Chapter 2 #3
They held each other’s gaze as seconds turned into minutes.
Sage’s heart raced as her stomach fluttered to Portia’s touch.
There she was standing in the foyer, locking eyes with the grown ass brat she was supposed to keep safe.
However, everything felt so different now.
She hadn’t felt this vulnerable under a woman’s touch in a while.
She didn’t know what it was. Underneath all that chaos, she could see right through Portia. She could see her heart.
“Hey.” Sage gently removed Portia’s hand from her face, taking them out of the moment. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Portia smiled.
“Goodnight, Portia,” Sage said, heading out the front door.
As she reached the end of the driveway, she was greeted by her family driver, who’d be taking her home for the night.
“Thanks, Winston.” Sage slid into the back seat of the truck and Winston shut the door behind her.
The entire ride home, Sage began processing everything that happened leading up to her, standing in Portia’s foyer.
Sage was committed to fulfilling this mission for her father, even if that meant ensuring the safety and sobriety of the Chief Elder of the Vampire Society’s daughter.
But in no way did she think she’d be wiping her tears.
When she first met Portia, she was completely turned off by her attitude and the attraction to her was far from her mind.
After seeing how vulnerable Portia was, she could see past her hard exterior.
The Portia she witnessed behind those fiery eyes in the car wasn’t the same Portia she witnessed the first day they met, nor the one outside fighting with her ex.
She could see the pain in Portia’s eyes and the walls she put up for protection.
Not only that, she could see her desire to be loved the right way.
Although Sage felt a deep yearning to be the one to give her the love she deserves, she knew she couldn’t for obvious reasons she needn’t ever to explore.
But that was Sage’s M.O.; loving hurt and battered women to health.
She was used to being the one who would save them and help pick up all the pieces, but this time, it couldn’t be her.
Sage couldn’t allow her desire to mend Portia’s broken heart, drag her down the same road she’d been down several times. She would always end up losing herself and it wasn’t worth sacrificing nor distracting her from the mission.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts as they pulled up in the driveway of the Washington family home. Winston opened the door to let her out, and she thanked him, making her way up to the doorstep. Before she could reach for her house keys, the front door opened.
“Bitch, where you been? I was up waiting for you.” Salem said, concerned. “Thought you would’ve been back hours ago.”
Sage sucked her teeth and laughed. “Excuse me, mom.” She brushed past Salem into the house.
“Portia’s crazy ex didn’t follow your ass home, did she?” Salem poked his head out the door, looking both ways for dramatic effect.
“I’m fine. You can relax.” Sage slid off her shoes in the foyer, ready to get comfortable. “After the day we had, pleaaaase pour something up.”
Salem briskly walked past Sage with excitement to the bar. “What would you like?” he said, motioning his hand in a Vanna White fashion to showcase the liquor on display. “We have all kinds of spirits.”
The bar in the living area of the Washington family home was massive. They stocked a wall full of all kinds of liquor, from Jamaican Rum to white Hennesy and moonshine. You name it; they got it. The Washingtons throw parties for any reason and if they don’t have one, best believe they’ll find one.
Sage sat down on the bar stool facing Salem, who was already pouring shots of vodka for himself. “I’ll take a cognac on the rocks, please, monsieur,” Sage said in a playful French accent.
“At your service, madam.” Salem bowed and turned to fill up a glass for Sage.
Sage deeply sighed as she released the top few buttons of her white mandarin collar shirt. Salem handed her the glass, and he raised his in the air to initiate a toast.
“What we toasting to?” Sage asked.
“To Captain Save a Hoe!” Salem laughed.
Sage smirked at Salem’s antics. “That’s not funny, man. That girl has really been through some shit,” Sage said.
“Just trying to lighten the mood, damn.” Salem sipped his Henny.
“It’s never a good look for anyone to go through that. Reminds me so much of Tasha,” Sage said.
“Yeah,” Salem dropped his head. “I miss her so much.”
Tasha was Salem and Sage’s cousin who lost her life to domestic violence.
After many years of trying to save her from her abusive boyfriend, nothing was ever enough to stop her from going back.
He broke Tasha down first mentally, then physically and emotionally.
It was Tasha who ultimately had to decide for herself to leave when she was ready, but the day she planned to leave, it cost her life.
“Same.” Sage sipped her cognac. “Shit is gonna be different for Portia, though. We’re gonna make sure of that.”
“Cheers to that,” Salem said, placing his half drunken glass in the air.
Sage pulled out her phone and saw she had a missed message on her phone. She read the text from Pops that read, Logistics Meeting tomorrow. 2pm. My office.