Page 13 of Caging Liberty
Naomi stiffens. “How do you know my name?”
One side of his lips twitch, like he’s suppressing a smirk. “Please.” He gestures toward the couch. “Sit. I’ll explain everything.”
Naomi and I exchange a look before trudging to the couch behind Anna. We sit, then the man pulls a chair close to us and casually plops down. I glance over at the two men who brought us here, both now guarding the door.
“Don’t mind them,” the tan guy says, drawing my attention back to him. He smiles warmly. “Julio and Brantley are only here to ensure that no one gets scared off.”
“How do you know my name?” Naomi asks again, pointedly this time.
His eyes move back to her, and I catch the first hint of steel in them. Naomi must catch it too because the air in the room shifts and the leather couch squeaks as she sinks deeper into the cushions.
“Right, sorry. I know who you are, Naomi, because you told me. We’ve known each other for a while, actually. Which is how I know that under that brave exterior of yours is a scared, young woman. And I want to assure you, you’re safe. So is your son, Theo.”
I look at Naomi just as her eyes widen to saucers, the frost in her irises melting. Deep, suffocating, maternal dread drains her face, and I quickly look back at the man.
He turns to Anna and holds up his hand. “Before you worry, Anna, Sean is safe too. In fact, I believe he’s at his first basketball game right now. If you’d like, I could have someone take a video for you. I know you’ve been wanting to see him play.”
“What?” Anna’s lip trembles. “How?”
Her face is twisted with confusion, but I see the moment something clicks into place. “Sawyer?”
He grins to confirm his identity, and it only makes me more confused.
“Pleasure to finally meet you, Anna.”
“You son of a bitch,” Naomi growls, jumping to her feet.
He leisurely drapes one muscular leg over the other and looks at her with a sort of amused curiosity. “Sit down, Naomi.”
“Don’t you fucking dare touch my son!”
“I already told you, he’s safe. Safer than he was before you came here. He’s being relocated to a different foster home as we speak, and this one doesn’t keep locks on the fridge. He has a large trust written in his name that he’ll get when he’s eighteen, and no one will ever lay a finger on him again, all thanks to you. You’re giving him far more by being here than you were when you were sticking needles in your arm, feeling sorry for yourself. Sosit. Please.”
“What do you want?” she rasps out, tears filling her eyes.
The man, Sawyer, sighs and stares her down until she defeatedly collapses onto the couch.
“I want the same thing you want.” His voice is deceptively soothing. “I want you to be a good mother. I want you to beclean. And happy. And I can help with all of those things.”
“I already got clean,” she says, her voice holding a sad desperation.
Sawyer’s face pinches skeptically. “After all the times you’ve thrown away your sobriety in the past, do you really think this time will stick? You need help, Naomi. There’s no shame in that.”
A tear slides down Naomi’s cheek, and I get the urge to shake her. Five minutes with this guy, and she’s already breaking down.
Who is he?
She closes her eyes.
“You told me it’s what you needed, Naomi. Remember? Please let me help you.”
“What about me?” Anna asks, drawing my eyes to her. She sits on the edge of the couch, leaning toward Sawyer with a glimmer of hope in her eyes I don’t like.
“Yes, babygirl. I want to help you too.”
“That’s why we’re here?” She pauses a moment, and I can see her chest inflating with her optimistic energy. “You’re not going to hurt us?”
She lets out a relieved laugh, shifting to look at us like she’s expecting the same reaction.