“See you then!” Daisy steps back inside to lock up her studio, and I turn, looking straight at Sutton, who’s watching me intently.
“Did you do your stretches?” He raises an eyebrow at me, a small, mischievous grin dancing on his face. As I step up to get into the truck, he helps me, his hands lingering just long enough to spark something warm in my chest, something dangerously familiar that travels lower.
“Yes…” I say cautiously, wondering what he has planned.
“Good. Now you’re all mine.” He shuts the door quickly and runs around to the driver’s side. I look into the back seat, where my brother sits, heat filling my cheeks at what he might’ve heard, but then I balk. Because in the back seat is my brother, with large noise-canceling headphones on and a brand-new tablet in his hands.
“Um, what’s that?” I ask Sutton as soon as he’s sitting beside me.
When he sees my quirked eyebrow, he looks back at James before looking back at me, clearing his throat. “I got that for him today.”
I can’t be mad at his thoughtfulness. It’s no use trying to stop him anyway. “Thank you. I know he’ll love it, but you didn't have to.”
“It’s a twofold gift.”
“Twofold?” I ask.
Sutton reaches over and grabs my hand. I feel his warmth as he looks at me intently. “I don’t know why you're hiding or who you’re running from. But I need you safe. I have no idea what’s happening between us other than I really love being with you, and every time I think about danger coming to you, I could burn the world down.” His grip tightens just slightly, like he’s holding himself back.
“So, in the interest of keeping the world whole, I set up a secure account, one that will only be traced to Sawyer, not to me, not to you. I also installed some security software. So you can track me, and I can track you, in case you need me. In case you need help at any point. There’s an emergency call button. It calls me, Sawyer, Rochelle, Tanner, then the sheriff in that order. As long as this is all okay with you, of course.”
I can barely breathe. I’m frozen with emotion, in equal parts shock and gratitude. When we left my father’s place in the dead of night, I took nothing. Nothing that could trace us. I had enough cash to see us through for the first month or so, for travel and food and accommodation. The last of which I used to lease the cottage for the first month, Rochelle's job came along just in the nick of time.
Sure, I got a new cell phone. One that doesn’t have the internet, hopeful that it couldn’t be tracked. But Sutton has just given us a lifeline that I could never supply. Something in my chest tightens. It’s not fear, but trust. And it hits me just how much of that I’ve lost over the years.
“I… I can’t believe you did all this.” My eyes fill with tears, and Sutton’s hand lifts, cupping my cheek before he grabs my chin and tilts my face up so I’m looking at him.
“I also thought the noise-canceling headphones might come in handy…” Sutton gives me a not-so-subtle look, lightening the mood, and I chuckle, even as a tear trails down my cheek.
“Hmmmm, might be something my brother needs on nights like tonight,” I say playfully.
“Oh…?” Sutton acts all coy. “What’s happening tonight?” He mocks confusion.
“Well, I think I’ll need help getting out of this activewear…” I reach over, resting my hand on his thigh, loving how his jaw clenches.
Swallowing roughly, he nods. “I could probably help with that.”
“Maybe my underwear too…” I whisper as I move my hand up his thigh, my brother completely oblivious in the back seat.
“Hmmm, Tinker Bell…” he growls in a warning, my hand sliding right up to his groin with a teasing brush before pulling away.
“Yes, Sutton?” I look at him innocently.
“Are you saying you want me naked in your bed tonight? Because if not, your hand on my dick is not the right message to be sending a man.” He grins, lifting both eyebrows, and I can’t tame my smile.
Nodding slowly, I whisper, “Mm-hmm. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Let’s go!” Sutton starts the truck like we’re running from a fire, breaking the tension, and a loud laugh bursts from my lips.
When I look back at James, he gives me a big smile and a thumbs-up, like it’s the best day of his life. My eyes drop to the movie on his screen, seeing Sutton’s latest project, and without knowing for certain, I assume Sutton’s downloaded his entire back catalog to keep my brother busy until well into tomorrow.
31
Sutton
We got back to the cottage and James basically ignored us both and went straight to his room, lying on his bed with his head and eyes focused on the movie he just started. When I gave him his own earphones and tablet, it was a purely selfish move on my part. But the way his eyes lit up, it was like he never received such a gift before. It made me equal parts elated and sad. I have no idea what they’ve both been through, but I know it isn’t good.
I wasn’t lying to her earlier. I want her to be safe. Both of them. With no security team here, I had to improvise, knowing that she wants to remain hidden in her little cottage in the forest. I also don’t want to be without her for one more night, and with the cottage so small, James is bound to hear things he shouldn’t.
