Tainted

Chapter Twenty-seven

(Three Months Later)

Sawyer stepped out of the limo when the driver opened the door, waiting impatiently for Vida.

“Let’s go; we’re late.”

“It’s not my fault. You’re the one who overslept.” Sawyer blushed, remembering the late night she’d had with Kaden, which had resulted in her oversleeping. She opened the door to the office building that Kaden had rented a space in for the band’s new tour manager.

“I haven’t seen Jordan since Indiana. You’re going to love her, Vida. Kaden rented this space for the next three months while she organizes the tour and straightens out R.J.’s mess. R.J.’s finances might be in a downward spiral with him in prison, but the band was smart enough to not give R.J. that type of control over their own assets.

“We can go out to lunch with her before hitting the furniture stores.” Sawyer needed to buy more furniture to furnish the large house that Kaden had purchased not far from the one that Colton and Vida had purchased the previous month. Both women had decided to settle on the outskirts of Queen City. The city that they had once dreamed of escaping.

Vida had found her dream of living in a close-knit community, and Sawyer, sick of traveling, had enrolled in culinary school.

Sawyer and Vida strolled into Jordan’s office, coming to a stop at the disorganized mess. Huge boxes were stacked in the middle of the floor. The office furniture had just been delivered and not yet placed. The small room looked like a tornado had been there.

Jordan’s blonde head peeked over the filing cabinet.

“I know it looks terrible, but I’ll have it in shape in no time.” Her excited voice had both women smiling. You couldn’t help liking the woman; her personality was so freaking bubbly. She reminded Sawyer of a bath bomb.

“I’m afraid I have to cancel lunch. I have another delivery coming, and I was hoping it would make it here before you arrived, but they just called. It’s not going to happen. Can I take a rain check?”

“I can do better than that. Come by the house for dinner tonight. Vida and Colton can come. I’ll even invite Brenley, Colton’s sister. That way, you can get to know everyone at once.”

“That sounds terrific.” Jordan smiled, unwrapping a picture frame from bubble wrap and placing it on her desk before going to a box and taking out another one. Unwrapping it, she placed it on her desk as well. Vida helpfully moved the box closer to her desk.

Jordan took out another picture, unwrapping several layers of bubble wrap.

“Jordan, you really like bubble wrap, don’t you?” Sawyer said jokingly.

“I learned my lesson. That bastard with Digger went through my suitcases. I just had these printed when he threw them all over the room.”

“You must be close to your family,” Sawyer said, picking up one of the frames from the desk.

Sawyer had a new respect for the woman who had a picture of a man whose appearance was dangerously lethal. Vida whistled over her shoulder. No wonder Jordan hadn’t been afraid of Max and Jackal; the man in the picture frame was staring back with a gravely serious expression. His blue gaze grabbed and held your attention, and that was just with a photograph.

“Jordan, if I wasn’t head over heels in love with Kaden, I would beg for an introduction.” Of course she would have to have a few drinks to work her courage up first.

“Sawyer, R.J. isn’t around anymore and Kaden’s already hired me. You can call me by my first name now.” She laughed as Sawyer set the picture down and picked up another one, wanting to see another picture of the striking man.

“What is your first name?” she asked absently, only giving her half of her attention as she turned the picture frame toward her.

“Penni.”

Sawyer stared down at the picture in her hand, almost fainting. Only Vida grabbing her for support had her able to hold on to her control.

Penni was in the picture, sitting on a huge boulder with green lush mountains behind her. Sitting next to her, laughing into the camera, was a beautiful, dark haired woman. She was dressed in a dress, and the girls were obviously trying to keep the wind from blowing it up. Her gentleness could easily be read in her face, just as the heart-wrenching sadness in her eyes couldn’t be missed.

“W—who w—was the man in your picture?” Sawyer asked with a hoarse voice.

“That’s my brother, Shade,” Penni answered, staring at Sawyer curiously. “He looks kind of scary, but he can be sweet.” Then she added, “Sometimes.”

“Who’s the woman?” Vida questioned with a tight voice.

“That was my college roommate, Lily. I already miss her. We became really close friends. She doesn’t graduate until next semester.” Penni took the picture frame from Sawyer’s hand, setting it carefully back down on the desk.

“I want to thank you, Sawyer, for convincing Kaden to give me that interview. I know he wouldn’t have hired me without your help. I didn’t make the best impression during my internship with R.J.”

Sawyer didn’t answer, gripping the desk for support. One of her nails broke, but she didn’t feel the pain.

A knock sounded and Penni went to answer it. Sawyer and Vida gathered themselves during the reprieve. Seeing the deliverymen, they used the excuse to escape. Neither woman said a word until they were in the elevator. Vida was already crying when the elevator door closed.

“Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God!” Vida held on to the side of the elevator.

Sawyer weakly reached out, pressing the emergency stop on the elevator panel. Bursting into tears, she fell to her knees on the elevator floor.

“S—she’s a—alive! She’s alive!”

Vida came down next to her on the floor. Sawyer reached out, hugging her close as both of them cried.

“Callie’s alive!”