Chapter Nine #2
Some old guy that looks like he has one foot in the grave already dropped off a nice stack of books at Sawyer’s for me.
Half of them, I can’t even understand. Sawyer suggested that maybe I could ask my uncle Dirk for some support with it all, but I’m honestly not sure if I'm ready to get to know him. With Debbie resurfacing, I’m considering reaching out to her.
But I’m unsure of who to trust with the information that she’s alive and under the protection of my grandmother in Australia. It’s all a bit of a mess to be honest.
It makes sense that she would be in the one country The Order isn’t welcome to run in.
The hatred my grandmother has towards The Order is justified, and she built an empire on that.
I don't know much about my father’s involvement.
Sawyer has mentioned they have records on everyone and I’m able to access all of them, but that I should be very careful because once you know something you can't take it back.
Do I really want to know all of my father’s sins? Would that make me view him differently?
“What are you so deep in thought about?” Sawyer asks gently.
“Lots of things.” I sigh. “I need women in The Order, but not just kids like me. I was thinking about your mum…but also about Australia.”
“Okay, we can talk more about my mum later…it’s not a horrible idea, though I’m not sure how she’d feel about it. I’d want to make sure she joined for the right reasons, and not just to get one over on our dad. Tell me more about why you’re thinking of Australia. Are you wanting to go back?”
“No. My home’s here now. With you guys.”
“But we’d follow you wherever you wanted to go.”
I smile softly. I know they would, but for the time being at least, my place is here, which I tell him.
“I have an idea…I don’t know if it’s stupid but…”
“Hey.” Sawyer looks at me softly and takes my hand. “I’m here. You need someone to bounce ideas around with? I’m your guy. I’ll always be straight with you and tell you what I think. So shoot.”
“Okay, so, you know how Australia is the only place without an Order presence?” Sawyer nods. “I was thinking it would be good to branch out there. But obviously we would need to be careful because of my grandmother.”
“And you want to re-mobilise your dad? Or bring your brother in?” I shake my head.
“No. I don’t know what the deal is with my dad, I need to get to the bottom of that.
But I was actually thinking of Bex.” I take a deep breath before continuing.
“I know I said about not filling The Order with kids, but I think it would be a good idea to have official eyes on my grandmother. And Debbie. She’s already in place, and close to my grandmother… ”
I bite my lip as Sawyer considers my logic. I know he won’t speak until he’s ready, he’s rarely one to waste words, and he’ll want to weigh up the pros and cons of what I’m proposing.
“Would she want to join?” he asks eventually.
“Honestly? I don’t know. I only met her a handful of times but I like her. She’s spunky. Probably a handful.”
“More than you and Adrianne?” Sawyer raises an amused brow at me. I grin.
“She makes me look docile.”
He sniggers.
“But I can’t help but feel this is the right thing to do.”
“Well, filling The Order with pain in the ass women aside, you have a board for a reason. I know overall you get final say, but it can’t hurt to run your idea past the board members and get their thoughts.”
“Do we have any on my side?”
“I’m working on it. Almost done, I promise.”
“And how do I bring it to the board without telling them about Debbie…and my grandmother? I feel like I need to tread carefully where she’s concerned. I’d need to present a strong argument for wanting Bex, without giving away our real motives.”
“That’s understandable. Leave it with me and we’ll figure something out.”
“Thanks. I love being able to talk to you about this stuff.”
“Anytime.”
“There’s something else…”
“Okay?”
“I need to talk to your father. And I don’t think he’s going to like it.”
“If it’s Order stuff, he’ll be okay. He knows he’s simply holding the reins until you’re trained.”
“Will he hand them over though, when I’m ready?”
“He will. He’s not our grandfather, I promise.”
“Okay. I may not trust him, but I do trust you.”
“Now, is there anything else on your beautiful, shrewd mind, or are you ready for dessert?”
“You brought dessert?” I ask, lighting up.
“Made it myself.”
I raise my brow this time and Sawyer chuckles. “Okay, okay, I made it to the shop in time to buy it myself.”
I laugh and close the distance between us so that I can kiss him.
“I love you,” I tell him simply but meaning it with all my heart. He grins at me. “What?”
“Thought you’d never say it.” He shakes his head but his eyes are sparkling.
“What?”
“I’ve said it twice now and you’ve blanked me both times.”
“You have?”
“Just a moment ago, I said I love teaching but I love you more. You never said anything.”
“I figured you didn’t mean it like that. Kalen says he loves people with every other breath.”
“I’m not my brother. And the first time I said it was—”
“When we were in bed together. I thought I dreamed that.”
“I thought you were asleep.”
“Which is why I won’t hold you to it.”
“Amelie Luna Rossi,” he says. I smirk at him.
“Just because I whispered it to you when you were sleeping, does not make it any less true. So I’ll say it again. I love you. You’re my unbreakable diamond, you astonish and astound me every single day, and I’m beyond proud of the woman you’re becoming.”
“I’m yours, huh?” I tease.
“That’s all you took from that?”
“Blah, blah, blah, something about being a proud dad…”
“I’ll give you a proud dad!” Sawyer huffs, rolling on top of me and tickling me until I’m wheezing for breath and unable to see straight from the tears of laughter streaming down my face.
“Please! Please, stop!”
“Only if you say it again.” Sawyer grins at me through my tears.
“What? You’re like a proud d—ahhh! Stop!” I scream and wriggle under him until he lets up again. “I love you, okay?! I love you!”
“Again.”
“I love you, Sawyer.”
“That’s better.”
He grins down at me before kissing me, and I melt into his arms.
Best date ever.