Page 131 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“I’m really tired. Can it wait until tomorrow?”
“Of course,” I lie. They’re not going to be happy. “I’ll step out and let them know, then once you’re in bed I can head off.”
“Will you stay?” she asks with wide eyes. “Just for a bit,” she hastily adds.
“Of course.” Another affectionate kiss, and then I leave her. I step out of the bedroom and into the corridor to call the others, knowing that they’re going to be pissed.
Sure enough, Kalen kicks off. Slate accepts Amelie’s request, and for some reason, Onyx acts like he doesn’t give a damn. I need to remember to speak to him alone about that at some point. I quickly call down to the kitchen and arrange for some food to be sent up for Amelie, and then I go back into the bedroom. I’m glad to see she’s dressed and sitting back on the bed, towel drying her hair.
“Let me do that,” I say, crossing to sit behind her and taking the towel from her hands. “I’ve ordered some food for you, it shouldn’t take long.”
“What did you order?”
“A grilled cheese. I hope that’s okay. My mum always made them for us when we were sick. I kind of associate it with comfort food.”
“Anything is better than soup,” she replies with a laugh. “But I’d kill for a steak.”
“I’ll take you out for a steak when you’re better.”
“Like a date?” I hear the teasing lilt in her voice.
“No. Notlikea date.Ona date.” I’m serious. I have to pursue this connection between us, and it has nothing to do with The Order.
“I’d like that,” comes her soft reply, and I put the towel down and wrap my arms around her. Surprisingly, she lets me hold her and we sit like that until there’s a knock on the door. I collect Amelie’s dinner, surprised that the kitchen also included one for me, and we eat in companionable silence.
When we’re done, I tuck her into the bed and tell her I’ll be back tomorrow. I stroke her now dry hair back from her forehead and place another tender kiss there. I can’t stop touching and kissing her. I don’t want to stop either.
“Sawyer?” she asks sleepily, while yawning.
“Yeah?”
“Will you stay? All night?”
“I—”
“Please?”
My heart twists. How can I say no? If this is what she’s asking for, I’ll damn well make sure I give it to her.
“Of course,” I tell her and she gives me a bright smile. Patting the bed next to her, she wiggles over slightly to make room for me. I check the time – it’s late – so why the hell not? I pull my T-shirt over my head, drop my jeans and crawl into bed beside her in just my boxers. Not that I have any funny ideas or anything, I just want to be comfortable.
Amelie rolls over, hooking one leg over mine and snuggling in so that her head is on my chest. I’m not usually a cuddly person, but this is...nice. Like, I could get used to this, with her. I run my hand up and down her bare arm and begin to talk.
“Amelie, we can’t let anything else happen to you.”
She makes a sound of protest so I softly shush her. “You’re going to need protection. I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt again, and I know my brothers feel the same. I know you’renot ready to forgive them for what they did, but Kalen was absolutely beside himself both times you got hurt. You have to let us help you.”
“I can’t,” she whispers.
“Why not, baby?” I pull a face as the word effortlessly slips out. I’m not normally one for terms of endearment, but damn if she doesn’t bring out a softer side of me. “You hate asking for help don’t you?”
“If you knew my mother, what she did, you’d understand.”
“Amelie, my brothers and I are the kings of understanding with the shitty parents we had. That’s why we know what we’re talking about when we say that family – the one we’ve chosen for ourselves – is everything.”
“I can’t Sawyer...your brothers broke me.”
“Amelie Luna Rossi.” Yeah I read her file, I know her full name and a hell of a lot more about her, thanks to The Order. “You are the furthest thing from broken I’ve ever seen. You’re a diamond. Absolutely unbreakable. And it’s one of the things I love most about you.”
