Chapter 14
Sawyer
After three days of Zenia living at my place, I should have been the happiest man alive.
Under any other circumstances, I would have been.
I sat at my kitchen counter watching her make breakfast in one of my old Cashville security T-shirts and possibly nothing under it.
I had never even used my waffle maker, but now I was being served a huge waffle with warm peaches and whipped cream on top.
“I don’t see how you drink black coffee,” Zenia said as she placed the plate in front of me.
“I’m usually on the move in the morning. I have my black coffee, and it makes me forget about breakfast.”
“So, you don’t eat breakfast, but you’re always on me about eating?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well now you do.”
“You don’t have to make me breakfast, Z.”
“I like taking care of you, Sawyer. Lord knows, somebody has to do it.”
“Thank you, mama. I’m not gonna argue with that.”
“Did you talk to Reed?”
“Not yet. I had to reach out to a few other people first. I knew you were right about his loyalty to his family. He might not have the same ideas as we do about those arrangements.”
“Thank you for listening.”
“If we’re going to be together, I’ll have to talk to him eventually.”
“I get all that bro code stuff. I just want you to move smart. If not for me, for you,” she advised.
“Noted,” I said as I watched as Zenia’s fine ass climbed onto the barstool next to me. Once she was situated, I dug into the warm crispy waffle. “Don’t come over here spoiling me and getting me used to having a beautiful woman making me breakfast and shit.”
“No you are not talking about me spoiling you with everything you’ve done for me. I want you to get used to it. You deserve whatever I do and more.”
“And you don’t think you deserve the same in return?”
“I haven’t done anything to deserve to be spoiled, but I plan to start.”
“I won’t argue with that.”
“Good, because I’m going to be so good to you as long as I live.”
“Don’t talk like that, mama.”
“We have to be realistic, Saw. Anyway, you will be proud to know that I finished one of those books. The one about mental strength.”
“That’s good, baby. What about your meds? Are you taking them, or you still trying to cope without them?”
“I want to wean off of them. I looked up a way to do it online.”
“You have to be careful with that online shit. I’ll make you an appointment. You can see someone online.”
“Let me try to do this alone first.”
“You’re never alone, mama. You don’t see my big ass sitting here?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do, but we’re talking to a doctor. The internet will have you fucked up. How did you feel about the book?”
“It was different. Definitely not enough drama for me. I want to read about the hood, honey. I have to confess that it was nice to have a change of pace, though. It really made me think.”
“Thinking is good.”
“You’re right. I usually don’t read to think. I read so I don’t have to think.”
I nodded. “I get that too.”
“One section in the book talked about shame. I didn’t even realize how much secret shame I’ve been living with.
For years, I’ve suffered in silence while blaming myself and everyone around me for my pain.
Instead of getting a freaking backbone, I let my pain fester.
I should have run like hell a long time ago and faced the consequences.
It had to be better than wasting all these years living in misery. ”
“Don’t count yourself out, Zenia. You still have a lot of life left to live.”
“We can only hope.”
I leaned in, kissing her cheek as I stood to take my plate to the sink. “We’re not relying on hope. I’m headed out right now to make sure of that.”
Her eyes bugged. “You’re leaving?”
“I’ll be home as soon as I can. You’re safe here, OK?”
“That’s what you said about the hotel.”
“I know what I said, mama, but I got you. I’m not letting anyone get to you again. As long as you stay here until I can figure things out, you’re safe.”
It stung a little bit to know that Zenia no longer trusted me to keep her safe.
If I would have had an inkling of what I was up against, it was possible that I could have done a better job.
I wasn’t about to beat myself up about what went wrong.
My job was to make sure things were good moving forward.
I walked around my kitchen counter and kissed Zenia’s cheek on my way out. I couldn’t look back, or I would have spent the whole day chasing that fat ass and trying to cuddle with her pretty self like a little bitch. It wasn’t the time for that.
Keeping my head on straight, I hopped in my car and drove to Nicholas’s house, taking the scenic route. You never knew when someone was following you. I would never be the one to walk somebody right to my boy’s door.
Since I took the long way, it took about twenty extra minutes for me to get to my destination.
As I drove up the driveway, I called Nicholas to let him know I was there.
No matter what the situation was, there was no one in the world I trusted more than Nick.
His ties and my connections would help separate the bullshit from the facts.
Before I stepped out of my car, he was at the door.
“You look like shit,” he said, dapping me up once I was close enough.
Once we were done with the formalities, I followed him inside the house and down to his office. He let me in ahead of him, and I walked over and plopped down in one of the huge leather chairs in front of his desk. Leaning forward, I rested my forehead on my fist.
“I was up most of the night. I haven’t been sleeping too well.”
“Up all night in that forbidden pussy?”
My brows shot together as I sat up straight. “Man, don’t even fuckin’ play like that.”
He chuckled. “I had to check your temperature. Your response was enough of an answer for me. You talked to Reed yet?”
“She asked me not to. I figured I needed to holler at you first anyway.”
“What you need?”
“First, I need to know how serious this shit is.”
“For you?”
“For her,” I clarified.
He shook his head. “So you fucked around and fell for her.”
“I care about her,” I confessed.
“You don’t have to tell me. I know a man in love when I see one.”
“I didn’t say all that.”
“You didn’t have to. There’s nothing wrong with my eyes.”
“Either way, I’m not letting anyone get to her. I just need to know what I’m up against.”
Nicholas sighed as he moved around and sat in the chair on the other side of his desk.
“It’s The Force, Saw. What more do I need to say? There are some powerful and dangerous people looking for her.”
“I expected as much.”
“Not only do they have power, but they have limitless resources.”
“So do I.”
The signs of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leaned back in his seat.
“I was actually hoping you would say that. You know you need to go see your dad, Saw.”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
He slid a few documents across his desk.
“I figured you would show up, so I did a little digging.”
“And what did you find?” I asked, picking up the papers before he could expound.
“My resources say she ran right after she was auctioned to the St. Thomas family. They are running a nine-figure sex trafficking ring. They marry and buy women who are virgins from their families and sell their virginity to the highest bidder.”
“Even their wives?”
“They don’t discriminate when it comes to that almighty dollar. Some of these women have even disappeared after the deals went down.”
“Disappeared into thin air, or were they killed?”
“At least two of them turned up in the morgue somewhere under suspicious circumstances, but who can really say once the deals go down?”
“She said her dad made sure they stayed virgins for when it was time to get married. When Reed decided he didn’t want her, she was considered damaged goods and went into the auction pool.”
“Damn,” Nicholas mumbled.
“You think Reed knew what they would do to her? If he knowingly left her to the wolves, I’m gonna fucking kill him. She has younger sisters who are waiting for their fate. One of them ran away before she did.”
“Yeah, Zara was still in the marriage pool. They found her a week or two ago.”
My heart dropped, hearing him say that. I knew Zenia had no idea that her sister had been found. I didn’t even know the circumstances behind the situation, but the whole thing was disturbing.
“We need to get in touch with Reed to figure out the next move, and you need to call your fucking dad.”
I nodded. “I’ll call Reed, but you already know what my dad is gon’ be on. That’s my last resort.”
“This is the last resort, Saw. Too many people have already looked the other way for too long. We have to do whatever it takes to make sure these girls are safe.”
“I’m not joining back up. That’s out of the question.”
“Not even to save the woman you love?”
“There you go again with that love shit. I said I would call Reed.”
“Call him now,” Nicholas suggested.
I sighed and shifted my weight so that I could pull out my phone.
I knew Nicholas wasn’t going to drop it until I did.
I hit Reed’s name on the contact list and put the phone to my ear.
It wasn’t like I was scared to talk to him.
I didn’t need him letting anybody know where Zenia was on some family loyalty shit.
I knew his family had done a number on him as well.
Last I knew, he had severed ties with them.
Hopefully, he still felt the same about them.
“What’s up, ugly-ass nigga?” he answered after a couple of rings.
“You still indisposed?”
“Pretty much. Please don’t tell me we need to get on a flight, because my babies are having the time of their lives over here.”
“I just needed to run something by you. It’s pretty heavy, though.”
Nicholas poured two glasses of scotch before pushing one over in front of me.
“Hold on,” he said before I heard shuffling in the background. After a few seconds, he came back on the line. “What’s going on, bro?”
I took my drink to the head before responding. “I’m in love with Zenia,” I confessed, surprising myself.