Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
How long had I been here? A few hours maybe?
It felt longer when I thought about Gage and the way he had made me feel. Even if it had just been for a moment. Did former me still love him? Was that what this was? My mind had forgotten, but my body remembered? I should have stayed away from him.
But if I had, then I’d never have known him. That thought seemed intolerable. I’d rather know him and live through the pain.
Twenty-Eight
Gage
The house was full. It was loud. Some hot blonde, who Levi’s hookup had brought, was in my lap. This was my life. The one I enjoyed. The one I wanted. My chest felt fucking hollow, but that was familiar too.
“GAGE!” Huck called out from the kitchen.
“What?”
“Where’s your fucking phone?”
“Don’t know,” I replied. Didn’t fucking care.
The blonde was playing with my hair, and it was annoying me. I needed another drink.
Huck stood in front of me. “Who took Shiloh home yesterday morning?” he asked, frowning.
The sound of her name made me tense up.
“Bart.” I snarled his name as if it were his fucking fault I’d sent her home.
“Did he say if she went inside?”
The concerned look on Huck’s face was sending off alarm bells I didn’t fucking like.
“I didn’t ask.”
Huck scowled at me like I’d done something wrong. I had sent her home. He’d been wanting me to send her home since day one. He started to walk off.
I shoved the girl off my lap. “MOVE!”
She scrambled to stand, and I pushed myself up.
“HUCK!” I shouted his name.
He glared back at me. “What?”
“Why are you asking about her?” I couldn’t even say her name. I was afraid I’d snap. It was right there on the edge. Sending her away had been the only way to stop myself. To keep me from going fucking psycho over her. One more minute with her, and it would have been done.
“She hasn’t answered any texts or calls from her uncle. He went by to check on her, and she’s not answering. Her neighbor has also tried. They assumed she was here still, so he called YOU. When he didn’t get you, he called me.”
My heart slammed against my chest. Terror squeezed my throat so tightly that I could barely breathe. I had enemies. We all did. If any of them had known …
I shoved past everyone, walking toward the door.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Huck shouted.
“To her apartment!”
“You can’t fucking drive yet!”
“I’ll go,” Levi called out, but I didn’t stop.
I continued on, pausing in the gun room on my way out to make sure I was prepared.
“Gage.” Levi said my name as if he was trying to talk me down.
There was nothing to talk me down from. Shiloh wasn’t answering her phone or door. Something was wrong.
“DRIVE!” I shouted as I climbed inside the car, slamming the door behind me.
Levi glanced at me once as he pulled out of the garage, and we headed down the long drive toward the security gate. I’d fucking let her drive right off yesterday. Didn’t even check to see if she was safe. Make sure she got home okay. I had been too busy trying not to let myself claim her.
If someone had her or something had happened to her …
The madness was stewing right below the surface.
“Bart drove her?” Levi asked.
I nodded, unable to speak.
He pressed Bart’s number on the car’s display screen.
“Yes, sir?” His voice came over the speaker.
“Did Shiloh Ellis get home safely yesterday? Anything off with her?” Levi asked.
“Like I told Huck when he called a few minutes ago, she didn’t seem well. I asked her if she was okay, but she barely spoke. She was curled up in the backseat the entire ride and kept her eyes closed. But, yeah, she got inside. I made sure before I drove off.”
My hand slammed down on the console in front of me. “AND YOU DIDN’T FUCKING THINK I NEEDED TO KNOW SHE WAS ILL?” I roared as I felt myself start to unravel.
“No, sir. I’m sorry, sir. I thought she had a headache or felt sick. Maybe that was why she was leaving. You didn’t ask me about her, so I figured you knew …” He trailed off.
I hadn’t asked. Just like Huck had pointed out. I hadn’t fucking checked on her.
“Thanks, Bart,” Levi said, then ended the call.
My heart was pounding in my ears.
“You’re gonna lose it, and that won’t help anyone. Remember last time. Rein it in,” Levi told me.
“Drive faster,” I replied through clenched teeth.
The phone rang, and Huck’s name appeared on the screen.
“Yeah?” Levi said.
“It’s okay. Her uncle called. The neighbor went to the landlord and got the backup key. He got inside, and she’s suffering from a migraine. He said, since the accident, she sometimes gets them, and they can be debilitating. But the neighbor is with her, and she’ll be fine.”