Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(99)

“Yeah, and you’re—”

“Sawyer Beckett.”

“That’s right, good to see ya. Laney’s sick, so I came to surprise her, and take care of her. You mind letting me in?”

His expression is confused. He quickly recovers, but I didn’t miss it. “Um...” He looks at the ground, feet shuffling. I stay

silent, waiting impatiently for what he’ll say next. The instinctual ache in my chest tells me I’m not going to like it. “Laney

’s not here, man.”

Is that it? I blow out in relief. So she ran to the store, or...doctor? Now I’m worried again. “Well, where is she? She’s sick,

where could she be?”

Sawyer rubs the back of his neck nervously, his eyes bouncing everywhere but in my direction.

“Please, tell me, man. I came a long way and I’m worried about her. Help a guy out,” I implore him.

“Sit down.” He motions to a bench just behind us, which I reluctantly move to and sit on. My leg is bouncing up and down while I

wait for him to continue. “I think the world of Laney, she’s the coolest f*cking girl ever, and I don’t make a habit of being

friends with chicks. So, I’m not looking to betray her or get up in her business exactly.”

I suppress my growl and don’t move to wring his neck; I’m not a fool, this guy is freaking huge, but I’m about to lose it.

“Just spit it out!” I bark before easing my voice back, not wanting an ass-beating. “Sorry, I mean, what can you tell me?”

“Well,” he says, scrubbing his chin, “why don’t you tell me about you and Laney first? Like, y’all together or what?”

What? Why are we sitting here, virtual strangers, discussing my love life when all I want to do is make my precious girl some damn

soup! “What? What kind of question is that?”

“I know you this much,” he indicates a small space between his finger and thumb, “and I adore Laney and my friends. So before I

get balls deep in the bullshit, I want a little info. That too much to ask?” He raises his brows, no sign of compromise evident.

“Fine,” I sigh, “Laney and I have been best friends since...” I’m too distraught to do the math. “Well, since ever. Our

senior year, I finally told her how I felt and got her to date me.” I smile at the thought. “But a second later, we had to leave

for different schools.”

“That sucks,” he mutters.

“Yeah, to say the least.” I laugh at his simple, yet accurate, summation. “So we broke up, easier that way; or so Laney thought.

” I shrug. “Anyway, things have pretty much sucked ass since then, and here I am.”

“Shit, man.” He leans over and runs his hands up and down his thighs. “Okay. You’re a good guy. I know this because Laney cares

about you and has nothing but good things to say about you. So I’m gonna help you, and her, once and for all.” He stares at me, a

deadly force in his eyes. “But know this. Keep your cool no matter what. You raise a hand to any friend of mine and I won’t

hesitate to take your ass out. Capisce?”

I nod, to what I have no idea, really, but he’s my key to Laney. “Capisce.”

“Come on.” He stands and motions to the parking lot. “I’ll drive.”

Fifteen minutes into the most awkward silence and eerie car ride I’ve ever endured, Sawyer opens his phone. “Gotta make this

call. Nothing personal,” he shrugs, “loyalties and all.”

WTF did he just say? I nod, completely lost, much like I’ve been doing since I ran into him.

“Hey, man, it’s Saw. Yeah, you too.” He’s listening to the person on the other end now. “Listen, about that...I’m on my way

to your house right now. What? Oh yeah,” he laughs, “over that, dude. Saw my folks, got in, got out. Huh? Nah, she’s cool, but

not gonna make the cut.” He laughs again, then glances over to me and quickly back to the road. “I’m gonna be at your house in

less than 20, so shut the hell up and listen to me. Found Evan at the dorm when I got back and he convinced me to take him to

Laney, so we’re on our way.”

There’s a long pause on his end of the conversation. His voice when he speaks again has an angry edge. “Fuck that, man, you know

better. Last goddamn thing I want is to be involved, but somebody needs to man up or something, cause this is bullshit. Everyone

involved is better than this.” Silence again, but I can hear a heated male voice coming through his phone. “Yeah, yeah,

yeah....see ya in a bit.” He closes his phone and tosses it on the dashboard.

There’s tension leering in my body and this whole thing is too weird, so I speak up. “Is Laney okay? She’s not,” I gulp, “in

danger or anything, is she?”

“Fuck no.” He looks over at me, his face relaxing. “Seriously, man, she’s fine. I wouldn’t let anybody hurt Laney. But I don’

t envy you.”

My hackles go up instantly. “What does that mean?” I ground out.

“It means,” he starts, thinking about his next words carefully, “you wanted to see Laney, I’m taking you to Laney. Ain’t never