Chapter Three
Sawyer
I can’t take my eyes off her. From the moment she walked downstairs in her home, to now, I’ve been unable to stop staring.
First, she appeared in tiny cut off denim shorts and a tank, with way more skin on show than at home where it’s winter. Seeing her curves again reminded me of the times I had her naked. Not enough, not nearly enough.
The second thing that struck me, after how irresistible she looked, was how relaxed she appeared.
To begin with, I thought it was happiness, and I hated myself for having to be the one to ruin that, but then I realised she wasn’t happy.
There was pain in her eyes, plain to see once the shock of my arrival diminished.
I instantly wanted to hurt whoever had hurt her. There was that cryptic comment in the car about her brother and this other guy – the best friend – protecting her but damaging her too. I’d bet my life that she was referring to the big guy and not her brother.
I reach up and touch my face, wincing slightly where he hit me. I really didn’t see that one coming, so I guess Amelie told him what we did. If she did, I’m surprised he only hit me once. I deserve much worse.
Beside me, Amelie is fidgeting like crazy, drawing me out of my thoughts.
“What’s up with you? Ants in your pants?” I smirk, trying to lighten the mood. She’s not spoken much, and I can only imagine what she’s going through right now.
“I’m not wearing any,” she immediately quips back, smiling.
When she realises what she just said – or perhaps who she said it to – her grin falls and pain flashes across her face once more.
My dick twitched at her joke, but died a death at the reminder of the suffering my brothers and I inflicted on her.
Fuck.
We need to put this right.
“Why are you so restless?” I try again.
“Because this flight is taking forever! Why?”
“It takes the exact same amount of time to get back as it did to get here,” I point out.
“It doesn’t. This is ages. Getting home was fun. Well, once I stopped crying. Baxter booked me flights to a whole heap of places.”
“Well this is direct. More or less.”
“What does that mean? It’s either direct or it’s not.”
“We have a small layover, but it’s just to refuel.”
“That sucks. So we’re going to be stuck on here forever?” she whines like Kalen, but pouts in a really adorable way which my brother definitely can’t pull off.
“Pretty much,” I chuckle.
“Ugh.” She throws her head back against her seat, huffs and folds her arms. Wordlessly I pass her a set of wireless earbuds like mine and drop the tray in front of her.
Setting my iPad on it, I press play on a film and settle back to watch alongside Amelie.
I think the only reason she accepts the earbuds from me is so that she doesn’t have to speak to me.
Eventually though she falls asleep, her head resting on my shoulder, giving me way too much time to think while enjoying her warmth.
I have to acknowledge some painful truths: I wasn’t fucking around with Amelie, and while I did technically lie when I said I quit my job to be with her at the airstrip, I’ve had enough time to come to mean every word.
I want to be with her, and I’m still mighty pissed with my brothers for the stunt they pulled – even all these weeks later.
I’m not sure how we’re going to pull her initiation off.
She’s sharp, curious, demanding. She’ll want to know everything up front and won’t go for the usual cloak and dagger stuff that The Order likes to promote.
It’s already been decided by the board that her initiation will be brought forward – no doubt in a bid to ensure she doesn’t pass.
I don’t understand why though, if they’re so keen to see things fixed, like our father said.
Someone on the board obviously doesn’t want her in if that’s her punishment. But why?
I feel like our father didn’t give us the full story in his office, and I hate being in the dark.
I strongly suspect that our grandfather, who’s on the board, might have something to do with it all.
He’s dead against bringing women into The Order.
Amelie would be the first real recruit, though of course we do have female contacts and friends.
But none are in power or properly initiated.
Amelie would be the first, and from what our father was saying, the most important for some reason.
With the odds stacked against us, I’m not sure how we’ll get her through the tests, especially if they’re setting her up to fail.
Amelie sighs in her sleep and I quickly snap a selfie of us together, her head still resting peacefully on my shoulder. I’ve missed her. I may not have been working at Knox Academy the last few weeks, but the place still hasn’t been the same without her around.
Not to mention the total nightmare Laura has been.
You’d think her daughter was murdered the way she’s been carrying on, yet she doesn’t give a shit about her at all.
I mean, we all know it, so why the games?
I despise that woman. I can’t wait until we have the full weight of The Order behind us; I’ll be using our connections to sort her out.
Thinking vengeful, murderous thoughts, I allow my eyes to drift closed as I get some rest. I must be crazy, agreeing to a non-stop round the world trip to pick Amelie up and come straight home.
My bones feel weary. But as Amelie’s warmth seeps through my shirt and I doze off, I can’t help but think she’s worth it.