Page 26 of The Inevitable Us

It shouldn’t be easy to grab Rosalie. She’s grown up around bodyguards, most of whom are very qualified for their position. Almost all are former military. Part of keeping the family safe is teaching them to defend themselves when we can’t. But also, to prevent situations like the one Rosalie is about to find herself in.

I wait at the edge of the building, looking for her to pass by. Once she’s close by, I see her searching for me, feeling my presence.

It takes no effort for me to grab her, twist her, and press her face-first against the wall as small as she is. I can’t see her face. It’s too dark. But I feel her body tense and her breath quicken against the hand over her mouth once she realizes I have her trapped.

I press my body against her, allowing my hands to explore. Her body relaxes with recognition. “I taught you better than this. You didn’t even see me coming, did you?”

Chapter fifteen

Rosalie

Ishouldhavebroughtmy car. I didn’t realize it would get this dark or that my instructor would keep us this long for a pre-semester mandatory orientation. I didn’t even bring my full set of keys, just my student ID and my apartment key on a lanyard.

The campus is seemingly abandoned at this late hour since all of the other attendees have driven off. I feel that familiar prickle of my skin and shake it off. I keep thinking I feel Sawyer near, but why would he be here? The sensation started suddenly but stopped two days ago. I blame wishful thinking.

When a hand reaches out to grab me, I don’t have a chance to see the man. I don’t have a chance to fight, kick, or scream. The bodyguards always tell me to use whatever weapon I have— my teeth, my voice, elbows. But they’re all blocked, imprisoned between the wall and this man.

This close to my attacker, I can feel his hot breath against my neck as he runs his nose up to my cheek. I can smell his body wash, his deodorant. Recognition kicks in as his hands start to travel, and I melt into Sawyer.

His grip is tight against my hips, pulling me into his erection. “I taught you better than this. You didn’t even see me coming, did you?”

His grip loosens just enough that I can turn to face him. “Why are you here? Did my dad send you to check on me?” I can’t hope that it’s more than that or a coincidence. Maybe he’s working nearby, or his new client was in town.

“Is your car broken?” he asks, accentuating each word. I can’t see his face, but I can feel his body tense as his grip moves to my back. “In the shop for repairs? Were you in another accident?”

I roll my eyes at him and try to push myself from his grasp. “No, my car is not broken. I just like to walk sometimes, ok? I didn’t know it would be so late.”

He sucks in a deep frustrated breath and slowly releases it before grabbing my hand and bringing me back onto the sidewalk. “You didn’t use your keys. I’ve told you a million times, Rosalie. Keys in between your fingers as a weapon, and mace doesn’t help if it’s in your purse.”

I bite my lip and look up at his face. I can see it now, lit by the lamp post. “Look, there wasn’t anyone around, ok? I thought…”

“You weren’t thinking. At all tonight.” Releasing my hand, he allows himself one stroke through his hair, and rubs his neck. “How long were you in there?”

I crease my forehead and glance at him. “What do you mean? I just had orientation this week.”

He nodded in understanding. “So you haven’t eaten?”

I shake my head at him. “No, not yet. I was going to grab a slice of pizza at this place by my building.”

He nods in understanding and grabs my hand again. “Good, I haven’t eaten either.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” I say, trying to sound insistent. “What are you doing here?”

He glances over at me and stops walking, giving me a sour frown. “I was hired as Taylee Teegan’s head of security.”

Of course. A job. That doesn’t explain why he’s here now, and I don’t think I’m going to get an answer. The heartache in my chest comes back, its tattoo telling me, “My dad sent him.”

I decided to just drop it and enjoy my moment with him, however short. When we get to my street, he turns right towards the pizza place instead of left. He must have seen it when he was driving to my building. Sawyer opens the door of the tiny pizzeria, and the scent of baking dough wafts up to me. After Sawyer orders for us, we sit in an awkward silence across from one another at a table covered in a plastic red and white checkered tablecloth.

Once he picks up our order and opens the door for me, he grabs my hand and gestures for me to walk on the inside of the sidewalk, as we’re taught to do by the bodyguards. When he grabs my hand, my stomach fizzles with excitement at his touch. I know he’s just guiding me, keeping me safe or whatever while we’re in the dark, like the little girl he will always see me as.

When we get to my building, we walk past the doorman and into the elevator. “Are you coming in?” I ask softly.Please come in. I miss you.

“Your key?” he asks, dropping my hand once we leave the elevator. He takes the key and unlocks the door for us, gesturing for me to go inside ahead of him.

Flicking on the lights as I go through the loft, I go into the kitchen to find my stash of paper plates.

Sawyer places the pizza on the counter and heads into the bathroom. I hear a tiny mew of complaint and remember Charlie and Wednesday are in the bathroom still.

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