Chapter Forty-Seven
Sawyer
I was at Knoah’s place, hanging out with George. The last items on the punch list were supposed to be completed, and I would sign off on it today. In two days, we would be moving in, which put us only three days past the target date. That had been our fault due to a couple of last-minute changes we’d made to the studio and movie room.
Two days and we would be in our home. Everything was ready to go. All the boxes were labeled, diagrams of where the furniture was to go had been drawn. If all went according to plan, the next forty-eight hours would be smooth sailing.
Knoah was sleepy. Her morning sickness had been terrible. Thank goodness I really didn’t experience it. Other than that, it was fun being pregnant together.
The construction manager messaged me.
David: At the house. Can you come see the last of the repairs?
Me: Sure. I’ll be right there.
“Hey, I’m going to take the golf cart over to the house. David’s there and wants me to sign off on the repairs.”
“Okay. I may close my eyes for a bit.” Knoah yawned and dropped her head to the pillow. Her stomach was in that cute, adorably pregnant stage, not the “I’m a beached whale, come save me” state I was in.
“Sounds good. I’ll take George and be back soon. A nap sounds amazing.” Then I patted my stomach. “Dylan, enjoy it. In two weeks, I’m serving an eviction notice. Baking timer is going off. The bun will be done.”
Knoah chuckled and closed her eyes. I motioned for George, who hopped into the golf cart that was parked at the back of the house.
We had gotten golf carts for each house. It made it easier to get back and forth in the heat, especially since we were both pregnant. I imagined they would be helpful with a baby in tow, as well. The five-to-ten-minute walk was not my idea of a good time right now. No, thank you.
The wind whipped through my hair as I drove, enjoying the breeze and the view. As per the surveillance reports, my parents had arrived in Orlando earlier in the week. Yet no contact had been made with Cameron or me. If they attempted, I wasn’t sure what I would do. It still felt like there was a piece missing to the closure I needed before I could fully move on.
The house came into view. I loved it. It was perfect. To solve my fear of balconies, we’d created glass rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to the view of the sea. It was a pseudo-balcony, in a sense, and I could handle being out there. I knew I would freak if we had a balcony in the house with Dylan around.
On that thought, I realized I’d forgotten to call Kurt on my way over to let him know I was going to the house. I got off the golf cart and called him as I walked up the back stairs to the kitchen. George panted, following close behind me. Geez, I’m out of shape.
I stepped inside as Kurt picked up the phone. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey, I’m over at the house.”
“Oh, is David there?”
“Yeah, he just messaged me. I’m going to okay the punch list. How much longer are you going to be?”
“I’m leaving now. I booked us in a hotel for tonight. Thought it might be nice until we move in since our place is a mess.”
All the boxes were driving me crazy. “Room service. I’ll take it.”
The house was quiet. “David?”
“Is he not there?” Kurt asked.
“This place is huge. If I had a megaphone, maybe he could hear me.”
I walked to the front of the house and saw David’s truck there. “Yeah, he’s here somewhere. His truck is out front.”
“Do you have security with you?”
Oh no. I’d forgotten to let them know. Kurt and I had agreed that I didn’t need people in the room watching my every move. However, he wanted people nearby wherever I was. Oops. I had to get that drilled into my head. “It’s just David. I didn’t tell them I was coming. Knoah knows.”
“Sawyer.” By his tone, I knew we’d be talking later.
“I know. I know. It’s not smart.”
I heard the keys clicking on the other end of the line. Kurt was probably notifying them where I was. “They’ll escort you back.”
“Okay. You know I didn’t mean to.”
“I know, but I worry. This is for your safety. And your parents are in town.”
Kurt had been more edgy since they arrived.
I searched a few more rooms, but found nothing. “Let me text David and ask where he’s at. Hold on.”
We approached the stairs to the second level. George let out a low growl.
“Okay.”
Me: Where are you? I’m here.
David: In the glass room.
The response made me pause and left me with a weird feeling. I started toward the back door, trusting my gut. George stayed close beside me. “Something’s wrong, Kurt.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the kitchen headed back to the golf cart.”
I picked up the pace as my heart rate escalated. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
“David referred to the conservatory as ‘the glass room.’ He wouldn’t do that. And he’d meet me at the back door.”
I was outside and running to the golf cart. “Sawyer, where are you at?”
My heart hammered in my chest when I saw the golf cart. The tires were all flat, and there was a knife sticking out of one.
“Kurt. The tires have been slashed.”
“Don’t hang up. Start heading to Knoah’s house. Run, Sawyer. Run.”
I kicked off my flip-flops and began running, which was hard. Kurt was on the other line yelling for security to get to me. George stayed beside me as I ran. My heart raced faster. I heard the door open behind me, and I looked back to see a woman with dark hair come flying down the stairs. I ran faster, holding my stomach with my free hand.
My breaths came faster, and soon I was panting.
“Sawyer?”
“Yes! A woman is running after me!”
In the distance, I saw three men running my way. My security detail and one of Knoah’s. I glanced back, and the dark-haired woman was gaining on me. But the men were quick.
“Come back here, brat.”
That voice. I knew that voice. Adriane. I nearly stumbled but righted myself. George stopped and took off toward her. “George!”
“Keep running, Sawyer! Keep running!”
My rubbery legs kept moving me as I screamed, “George! Come!”
The men were closer. Kurt kept asking me questions, but I had to focus on running. Two of the men zoomed passed me. The third scooped me up and pivoted back in the direction he’d come.
Bang.
There was a yelp.
“Nooo!”
Bang.
Something ripped through my shoulder like a red-hot poker, and I screamed.
Dustin grunted and stumbled. The pain was incredible. After a few more steps, Dustin fell and tried to break my fall as he went down. I hit the sand and had the breath knocked out of me. The pain in my shoulder intensified. “Dustin?”
He wasn’t moving.
“Kurt?”
I heard Kurt’s voice yelling. My phone. Where’s my phone? I moved to my side and a pain shot across my stomach. “Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!”
A gush of water left me. The pain intensified and I felt like I was going to be sick. Oh hell, my water broke. It had to be my water. “No! Kurt! George!”
Men came running up to me. “Ms. Wade?”
“The baby. My water broke. George. He sounded hurt.”
I was hoisted up, and we began moving again. Things moved so fast, and it was hard to stay focused. Someone said, “Ms. Wade and Dustin have been shot. We’re taking her immediately to the hospital. Her water has broken, and I believe she’s in labor. George has been shot, as well.”
“No! You have to save George!”
Things were coming faster. I heard Knoah yell, and I tried to speak but the pain scorched through me like a fire. Something was wrong. Bad wrong. All I could do was cry out. But I was so exhausted. My eyes fluttered shut.
I woke to someone slapping my cheek. “Stay with us, Ms. Wade. Fight to stay awake.”
All I could do was nod before I cried out in pain again. The man’s hands were covered in blood. “My baby! Dylan!”
Blood. Where was the blood coming from?
“Please calm down, Ms. Wade. We’re nearly to the hospital.”
At that point, things began to happen in slow motion as I was taken out of the vehicle and put onto a gurney. Kurt’s face came into focus. “Sawyer, baby.”
“Kurt…Dylan. George.” My voice sounded slurred. It was getting harder and harder to hang on.
Then, as I heard people screaming my name, the world faded away.