Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Arlo
I hadn’t brought my gun with me today, but now I wish I had. Instead, I pulled out my pocket knife just in case and went through her cabin. They destroyed the place and ransacked every inch.
My heart broke into a million pieces for Sadie. How could her own mother do this?
As soon as Crew answered Lacey’s call, I knew something wasn’t right at the spa. I felt it in my gut, and I didn’t even wait for Crew to tell me what was happening.
What if I hadn’t been there? What if they had taken her and I didn’t have the chance to save her?
My stomach twisted into knots. I could’ve been over at the other office space with Pierce, Finn, and Archer. I wouldn’t have known what was going on.
But I wasn’t. And I saved her. Even when Crew told me to slow down, or when Julian and Rowan tried to keep up with me, I saved my girl.
And now I wasn’t ever letting her out of my sight.
After I deemed the place clear, I brought Sadie in, and we cleaned up the mess together. “Thankfully, they didn’t break any windows. We’re due for some storms soon. The last thing you need is freezing rain or snow piling up in here.”
“Shit, Arlo, what the hell am I supposed to do? This was all of my things. Things I worked so hard to save for…to buy for myself…” Sadie collapsed onto the now torn couch cover, the stuffing from the inside coming out. “My childhood was horrible.” Sadie filled me in on all the details, and my heart broke even more.
“So I stole around five hundred dollars. Just to get me on a bus and away from there. I found the cheapest motel and lived off ramen noodles and cheap gas station food until I found a job.”
“I don’t blame you for doing what you had to in order to get out of a bad situation. Anyone would do the same.”
“I flew under the radar for three years. How did they find me now?”
“I don’t know, love.” I took her hands in mine, pulled her to her feet, and wrapped my body around hers. I loved the way she felt in my arms, and I couldn’t get enough. “But you don’t have to worry. Not now. Not ever. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“You’re too good to me.”
I leaned back and tilted her chin up. Her gorgeous plump pink lips begged to be kissed. I inched closer, and she tensed.
“Arlo…I…I need to tell you something.”
“What?” I whispered.
“I’ve never been kissed before.”
Instant heat flooded through me from head to toe.
My beautiful girl…my gorgeous, stunning girl had never been kissed? Did that mean...?
“Have you ever been touched before?”
Sadie shook her head, and I groaned. Fuck, this woman was going to be the end of me.
I rested my forehead against hers, which wasn’t easy considering how much shorter she was, and closed my eyes. I tried to control my breathing. My fingers gripped her waist, and anticipation and excitement lit a fire in my bloodstream, causing every nerve ending to come alive and spark.
“Pure and untouched, and only for me…” I growled and finally took what I wanted.
Her lips on mine.
* * *
Her first time had to be special. Not here, surrounded by the destruction and chaos of today’s events. After we finished cleaning and Sadie grabbed what was left of her things, we climbed back into my truck and headed toward my place.
It was early afternoon, and I realized I hadn’t eaten lunch—my sub was sitting in the fridge at work. “Are you hungry? I can swing by the diner for some lunch.”
“Only if you promise the food is good.” Sadie attempted a half smile, and I reached over across the middle console and took her hand in mine.
“Best place in town. It blew me away the first time I went there with my buddies.”
“Wow, setting the bar pretty high there.”
“Just you wait.”
“Any chance they make pizza?”
I laughed. “At the diner? Nah, not usually, though I’m sure Camille could whip something up.”
“No, that’s okay. I could go for a juicy cheeseburger and some fries. Maybe a strawberry milkshake?” Sadie finally smiled for the first time today, and I was happy to see it.
“Now you’re talking. But maybe we’ll grab some pizza for dinner? There’s a really good place in town, a little hole-in-the-wall right in the center of town. They deliver all over the mountain.”
“Already planning dinner? I like how you think.”
“And I like a woman who eats.”
“Oh trust me. I can do some serious damage to a pizza. Or a cheeseburger.”
I grinned. “You’re a dream come true.”
“Ha! Good one.”
“It’s true. I think I’m falling in love with you, Sadie. And I think you feel it too.”
“I…I…I don’t know what to say, Arlo. This is all so fast and…”
“Shh, don’t say anything. Just exist. With me.”
“That I can do,” Sadie whispered.
After we ate at the diner, we finally made it to my home. I scored a nice deal on a large cabin near the top of the mountain. Bought it outright from the savings I worked hard for. Secluded, surrounded by forest, and just the way I liked it. Warrior didn’t seem to complain either with the large fenced-in yard for his endless zoomies.
“Wow,” Sadie said as she stared at my cabin. “This is your place?”
“Yep. Scored a good deal on it. Needed a little TLC, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Most of the guys in my squad from the service know their way around a toolbox. In fact, Crew’s a licensed electrician, and Rowan is licensed in carpentry. I loved how secluded it is up here.”
“Me too.” Sadie watched as I slung her bag over my shoulder and reached for her hand. As we walked up to the front door, Warrior began his barking. “Oh! I hear the puppy!” Sadie said, and I could tell bringing her here was the right idea. Even if her place hadn’t been destroyed, she wouldn’t have liked being alone and scared.
Now she was safe with me and had a cute puppy to play with and raise her spirits.
I opened the door and led her inside. Warrior went crazy, barking and running in circles in his crate. I shut the door and locked it behind us, making sure to flick the deadbolt in place.
“Aw, the little guy is excited to see a new face, huh? A much prettier one than seeing my mug all the time.” I set Sadie’s bag on the floor and walked over to Warrior, letting him out of his crate.
He immediately jumped all over our legs, and I scooped him up. He licked my face, and Sadie laughed. “Want to hold him?”
Sadie nodded, and I handed him over where he proceeded to lick her face clean. She giggled and squirmed and giggled some more.
“Hey! Paws off! I haven’t even had the chance to do that yet,” I teased, and Sadie’s cheeks turned pink. “C’mon, let’s take him outside before he pees on you. Then maybe we can Netflix and chill? Are we still saying that?”
Sadie burst into laughter, and the sound filled me with happiness.