Chapter 51

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Sawyer stood outside Brynlee’s hospital room, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow on the linoleum floor. He could hear the faint hum of the machines inside, the steady beep of monitors tracking her vitals.

But each time he reached for the door, her family blocked his way with gentle, pitying expressions that made his stomach twist.

“Thank you for coming, Sawyer,” Mrs. Layne had said the first time, her voice kind but tinged with regret. “But Brynlee’s not ready yet. She needs more time.”

Time. It was always the same. Every visit, every attempt to see her, was met with the same soft apologies, the same promises that she just needed a little longer. But the hurt in Sawyer’s chest only deepened, each rejection feeling like a knife twisting in his heart. Why the hell wouldn’t she see him?

He had spent every waking moment thinking about her, worrying over her, reliving the horror of finding her bruised and broken in that basement. He had carried her out, held her in his arms as he begged her to stay with him, to keep fighting. And now, when she was safe, when he needed to see for himself that she was going to be okay, she wouldn’t even look at him.

Sawyer clenched his fists, his jaw tightening with frustration. He understood trauma, understood that she’d been through hell, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. Every time he was turned away, it felt like she was slipping further away from him, like he was losing her all over again.

The last few days had been a whirlwind, a chaotic blur of interrogations, arrests, and reports. Elisa Turner had finally cracked, admitting to every vile act she had committed against Brynlee. She had sabotaged Brynlee’s salon, tampered with her car, drugged her at the bar, and even killed her cat—all out of jealousy.

During the interview, Elisa had ranted about how Zane was always comparing her to Brynlee, how he still wanted Brynlee back. Her jealousy had consumed her, turned her into someone capable of unspeakable acts. And for what? Sawyer couldn’t wrap his head around the sheer madness of it.

Burt Johnson, on the other hand, had been a tougher nut to crack. He hadn’t admitted a thing, not that he needed to. The evidence was overwhelming. DNA from all of the victims had been found in the basement of his home, and Fallon had provided a detailed statement that left little room for doubt. Johnson was done for, his sick fantasies and twisted desires finally exposed for the world to see.

Brookhaven was at peace, the storm that had wreaked havoc on the small town finally dissipating. People were moving on, trying to forget the horrors that had unfolded in their own backyard. But Sawyer couldn’t move on. Not without seeing Brynlee, without hearing her voice, without knowing where they stood.

He leaned against the cold wall outside her room, running a hand through his hair. His mind was a tangled mess of anger and confusion. He had been there for her, had fought for her, and now she was shutting him out. What was he supposed to do with that?

“Reed?” A voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see Dare standing a few feet away, his expression sympathetic. “You okay?”

Sawyer shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “Not really.”

Dare nodded, understanding without prying. He had been there, had seen the raw emotion in Sawyer’s eyes as he carried Brynlee out of that house. “She’ll come around, Sawyer. She just needs time.”

“That’s what they keep telling me,” Sawyer muttered, his frustration boiling over. “But what if she doesn’t? What if she never wants to see me again?”

Dare sighed, stepping closer. “She’s been through a lot. More than most people can even imagine. She’s scared, maybe even ashamed. It’s not about you, Sawyer. It’s about her trying to piece herself back together.”

Sawyer knew Dare was right, but it didn’t make it any easier. He had faced down killers, navigated some of the darkest corners of humanity, but this—being shut out—was something he wasn’t prepared for.

“She’ll see you when she’s ready,” Dare continued quietly. “And when she does, you’ll be there for her, just like you always have been.”

Sawyer nodded, the anger and hurt still simmering beneath the surface. He wanted to believe Dare, wanted to hold on to the hope that Brynlee would eventually let him in. But each day that passed made that hope a little harder to cling to.

“Yeah,” he said finally, his voice low. “I just wish I knew when that would be.”

Dare gave him a pat on the back before heading down the hall, leaving Sawyer alone with his thoughts. He stared at the door to Brynlee’s room for a long moment, his heart aching with the weight of everything he couldn’t say to her.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, he turned and walked away, the sound of his footsteps echoing down the sterile corridor. He would give her time, as much as she needed. But deep down, he feared that time might be the one thing that would push them further apart.