“Yes, everything went exactly according to plan….Well, almost everything. No one had really counted on you.” He fixated his gaze on her. Jordan did her best to straighten herself up in the chair, but the throbbing in her head made it nearly impossible to move. So, she resorted to sarcasm.
“Sorry if I screwed up your plans to rule the underworld.”
“Yes, you should be. But, what’s done is done, nothing more to do, but clean up. Which is precisely why you need to die; preferably in a horrifyingly violent fashion. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that Sawyer complicated things by killing Hathaway rather than dying himself. So now we’ve had to improvise. Instead of putting another hit out on him, we’re going to make him the most wanted man in America. There won’t be a person alive in this country who won’t be willing to turn him in once the media shows them what he did to you and your beautiful face.” The joy in his tone sent chills down Jordan’s spine, ending with a jolt in her neck which only amplified the pain building up under her skull. The only way she knew to fight through it was to stay in the battle mentally. Jordan was about to engage Gabriel with another snide remark when she heard an unexpected voice coming from the back of the room.
“It really is a beautiful face. You should have known better than to lay a finger on it Gabe, ‘cause now I’m going to have to kill you.”
Jordan watched as Mancini’s face twisted in anger, his eyes narrowing and his lips elevating into a snarl.
“Sawyer.”
Chapter 16: The Penthouse
Sawyer’s gun was drawn as he moved further into the room. All four of Mancini’s guys had reached for their weapons and were now pointing them directly at Sawyer. No one was paying any attention to Jordan anymore. Well, almost no one. Sawyer’s eyes remained locked on her like a laser as he continued to maneuver his way in her direction.
“You should really lock the doors next time Gabe. Can’t have just anyone walking in on you,” Sawyer taunted.
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to crash a party?”
Sawyer shrugged. “I just assumed my invite got lost in the mail. I’ve been on the move a lot lately, so…”
“Tell me Sawyer, how do you plan to get out of here alive? Hm? You’re outnumbered. Even if you shoot one of my men, there are still three others who will shoot you. You’ll be dead before your body even hits the ground.” Mancini’s finger had stopped traveling the rim of his glass. Instead his entire hand was now clutching the edge of his desk so tightly his knuckles were turning white.
“Oh, I’m not planning to shoot your men,” said Sawyer, finally coming to a stop. “I plan to shoot you.” The words had barely passed his lips when Jordan saw Sawyer close his eyes and she realized what was about to happen. The entire room went dark. Jordan’s chair was pushed to the ground as the sound of gunfire rang through the air, exploding in the small confined space of Mancini’s office.
Jordan tried to count the shots, but everything was happening too fast and before she knew it, a dead silence set in. She just laid there as still as possible, waiting for the lights to come back on and terrified of what she would find when they did.
Her eyes were still closed when she felt a hand on her wrist as the chair she was sitting in was gently being returned to an upright position. The lights came on just as she lifted her lids again. It was Sawyer.
“Where did you get the idea to pull a stupid stunt like that?” Jordan mumbled. She was instantly taken aback by the ragged sound of her own voice.
“Some crazy paramedic I met a while back,” said Sawyer. He was smiling at her, but in his eyes Jordan could see the truth. The sight of her battered face was making him ill with fury and taking out the men who had hurt her had done little to ease his anger. Moving quickly, he did his best to be gentle as he removed her cuffs and helped her up. “Come on. Let me get you out of here. Fish is waiting outside in the Jeep.” Jordan didn’t respond. She just lay limp in his arms with her head on his chest as he scooped her up and carried her out.
It wasn’t until she spotted Fish in the driver’s seat that she perked up again.
“Let me down,” said Jordan.
“Hang on, we’re almost there,” said Sawyer, not understanding what she wanted.
“It’s okay, I can drive.”
“Yeah, okay,” Sawyer replied mockingly. He completely ignored her request and went straight for the backseat; only it was already occupied.
“You brought Jet?” Jordan was really growing tired of being surprised in every turn.
“Bloody well had to, didn’t I?! She damn near got us both killed when she launched herself onto the hood as I was driving off!”
Jordan couldn’t help but laugh. She regretted it instantly as the pounding in her head returned. Sawyer was watching her with eagle eyes and noticed.
“We need to get you checked out. Fish find a hospital!”
“Are you insane? We can’t go to a hospital. They’ll call this in and Mortison will be there two seconds later! Besides, it’s not as bad as it looks.”
Fish glanced back at her over his shoulder. “So you’ve seen yourself then, have you? Because it looks pretty effing bad.”
Sawyer pressed his lips together angrily and glared at Fish. “You’re not helping.” Then he turned his attention back on Jordan. “It’s nothing that won’t heal, but I am worried about any damage there might be that we can’t see.”
Jordan smirked. After what had happened and everything she’d heard said about Sawyer in the last twenty-four hours she really wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Part of her was still pissed at Sawyer, even though she was now fairly sure that everything Mortison had said about him had been nothing but lies. Then of course there was the other part of her that wanted to burst into tears of gratitude just thinking about the moment he had shown up to save her. That was the side that won out. It hadn’t hurt any that Sawyer continued to dote on her with a genuine concern for her wellbeing.
“Listen buddy, which one of us here has had medical training, huh? I’m fine. I doubt I even have a concussion.”
“Oh, you should check her pupils,” Fish piped up, excited to have something useful to add.
“Why don’t you just check the road,” said Jordan. “There’s a whole lane thing going on up ahead and p.s. – in this country we generally stay on the right side. Helps to avoid any unnecessary collisions.”
Fish brought his attention back to the road just in time to swerve out of oncoming traffic. He swore under his breath, but said nothing more. For the rest of the drive the only time he even looked at Jordan was when he glanced in the rear view mirror.
Less than thirty minutes had passed since they had left the Mancini warehouse when Fish pulled the jeep into an underground parking garage.
“What is this place?” Jordan asked as the car came to a stop.
“An apartment building,” said Sawyer. He was already getting out and walking to the back to help her out.
“Yeah, I got that. What are we doing here? Do you know someone who lives here?”
Sawyer shrugged. “Sort of.”
“What does that mean?” This time Jordan looked to Fish who was struggling to make his pet leopard look casual.
“Gabriel Mancini’s got a place here. It’s nice, right? Penthouse, I think.” He was talking to Sawyer now.
“Yup. And since he’s not going to be using it…”
Jordan felt the bile rise in her throat. The last thing Jordan wanted was to set foot into Gabriel Mancini’s home. Well, second to last thing anyway. The idea of camping out in the Jeep or being stuck in the backseat with Jet while they drove all the way back to Alabama seemed even less appealing. So, she pushed aside her feelings of disgust and hatred and let Sawyer lead the way into the enemy’s lair.
The building was even fancier on the inside than it appeared on the outside. Although Jordan only briefly saw any of it, since she was hurriedly shuttled over to the stairwell used only in case of emergencies, to a
void being seen by any of the residents. It was hard not to take offense, but she told herself it was because of the news reporting her death and not because she looked so hideous that she could no longer be seen by society.
Fish hadn’t been kidding. Gabriel’s place was more than nice. Not exactly the décor Jordan would have chosen, but definitely right up Mancini’s alley. Sawyer had clearly been there before. It was obvious by the way he knew where everything was, starting with the spare key which was stashed in the left breast of a vase the shape of a naked mermaid that stood beside the main entry. Once inside, Sawyer disabled the alarm without any problems and shortly thereafter the trio was moving about the penthouse apartment unrestricted.
While Fish went about finding something suitable for Jet to eat, Sawyer took Jordan into one of the bedrooms. It had an attached bathroom with a large shower equipped with multiple massaging showerheads and Jordan couldn’t wait to get inside it to let the hot water and steam engulf her body, banishing all the filth she had been exposed to since arriving back in the city. Carefully, Sawyer helped her peel off the layers of clothing, doing his best to avoid her injuries while he did so. When he was sure that there was nothing more he could do to help, he stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
Alone at last, Jordan turned on the water and waited for sweet relief to take her. The hot water felt amazing and she relished the feeling of warmth and comfort that came from standing in its midst. She stood there for what felt like an eternity, allowing the waves of water to run over her battered body until she could feel the heat subsiding. At last she turned the nozzle, bringing her shower to an end. When she stepped out onto the cold tile floor, she quickly tiptoed across the room to reach the counter where Sawyer had placed a stack of towels for her. She took the first one off the top and wrapped it around herself. The mirror above the sink was completely fogged over from the steam and Jordan automatically reached up to wipe it with her bare hand. She jumped back at sight of the face staring back at her. It was the first time since her run in with Mancini and his men that she had seen her own reflection. Jordan wasn’t sure if it had just conveniently worked out that way or if she had on some level intentionally avoided this moment. Fish had been right. It was pretty effing bad. Her bottom lip was busted open and three times the size it normally was. She had a massive gash on her left eyebrow that probably could have used some stitches to avoid scarring, as it was, she would have a permanent keepsake to remind her of Mancini for the rest of her life. Half of her face was bruised and swollen so badly, she could hardly see her one eye while the other seemed to be abnormally drawn into its socket which was only accentuated by the dark grey shading that had set in around it from stress and exhaustion. It was all too much for Jordan to take. She could feel herself caving in internally as though she was a blow up doll that was unexpectedly being deflated. Her body slid down along the wall and sank to the ground where she lay curled up in a fetal position, still soaking wet and clinging on to her towel for dear life as though it would magically grant her the strength she so desperately needed. Every ounce of emotion Jordan had ever denied herself suddenly came crashing down on her, as though seeing her broken face had somehow triggered the realization that her spirit was just as damaged and had been equally assaulted. She had come to terms with loss a long time ago. Grieving had never been something she was good at, but surviving, that she had mastered. It was that very skill that had gotten her through everything and that very flaw that was now her downfall.
Starting with Travis abandoning her, the turmoil of the first time Jordan had met Sawyer and then learning of the crushing pain she had inflicted on her family by not coming forward and letting them know that she was alive, it all had left her sanity hanging by a string. It wasn’t until now that Jordan even understood the depths of the pain she had been stuffing aside. Of course the worst of it had been leaving Sawyer. The fear of what would happen to him had eaten away at her and only increased with each passing hour that she hadn’t heard from him. When things had turned from bad to worse after her run in with Mortison, Jordan had been too numb to even digest everything and even though she already knew that Sawyer had in fact been honest all along, all the feelings from the moment she had learned he had betrayed her and the devastation they had marked her with still had to be felt. And so, she lay there, sobbing into her towel and pressing her bare skin to the icy tile beneath her as though it could somehow draw out all of the pain.
Jordan was so caught up in the terror of her own misery, she didn’t even hear the door open or the sound of Sawyer’s shoes as they stepped into the trail of puddles she had left in her wake. Without saying a word, he lifted her from the ground up into his arms, leaving the length of her body leaning against his as he held her upright. Jordan was shivering, not only from the cold but also from the emotional shock that had set in. Fully clothed, Sawyer climbed back into the shower still cradling her in his arms and turned the nozzle up full force. Slowly, Jordan regained control of her trembling body while the tears continued to stream down her face, traveling down until they found their way out with the drain. All the while, Sawyer held her close, rocking her softly and repeatedly promising, “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
Chapter 17: Mutual Respect
It was dark out when Jordan stepped out onto the balcony to find Sawyer. After her experiencing what she could only consider an emotional cleansing, she had fallen asleep in his arms feeling exhausted and utterly drained. She had woken up to find herself alone in a pitch black room and panic had set in again almost instantly. Jordan had to take several deep breaths to calm herself back down and keep from screaming out Sawyer’s name repeatedly like a child would call for her parent after having a nightmare. She hated herself for feeling that way and despised having her most intimate emotions so raw and exposed, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Sawyer’s feelings weren’t much different from hers. He was completely on edge when Jordan slid the glass door open and walked outside and it showed in his rapid reactions as he rushed to her side the moment he saw her.
“Hey you. You should be in bed resting.”
“What about you? You don’t need sleep anymore? You know, come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you sleep at all….You’re not going to like, start sparkling and shit are you?!” Jordan asked.
For the first time in what seemed like forever, she saw Sawyer grin.
Jordan reached up to stroke the side of his face with her hand. He hadn’t shaved in a while and specs of gray hairs were mingled among the otherwise blond scruff. Jordan wondered if they had always been there, or if the stress of the last few days had aged him so significantly. As her fingers traveled up the side of his face, she brushed over the cut on his forehead she had caused the first night they had met. It had healed up nicely. Jordan was so busy soaking up every detail of Sawyer’s face, she didn’t see that he was doing the same thing with her.
***
The ache in his heart was overwhelming as Sawyer peered down at Jordan’s face. Of all the people who had gotten hurt due to crossing his path, she was the one he regretted hurting the most. Part of him had known for a while that ultimately he’d have to let her go for her own safety, but the other part hadn’t been convinced he was capable of giving her up. That was over now. Sawyer had cut ties with any illusions he might have had that he could protect Jordan from the dangers he was up against. The truth was staring him square in the eye and the image would be burned into his memory forever. Never would he forgive himself for what Gabriel had done to Jordan. No amount of vengeance or justice would ever undo the damage that had been done and Sawyer would have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his life. The only cross he’d find harder to bear, was spending that life without her in it.
Sawyer couldn’t pinpoint the moment it had happened, nor did he know how long he had been aware of it, but he was in love with her. More in love than he had ever been
with any other woman, more than he had even thought possible. Only Jordan would never know.
***
Jordan had the words right at the tip of her tongue. Three little words so powerful she had resolved long ago to never utter them again unless she was absolutely sure that they were true. And she was sure. So sure, that she didn’t even care whether he said them in return. She just wanted to say them, but instead she heard herself ask, “When are you going to tell me what happened?”
“Whenever you want me to. I didn’t want to add to your stress, but I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” said Sawyer. He took her hand and led her over to the chaise lounge near the fire ring off to the side. All it took was the flip of a switch and the ring came to life with the warmth of dancing flames. Together, they sat down on the chaise, Jordan nestling herself up against Sawyer for comfort and warmth as he began to fill in some of the holes for her.
“After we split up I went to meet Hathaway just like I said. The confrontation didn’t last long. Justus wasn’t exactly in the mood to chat, he was out for blood. It didn’t take me too long to figure out that only one of us was walking out of there alive. Thankfully, it was me. I searched his car and his pockets for anything that might help me figure out what was going on but all I found was his phone. Not that there was much I could do with it at the time, but I knew Fish would be able to, so I took it.
“I decided to hang around a bit, see if anyone else would show up looking for me. It took a day and a half, but finally two guys turned up poking around the house.”
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