Thanks for saying something, and… I haven’t seen Arlo this happy in a long time. I’ve tried my best but….”