Dangerous Lies: Sawyer and Amethyst (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book Two)

by Christine Kersey

  Knowing it was pointless to wish things were different, she smiled back, wanting to reassure him that she was there for him.

  He glanced towards his right arm in a way that said look here. She followed his gaze and could just see the scissors tucked under his arm. Meeting his gaze to show she understood, she thought quickly. Knowing she was blocking the man’s view of Sawyer’s hand, she moved the scissors so that they were firmly in Sawyers grasp, then she began wrapping that wrist with the zip tie. Pretending like she was trying to slide the plastic through the catch, she held it in place as if the two pieces were together, then she turned to the man. “I’m not sure if I’m doing this right.”

  The man rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Idiot,” he said under his breath before walking over to them.

  Amethyst stood to Sawyer’s right while keeping both of her hands on his wrist and hand so that the man wouldn’t see that the zip tie wasn’t connected at all. Or see the blade of the scissors gripped in his hand.

  Proud of Amethyst for coming up with a way to get the man off of his guard, Sawyer only hoped she’d jump out of the way when the time was right.

  “Let me see,” the man said, exasperation clear in his voice.

  Sawyer noticed that though the gun was still in the man’s hand, he was holding it loosely, the barrel pointed at the ground.

  “Move your hands,” he said to Amethyst, irritated.

  “Okay,” she said.

  The moment her hand came off of Sawyer’s wrist, the zip tie fell to the floor. Sawyer had known that was going to happen, giving him the element of surprise. The man, on the other hand, took a split second to realize what was happening. In that split second, Sawyer leapt out of the chair, the scissors held in his fist. Using all of his anger and fear, he jammed the sharp blade into the man’s neck. Blood spurted out of the wound and the gun clattered to the floor.

  Chapter 32

  The man’s hands went to his throat, but Sawyer wasn’t going to stick around to see what would happen to him. Instead, he kicked the gun into the depths of the warehouse, then grabbed Amethyst by the hand and raced to the door that led outside.

  At Sawyer’s touch, the door swung open, and a moment later he and Amethyst were outside. Knowing they were still in great danger, he led Amethyst into the line of trees nearby.

  “Where are we?” she asked as they fled.

  “I have no idea.”

  After running for several minutes, they stopped to catch their breath. The night air was brisk, but it felt good after being held prisoner in the warehouse.

  “Are you all right?” he asked Amethyst as he faced her.

  Her green eyes were bright with any number of emotions, but she nodded. “Yes. I’m okay.”

  The image of the man’s red blood coursing through his fingers as he grasped his throat wouldn’t leave her mind, but she knew Sawyer’d had no choice. If he hadn’t struck first, who knows what would have happened to them.

  But now they were safe.

  At least she hoped they were safe.

  Looking around, the only thing she saw were more trees. She faced Sawyer. “Where can we go?”

  “I’m so sorry you got caught up in this, Amethyst,” he said as he placed his hands on both sides of her face.

  She wasn’t going to say it was okay, but she wanted him to know she didn’t hold him responsible. “It’s not your fault.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment, then met her gaze. “Yes it is. I should have stayed away from you.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “But I couldn’t.”

  Her heart pounded, and it wasn’t from fear or from running. “You couldn’t?”

  He shook his head. “No.” He gazed at her a moment, and in the moonlight she could see the emotion in his eyes. “I’m falling in love with you, Amethyst.”

  She couldn’t hold back any longer. Throwing her arms around his neck, she held him close, and when his arms slid around her, she buried her face in his neck. “Sawyer,” she murmured. “I’m falling in love with you too.”

  He pulled away and smiled at her. “You are?”

  Nodding, she smiled. “Yes.”

  Cupping her face with his hands, he kissed her long and hard, and when he pulled away, she was breathless. She smiled with joy. Talk about a roller-coaster night.

  His face became serious. “We need to keep moving.”

  The knowledge of what they were still up against slammed into her, and she nodded.

  Despite the terrible things that had happened, Sawyer was happier than he’d been in a very long time.

  Amethyst was falling in love with him.

  Barely holding back a smile, he took her hand and they continued their trek.

  “Look,” Amethyst said after a while, her finger pointing into the distance. “A house.”

  Sawyer saw the well-lit house and smiled. They picked up their pace and before long they were standing on the front porch. Three carved pumpkins were clustered on one side of the porch, candles burning inside.

  Sawyer knocked and a moment later an old man opened the door.

  “You’re a little old to be trick or treatin’, don’t you think?” he said with a frown.

  “We need help,” Amethyst said. “Can we use your phone to call the police?”

  The man looked wary as his gaze went between the two of them. “Wait here,” he finally said, then he closed the door.

  “Can’t blame him for being suspicious,” Sawyer said with a half-smile in Amethyst’s direction.

  She nodded.

  A moment later the man opened the front door, a cordless phone in his hand. “I called 911 for you. The operator wants to talk to you.”

  Sawyer took the phone from the man.

  “Thank you,” Amethyst said with a smile.

  As Sawyer explained to the 911 operator what was going on, he thought he saw a softening in the old man’s face.

  “What’s the name of that warehouse?” Sawyer asked him. “In that direction.” He pointed back the way he and Amethyst had come.

  The man thought for a moment, then he told Sawyer the name of the building, which Sawyer relayed to the 911 operator.

  Once he’d finished talking to the 911 operator, he called Agent Yardley, glad he’d committed his number to memory. After a brief conversation with him, Sawyer handed the phone back to the man. “The police are on their way to the warehouse.”

  “I, uh,” the old man said. “Would you like to come in?”

  “Are you sure,” Amethyst said.

  He smiled at her. “Yes.” Then he held the door open.

  The three of them went inside, and when the old man offered them something to drink, they accepted with gratitude. The man introduced himself as Ken, and Sawyer and Amethyst introduced themselves.

  What would Tyler do when he found out Sawyer had escaped? Not wanting to think about that, Sawyer focused on Amethyst and making sure she was all right.

  As they sat in relative silence in Ken’s living room, the sound of sirens filled the night air. His heart pounding, Sawyer went to the front porch and stared in the direction of the warehouse as if he could see what was happening there. A few moments later he heard the faint but distinctive sound of gunshots.

  “What was that?” Amethyst asked as she stood beside him.

  “Those were gunshots,” Ken said.

  Eyes wide, Amethyst stared at Sawyer. He nodded his agreement, then led her back inside.

  The minutes ticked onward, and Sawyer’s nerves stretched tighter and tighter.

  What was happening? Did anyone get shot? Was the man still alive, and would he come after them?

  Terrified by the possibilities, all he could do was hold Amethyst and try to comfort her.

  Forty minutes later Ken’s phone rang. He lumbered into the kitchen to answer it and a moment later he held it out to Sawyer. “It’s for you.”

  “Hello?” Sawyer said, then listened while Agent Yardley filled him in. After he hung up, Sawyer turned to
Amethyst and Ken, a big smile on his face. “Guess who showed up right before the police arrived?”

  Amethyst’s eyes widened. “Tyler?”

  Sawyer nodded. “Yep.” His face sobered. “Those gunshots were the sound of him in a firefight with the police.”

  “What happened?” Amethyst asked, her hands twisting together in her lap.

  “He’s dead.”

  “Dead? Are you sure?”

  Sawyer had wondered the same thing when Yardley had told him, but Yardley had reassured him that he was most definitely dead. “Yes. I’m sure.”

  “What about the man who…” She shuddered. “The man who took me.” She paused. “Is he…?”

  “Dead?” Sawyer nodded. “Yes. But from a bullet. Agent Yardley said he was in the middle of the firefight.”

  “Does that mean…you’re safe?”

  A sense of relief like he’d never felt before surged through Sawyer. “Yes.”

  “I can’t believe it,” she said as tears filled her eyes.

  He tugged her against him, almost not believing it himself.

  Amethyst leaned into him. “Does that mean we can go home now?”

  “Most definitely.”

  A knock sounded at the door.

  Sawyer looked at Amethyst, whose eyes filled with alarm. Then he looked at Ken.

  “I’ll look through the peephole,” Ken said, then he went to the door and pressed his eye to the hole. He turned around, smiling in relief. “It’s the police.”

  Sawyer exhaled, then went to the door and opened it.

  “Did someone here report a problem at the warehouse?” the officer who stood on the porch asked.

  “I did,” Sawyer said. “I’m Sawyer Cooke.” Then he explained how he’d been in touch with the DEA. The officer came inside and talked to Sawyer and Amethyst about what had happened that night, then he offered to drive them home.

  Eager to get home, Sawyer accepted his offer, and he and Amethyst followed the officer to his patrol car.

  After the police officer dropped them off, they went into Amethyst’s house so Sawyer could retrieve his phone.

  Chapter 33

  “I’m way too amped up to sleep,” Amethyst said. Plus, she didn’t want him to leave. “Will you stay?”

  Sawyer smiled. “Of course.”

  Amethyst sat on the couch, and when Sawyer sat beside her and wrapped her in a warm embrace, she lay her head on his shoulder. “When you showed up in that office,” she began, then shuddered as she recalled how scared she’d been. “I couldn’t believe you were really there.”

  Sawyer’s arms tightened around her. “I hate that you had to go through that.”

  She pulled away slightly. “I don’t blame you, Sawyer.”

  He sighed, but she could tell he blamed himself regardless. “You’re a special woman, do you know that?”

  She smiled. “That’s very sweet. Thank you.”

  Softly chuckling, he said, “I wasn’t saying it to be sweet. It’s the truth.” Then he pressed his lips to hers and Amethyst kissed him back with all the emotion she felt.

  When he pulled away, Amethyst met his gaze before snuggling close to him. She felt safe with him—he’d already proven that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe. They sat close together and after a while her eyelids became heavy, and eventually she fell asleep.

  When she woke, Sawyer was sound asleep beside her, and bright beams of sunlight slanted through the window. Smiling at his peaceful face, Amethyst managed to climb off of the couch without waking him, and went into the kitchen.

  The smell of fresh coffee cake woke Sawyer, and when he opened his eyes and found himself in Amethyst’s living room, it took him a moment to remember why he was there and what had happened. All the horror of the night before came rushing back, and as he looked at Amethyst happily preparing breakfast, he also remembered the good things that had happened—how they’d both confessed their feelings, how they’d kissed so passionately.

  The good outweighed the bad.

  Filled with an inner joy he’d never felt before, Sawyer went into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Amethyst. “Good morning, lovely lady.”

  She laughed and kissed him. “Good morning.” Then she smiled. “I made you some breakfast.”

  “I know. The delicious smell woke me up.”

  “Good.” She took him by the hand and led him to the table, which she’d set for two. They sat across from each other, and as they ate, they rehashed what had happened the night before. After they finished eating, they went back to the couch and Amethyst turned to him with a question. “What’s going to happen now?”

  Sawyer knew what she was asking. Was he going to stay in Emerald Falls or go back to LA? He had no doubt what he wanted to do.

  Amethyst gazed at him, worry sweeping over her. She didn’t want him to leave. “Now that this is over, are you…are you going back to LA?” Please say you’ll stay.

  He smiled at her and tugged her into his arms. “I’m not planning on going anywhere. I want to stay right here with you.”

  Euphoria that he would stay in Emerald Falls cascaded over her and Amethyst snuggled against him as hope in their future bloomed inside her.

  Epilogue

  The bell on the door at Emerald Chic Boutique tinkled softly, and Amethyst looked up to see who her first customer was.

  “Chloe! Gabby!” Excited to see two of her good friends walk through the door, she hurried over and gave them both a hug.

  “It looks great in here,” Chloe said. “So festive for the Christmas season.”

  Amethyst smiled brightly. “Thanks. And thank you both for all your help in getting things ready for today.” She laughed. “I should have known you’d stop by.”

  “Now that’s school’s out for the Christmas break,” Gabby said, “I have some shopping to do.”

  “Ooo,” Chloe said as she walked over to the work table where Amethyst had been working. “This looks great.”

  “Thanks. I feel so inspired while I’m here.” She opened her arms in a gesture of inclusion for all of the objects in the boutique. “All of these beautiful things make me feel so good.”

  Gabby nodded, than asked, “Where’s Sawyer?”

  Amethyst pictured the man she was in love with and her smile grew. “He went to Gage’s bakery to pick up some donuts.”

  “Nice.”

  The bell tinkled again and Amethyst looked towards the door where Sawyer was walking in, a huge box of donuts in his hands. “And here he is.”

  “Good morning, ladies,” he said as he set the box on the counter. “Care for a donut? Gage assured me they’re the best he’s ever made.”

  Chloe laughed. “That’s what he always says.”

  Amethyst watched Sawyer with her friends with a feeling of affection. After the horrific experience on Halloween, she’d told all of her close friends the entire story and they’d been nothing but supportive of both her and Sawyer ever since. At first, Sawyer had been worried about repercussions from other people in Tyler’s organization, but with Tyler dead, the organization had fallen apart and the people who had worked for him had moved on.

  The story of Amethyst’s abduction and Sawyer’s involvement had also been the talk of Emerald Falls for a while, but everyone had rallied around them which, to Amethyst’s great joy, had only made Sawyer more committed to making Emerald Falls his home. Paul had ended up putting his mother’s belongings in storage, and Sawyer had moved all of his things from his apartment in LA into Paul’s house, which he was now renting.

  “Well,” Gabby said after they’d chatted for several minutes. “We’d better let you focus on working, but I’ll be back later to do some shopping.”

  Chloe nodded, then leaned close to Amethyst and spoke in a quiet voice. “And I’m looking forward to meeting Chris. He’s coming for a visit soon, right?”

  Excited to play matchmaker, Amethyst nodded. “Yes. He’s planning on coming for a visit in a few weeks.”
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  Chloe smiled, then hugged Amethyst and left with Gabby.

  After her friends left, Amethyst turned to Sawyer with a smile. “Thanks for getting the donuts.”

  He drew her into his arms and kissed her. “You’re welcome. Besides, it’s always nice to have a treat for your customers on the day of your grand opening.”

  Amethyst grinned, then looked around the adorable boutique. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  He stroked her face. “You know I’d do anything for you, right?”

  Her smile softened. “Yes. I do.”

  “I love you, Amethyst.”

  She pulled him close for a tender kiss. “I love you too, Sawyer.”

  Amethyst was also grateful to Sawyer, because despite the fact that he’d begun consulting for local businesses, he’d volunteered his time and expertise to Amethyst to help her get comfortable running her own business.

  The bell tinkled again as a small group of women walked inside and began looking around. Amethyst smiled at Sawyer as a soul-deep happiness wrapped around her.

  She was the luckiest woman alive. She was in love with a wonderful man who loved her, they were running the boutique together, she had good friends who loved her, and she lived in the best place on earth.

  Sawyer touched her hand, then nodded in the direction of the back office. “I’ll be in there if you need me.”

  She would always need him. “Okay,” she said instead. Then she walked over to her customers to see if they needed any help.

  Sawyer watched Amethyst interact with the women who’d come in, and he smiled with contentment. The ordeal with Tyler had been rough, but if it hadn’t happened, he never would have met Amethyst, the woman he loved with his whole heart.

  Now that he was moving on with his life, Sawyer knew he had much to look forward to with Amethyst by his side. With a final look in her direction, Sawyer smiled as he went into the back office to work.

  Amethyst glanced in Sawyer’s direction as he went in the back, then focused on her customers. Her customers. For her boutique.