Page 54 of Sawyer

Rumor

Tension vibrates the air in the SUV, palpable and full of impending doom. Beside me, Sawyer gnaws on her fingernails, ruining her manicure. She doesn’t care. I can see that in the way her eyes scan the road. I don’t even think she’s aware that she’s biting her nails.

Behind me, Bryn and Sin remain silent. That alone says more than anything either of them would ever admit to.

The monarch called me weeks ago, talking in code and indirectly telling me of a sinful problem he needed me to take care of. The monarch is always being watched and heavily guarded, and meeting with him wasn’t easy.

His needs and mine matched in ways that still make my gut twist.

Rumors circulated around these mountains, ones involving lights and baying dogs—dogs, many claim, that are wolves that prowl and hunt, eliminating anyone who gets too close.

To what?

The area is treacherous and full of dips, valleys, and cliffs that many have fallen off due to one misstep. We had to hire deltas just to look for dead hikers who wander too far off the path, the ones who don’t heed the signs.

Then we got a call that they found a body. The assumption was it was just another hiker, just another individual who ignored the path and ended up falling.

One problem with that remains—they found the bodies near the road, and they were spotted by a jogger.

Blue lights flash ahead, and I slow the vehicle as I approach the delta standing guard on the road. He won’t allow anyone in or out of the old logging road.

“Sir.” He dips his head as I pull to a stop, raindrops collecting on his raincoat.

“How far?” I ask, already dreading what I’m about to find.

“Just around that bend, half a mile tops. You’ll see our guys parked on the side of the road.” He tips his hat up, his blue eyes blazing with unresolved anger—the anger we all feel at the situation. Our job as deltas is to keep everyone safe, not find dead girls on the side of the road. “You’ll need to hike about three miles in. We’ve made a path, but it’s still messy and dangerous. No place for a female, sir.” His eyes catch on Sawyer, who’s sitting beside me.

Before I have to tape her mouth shut from saying something sassy, I reply, “Thank you for your concern, but I believe she will be fine.” I pull away and close my window before he can stick his foot further in his mouth.

Just in time as well. “Asshole.” Sawyer tosses her shoes in the back of the vehicle before grunting and thinking better of it. Her seatbelt snaps off in the next instant, and she climbs over the center console.

“What are you doing?” I ask as the others perk up at her shenanigans.

“Changing,” she mutters. “I’m sure you’ve never had to deal with the unfortunate situation of hiking in heels, but I assure you, it’s unpleasant.”

“Sawyer, I don’t know what we will find out there,” I tell her. Although everything inside of me says to tie her up and lock her in the SUV, I won’t, because despite what she says, I never plan on letting her go, which means I need to play nice.

The guys may feel differently, and hell, it doesn’t even matter to me, because Sawyer is my pack now, and I need to prove to her that I mean it before I ever utter those words.

The first step is not impeding her determined path. Instead, I’ll ensure she has water, food, and a raincoat as we hike.

I’ll carry her if I need to.

“I have an idea.” She rips off her shirt and tosses it at the back window. I don’t think she did that on purpose either. The zipper of her bag is loud in the car.

She’s going to change. Pulling over, I throw the vehicle into park and turn around. Bryn avoids looking back, like the gentleman he is, but Sin stares at her as though this is his own strip tease.

“Sawyer,” I say, trying to hide my amusement.

“What?” she snarls at me before she disappears below the seats.

Sin glances over, and a moment later, she tosses her pants at his head, which he catches and inhales. “Smells like cum and excellent decisions.”

“Shut up, Sin,” she grumbles. “I can’t very well wear work clothes to hunt for dead bodies, now can I?”

“Sure can’t,” Sin agrees. “I don’t think those panties will work either. Won’t your pussy eat up all that lace?”

Bryn’s eyes widen, and his mouth opens and closes. I don’t know how Sawyer will react to that.

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