Page 51 of Reconcile

Asher cringes and fake gags. “Gross.” He turns to me. “You okay?”

I nod my head dumbly. “Yeah. I’m sorry to interrupt everyone’s night.”

“It’s no problem,” Lincoln says, and I thank them all before going inside with Sawyer.

Tonight could have gone so much worse if I hadn’t had him to rely on.

Who knew I would end up being so thankful for Sawyer?

30

SAWYER

My heart is still beating so rapidly I should probably be concerned, but the only thing I’m worried about is Piper.What the fuck was that jackass thinking following her home? And what the hell was he planning to do?

I can’t think about it.

It makes me homicidal.

“Thank you, Sawyer.” I lift my eyes, trying to unclench my fists at my sides.

“You can always call me.”

She smiles at that and then sighs, standing by the stairs. “Is she still asleep?”

I nod. “As far as I know. She hasn’t been downstairs.”

“I’m going to go check on her. I’ll be right back.”

I’m surprised by that, expecting her to just go to her room. But I’m relieved she still wants to talk. While she goes upstairs, I take a seat on the couch. All the horrible scenarios of what could have happened to her running through my head.

I groan and tilt my head back, resting it against the couch, bringing my hands over my face. I jolt when I feel small hands on my forearms, lowering my hands. “Sorry.”

I smile at Piper and sit up straight. “She still asleep?”

She nods, curling her legs underneath her as she sits next to me on the couch. “Yeah. That kid can sleep through anything.”

“You okay?”

I watch her elegant throat as she swallows tightly. “I feel stupid.”

“You shouldn’t. What if it were Audrey... many, many years from now. If some dickhead put her in the same position you were in tonight, what would you want her to do?”

She ponders that, leaning the side of her head against the couch. “The same thing I did.”

“Exactly. You have good instincts, Piper. Gotta trust them.”

She snorts. “Yeah. My instincts are fantastic.”

I know she’s being sarcastic, and it’s a small, backhanded comment aimed at me, but she wouldn’t be where she is without her instincts. And I think she’s done a great job.

Her finger slides over my t-shirt where my tattoo is. “Why did you get this tattoo?”

My eyebrows pinch together as I search her face. “That’s what you want to talk about?”

“Distract me or my mind will be everywhere.”

The moment is so damn reminiscent of when we were younger that I’m nearly drowning in memories. “I wanted to remember the biggest mistake of my life.”

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