Page 79 of Up in a Blaze
I shifted on the seat to look back at Sawyer. He gazed out the window, biting his bottom lip as his leg bounced up and down.
“Chéri, are you all right?”
He glanced to me and then back out the window. Releasing a heavy breath, he softly said, “It’s not a nice area I live in.”
“We do not judge, Sawyer. You don’t need to worry about what we think. All we wish to do is help you, and if you will allow us, we would like to take a look around.”
He nibbled on his thumbnail and looked at Blaze before his eyes landed on me. “They could be there,” he whispered. “Tomorrow is usually the night they collect the money, but sometimes they come early and before I finish work to threaten Miss Cora and Arlo. My wallet’s in my car back down the street where you saw me. I didn’t want to carry it with me in case….” His bottom lip trembled.
In case he hadn’t been imagining being watched and was attacked or taken.
“Henri?” Blaze wanted to know what we were talking about.
Sawyer leaned over, moaning like he was in pain.
“Can I tell him, chéri?” When the boy nodded, I rested back in my seat and spoke to Blaze about Sawyer’s past and how there could be loan sharks waiting at the apartment.
Blaze grunted, glancing at the rearview mirror and back to the road. “It’ll get sorted.”
“I don’t want my trouble to?—”
“Kid,” Blaze called, stopping Sawyer. “You’re one of us. We take care of our own in all fuckin’ situations. This’ll be nothing I can’t handle, so don’t even worry about me dealing with this.”
“I can’t ask?—”
“You ain’t asking, Sawyer. If they’re there, I’ll have a nice friendly chat with them while Henri gets you and Arlo out. Hell, we’ll take the old lady neighbor too if we have to. We’ll make sure everyone in your life is safe. You’ve done a fuckin’ good job at dealing with all this shit on your own, kid. But no more. We’re here to help.”
A strangled sound escaped Sawyer right before he started sobbing. Covering his face, he curled into himself.
“Fuck, did I say something wrong?” Blaze asked, worry clear in his tone.
“Non, mon amour. It was perfect,” I told him before I kissed his cheek, undid my belt, and climbed through to the back where I pulled Sawyer into my arms. “Oh, sweet boy, we have your back from now on. You and Arlo are no longer alone. I promise, chéri. We are here.” I looked at Blaze. “And I am sure that if they are there and see Blaze covered in blood, they will know what fear is.”
Blaze grunted, studying his clothes for a moment.
Sawyer snorted, then sniffed, wiping at his face. “I hope you’re right. But… they’re scary, too, Henri.”
I brushed hair from his face and cupped his cheek, swiping the tears away with my thumb. “No matter who they are, I know my Blaze will be able to sort this out quickly. Besides, they may not even be there. Either way, we will resolve the issue. You believe in us, oui?”
He whimpered, but he also nodded.
“I am glad.” I hugged him tightly against me again. “You are not used to having people care about you, are you, chéri?”
Another sob caught in his throat as his hands tightened on my arm that was wrapped around him. I felt him shake his head against my neck.
“You will now have to get used to it for me. You and Arlo are stuck with Blaze and me. And I am sure we won’t be the only ones caring about you. Supporting and helping you. We want to be there, chéri. Will you let us?”
For a moment, he said nothing, just kept sniffing and wiping at his face, but his tears wouldn’t stop. My heart lodged in my throat, anxious he would tell us to just leave him alone.
But then, finally, the sweet boy nodded. “Okay,” he whispered.
This poor child had been through so much already in his short life.
“Kid, we’re pulling up now,” Blaze said as he slowed the car and stopped at the curb out front of a building that had seen better days. The paint was peeling off, boards were falling apart, and the garden was unkept.
Sawyer drew in an unsteady breath and straightened. He once again scrubbed at his face.
“You can stay here. You just need to tell us where?—”
