CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Taylor
Irolled my eyes at my cell phone as I tossed it on the couch cushion beside me. I needed to start getting ready to go to Michael’s for dinner. I wondered what the menu at Trevor’s Haus looked like.
I grabbed the cell phone again and pulled up the restaurant. I wasn’t surprised that prices weren’t listed on the menu. That usually meant they were expensive. So it came as no great shock that Sawyer would select this place for dinner.
“It’s so Sawyer.”
I looked at all of the pictures on the website to hopefully get a feel for the type of attire people wore to this place. Most of the men were wearing blazers, some in suits, but at minimum the men were in slacks and a collared shirt. The women wore a mix of dresses ranging from casual to cocktail.
“Ugh.”
Why did I make the stupid bet with him?
And how juvenile was it of him to actually collect on it?
Was it just so he could gloat more?
At least the attire wouldn’t be an issue for me. I always wore a cocktail dress to the parties hosted at Michael’s resorts, so I had a few to select from. Though, I would have preferred something business casual and not so dressy. I could treat it like a work function. It was with Sawyer, after all.
“Ah!”
I was shocked at how long I had sat there looking at reviews, pictures, and the menu for the restaurant. I jumped off the couch and hurried to take a shower and get ready so I wouldn’t be late for dinner at Michael’s.
Doused with shower gel, I ran the loofa over my body quickly. I was surprised at how tender my nipples and pussy were from Sawyer.Mmm. Sawyer’s hands were unlike anyone’s I’d ever felt before. And that was why men like him were dangerous.
Don’t even go there.
I dried off and quickly did my hair and makeup before getting dressed in a pair of gray slacks and a dark green cashmere sweater. I stepped into some black pointed flats and was ready.
I forced myself not to look up on the mountainside as I was coming up on Sawyer’s house. Sawyer and Michael lived near one another on the same side of the mountain that overlooked a few of the ski runs. As I drove up the steep paved incline to Michael’s, I wondered what Sawyer’s place looked like on the inside. I came to a stop at Michael’s gate and rolled the window down to press the call button.
“Hi, Taylor. Come on in,” Michael said through the speaker. I rolled the window up and proceeded slowly along the road and parked in front of his house. Michael was outside on the porch waiting for me.
“Hi,” I called out as I approached the steps to his porch.
“Thank you for coming.” He hugged me, and my eyes drifted closed. Michael always made me feel safe… like Sawyer. “You’ve got to be tired,” he said as we pulled out of our hug.
“Not too much. I was able to sleep some when I got home.”
We stepped inside, and Michael took my coat. He opened the coat closet, and I noticed Sawyer’s puffy coat hanging in there.
“I woke Sawyer up to have him come with Jensen to the doctor.”
“How did that go?” I asked. My heart broke for all of the kids, especially Jensen. He’d endured so much.
“He’s okay.” Michael frowned and then looked down.
“Michael?”
His eyes met mine, filled with trouble and stress.
“What is it?” I asked.
“They’re all a mess,” he whispered. “I don’t have to sugarcoat anything with you, especially when it comes to this stuff, but they’re all suffering from the trauma of Wade’s sadistic abuse. Cuts and bruises everywhere. Alek has some fractures. Jensen—”
Michael’s voice dropped, and he lowered his head to gather himself. I put my hand on his upper arm, and he looked up at me. I saw a mix of anger and frustration in his eyes.
