Page 69 of Sweet Temptation (Men of Honor 2)
I have a hard time picturing Sawyer small for his age, considerin’ what a giant he is now. “So you followed Cade around until he became your friend?”
“Wouldn’t you?” he asks, looking at me like I’m crazy, “the guy kicked the shit out of all three of those fuckers for trying to steal my new Pumas. I decided right there that he was going to be my friend, and I was going to bring him everywhere I went, which I did. At first he tried acting like he didn’t want to be my friend, but of course it didn’t take long before he realized I wasn’t going anywhere. In the end he decided to give in, and we have been best friends ever since.”
With a big smile I wrap my arms around his neck. “That’s a great friendship story. I’m glad y’all met, and he was able to save your Pumas for you.”
He grins, “Me too, baby. My mom had just bought those for me, she would have been pissed.”
I giggle again, but it fades as I tread into darker territory, “Can I ask you somethin’?”
“Anything, Cupcake.”
“How did Cade’s sister die?” His expression turns to stone, his eyes become cold and hard. I immediately regret asking. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
He shakes his head, as if pulling himself out of some sort of turmoil, “No, it’s fine. It’s just… I have never told another soul this story, but I will tell you. But don’t ever bring it up to Cade, okay? Because it’s something that will send him right over the fucking edge; it’s why he never talks about it.”
My stomach turns to lead and I swallow nervously, knowing what I’m about to hear is going to be awful.
“He comes from a real shitty family. His dad died a few years after we met, drove into a tree when he was drunker than shit. It was one of the best things that ever happened to Cade. We never talked about it much but I knew his dad beat the shit out of him. Sometimes so bad that he would be in bed for days. Anytime I tried bringing it up he would flip out. He didn’t want anyone knowing, all he cared about was taking care of his sister. She was eight years younger then him… a surprise I guess you could say. And the cutest little thing you ever met. Anyways, his mom was always messed up but even more so after his dad died. Over the years she dated assholes that were just like Cade’s father, then she hooked up with a real crazy fucker: a guy who called himself a minister and acted as if he was God. He owned a commune that was only a little ways from here. This commune was all sorts of fucked up, of course Cade didn’t know how fucked up at the time. Not until it was too late.” Pain washes over Sawyer’s face and he blows out a breath before continuing, “Listen there’s no easy way to say this and if I gave you all the details it would take me days, so I’m just going to say it… The guy raped his little sister when she was only seven years old. She died from complications surrounding the rape.”
I gasp in horror, “Oh my god! Sawyer, that’s so awful.”
My heart breaks for the little girl, and most of all Cade. “What happened to him? To the guy?”
He stares at me for a second before answering, “Cade killed the motherfucker.”
“Oh my gosh…” I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised. I don’t know Cade well, but from what I do know, there is no question that he seems capable of it. Especially if it was to protect his family.
“He was fifteen when it happened. He walked in on the son of a bitch doing it.”
“Oh God!” I know I already said that but I can’t find any other words.
“To say the guy has had some shitty fucking luck is an understatement. It’s also why you will never ever see him step foot in a church. It’s illogical, especially since the asshole wasn’t any kind of figure of God, but Cade associates it with that. That’s why it shocked the fuck out of me when the only chick to ever get under his skin was a church girl.”
“He dated a religious girl?” Wow, I didn’t see that coming.
“Not exactly. He met her in Iraq. She was on a mission trip with her church. She was the rescue mission we went against orders for, with the admiral, and ended up walking into a fucking ambush, which was how we were held captive.”
I remember Julia telling me about the rescue mission, but I didn’t realize the girl was someone Cade cared about. Reaching up, I cup the side of his cheek, “Do you miss it? The Navy?”
He shrugs, “Sometimes, but I don’t regret my decision.”
Of course not, because that’s who Sawyer is: honorable, loving and strong. Suddenly the words of his tattoo slam into my head:
You will not break me, for I am unbreakable.
I will live with integrity, fight with honor and die for what’s right.
“Your tattoo… that’s what it means.” He nods confirming my statement. It makes me wonder if there’s anything in his life he regrets, that if he could ever do something over again, would he? I know there are a few things in my life I would do over again if I could…
I decide the only way to find out is ask him, “If you could go back and change one moment in your life, what would it be?” I expect him to say the week the three of them were held prisoner, but what he says next is something I will remember for the rest of my life.
“It would be to find you sooner, because I would have never let anyone hurt you.”
His sincere gaze bores into mine and it takes a moment for his words to sink in, but when they do it has my breath freezing in my lungs and my heart pounding with emotion. And it was in this exact moment I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I loved Sawyer Evans with my whole heart.
