Page 81 of Up in a Blaze

We all stared at him.

My lips twitched, but I covered it with my hand. Loyal had to look away, and I knew he thought Sawyer snapping at Blaze was cute too. But I also loved seeing it; his actions showed how he didn’t fear my big beast. He was accepting us and confronting us.

It was beautiful to see.

Blaze reached out and ruffled Sawyer’s hair before he stepped into the building. “What floor?”

“The top.” Blaze and Loyal made their way to the elevator, until Sawyer cleared his throat. They turned, and Sawyer shook his head. “That hasn’t worked since I’ve been here.”

Their jaws clenched in unison.

“How many stories are in here?”

Sawyer winced. “Four.”

These boys had been climbing up and down four flights of stairs every day and night.

“What about your elderly neighbor?”

“The top floor too. She can do it. She’s fit for sixty-five, but I also help her out by getting her things from down the street because she doesn’t have a car.”

Blaze’s nostrils flared. “Wait,” he ordered and then he took Loyal’s arm and pulled him off to the side, whispering things.

“What’s he saying?” Sawyer asked me quietly.

“He’s probably warning Loyal about what could be happening up on the top floor.” Since it was so far away, it was hard to hear through the other noises coming from within apartments.

Sawyer dropped his gaze, curling his shoulders in. “Okay.” He disliked Loyal knowing what had happened in his life and was likely worried Loyal would think him weak. But he was not. He was the strongest boy I knew at his age. His parents passed away, and he stepped up to take care of everything. I was sure Sawyer wouldn’t be the only one who would do the same in this situation, but there were also many who wouldn’t.

Arlo was lucky to have Sawyer as his brother.

“Let’s go,” Blaze announced before he started for the stairs. Sawyer and I followed while Loyal took up the rear.

There were a few things we had to step over, like trash, but we ignored them all and kept moving.

On the third set of stairs, I was huffing and puffing.

Loyal snorted. “You need more cardio, Henri.”

“Fuck off, chéri. I get my workout in when Blaze screws my brains out.”

“Yeah, but I do all the work,” Blaze announced. He stopped, looked at Sawyer, and was that a hint of a blush showing under these dim lights? “Sorry, kid.”

Sawyer blinked and started laughing. He looked at me. “He does realize I’m a sex worker, right?”

I grinned. “But in our eyes, you are but a little boy who shouldn’t hear those types of conversations come from us. Sorry, I should not?—”

Sawyer groaned. “Please don’t. I work at an escort agency run by bikers. I’ve heard worse things. Maybe don’t talk about it in front of Arlo, but I’m not a child. I’m only a few years younger than Loyal.”

“Six years,” Loyal said. Like he had done the math many times already.

It was my turn to groan. I shoved at Blaze to keep moving. “You both make me feel so old. How are you faring, mon amour?”

“Fine since I’m not the one panting like I’ve done a marathon.”

“Shut up, you big ogre, or I will?—”

A loud bang sounded above, and someone yelled, “Open the fucking door, you old bitch.”