Saxton slid in behind the driver’s seat, clutching his side where he’d been stabbed.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
He started the car and pressed hard on the gas so that the car leapt forward and sped across the lot.
“Is he dead?” she asked.
“No. Just unconscious.”
“Are you sure?”
He glanced over at her. “Would you really be that upset if he was dead?”
She stopped to think about that for a moment. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble. And I don’t like the idea of him being killed, even if he did attack me.”
Saxton shook his head. “Well, he’s not. But you should want him dead for what he did to you. And whatever else he was about to do.”
Her mind started wandering down that path, imaging what horrors she might be facing at this moment if Saxton hadn’t shown up. He’d saved her after all. And she hadn’t even had to call him to tell him she needed him.
Then, in a flash, she remembered where she had been going. “I have to get Ian.” The words came out sounding panicky. Both because she was already late and because she was now terrified that something had happened to him as well.
“Where is his school?”
Sara gave him directions, and with each turn, she thought she was going to throw up. What if someone had been sent to get him? What if he was in some car right now being taken somewhere? Her heart raced so fast, she started to feel dizzy.
When they pulled into the school lot and she saw the bright green backpack, she sagged in relief. She tore open the car door and ran toward him. When he saw her, he started running, too. She scooped him into a hug and hurried with him back to the car.
“Mommy?” Ian looked up at her with scared eyes as she opened the back door and almost hurled him into the backseat. “What’s wrong?”
She hadn’t thought about what her actions might seem like to him. He must have seen the terror in her expression.
“Oh,” she said, trying to compose herself. “Nothing. We were just late and I was worried. I missed you today.”
“I missed you, too.” He smiled and climbed into the backseat. “Hi Saxton.”
“Heya,” Saxton said.
Sara got back in the passenger seat and gave Saxton a look that she hoped conveyed her desire to keep things as normal as possible for Ian. To act like nothing was wrong.
“Did you have a good day at school?” Sara used her cheery mommy voice and turned in her seat to give him a bright smile.
“It was okay. They ran out of chocolate milk.”
“Oh, well, maybe I can make you some later.”
“That’d be good. Why is Saxton here?” Of course Ian didn’t waste any time with his questions.
Sara looked at Saxton for help. What was a good excuse for his presence? She certainly wasn’t going to tell him the truth.
“I wanted to pick your mommy up from work,” Saxton said.
“Why?”
“Well…” Had Saxton thought Ian would let it go at his simple answer? He’d have to get used to the way a six-year-old’s mind worked. Keep asking questions, then ask more questions. “It’s my first day leaving the house, and I thought it’d be a nice thing to do.”
This seemed to be enough for Ian. “Are we going to Saxton’s house today?”
Sara made eye contact with Saxton. The last thing she wanted to do was go home and be there alone. She wouldn’t sleep. She’d be terrified all night. And it seemed that now she was in Saxton’s debt again. Would she ever stop owing him for saving her?
She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Do you mind if we spend the night?”
“I didn’t know you’d planned not to.”
She pressed her lips together. So maybe she hadn’t told him that part. When she’d taken Ian to school, she had told him that they wouldn’t be staying there any longer. But she hadn’t told Saxton, and after their strange conversation earlier that morning, she thought it would be better if they just left and didn’t say much about it. Now she felt bad that she hadn’t said anything to him. But hadn’t they all known that they were only staying there until Saxton was better?
“I just thought that since you were up and about more, you wouldn’t need me anymore.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “I didn’t need you in the first place. I could have managed. But it was nice having you there. And Ian.”
That surprised her a bit. Sure, he would think having a woman there to cook and clean and sleep with him was nice, but she had worried that Ian would just be in his way and annoying him.
“Thank you.” She turned to Ian and said, “We’re going to stay at Saxton’s again tonight.”
“Yay!” Ian said.
“Maybe you should plan to stay for a few more days,” Saxton said.
A few more days sounded wonderful. However many nights she could spend at Saxton’s was however many nights she would sleep easy. When the inevitable time came that they did return home, it wouldn’t be easy. Unless somehow she knew for sure they were no longer at risk. But could she really ever be sure that they were safe?
The fact that Saxton had shown up on his own bothered her as much as it relieved her. Did he know something about what had happened? They needed to talk and see what they each knew and what they could do about it. Maybe Mr. Creepy wasn’t working alone. Maybe he was part of something bigger, or maybe he wouldn’t stop until he had her.
“That would be nice,” she said. “I would feel much safer.”
“And I’d feel much better that you were safe and I didn’t have to worry about you.”
He would have worried about her? She tried not to care about that. Tried to ignore the warm feeling it gave her in her chest. But she thought about him worrying and the fact that she could easily sleep with him again, and it made the warmness spread to her groin.
When they got to Saxton’s, he reached out to take her arm as she headed to the kitchen. “Let’s just order pizza or something tonight. We need to talk and you’ve had a hard enough day. You don’t need to go cook dinner and clean up, too.”
“Oh.” She glanced toward the kitchen, feeling like everything he did just put her more in debt to him and there were so few ways she could repay him. “Are you sure? It’s no problem.”
“I’m sure. Order whatever Ian and you like. I’m going to sit and rest.”
He went to the living room and flipped on the TV.
Ian was sitting at the kitchen table, already pulling his homework out of his book bag.
“What do you think about pizza for dinner?” she asked.
Ian’s face lit up. “Yay!”
After digging through a drawer to find a menu from the local pizza place, Sara called to order. She helped Ian with his homework and when the pizza arrived, took the cash from Saxton’s wallet as he directed, paid the delivery man, and did her best to make the meal as nice as possible with plates and drinks in glasses. She hoped Saxton would join them at the table, but when she asked, he said he’d rather eat in the living room, watching TV. That was something Sara refused to allow Ian to do, so they stayed in the kitchen.
After cleaning up dinner and getting Ian bathed and in bed, Sara came back downstairs. She had so much to discuss with Saxton, and it had been difficult to wait all evening to get him alone so they could talk. Now that the moment was here, she felt a bit hesitant.
Sara walked downstairs and sat beside Saxton on the sofa. He was still watching TV. Some program about motorcycles. She didn’t want to interrupt, so she sat quietly, watching with him, waiting. When the show ended, he turned off the TV and moved so he was facing her.
“What do you know about what happened today?” he asked.
“Not much. I was hoping you knew something.”
“Maybe.”
He didn’t offer any more information, so she continued. “Earlier today when I was working, I saw that guy who attacked me come in. He was at one of my tables. He was very quiet and creepy, then he started asking me all sorts of questions. I talked to—”
“What questions?”
“About where I worked, how may kids I had, what time I was done.”
Saxton narrowed his eyes. “Okay.”
“So, I talked to my manager about him, but there was nothing he could do really. I tried to get one of the guys to walk me to my car because I was afraid to go out there alone, but they were busy and I was already running late to get Ian, so I had to risk it. I tried to be careful. I was looking around, but I just didn’t see him until it was too late.”
“So, you got a real good look at the guy?”
She nodded. “And he’ll be on camera in the restaurant.”
“You didn’t see his credit card or any identifying information?”
“He didn’t even wait for a bill. He ordered a coffee, asked me those questions, then left a $5 on the table.”
“Did you notice any sort of patch or other marking on him that could be gang related?”
She thought back to what he wore. It was simple and basic. Nothing to make it stand out from every day clothing from a discount store.
“Nothing. He was just wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans.”
“And you have no idea why he might have attacked you?”
“No.” She had assumed it was somewhat random. That this guy showed up and took a liking to her for whatever reason. But the way Saxton asked these questions and the look in his eye made her think that there could be more to this. “Do you?”
“I have some thoughts.”
“Like? And how were you even there, anyway? I’m grateful you were, don’t get me wrong. But it was a little strange that you showed up just at the right time to save me.”
“It was. That part was a lucky coincidence. I was out driving around and I thought it might be nice to pick you up from work. I pulled in and saw that guy come up to you.”
Sara pulled her eyebrows together. “So you’re saying it was just a coincidence that you were there?”
“Yes.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
Saxton’s gaze lit with anger. “What does that mean?”
Sara shifted on the sofa, crossing her arms and sliding a little away from him. “I don’t know, Saxton. I don’t know what you’re into. But just last week, you were stabbed in an attack and then today, some guy shows up, trying to kidnap me, just as you happen to be there?”
“You’re saying I’m in on it somehow?”
“What? No!” She let out a long sigh. “I’m saying maybe the guys who were after you are coming after me because of you. Maybe they thought they’d get there before you could or they wanted you to watch or something. I don’t know, Saxton. Who were the guys who stabbed you?”
“Gang members. I was asking too many questions.”
“And you don’t think maybe they want to finish what they started? To keep you from asking any more questions?”
“Maybe.” He seemed to be calming down. His posture relaxed and he stroked his beard. “If they’ve been watching me, they certainly saw you coming and going from this house many times. But it doesn’t make much sense. They stabbed me, and I haven’t done anything else to provoke them. Yet.”
“Yet?”
“I have to keep searching for Liam’s killer. And if those guys want to protect the Cruel Crows, but they’re the ones who killed him, then I’ll have a lot more searching and asking to do. I’m not going to stop until I find who did it.”
“Even if it means they kill you?” She dropped her voice to a softer volume. “And even if they come after me again?” She had no right to make him stop his search for her sake. She was nothing to him, really. And he had no commitment to her. But she liked to think he was a decent enough guy that he wouldn’t endanger her and her son for the sake of hunting a murderer. No matter who had been killed.
He gave her a long stare. “I never had to worry about anyone else being at risk before. I can protect you.”
“So you won’t stop, even if it puts me and Ian in danger?”
“I don’t know for sure that you are in danger. It might not be related.”
“But you’d risk it.”
He let out a breath and put his head in his hands. Finally, after a long silence, he muttered, “No.”
The relief in her chest was small. He clearly didn’t want to give up his search. Even if he was saying now he didn’t want to risk her, how long would that last? And what exactly would that mean? He’d just walk around as her bodyguard until they thought she was safe? Then would he return to his search?
He sat up and looked in her eyes again. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to having anyone but myself to worry about. It’s all new to me. And this is why I don’t get into relationships. I don’t want to have to worry about someone like that. But, I guess it’s too late.” He moved closer to her and put his hand on her cheek. “I don’t want you to be afraid or having to watch over your back all the time. I will do whatever I can to protect you and keep you and Ian safe. I do want to find out who attacked you and why. That will help me keep you safe. Liam’s killer… He’s already been out on the streets for more than six months. If I have to wait another six months or longer to find him, if that’s how long it takes until I know you’re safe, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Sara bit her lower lip. Her eyes threatened to fill with tears at his proclamation. The feeling of warmness in her chest that too often came when she thought of him, flared hot. It spread through her, making her lean toward him.
“Saxton? Are you saying you actually care about me?” He had all but said he thought they were in a relationship. What sort of relationship, she didn’t know, but this was something.
He dropped his head, but kept his hand on her cheek. “Yes. Despite trying my best to avoid it, I do care.”
She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He raised his eyes and met hers, then pressed his lips to hers in a hard kiss.
Their kissing heated quickly, moving from just lips slipping over each other, to tongue and playful biting of lips. Her whole body thrummed with desire for him. When she thought of their last night together, her insides churned in flame and she felt herself dampen.
He leaned forward so that he was over her on the couch. “What is it about you that drives me so crazy?” he breathed in her ear.
She ran her hands along his back, squeezing his tight ass through his jeans. He nearly devoured her with his kisses along her throat and neck and to her ears, tugging on her earlobe with his teeth.
“You drive me just as crazy,” she said.
He moaned and reached under her shirt to caress her breasts. Her nipples were already hard and every time he passed over them with his thumb, she felt a shiver of pleasure through her body.
She reached down to pull her shirt over her head. With her breasts bare, he moved his mouth down to kiss and suck them. He made his way lower and unzipped her pants. He tugged them down and off, letting them hit the floor and land in a pile.
He pushed her legs apart and separated her lower lips. Then he flicked and sucked her clit, making her moan with each touch. He slid a finger inside her and moved it in and out fast while he continued to flick his tongue over her.
The swell built and she came all over his hand. He licked her juices from his fingers and came back to kiss up her stomach to her neck and return to her mouth.
She reached down to grip his erection. He moaned, but she wasn’t going to take any time to stroke him. She positioned him at her opening and he didn’t hesitate to push inside her.
He shoved in deep, then paused, letting the sensation wash over them.
“I’m feeling much better this time,” he said with a playful grin. “I can give you a proper fucking.”
He lifted her leg to thrust into her deeper. His rhythm was fast and hard and it didn’t take long before she felt her self getting close again. Then he suddenly pulled out of her. She glanced down to see if he had come.
Instead, he had a mischievous grin on his face. “Turn over.”
She did as he asked and got on all fours in front of him. He pushed inside her again and reached up to grab a handful of her hair. He pulled back gently, but slammed into her hard. Every time her ass slapped against him, a tingle of pleasure ran through her entire body.
He moved his other hand around to circle her clit. He pounded her even harder and faster, matching the speed of his thrusts to the rubbing of her clit. Her head spun with the intense feeling of it and she came hard. She cried out more loudly than she intended. His hand dropped from her clit and her hair so that he could grab her hips. He slammed her against him as he thrust forward and then he cried out, too, as he finished.
He held her hips in place for a moment. She felt his pulse throbbing in his still-hard dick from inside her. After his breathing slowed a little, he pulled back to slide out of her, and she collapsed to the couch. She didn’t think she could ever move again.
He kissed along her back and caressed her ass. Then he lay beside her and pulled her close so that they both were on their sides on the narrow sofa. They continued to breathe heavily and enjoy the lingering sensation of pleasure.
Sara awoke some time later, naked on the couch. Her back was warm from Saxton’s heat, where he still lay behind her, holding her tight. But her front, exposed to the living room, was chilled. She needed to get upstairs to Ian.
She carefully slid out from under Saxton’s arm and dressed. He lay on his side, sleeping peacefully, the bandage barely visible on his abdomen. He looked so perfect like that. She wanted to take a picture to keep this image of him forever. Her naked lover, now her defender and protector.
Was that all he was to her? She thought maybe he was becoming more. All the effort she put into fighting those feelings kept being outweighed by the things he did and said. And tonight he’d hinted that he had feelings for her, too. Made it sound like they were already involved. Both of them were clearly hesitant about a serious relationship. He was likely the type who could keep sleeping with someone and not expect any sort of commitment, but she couldn’t do that.
They couldn’t go on like this. They’d either have to become something much more, or she’d have to cut ties completely. Though her heart and head took her in two different directions, she still hadn’t decided fully which side she would let win.