“No, it’s not okay. We need to spend time together, in person. There are going to be no more excuses. I have something important to deal with at work tomorrow afternoon, but I suspect I’ll need some company afterwards if you’re feeling up to it.”
“I’ll do my best to trade my shift and be available. Do you have something in mind or can I plan on cooking a nice dinner for you?” her voice resonated with zeal.
“I’ll let you plan to your heart’s content. We can eat here.”
“I look forward to it. So have you had a chance to think about the contract anymore?”
“Honestly, I haven’t. My Angel has kept me busy this weekend. She’s an amazing woman.”
Sarah’s voice lowered only slightly, but noticeably compared to the excitement she had exuded only moments before. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Will you be seeing her again?”
A knot rose in Sawyer’s throat. “Yes, this coming weekend. I’ve been tasked with a monumental undertaking at Kerian’s request.”
Sarah immediately brimmed with curiosity. “Oh? A test for her training?”
Chuckling nervously, Sawyer shook his head. “How did you know?”
“I know her training is almost over, and it was just a lucky guess. How exciting to be involved with something so important. I would love to help out any way I can. I mean…” she stammered. “... I don’t mean to be pushy. I just mean if you need an extra hand or advice or anything.”
“Absolutely. Your opinion is crucial to me and especially with what’s been asked of me, I need all the help and support I can get.”
She let out a long audible breath and the volume of her voice dropped, “Thank you, Sir. It feels good to be needed again.”
The slow burn in his chest for Sarah warmed his insides. Her sincerity and honesty was crushing. How could he choose? He swallowed hard and decided to share a bit of his dark past with her.
“Sarah… Snowflake… there’s something I want to tell you…” he started out apprehensively.
“Mr. Morrison, I didn’t mean to insinuate anything or try to make you feel something that isn’t there. I was told by others that your weekend with Ciara was promising and that things look to be going in a possible committal direction. Please disregard my letter from previously. It was wrong of me to say such things so early on. I want only what’s best for you and if that person is Ciara, your Angel, then I… I really am honored just to be involved in some small way to make that happen.”
Sawyer sat dumbfounded. Perhaps he didn’t need to choose – Sarah was making the decision for him. And maybe that was a good thing considering how wishy-washy he was being regarding the two women. He chewed the corner of his lip tensely. Sarah spoke determinedly, but the tone of her voice alluded to something else, or was he just imagining things? Caught up in Sarah’s words, he forgot what he had started out saying.
“Thank you, Sarah,” he stated softly yet firmly. “But that letter meant a great deal to me and the last thing I intend on doing is disregarding it. I haven’t made any decisions about anything and that includes Ciara. My course is still unknown.”
“Of course it is, Mr. Morrison,” she responded without inflection. “Is dinner still planned for tomorrow?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” he sniped, put off by Sarah’s withdrawal from him.
There was a long silence before Sarah finally responded in a husky whisper. “I’ll let you know if I’m unable to trade my shift, otherwise, just text me when you get done with work. I’ll keep my appointment for nine this evening and be thinking of you. Good night, Mr. Morrison.”
Fourteen hours later, he and Murphy were pulling into the parking lot of an upscale office complex. It was go time. The flight to Atlanta had been just long enough to give him time to think about Ciara. He had spent the remainder of his evening the night before going over her history and profile. She was truly a remarkable specimen. She was well-educated with a Master’s degree in English Literature and had even been bestowed the honored MAGS Distinguished Masters Thesis Award. He would be lucky if she considered him as a candidate for her Owner. Beauty, intelligence, and a kind and serving soul - what more could one man ask for?
He had avoided going over her hard limits and decided he would save that for another night. Perhaps tomorrow. Or the next. No, he couldn’t put it off if he was to plan out his seduction of consent diligently. Sarah’s input was vital and he decided at that moment to discuss it with her that evening during dinner.
“You okay over there?” Murphy cut in.
“Yes. Let’s do this. You wait here.”
“I’ll survey the area. How much time should I give you before I come busting balls?” he asked.
“No busting balls today, Murphy; just a little persuasive discussion.”
Murphy’s craggy, aged face contorted into a sarcastic, sour grin. “I remember the last time we went to have a ‘discussion’ with someone,” he tapped on Sawyer’s chest, directly over the now-healed gunshot wound.
“That was a fluke. This is going to go smoothly. I can feel it in my bones.”
“If you say so, but you have exactly twenty-five minutes until I’m hauling ass in your direction to end the ‘discussion’,” he turned on his heel and strode off in the opposite direction.
Sawyer smiled as he watched Murphy disappear. He had a soft spot in his heart for that old man. At the receptionist’s desk, he watched as someone asked for Jameson and was promptly denied access. He seated himself away from the secretaries’ view and waited. Fifteen minutes later he texted Murphy that it may take a little longer than twenty-five minutes when the scumbag finally made his appearance and headed for the restroom. Sawyer moved swiftly, giving Jameson a light shove before locking the door behind him and pushing the man down into a long bench.
“What the hell is this? I ain’t into men, you faggot!” Jameson bellowed.
“So in addition to being a lying, cheating waste of space, you’re a foul-mouthed bigot?” Sawyer growled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring down at the man. He fought the urge to knock his teeth through the back of his head for even suggesting that his worthless ass would be his type. “Now shut your mouth, you pudgy, out of shape, used-up bastard,” his deep voice boomed and echoed against the tiled walls.
Jameson’s black eyes widened and then narrowed just as quickly. “Who the fuck are you?”
Easing his stance and widening his step, Sawyer answered coolly. “That depends on how you respond. If you do exactly as I tell you, then I’ll simply be a ship passing in the night. I’m a man you don’t want to piss off and if you decide to do anything other than what I’ve told you to do, I’ll be your worst fucking nightmare and the person who will bring the world as you know it crashing down around you.” Sawyer stood wordless waiting for some kind of reaction. When Jameson huffed and attempted to stand, he poked four fingers into his sternum harshly and pushed him back down. “You haven’t heard what I want from you yet.”
“I don’t need to hear anything. Now back off before I wreck that pretty face of yours,” he scoffed.
Sawyer’s eyebrows went up and he smirked. “I thought you weren’t into men.” Just as quickly as his smile appeared, it was gone. “Lose interest in Emilio Ibanez’s estate. It’s not a request.”
Jameson pulled back and glared up at Sawyer incredulously. “So that’s what this is about?”
Sawyer was quickly losing his patience and his heart rate spiked. To hell with doing things the old school way. Staring into the pompous jackass’ eyes, slicing his throat from ear-to-ear and watching him bleed out slowly suddenly seemed like a viable and enjoyable option. Lucky for the man, Sawyer didn’t have a knife handy or else it would’ve happened.