KATE

1.

I walked into St. Skin with my heart in my throat. Jason was next to me, holding my hand. We were greeted by everyone. Tate, Cass, Axel, River, Maddox, Prick, and Zayne. There were people walking around, looking at pictures on the wall and flipping through some of the pictures in the books on the table.

“There she is,” Prick said. “The one that got away from me.”

I looked over at Sawyer. “What is this?”

“Family,” he said to me.

“You told them everything?”

“Told them enough.”

“We’ve got your back, Kate,” Cass said. “Whatever happens.”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you. Everyone.”

“Okay, show’s over,” Tate said. “Everyone get back to work.”

Sawyer put his hand to my back and we walked toward Tate.

“How did it go?” Tate asked.

He was referring to the meeting with Sal.

“It went,” Sawyer said. “Let me take Jason to the back and get him settled with Prick.”

“You think that’s a smart idea?” I asked.

“He’s good with kids,” Tate said. “They have the same mental frequency.”

Sawyer laughed. “That’s true. Seriously though, I trust Prick with my life.” Sawyer looked down at Jason. “Hey, big guy, did you bring your stuff?”

“Yeah,” Jason said. “Can I play now?”

“Definitely,” Sawyer said. “I want you to meet my friend. His name is P.”

“P… like… pee-pee?” Jason asked, his cheeks turning red.

“Jason,” I said. “Don’t say that.”

Sawyer leaned toward me. “Better than the kid saying Prick, right?”

“That’s true,” I said.

“Come on,” Sawyer said. “Let’s get you set up. P is a really cool guy. He’s really good at drawing too. I’m going to let you have my office.”

“Wow,” Jason said. “Cool.”

“Hey, wait a second,” I said. I grabbed Sawyer’s arm. “We’re in a tattoo shop. There’s needles…”

Sawyer grinned. “Darling, I cleaned everything up. There is nothing Jason can get into to hurt himself. I even put a little TV in the room for him. He’ll be able to watch some cartoons.”

I nodded. “Right. Okay. Sorry for-”

“You’re a great mother, Kate.”

Sawyer winked and walked away with Jason. He held Jason’s hand and my heart swelled.

“He’s a good guy,” Tate said. “As much as I hate him.”

“Join the club,” I said, looking at Tate.

“I’m happy you’re here, Kate. I mean, the circumstances aren’t great. I want to talk to you about something.”

“Tate, I need to apologize to you. For everything that’s been happening. Me pushing you all away. Avoiding this place.”

“Don’t do that, Kate,” Tate said. “We’re beyond that now. You’re here now. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” I said. “Sal is good at what he does. I know Sawyer wants to call every single lawyer in the country until he gets the answer he wants. Which he won’t get. Nothing is going to be easy with this situation, but if Jed does the right thing for the right amount of time…”

I felt my voice break already.

I couldn’t stand the idea of him going anywhere near Jason. It felt wrong. I hated it. Jed was a loser. He was a user. It would only be a matter of time before he fucked up again but that didn’t exactly comfort me.

“Kate,” Tate said. “Let’s go into my office and talk about everything. It’s going to work itself out.”

“Everyone keeps saying that,” I said. “But it’s not that easy.”

“I never said it was easy,” Tate said. “We’ve all been through so much. I was there when your sister was pregnant. I was there when she lost herself for good again. I was at the funeral, Kate.”

“I know you were, Tate. You were always there. And I was the one who walked away from you all.”

“We can’t do that now. Please, Kate, let me…”

“Okay, he’s good,” Sawyer said, returning. “I gave him a juice box and some animal crackers.”

“I’m not leaving Jason,” I said. “He’ll be okay.”

“I wasn’t talking about Jason. I was talking about Prick.” Sawyer winked.

Tate laughed. “What a fucking business we have here.”

“Let’s go talk in Tate’s office,” Sawyer said. “Try to figure this all out.”

I followed them into the office and watched as Tate started to pace a little. Something had him nervous.

Sawyer sat on the corner of the desk. “We need Sal to tell us where Jed is. Just to get an idea of what’s happening next.”

“Does it even matter?” Tate asked.

“To me it does,” I said. “I can’t miss work and keep Jason out of school and hide here for the rest of our lives. Today is one thing. But tomorrow? What happens then?”

“We’re going to make this work,” Sawyer said. “I can have someone sit at the school while Jason is there.”

“Who?” Tate asked. “You’re going to pay someone to guard the kid?”

“Why not?” Sawyer asked.

“That’s crazy,” I said. “If Jed tries anything, he’ll violate parole.”

“Do you want to take that chance?” Sawyer asked.

It was funny how suddenly the roles changed between us. I was trying to face reality while Sawyer was demanding the answers I once wanted. It showed me how much he cared about Jason.

I touched Sawyer’s arm. “Thank you for caring the way you do right now. I don’t know what else to say or do right now. I’m trying to keep my emotions in check.”

“She’s right,” Tate said. “About hiding here.”

“Nobody is hiding,” Sawyer said. “We’re together as a family. Trying to figure this thing out. We can prove to a court. A judge. Whatever. That Jason is taken care of right here.”

“Sal said it’s not that easy,” I said.

“Fuck Sal,” Sawyer snapped. He pushed from the desk and slapped his hand to the wall. “Fuck everything.”

“Jesus, brother,” Tate said. “Take it easy.”

I cringed at that comment, knowing what was going to happen next.

Sawyer turned and went right at Tate.

They were nose to nose, like so many times before.

“Take it easy,” Sawyer said. “That’s what you want to say right now.”

“Brother,” Tate said. “We need to work this out. I want to talk to you both.”

“Break it apart,” I said. “This isn’t years ago. You idiots.” They both looked at me. “You know I’m right.”

Sawyer backed away. “Fine. Send Jason to school. Kate, you go to work. Tate, you do whatever it is you do. We hope for the best.”

“I’m scared too, Sawyer,” I said.

He looked at me. “I’m not scared.”

“Yes you are,” I said. “I’m terrified. And you held me when I was scared. But you heard what Sal said. We’ve got time until he has any chance of making a case.”

“No,” Tate said. “He won’t make a case. Ever.”

“How the hell do you know that?” Sawyer asked. “Don’t start spitting some positive shit on this situation, Tate. Kate’s right… I’m scared.”

“Whoa,” Tate said. “You’ve never said that in your life.”

“You’re scared,” I said.

“I’m scared,” Sawyer said. “Fine. I’ll say it. I wasn’t scared to come back here. I wasn’t scared to face you, Tate. I wasn’t scared when you punched me. I wasn’t scared when I showed up at your apartment, Kate. But now I’m scared. I actually have a lot to lose in my life and I don’t want to lose it. I live this outlaw life with freedom all around me, I get it, but you, Kate, make me feel at home.”

Maddox appeared in the doorway after a quick knock. “Hey, Tate, I need to talk you. Right now.”

“On it,” Tate said. As he walked by me and Sawyer, he said, “You two stay right here. I know how to fix all of this.”

I heard the words but didn’t really hear them. I was too fixated on Sawyer.

Tate shut the door and I approached Sawyer. “You’re scared.”

“I just said I was. I don’t want to imagine my life without you. And I don’t want Jason to grow up like I did. You asked me a question about my father. If things were different… if he wanted to be part of my life. You know what? I don’t give a shit. Guys like him, like Jed, they don’t change. They just keep hurting those around them. I don’t want that for Jason.”

“I don’t think I can love you more than I do right now, Sawyer.”

“Then let me protect you both.”

“Think about what you’re saying,” I said. “Having someone park outside Jason’s school?”

“What choice do we have? Your lawyer is going to do shit.”

“He can’t.”

“Fuck that,” Sawyer said.

His eyes were wide and his nostrils flared.

“Breathe,” I whispered. “You look so sexy right now. But you need to breathe.”

Sawyer gritted his teeth.

I had never seen him like this. The closest was the night he punched Tate and took off.

I gently touched his face. “If I did this to you, I’m sorry. I put all my fears into you.”

“No, darling. It’s not that. I just…”

The door opened again.

Tate stood there.

Now, the look on Tate’s face was something I had never seen before.

“What?” I asked.

“Shit, brother,” Sawyer said. “What is it?”

Tate’s lip curled. His eyes locked with mine. “I’m sorry… Jed is here looking for you and for Jason.”

* * *

2.

I was paralyzed with fear as Tate spoke those words. He went from looking at me to looking at Sawyer. By the time I looked at Sawyer, he was already on the move. I tried to grab him but it was no use. I wouldn’t be able to stop Sawyer. My only chance was for Tate to do the right thing.

Which he did, by putting his hand out and touching Sawyer at his chest.

“Brother, not like this,” Tate said. “Let me handle it. Let me talk to him and Kate together.”

“Fuck off,” Sawyer spat. “You’re done fighting her battles for her. She’s my woman and I’m handling this.”

“You don’t understand…”

Sawyer shoved Tate away like he weighed nothing.

I gasped. I had never seen someone move Tate like that before.

When Tate looked at me, the look on his face was bad. Really bad.

I finally came to my senses and rushed from the office.

The second I saw Jed standing at the back wall, looking at the pictures of the guys with famous people, my stomach did a flip and my skipped a beat.

Holy shit… he was really here…

Sawyer was a foot away when he grabbed Jed and spun him around. “Get out.”

“Who the hell are you?” Jed asked.

“I own the place. You’re not welcome. Get out.”

Jed’s eyes looked at me. He had short hair, his face clean cut. Tattoos on his neck, most of them ones I had never seen before. His eyes were sunken a little. He was thicker though. Weight and muscle. Amazing what years of not using could do to a person. It wasn’t as though I feared Sawyer being able to take Jed down in a fight, I feared that Sawyer wouldn’t know when to stop. Or worse yet, Jed would use this against me to suggest Jason lived in a violent world.

“Look at me, asshole,” Sawyer said.

Jed put his hands up and stepped back. “Easy, man. I don’t even know you. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Yes, it does. You’re violating parole by being here.”

“Fine. Call the cops. I haven’t seen my son… ever.” Jed looked at me again. “Ever.”

“That was your fault,” I called out. “You know what you did. To my sister. To yourself.”

“I didn’t get all banged out the night she died, Kate,” Jed said with a cocky grin.

I fucking hated him.

Sawyer grabbed Jed by the shirt and threw him back.

“You all saw that,” Jed called out.

“That’s enough,” Tate said. He hurried to get to Sawyer and pushed him back. “We’re not doing this here and like this.”

“Right,” Jed said. “So let me say hello to my kid and I’ll go.”

“No way,” I said. “You lost that right.”

“I promised you, Kate, I was coming for him. He needs to know his father.”

“You’re not his father,” Sawyer said. “You’re a low life piece of shit.”

“I did my time,” Jed said.

“I don’t care,” I said. “You don’t get to come back and do this. Someone call the cops for real. Get him out of here.”

“Not until I’m done with him,” Sawyer said.

He pushed forward again and Tate stopped him. But Sawyer was stronger as he threw Tate out of the way. It was like Sawyer was possessed. By anger. Love. Needing to protect me and Jason.

“Everyone needs to stop,” Tate said. “This is the middle of a goddamn tattoo shop. Are you all out of your minds?”

“I’m clear as day here,” Sawyer said. “I know what I want and I’m going to protect it.”

“That’s romantic,” Jed said. “Kate’s going to need that when I take Jason back.”

Sawyer moved again and this time it was Tate who overpowered him instead of the other way around. Tate got Sawyer by the shirt and flung him to the side.

I reached for Sawyer. “Please…”

“No,” he said. “Maybe we will do this the right way. Someone call the cops.”

“There it is,” Jed said. “Take the pussy way out. Keep a father from his son.”

“You weren’t ever there,” I said. “You didn’t care about her. You used my sister like she was in a baggie. Right? Now you want to be a father.”

“People change, Kate.”

“Not you. You’re the same as always. I don’t even want to know how you got out of jail.”

“Good behavior,” Jed said with a grin. “And I’ve already got a job. I’m going to get an apartment. And I’m going right to my lawyer with it all. There is no way Jason is going to be raised by you.”

“By me?” I asked. “The person who took care of his mother while you were gone? The person who took care of him when his mother overdosed and died? The person who gave up their life…”

“And you did great,” Jed said. “Bravo to you.” He started to clap his hands together, curling his lip as he did so. “But now it’s time for his father to step in and raise him properly. Last thing I need is for my son to turn out like some weak momma’s boy because of you, Kate.”

I felt an ache inside my heart. Because in some sick way I could envision it. Court battles that would never end. Jason thrust into the middle of a fight he didn’t understand. And if I tried to keep him away from his father, I’d be the bad guy. At the same time, what if I let him visit with Jed and Jed was using? Or had guns? Or what if Jed turned into the deadbeat I knew he was and left Jason sitting there, waiting?

“Oh, Jesus, she’s going to cry now,” Jed said.

Sawyer touched my shoulder. “You’re not worth it, Jed. You violated your parole already. We have cameras. We have witnesses. You came here to threaten and harass us.”

“Threaten?” Jed asked. “Harass? I’m fighting for what’s mine.”

“So am I,” Sawyer growled.

He inched forward and I put my hand to his stomach. “He’s not worth it, Sawyer. He’s a loser.”

“Too bad you couldn’t tell that to your druggie of a fucking sister,” Jed said with fire in his eyes. “Before she fucking killed herself.”

I felt the air get sucked out of me. If Sawyer wanted to make his move, I wasn’t going to stop him now. Hell, I wanted to attack Jed.

But the one thing I didn’t expect…

Tate dove forward and punched Jed.

It was a hard thud as Tate’s fist smashed against Jed’s jaw, sending him right down to the ground.

“Oh, shit,” Sawyer said.

He broke away from me and hurried to get to Tate before anything else happened. I was in shock that Tate punched Jed.

Sawyer wrapped his arm around Tate and pulled him away.

I watched as Tate turned and rubbed his jaw.

“Is he dead?” Tate asked.

“No,” Sawyer said. “Just seeing a lot of stars right now.”

“I’ll get you for this,” Jed said in a weak voice.

“Get out of here, asshole,” Sawyer said. “The police will be looking for you.” Sawyer looked at me. “I’ll call Jonesy and have him figure out what to do next. This piece of shit is going back to jail.”

“I’m never going to stop fighting for my son,” Jed said.

My heart twisted some more.

“He’s not your son,” Tate said.

“What?” I asked.

Tate had his back to all of us, shaking his head. “He’s not your son, Jed.”

“Fuck you,” Jed said. “I know what’s mine.”

Tate slowly turned and looked at Sawyer, Jed, and finally at me. “Jason is my son.”

* * *

3.

Sawyer backed away from Jed. Danielle decided to pick the worst time to let us know that the cops were on their way. I stood there, shocked, frozen, hurt, confused, you name it, I felt it.

Jed pulled himself up to a seated position on the floor with his back against the front window of the tattoo shop.

“Don’t you fucking get up,” Sawyer warned. “Cops are coming and you’re done.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Tate said. “None of it does. He can’t do anything to anyone.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I was trying to tell you before. Both of you.” Tate looked at Sawyer. “Jason is my son.”

“Bullshit,” Jed said.

Tate stepped forward and Jed put his hands up.

“Listen up, loser. You didn’t know how to take care of Kira. I did. I tried. But you kept bringing that shit into her life. I had her away from it. But you were like a cockroach. Always showing up. Bringing your fucking disease with you. Spreading it into her.”

“What the hell is happening right now?” Sawyer asked.

“Tate, are you saying you and Kira…,” I started to ask.

“Do you not know how babies are made?” Tate asked me.

“Wait,” I said, shaking my head. “You and Kira…”

“You slept with my girlfriend?” Jed asked.

“She was never yours,” Tate said. “I took care of her. Who the hell do you think kept her on her feet when you would disappear? Or when you drained her bank account? Or when you took off on a few drug debts and left her to pay for them?”

“Hold on,” Sawyer said. “You got Kira pregnant?”

Tate nodded. “Yeah.”

“Jason is your son.”

“Yeah.”

“No way,” Jed said. “I don’t believe it.”

“There’s a way to figure that out pretty easily,” Tate said. “But I know what I know.”

“So you fucking knew this all along,” Sawyer said. “And you let Kate struggle all these years…”

A cop car pulled up and Jonesy climbed out and raced toward the front door. Now there was too much going on at once.

“What the hell is going on here?” Jonesy asked his deep, cop voice.

I started to point at Jed when Sawyer jumped at Tate, shoving him toward the counter. He threw the first punch, hitting Tate in the face. The two quickly were tangled up, throwing big and hard fists, wanting to hurt each other.

“Fucking Christ,” Jonesy called out as he went for them.

As Jonesy tried to break them up, Jed started to stand and moved for the door. I hurried to the door and grabbed it.

“Move,” Jed ordered me.

“No,” I said.

“Fucking move, Kate.”

“No.”

“If the kid isn’t mine, what the fuck do I care?”

“You’re giving up?”

“Shit, maybe I just won the lottery. I’m out of jail. The kid isn’t mine. And your fuck up of a sister isn’t trying to suck my-”

I punched him.

I punched him right in the nose, stealing whatever else he had to say.

A pain shot through my hand and I winced.

But I punched Jed. And he was bleeding.

“What the…,” Jonesy called out. “I’ll arrest all of you.”

I looked back and saw Jonesy had Sawyer and Tate separated.

“Arrest him,” I said, nodding to Jed. “He violated parole. Came here and threatened us. We have the footage to prove it.”

“Then why are these two morons fighting?” Jonesy asked me.

“Because it’s Sawyer and Tate,” I said.

“You two touch each other again and I will take you both in,” Jonesy warned.

“Fuck this,” Sawyer said.

He turned and walked away.

I knew where he was going.

To check on Jason.

Jonesy slapped a set of cuffs to Jed as he cried out about Tate punching him. And me punching him. I didn’t care though. If I got into trouble for punching him it was still worth it.

“You better keep those two apart,” Jonesy said to me as he opened the door to wrestle Jed outside. “They’re going to kill each other someday. Maybe it’s time for Sawyer to leave again.”

I swallowed hard. “I’ll take care of it. Get Jed out of here. You know everything he did to my sister. And he just got out of jail and is already here causing problems.”

“I’m serious, Kate,” Jonesy said. “Those two shouldn’t be in the same state together.”

Jonesy left and I turned around, still unable to comprehend what just happened.

Standing in the middle of St. Skin. People were getting tattoos. Music floating through the air with the offset buzzing of the needles. Sawyer was nowhere to be found.

And Tate just stood there, staring at me.

“I think you should start talking,” I said, swallowing down a boulder sized lump of emotion.

Tate rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, I guess I should tell you everything.”

* * *

3.

When I opened the door, Sawyer was crouched in front of Jason. Jason stood at a stool with a piece of paper, drawing. Sawyer, being patient and loving, taking his time as he explained to Jason how to draw. Chances were Jason didn’t understand a thing Sawyer was saying.

I hated the situation. Everything about it. I wanted Jason to be Sawyer’s son. I wanted to be Jason’s birth mother. That’s how it was supposed to be. It was supposed to be me and Sawyer together forever. It was supposed be me and Sawyer having a family. Not this mess.

Jason looked up at me. “Hey, Mommy.”

Sawyer turned his head.

“Hey, Jason,” I said. “I need to talk to Sawyer for a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Jason said.

“We’ll finish this together,” Sawyer said. “Okay?”

“Yeah,” Jason said. “I’m getting hungry.”

“You can have a snack,” I said. “We’ll go home in a little bit.”

“Everything okay out there?” Prick asked me.

I shook my head.

As Sawyer walked toward me, Prick reached for his arm. “Hey, brother. I know the feeling. The darkness. The hate. Everything that makes you want to explode. You did a lot for me since you came back. Just breathe, man. No matter what, just breathe. Remember what you have to lose and there’s nothing to gain by losing it.”

Sawyer didn’t respond. He just kept walking.

I shut the door and said, “Let’s go outside.”

“For what?” he asked.

“Sawyer, I didn’t do anything to hurt you. And if you are hurt…”

“Hurt?” he asked. “I’m not hurt. I’m pissed.”

“Just come outside and talk,” I said. “Please. For me. Jason doesn’t need to hear anything that’s happening. Or see it.”

“Right,” Sawyer said.

I walked to the back door of St. Skin and opened it. The second Sawyer stepped outside and saw Tate, he looked back at me. Now he was mad at me.

“This has to stop,” I said. “The two of you. Either it fixes itself or you two break this business apart.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Sawyer said. “He’s the one who abandoned his son.”

“Fuck you,” Tate said without hesitation. “I didn’t realize until I saw him today. How much he looks like me.”

“That’s your excuse? Knowing that you slept with Kira?”

Tate rubbed his jaw for the hundredth time in ten minutes. “I’m not making excuses. Do I get a chance here to talk or what?”

“No,” Sawyer said. “I’m not done kicking your ass.”

“Sawyer, stop it,” I said. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

“A long time ago me and Kira… whatever. We had a thing. It didn’t last long. She was off doing her own thing in life and I was here at the shop. When she tied up with Jed, she used to come to me. I wasn’t lying when I said I helped her. There were things that guy did nobody knows about. Except me, Kira, and him. I saved her ass so many times. I fell in love with her. But she loved Jed. Better yet, she loved what Jed gave to her. The stuff I refused to give. There was a time when Jed was gone and she got clean. We had our thing again. I thought for a little bit that it was going to be something serious. There were a couple nights when we… when we were together without any protection. The moment got the best of us, I guess. She got tied up with Jed again. And the garbage. She told me that she would only mess up my life and that I needed to go and stay away. Truthfully, I was crushed. The shop was growing, I was busy, and I was hurt. She broke my heart.”

“You got her pregnant,” Sawyer said. “And you took off.”

“I didn’t know she was pregnant. And I didn’t know it was mine.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” I asked.

Tate shook his head. “I don’t know. I fucked up. Everything just happened so fast. She was pregnant. You were involved. And then she was gone. Talk about having your heart ripped apart again. Losing her. I blamed myself.”

“No pity party,” Sawyer said.

“You know what, brother? You can go fuck yourself. You’re the one who took off when everyone needed you the most. You left Kate brokenhearted and accused me of being with her.”

Sawyer gritted his teeth and looked at me.

“He’s right,” I said. “Do you think we can let him finish his side of this story?”

“I’m sorry, Kate, but you made it really clear you wanted nothing to do with St. Skin,” Tate said. “I should have maybe pushed more at you, but you were doing your thing. I wasn’t even sure how to approach it. Just show up and tell you that Jason might be my kid.”

“Might be?” Sawyer asked. “You just said…”

“I had to get Jed out of here,” Tate said. “I know what I did with Kira. I know what I looked like at Jason’s age. But Kira had a type.”

“Don’t compare yourself to Jed,” I said.

“What? Tall, muscles, tattoos, and a bad attitude?” Tate asked.

“Christ,” Sawyer said. “I can’t hear any more of this. I’m out of here. You’re an asshole, Tate.”

“You’re an asshole for leaving,” Tate said. “I’m an asshole for not speaking up.”

“I’m an asshole too,” I said. “For hiding Jason from the world. Living in a world of panic and fear.”

“Great,” Sawyer said. “Everyone is a big fuck up and Jason is stuck in the middle of it all. I’m out of here.”

“That’s right,” Tate said. “Leave again when things get rough.”

I hurried to get to Sawyer before he and Tate started to fight again. My hands curled tight around his shirt.

“Go,” I said. “Back to my place. Please, Sawyer.”

“Yeah. You and Tate do your thing. The way it’s always been.”

Sawyer broke away and walked to his motorcycle.

I stood there and had to endure him starting it, the thundering engine roaring and roaring louder as he sped away.

Now it was just down to just me and Tate.

“I’m sorry,” Tate said.

“I guess we all are, Tate,” I said. “You need to figure this out. Get a paternity test. Because if Jed really is Jason’s father, it’s going to be a nightmare. But if you’re his father, it’s going to crush Sawyer even more.”

“I know that,” Tate said. “Look, I loved your sister. I fought hard for her but she couldn’t fight when Jed came around. The second I saw Jason today, it clicked. It should have clicked earlier. But you were invisible, Kate. We talked to each other through the guys passing messages to you at the diner. Or we talked on the phone for a minute here and there.”

I swallowed hard. “I know what I did was wrong. I get it. All we can do now is move forward.”

“I’m going to call my lawyer right now. I’m going to get this figured out.”

“Yeah. Let me know what I need to do. I’m going to get Jason and take him home.”

“Why don’t you leave him here and go find Sawyer? He needs you, Kate. Jason will be fine here with us.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

I didn’t like it, but if Tate was Jason’s father, I would need to embrace everything I feared.

Tate ripped open the back door to the shop and looked back at me. “I’m sorry this all happened like this.”

“Me too,” I said.

I stood there alone with one question…

Was Sawyer actually going to be waiting for me when I got home?