Page 132 of Hushed

“We’re telling you what we can, when we can, babe,” Gage insisted.

“We don’t have concrete proof, but we think she’s been seeing Jake for the last eight or nine months,” Reggie said.

“And you knew she was my friend this whole time?”

Reggie shook his head. “I was aware she was in your circle, but I didn’t realize you considered her your best friend.”

“She’s been my friend the entire time I’ve been in the city. How could you not know that?”

Reggie grimaced. “I used to look into your friends, but you gave me too much grief, and I stopped doing that unless something raised a red flag and made me want to.”

“Well, at least you listen to me sometimes,” she snarked.

“Easy, Kenz. Now isn’t the time to pick a fight.” Gage’s tone was gentle, but she could hear the subtle threat beneath it. And he was right. Picking a fight was the last thing she needed to do right now.

“Where is she?” Kenzie asked Gage, wanting to avoid the subject.

“Looks like a house outside the city.”

“Evie told me there was a house that Jake or Chris ran for adult performers to shoot content in. Could that be the place?”

Gage lifted an eyebrow. “That’s good intel, babe. We’ll look into it.”

Samuel was sitting at the desk with a laptop, and his fingers flew across the keys. “House is registered to a shell company. I’d bet money that’s the place if it’s a front for their trafficking.”

Kenzie’s stomach twisted at the thought of Maggie being mixed up in something like this. Especially knowing that she was pregnant.

“Why would Maggie have called me back to the city if she was mixed up in this?”

Gage grimaced, and again she knew he was keeping something from her. It was getting old.

When she continued staring at him, he looked up at the ceiling and let out a long, slow breath. “It’s possible that Evie or one of the others from the club decided you’re a liability. They would have used Maggie to lure you back. But then I sent security with you and mucked up their plans.”

Kenzie shuddered and reached for his hand again. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead.

“I’m glad you insisted on security, then. Do you have any proof of this?”

Samuel cleared his throat, and Kenzie looked his way. “Not exactly. Just some loose threads that might lead to some proof. We’re following it as fast as we can.”

She closed her eyes as Gage ran his hand up and down her back. “What do we do now?”

“Now, you go get some rest or work on one of your projects, and let us worry about this,” Gage answered.

She wanted to argue, but something told her if she did, he would at best scold her in front of Samuel and Reggie, and at worst, he might consider bending her over the desk for a spanking, so she stayed quiet.

Reggie and Samuel stood, and Kenzie started to get up from Gage’s lap, but he held her tighter.

“I’ll meet y’all at the truck,” he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“You did good,” he murmured as the men disappeared into the hall.

“I am so worried for everyone,” she admitted.

“Understandable. We’re doing everything we can, though.”

She snuggled into him, and he held her for a few more minutes before he let out a low groan.

“I hate leaving you, but we need to get moving.”

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