Page 16 of Up in a Blaze (Polished P & P #4)

“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.

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….”

I stepped up to him and gripped his shoulder. “Kid, I’m sure you’re doing the best you can in whatever circumstance you have. Just remember, you have other people who want to be in your life and help.”

He nodded, gaze dropping to the floor, and I heard him sniff again. “It’s hard to rely on people.”

“Yeah, I can understand that.”

Suddenly, he offered me a small smile before he said, “I better not cry anymore, or I worry Henri will kill you.”

Chuckling, I nodded. “Now you’re getting it.”