Sadie was ready for bed when she decided to check on Roxanne. She would just go down and make sure she was okay. She was so quiet after Emory left. She knew she had something on her mind, probably worried about Emory. Sadie quietly walked down the staircase and turned left at the bottom and went to her room. She passed by John’s study and saw the light still on from the bottom of the door. She passed by to hear muffled voices.
Once Sadie got to Roxanne’s door she knocked lightly, hoping not to wake her up if she was sleeping. Sadie waited.
“Yeah?” The quiet voice came through the door.
“Rox, it’s Sadie. Just wanted to make sure everything is okay.” She talked softly to the door.
“Come on in, Sadie,” she called out.
She opened the door slowly and walked in, closing the door behind her. She smiled at Roxanne, who was sitting at the head of her bed cross-legged. She had her hair up in a messy bun and had changed into her pajamas. She had a pair of glasses propped at the end of her nose. She looked adorable. She had a few thick books lined up in front of her.
“Hey.” She walked further into her room and had a seat on the edge on her bed.
“Hey,” she replied.
“Studying hard?” Sadie asked with a smirk and gestured to her books.
She nodded. “Yeah, well I’m trying.” She picked up a book and placed it on her lap. Sadie had interrupted and she got the feeling her inviting her in was to just be polite. She stood up from the bed. She needed to leave her to her studying.
“I’ll let you get back to your studying but I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. You seemed really quiet during dinner and after Emory left, well…” She paused and looked up to Roxanne. “I just wanted to check on you, I was a little worried about you, and Emory, too.”
Roxanne just stared at her with a content face. She didn’t say anything. She knew why Emory left but she wouldn’t say anything.
“Okay well, I’ll go. Good night, Rox!” Sadie rushed toward her door. She grabbed the doorknob but stopped when she heard her name. She turned back to Roxanne who was still in the same spot but her face had changed.
“Thank you for checking on me, Sadie.” She gave her a sad smile. “I’m okay, just got a lot on my mind, you know?”
She nodded. “And Emory? Is she okay with her family emergency?”
They both knew there wasn’t a family emergency. Best friends like Emory and Roxanne shared everything, the good and the bad.
“No, she’s not okay. But she will be.”
She nodded and Sadie nodded back.
“Well, if you ever need to talk, I’m here for you. I’m a good listener.”
She smiled big, put down her book, and hopped up from her bed. She strode over to her and wrapped her in a hug. Sadie smiled and hugged Roxanne back.
“Thanks, Sadie,” she whispered.
“For what?” she asked.
She pulled back with a genuine smile on her face. “For being you.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The hallway was dark with only a small dim light shining from the kitchen ahead. Sadie rounded the corner and was just about to pass the study when she heard voices. She heard Ethan’s but it wasn’t his voice that stopped her, it was his words.
“It’s been taken care of, Dad. Trent and Dec assured me, he won’t be a problem. This job is officially closed,” Ethan said in a low serious tone.
“There’s going to be brush back from this, E. I don’t like it. How do we know this guy’s gonna keep his fucking mouth shut? We don’t know.” It was Stone’s voice this time and he was mad.
“Trent and Dec covered it. Shaw isn’t going to say shit. He can’t, Stone, we got him by the balls,” Ethan said, matter of fact.
Sadie took two steps backward which put her directly in front of the door. She leaned in closer holding her breath. She didn’t know who or what they were talking about but she knew she wasn’t supposed to be listening. If Stone caught her, he’d be furious, he had secrets that he wouldn’t share. This conversation was leading her to believe they were very bad secrets. Secrets that could change them or possibly end them.
“God, you’re a nosy pain in the ass!” A quiet angry voice from behind startled her. It was T and he was mad as hell. Sadie recognized this look that she had only seen once before, the night she met him. Sadie gasped in surprise and fear as he gripped her forearm tightly and pushed her through the cracked door. He let go and she fell into the room. Sadie stumbled but caught herself and straightened up. She looked around to find shocked stares all aimed at her.
“What the fuck, T?” Stone shouted. He was walking to her but abruptly stopped when T spoke.
“She was listening at the door! Now, I want to know exactly what she heard!”
Oh shit! Her hands started sweating and her legs trembled.
“Sadie? Sweetheart, what did you hear?” The deep and scary voice came from behind a desk in the corner. It was John.
Scared, she looked to Stone who openly glared at her.
“I heard Ethan and Stone.” She shivered. Her eyes scanned the
