Page 105 of Hushed

She blew out a breath. “I know you’re right.”

Her eyes went wide a second later, and she put her face in her hands. “You don’t think he heard us, do you?”

He shook his head. “Very doubtful. Peter and Ripley would have kept him in the Library to talk. They’re as pissed as I am.”

“Do you want to go talk to him some more?”

“Not right now. I just want to be here with you for a little longer.”

They sat in silence for another ten minutes, just enjoying the feel of the other’s skin.

When she got restless, he kissed her temple. “Let’s go shower and get back out there. I’ve got guests who are wondering what the hell is going on.”

They showered together, but it was mostly innocent with just a few stolen kisses as they cleaned off.

He insisted on inspecting her ass one more time to make sure he hadn’t done any damage, but she was fine. The marks would stick around for a few days at most.

But something about tonight changed things between them for the better, and Gage knew she was his forever. Just like he belonged to her.

And once everything they currently faced was handled, he would find a way to live with her, even if it meant leaving Exposure and D.C. behind.

Chapter 21

Kenzie

Kenzie’s eyes brimmed with tears for what had to have been the hundredth time that night as she hugged her brother in the hallway outside one of the guest rooms at Gage’s house. The scent of his cologne—a smell she thought she would never experience again—soothed her and broke her heart at the same time. So many years lost between them. “I still can’t believe you’re here. You’re not going to be gone when I wake up, are you?”

Reggie had stayed in the Library until all the other guests at Club Exposure were gone, and Gage drove them home when it was time to leave. It was surreal to share a car with a man she’d buried.

“I’ll be here when you wake up,” he promised, kissing the top of her head. “I don’t know how long I can stay, but I’ll saygoodbye before I go. You have my word, little sister.” He stepped back and tousled her hair with a half smirk on his face. Tears spilled down her cheeks at the tender gesture. He’d done it a thousand times, but tonight it was almost too much.

Thankfully, Gage approached before she could completely lose it. His easy confidence and tender smile as he reached for her hand made her heart swell, and the butterflies that always seemed to be present around him fluttered their wings.

“Come on, little imp. Let’s get some sleep.”

“Sleep better be all you do,” Reggie muttered under his breath.

Kenzie was prepared to ignore her brother’s grumpy comment, but not Gage. He squeezed Kenzie’s hand and stepped in front of her. Gripping Reggie’s shoulder, he said, “Comments like that aren’t welcome. You’ve always been my best friend, and that means something to me. But you don’t get to make demands about your sister and me in our house. If the two of us sharing a bedroom is going to be a problem for you, I can take you to a hotel.”

Our house? Kenzie barely had time to process the way Gage casually inserted that little tidbit into his statement before Reggie raised an eyebrow and lifted his hands as he backed toward the bedroom door. “You’re right. I apologize.” He looked around Gage and smiled at Kenzie.

“See you in the morning Gabs-a-lot.”

When the door was shut, Gage turned and pulled her into his arms. “I forgot he used to call you that.”

“It’s how he got me to open my door this morning.” Had that really only been this morning? A lifetime had passed since her once-dead big brother barged into her apartment.

Gage pressed his forehead to hers and stared into her eyes. “You’ve had a long day. Let’s get some rest.”

The exhaustion of the day had her eyelids drifting down for a brief moment, and she chewed her lip as she bobbed her headin agreement. Instead of leading her by the hand, he placed an arm at her knees and one behind her back and scooped her up into his arms. She squealed from the shock of the movement, but he leaned in and bit her bottom lip. “Shhh. You don’t want your brother hearing us, do you?”

Her face flamed, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Without another word, he carried her down the hall to a set of double doors. Pushing one open with his hip, he didn’t sit her down until they reached the massive bed.

He perched her on the edge and took her wrists in his hand. “Arms up, pet.”

Her heart skittered at the new nickname. He’d stuck to imp and sweetheart up until now. Why the change? But she didn’t have time to over analyze it, because he tucked a hand under her chin and fixed her with a stern glare. “We haven’t had the chance to talk about this, but when you’re in this room, there is no hesitation when I give you an order, Kenzie. Is that understood?”

She blinked up at him as her body purred to life. And all of a sudden, she was ready to surrender. As her arms went up, he lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside.

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