Chapter Eleven

 

"I love how you're walking with no crutches," Sawyer said as we strolled slowly toward the end of the darkened beach. 

"Don't be too in love. I can only do it if you're holding me up. I'll be back on them once we hit the grass again."

He stopped, spun, and walked me backward toward the dark side of the beach again while he fiddled with his phone. 

"What are you doing?" I asked, perplexed by his behavior. 

We came to a complete stop and he hit a button on the phone. It disappeared into his shirt pocket then he tugged me closer to him. "I'm taking you dancing," he said as the opening notes to The Rose floated across the wind. "More time without the crutches and in my arms," he whispered as we spun to the slow song. "And for the record, it’s probably too late to be too in love."

I didn't know what to say, even though I knew exactly what he meant. I couldn't disagree, but I was also too afraid to say it. We've spent the past week together every night, even if it's only for an hour, strolling on the beach. He's been busy in the kitchen and I've been busy in the center, but we were finding time because we craved each other's company. Tomorrow we would officially start our tenure together as co-workers and I was ridiculously excited to pick out counters and appliances. 

The song finished and another began, but he stopped and held me by the shoulders. "I shouldn't have said anything. Let's go back."

I shook my head and settled my cheek back on his chest. "I want to stay. I’ve never danced with a man before tonight and I'm enjoying it, a lot."

He rubbed my back as we swayed and kissed the top of my head. "The dancing or the man part?" 

"Mmmm, both."

“I’m glad,” he whispered, his chin resting on my head. “It’s been too long since I’ve danced with a beautiful woman in the moonlight on a beach. It’s been too long since I’ve done a lot of things. Maybe the reason you came into my life was to show me what I’m missing.”

“Did you have someone hurt you too?” I asked, realizing how little I knew about his past.

He hugged me tighter and stopped swaying. “No, because I rarely dated. I never found anyone who interested me enough to keep me coming back. Until now.”

“Until now?” I repeated, but it sounded like a question.

He sighed. “Forget about it. Let’s go back to the resort.”

He spun and tucked me under his arm in one motion, hurrying along in silence as I wondered if I should have responded differently to his statement. I didn’t know, but I was certain whatever he had hoped I would say, I didn’t. He snatched up the crutches from the ground in one movement as we made our way up the green AstroTurf to the front door where Tim, the doorman, held it open for us.

“Evening Chef Sawyer and Miss Rosie. Lovely night for a stroll,” he said as we passed by.

“It sure was,” I answered upbeat, something Sawyer wasn’t. The elevator doors opened and we stepped on. He hit the button for the top floor and when we were halfway between floors I reached over and hit the stop button.

He glanced up startled. “Did you stop the car?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know why you got angry on the beach. I didn’t mean anything by the question. I only wanted you to clarify,” I said, my arms out to my sides and frustration spilling out into my words.

His hands clasped in front of him. “Fine, you want me to clarify it. I’ll clarify it. Up until now I never found a woman who possessed my every thought all day, and all night. I’ve never found a woman who can make me cry because of her pain. No woman has ever made me want to forget about working out, or spending all morning in the kitchen, to spend it wrapped up in her. I’ve never found a woman who can make me hard with nothing but a kiss. Up until now I had no idea what love even was, but I’m starting to see love isn’t just for guys like Gideon and Niko. I have all these emotions mixed up in my belly and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to scare you, but I also can’t deny the truth.”

“What is the truth?” I asked, his face hidden by the shadows in the corner of the car.

“The truth is my crush is long over and I’m in love with you, Rose.”

My eyes never strayed from his as I accepted his honesty. My hand shot out and hit the button to start the car again. “We should probably continue this upstairs, since they have cameras in the elevator,” I said.

He nodded once, but averted his eyes from mine as if he was ashamed or angry. I crutched forward until I could rest my head on his chest. His arms came around me and we rode on, the tinny elevator music the only thing to break the silence. I didn’t know what to say. He loves me? Can you love someone after only a month?

The doors slid open and he held the door while he checked the hallway several times. He helped me out and propelled me directly to my apartment where I swiped open the door and we tumbled inside. With the door shut, locked, and the security alarm activated again, I let out a sigh of relief.

“I hate having to be on guard constantly,” I said, crutching to the kitchen and turning on the light under the cupboard. “It gets tiresome.”

He took my crutches as I sat on the edge of the bed. “I know, but it won’t be forever.”

I leaned down to untie my shoes. “I have sand in my shoes and it’s driving me crazy.”

He knelt and untied the offending laces, removing them from my feet carefully, so the sand didn’t dump on the carpet. The moment he took the brace off, my foot flipped outward in a painful arc. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. “Dammit, I hate this for you,” he said. He peeled my socks off and wet a paper towel. Lovingly, he cleaned the sand off the bottom of my foot and my toes.

“I’m going to the doctor next week,” I reminded him. “I’m hoping he has something to help me with the torsion. I was wondering, if…uh,” I paused and he glanced up from where he was rubbing the warm towel over my feet.

“If what?” he asked, his head cocked to the side.

I twisted my hands and stared at my feet instead of his face. “If you’d come with me?” He sat stunned in silence for too long, so I held up my hand. “Forget I asked. I know, it was dumb. I just thought maybe—”

He reared up and planted his lips on mine, hushing me with a kiss which spoke volumes about how we both felt about each other. His tongue aggressively filled every crevice of my mouth until we both had to come up for air or pass out trying. He held his finger to my lips as he sucked in air. “I’ve been praying you would ask me to come with you, so no, it wasn’t dumb and I won’t forget you asked. I already have my sous chef ready to cover in the kitchen for me in case you asked. I want to be there with you, to support you, and to be a second set of ears to hear what the doctor says.” He ran his hand down my face in a soft caress. “Thank you for asking.”

I put my arms around his neck and hugged him. “Thank you for saying yes. You don’t know what it means to me not to have to face all of this alone anymore.”

He rubbed my back and buried his nose in my neck. “Too many people love you here for you to do this alone, Rose.”

“Like you,” I said and he nodded reluctantly, his face still hidden in my neck. “I’m a hot mess, Sawyer, and loving me is always going to be a challenge. Physically I’ll only heal as far as the damage allows and then I’ll be left with the deficits in my leg for the rest of my life. The scars will be a constant reminder of what another man did to me. Do you want to love a woman whose been disabled by another man? You could have any woman you wanted on this island. Choosing me will be fraught with anxiety and medical issues.”

He shook his head in my neck and finally released me, grasping my hands. “No, choosing you is not fraught with issues. There’s no other woman on this island I give two hoots about. I’ve only had eyes for you since we first met. I knew you were skittish of men, and I worked to gain your trust and make you smile the past eight months. Did I succeed?”

I nodded, my hand on his cheek. “Sometimes your visits to the center were the only thing keeping me going. The stories you’d tell about growing up on the island made me feel as if I was part of the culture here. I was afraid of your visits, but yearned for them at the same time.”

“What were you afraid of?” he asked, his hand over mine still on his face.

“This,” I whispered. “Falling for you, but knowing what I offer you is subpar to what other women can offer. Falling for you and knowing my leg will always be there, as an expense and a nuisance.”

“Do you think Mr. I.T. cared about Ellie’s leg being an expense or a nuisance when he fell for her?” he asked.

I shrugged. “He didn’t know about it until he had already fallen for her. It’s hard to compare.”

He smiled and rose to kiss me, but kept his lips on mine. “Your argument is invalid then because I fell for you knowing full well what was wrong with your leg. You don’t seem to understand your leg isn’t a factor in what I see in you. My breath left my chest the first time I saw you, and considering you were damn near dead, I think that’s a huge point on your side of the scoreboard.”

I swallowed hard. He was right. The first time he brought food to my room in the hotel, I couldn’t get out of bed, and I still wore the marks of another man on my body. Kate had flown to Snowberry the same day I called her, and after five days in the hospital they released me. I couldn’t go home since Jarrett was still out there. She packed me up, loaded me onto a flight to Seattle, and after a few days to recover there, she brought me here. “I was a mess,” I agreed. “A hotter mess than I am now, but you were kind to me, always cooking me whatever I craved, and making sure you got it to my room quickly.”

He smiled and twisted to sit on the bed. “Sometimes, when people are sick, sad, or both, you can miss the window of them wanting to eat if you take too long. It became my passion to feed you until you were strong enough to take your life back. I didn’t know why you were the way you were, but you had already grabbed the strings to my heart. The guys in the kitchen would snicker when they’d get your order and I would literally drop anything I was doing to make it. I wouldn’t let anyone else touch your food if I was in the kitchen. As I cooked, your beautiful yet pained eyes filled my mind and,” he shrugged, “I don’t know, I had to be there for you. I wasn’t given a choice. I was drawn to you.”

I slipped my hand into his and grasped it tightly. “I wouldn’t have made it without you. You were the one to coax me to eat when no one else could. Those early days are what make it hard for me to believe you’re in love with me now. I was beaten, scared, and undeniably broken,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

He shook his head and put his arm around my shoulder. “You weren’t broken, you were slightly bent. Once you gained your strength back you showed us all the nature of your character. You’re a brilliant businesswoman, kind, caring, understanding, and loving to the kids in the center regardless of their abilities or disabilities. I’ve watched you care for Bim, spending hours helping him with his therapy, so he can have a better life. When I saw you building towers with him, and encouraging him to do just one more block,” he said, his hand tightening in mine, “I didn’t see your leg. I saw your heart. We can work around the leg as long as your heart is in the game.”

I stared at my lap, his hand and mine twined together there. “My heart is definitely in the game, but I’m scared.”

“Of?”

“Honestly?” I asked and he nodded. “Everything.”

He released my hand and grasped my shoulders, lowering me to his chest where he held me in his arms. “It’s understandable, Rose, and I’m not going to push you to do anything you don’t want to do. If we take it one step at a time eventually we still get to the finish line.”

I tilted my head up to meet his gaze. A tear dripped down my cheek and he brushed it away, his expression curious. “What’s the matter? Does your leg hurt?” he asked concerned.

I pursed my trembling lips to force them to work. “Those three words you said in the elevator are tumbling around in my head and I can’t say them. I want to, but they won’t come out. It makes me feel like a terrible woman.”

He leaned down and kissed me gently, his lips unhurried and his tongue remaining hidden in its own den. When he ended the kiss, he held my eyes. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I understood when I said them how hard it would be for you to say them back, if you ever could. I guess I’m the kind of guy who wears my heart on my shirtsleeve. I can’t always hide my emotions or avoid saying how I feel, even when I want to. This is the first time in my thirty years of life I’ve ever understood what love feels like. Some might say its infatuation, but the fact is, infatuation implies it’s a short-lived crush, and I’ve already been in love with you for months. This isn’t infatuation and it isn’t going away anytime soon. As long as you keep sharing your life with me, I don’t need to hear the words, at least not until you can say them without reserve. Okay?”

I nodded, my cheek brushing against his chest. My hand snaked under his soft, wavy black hair to his cheek. “I never dreamed I would ever meet anyone like you. Of course, it would be after I was destroyed by another man, just to complicate matters.”

He smiled and swiveled his head to kiss my hand. “Sometimes we have to walk through the dark to get to the light. I won’t say everything happens for a reason. What you went through wasn’t something God would want to happen to teach you about life. Jarrett was pure evil and there’s nothing you can say to convince me otherwise. I thank God every day you’re a fighter and your path led you here, to me, and to a new life. I will take care of you, if you’ll let me.”

My eyes fluttered closed. “I yearn for it,” I admitted. “Your touch and your protective grip on my heart are all I need.”

He fell backward onto the bed, pulling me with him. He held my face, his lips making love to mine in a haze of passion and need. My tongue darted out, colliding with his and tangling into each other as though we could be intertwined forever. His strong hands grasped my waist and hauled me up toward the pillows until I lay supported again. He lowered himself half over me, his hands in my hair as he moaned and dug deeper. The kiss was now a frenzied tangling of tongues and a cacophony of need ripping from our throats.

His lips broke the kiss and he trailed them down my neck until I tipped my head up, and offered the tender hollow for him to kiss and suck. He took advantage, being careful not to leave marks, but to show me his love rather than simply tell me. My body, overcome with emotion thrust against him, and I could feel his need straining against me. He slipped his hand under the strap of my dress and lowered the thin material until I could pull my arm out. His hand hovered at my side as his lips trailed lower, kissing the tender skin between my breasts. When I didn’t object, he lowered the dress and caught my soft breast as it fell from its trappings. We moaned at the same time, him with the pleasure of holding me, and me with the pleasure of being held. My brain was hazy with need for this man and I wanted nothing more than to have him buried inside me, and loving me forever. His lips traveled to the globe of creaminess in his hand and his tongue flicked out, tickling my nipple for barely a second. I arched my back, begging him to do it again. He did, and then captured it between his lips, suckling gently while rubbing himself against my leg for relief.

I cried out and struggled to get out from under him, my leg spasming from the direct contact. I gasped for breath as the limb twitched and spasmed, his face finally registering the situation through his lust.

“Dammit,” he said, his hands in his hair. He jumped off the bed and ran to the freezer, yanking an icepack from the door. He crawled across the bed as I took shallow breaths, squeezing my eyes shut in hopes not watching it would make it end quicker. He laid the icepack the entire length of my thigh and I jumped in protest, but he held it there, his voice soothing. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I lost control. I should have been paying attention. We’ll get through this,” he promised. His breathing was still ragged and his eyes were wild as he did everything he could to end my pain. “I read sometimes ice will trick the nerves by numbing them so they can’t fire,” he explained. The limb had stopped twitching, but was still rigid and twisted to the side. “Close your eyes and take some deep breaths, Rose,” he ordered. “Think about being in the one place you love the most. Is it the warmth of the sand on Kupid’s Cove?” he asked, bringing his hand under my knee to bend the leg. It complied and he braced my foot on the bed. “Can you hear the waves lapping against the shore and the hoots of the owls as they call to each other from the cliffs?”

“The palms are brushing against each other and the soft swishing relaxes me as I wade into the water,” I said, my eyes still closed as I pictured myself in the surf. “You’re beside me, your arm around my waist as we go farther and farther out.”

“How does the ocean feel as it laps against your body?” he asked, his fingers at my hip massaging, while his other hand held the icepack.

“It tickles and soothes at the same time. The salt water steals the pain from my foot and leaves it light and easy to move. For the first time in a long time I can concentrate on something other than walking. I notice the moonbeam on the water and then as it falls across your face. I reach up and run my hands through your hair as you lower your lips to mine,” I whispered. His fingers were still massaging my hip and the spasm had ended, leaving the leg weak, but no longer rigid or painful. I opened my eyes and his were trained on me. There was pain, guilt, and desire filling them.

“I’m angry at myself,” he said, his fingers still moving on my hip. “I got lost in your body and I hurt you.”

“Come here,” I said, motioning him toward my chest. “The spasm is gone now.”

He glanced down at it, and must have been satisfied with the state of the leg. He settled the icepack the long way, so it wouldn’t fall off, and scooted up near my head. He brushed a piece of hair off my forehead and smiled, though it didn’t go all the way to his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again.

“Stop apologizing, Sawyer,” I ordered. “I was a willing participant and didn’t think about it either, which I guess you could look at as a good thing. I was lost in the moment and forgot about my leg for the first time in almost a year. In my book, that makes you a miracle worker.”

He hung his head after he nodded acknowledgement. “I’m glad I was able to take you out of your worries for a moment, but I’m angry I wasn’t more careful. I ruined what could have been a beautiful thing.”

I touched his arm. "When it's meant to happen, it will. Right now, it's less about the act and more about the intimacy for me. I need you to understand I'm skittish and I might have stopped you before we went much further anyway."

He glanced up. "Did I read you wrong? I thought you were enjoying it as much as I was."

"I was, Sawyer, but it's been a long time since I was with someone and it didn't work out too well for me."

He shook his head. "I'm not Jarrett. You don't have to be afraid of me."

I closed my eyes and swallowed, wondering how to explain it. "I know you aren't Jarrett and you won't hurt me, but I've come this far by fighting the fear of everyday situations. When I first got here I jumped if a door slammed shut or cried if someone raised their voice. Fear isn't always logical. I haven't been with a man since the incident. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say."

He held my hand silently for what seemed like forever. "You're saying at any point when we're making love the stress of the trauma might be too much to handle, and you'll be too scared to finish."

I nodded and shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but it could happen and that's assuming we get past the leg cramps. It might seem like I don't want to be with you, but…"

"But outside forces will try to keep us apart."

"Yeah," I agreed, twisting my hands. "And there's the birth control issue."

He sighed. "I don't have any with me. I guess you're right about it happening when it should. I hoped you were covered."

"They said it would be dangerous to get pregnant for six months. They wanted my uterus to heal completely. After the six months was up I had an IUD placed but I'm still nervous it might not work." 

"I'm confused. Can you still get pregnant?" 

"Yes, the doctors said I'm completely healed now."

"And you use birth control but it's not reliable?"

I sat mute for a moment to put my thoughts into a way he could understand. "It's as reliable as the pill, but I'm afraid of getting pregnant again if I have casual sex." There I said it. It sounded terrible, but he asked.

He put his finger to my lips. "First of all, if we become intimate there will be nothing casual about it, at least not for me. As for pregnancy, we'll do whatever makes you comfortable. If we have to use four different kinds, I'll do it."

I laughed and shook my head. "I sound ridiculous, don't I? Thanks for making me laugh."

He kissed my cheek and smiled. "If it's how you feel then it's not ridiculous. However, I would rather wait to make love to you until you're able to forget your doubts about anything other than how much I love you, and how I'll always protect you."

“I won’t lie; I want to be with you. Who knows, maybe if my leg hadn’t started up we would have finished what we started. I guess we won’t know until we’re in the moment, but I know I…” I tried to stifle a yawn, but couldn’t finish my sentence.

He smiled and caressed my face. “I think it’s time for bed. I’ll get your crutches and you can clean up and take your meds, or do I need to carry you?” he asked, lifting the icepack off gently.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I said, laughing. “It feels okay right now, so I’ll try to walk.”

He helped me to the edge of the bed and then handed me the crutches, keeping a hand at my elbow when I stood, until I had tested the leg and it held.

“I’ll wait until you’re out and in bed before I leave, okay?”

I grasped his shirt in my fist and held tight. He lowered his forehead to mine and rested it there. “Will you stay with me tonight? When you hold me in your arms I forget about everything but how you make me feel. I can relax and sleep without worrying about being alone or scared.”

He kissed my lips and nodded against my forehead. “I thought you’d never ask.”

 

 

A scraping sound brought me out of dreamland and I lay still, listening for the sound to happen again. It came again and I nudged Sawyer. “Hey, someone is outside my door scraping.”

He sat up instantly and held his hand out for me to stay. He listened and when he heard it, he climbed off the bed and held his finger to his lips, as he tiptoed to the door. He deactivated the alarm from inside and in one deep breath, threw the door open and grabbed whoever was standing outside. A tussle ensued, but Sawyer had the guy up against the outside of my wall in three seconds.

“Who are you and what do you want?” he asked the clearly freaked-out kid.

I stood in the hallway with my crutches, the door propped open as the elevator door opened. Security ran out of the elevator and stopped short at the scene in front of them. “We saw him trying to break through the card reader,” Mike said. “What’s his story?”

Sawyer never took his eyes off the kid. “Don’t know, how about you cuff him and we’ll take this inside.”

Mike cuffed the kid, and Sawyer hauled him past me and threw him into a chair. Mike grabbed his walkie talkie and instructed the other security guard to call Gideon. I objected, loudly. “Don’t bother Kate and Gideon,” I begged, but Leven shook his head.

“Too late, he already knows, dispatch called him while we were in the elevator.”

My shoulders sagged and I thanked him for coming immediately. He assured me Gideon would be right up and Mike was staying until we decided if the cops should be called. Mike and I walked into the apartment, leaving the door propped open for Gideon. Sawyer was standing over the kid who was dressed in a strange bellhop uniform unlike any worn here.

Sawyer spoke first. “What’s your name and why were you trying to swipe into this room?”

The kid stayed mute and Sawyer flashed a frustrated glance at Mike, who stepped forward. Mike was almost six four and over three hundred pounds. No one messed with Mike.

“The man asked you a question. I suggest you answer or I’ll call the cops now and have you arrested for stalking, breaking and entering, and attempted kidnapping.”

The kid sputtered. “But I wasn’t doing any of that!”

Mike shrugged. “Cops won’t know that and they’ll take my word for it.”

The kid’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. Whatever man. All I was trying to do was put a note under her door. I wasn’t trying to slide into her room. I didn’t even know there was a card slide until I got here.”

“What kind of note?” Sawyer asked. “And why were you putting a note under her door?”

“I didn’t read it. Someone paid me to deliver the note; I assumed it was a simple message.”

Mike laughed with amusement. “Sure, because it’s almost two a.m. Everyone delivers simple messages at two a.m.”

The kid rustled about with his arms still cuffed behind him. “All the guy said was to deliver it while she was sleeping. So, when my shift ended, I ran over here to drop it off.”

Gideon jogged in the door as I sank to the bed. “What’s going on?”

Mike motioned at the kid. “Some guy paid him to deliver a note to Rosie.”

Gideon stepped up and braced his hand on the kid’s shoulder. “You must work for Akoni Resorts?” The kid nodded and Gideon eyed him. “The guy who paid you. Is he staying there?”

Akoni Resort was across the island, but still on Maui. I held my breath and when the kid nodded I felt the room spinning. I moaned and Sawyer was at my side immediately, putting my head between my legs.

“Breathe, Rose,” he ordered, his hand strong on my head. “No one is going to hurt you. We won’t let them.”

“I’m okay,” I said from between my legs, and he lifted his hand so I could sit up.

Gideon dug out his phone and held up a picture of the flyer they had made. “Was this the guy?”

The kid shook his head. “No, not even close. The guy who gave me the note was in his fifties and twice the size of him,” he said, motioning at the phone with his chin.

Gideon put the phone away and stood, hand on hip. “Is he still at the resort?”

The kid sighed. “No, he checked out this afternoon. That’s all I know, man. Seriously.”

Gideon held out his hand. “Where’s the note?”

“Left front pocket,” he answered sullenly.

Gideon dug in the pocket for the note. When he had it in his hand he motioned for Mike to take the cuffs off. The kid rubbed his wrists while Gideon leaned in close to his face. “I’m going to call and confirm your employment at Akoni. What’s your name?”

“Kana Peni,” he answered. “I don’t want to get in trouble with them for agreeing to do it. I thought it was okay. He said he didn’t have time to deliver it before his flight left, but she would want the information. I thought I was being helpful.”

Gideon already had the phone in his hand and rolled his eyes at me. “Sure, you were being helpful. How much did he pay you?”

Kana sighed again. “A hundred bucks. I thought it would be the easiest hundred bucks ever. I didn’t know delivering a note would be so dangerous.”

Gideon took a moment to confirm with the Akoni Hotel the kid was on the up-and-up. Since he was only trying to make a quick buck, and didn’t know what he was getting into, I refused to press charges. He pulled the kid up by his uniform. "Get out of here. Don't let me see you back in my hotel."

"Yes, sir," he yelled as he ran for the door. 

Gideon shook his head in disgust. "Tell me what happened. Were you on your way back from the kitchen when you saw him, Sawyer?"

Sawyer swallowed and suddenly I was glad he put his pants back on before Gideon walked in. "Uh, no, actually, um..."

"I asked him to stay last night," I answered softly. "The contact from Jarrett freaked me out and now I'm afraid to be alone."

Gideon glanced between us and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Please, you two. I wasn't born yesterday. I've seen the look on Sawyer’s face before. I used to wear the same expression when I was worried about the woman I loved." He swiveled to me. "And I've seen the look on your face before, on Kate when she was scared and alone. I'm not your moral judge or your daddy. I don't care if he stays here with you for whatever reasons two consenting adults have."

I shook my head, already sputtering. "It's not what you think."

Sawyer slid over on the bed next to me and laid his lips on my temple. "Relax. I know you're upset and worried, but we aren't going to let anything happen to you."

Gideon tucked the note in his pocket and picked up his phone.

"What does the note say?" I asked. "You have to tell me what it says."

Sawyer's head barely twitched. "Not a good idea, Rose. Why torture yourself?"

"Tell me what it said," I demanded, standing so abruptly my leg gave out.

Sawyer caught me, lowering me to the bed. He held his hands out in the calm position. "Okay, but don't get up again. I don't want you to fall and get hurt."

I threw my hands up. "I can't hurt it any worse!"

Gideon laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, reminding me I wasn't alone. "Take a deep breath, Rosie. I know you’re scared, out of sorts from being awoken by danger, and angry, but I won’t read you this note if you don’t settle down.”

I did as he instructed, taking a deep breath in and out, then nodded. “Okay, I’m ready.”

He kept his hand on my shoulder. “It was another poem. It said, "Ring around the Rosie, we're gonna get cozy. Drinks and dinner. Then you're dead."

I sat in stunned silence for a beat. "He's a terrible poet," I quipped.

Gideon laughed once, but Sawyer wasn't amused.

"He's off his rocker. He used to be normal,” I whispered.

“Something happened between then and now. He’s gunning for you, but we aren’t going to let it happen. Don’t forget, you’ve got all of us and this resort. All he’s got is his crazy self.” Gideon took a step toward the door. "I'm going to get this to Niko in the morning and have him try to trace it, but I doubt we’ll get far." He pointed at Sawyer. "Stay tight with her and if you have to leave, call security to escort her to work. Got it?"

We both nodded in unison and he left, snapping the door closed behind him. Sawyer rearmed the alarm and stopped by the fridge. "Could you use a drink?" he asked, until he saw my face. 

My bravado had crumbled and I struggled to hold back the tears. "I could use a hug," I cried while he gathered me in his arms. 

He lifted me and straightened me out on the bed before he lay down and rested me on his chest. "I've got you, and I'm never letting you go, beautiful."