Page 40 of Hushed

She folded her arms and looked out the passenger window, refusing to answer his question. At first, he didn’t press because he was looking for a place to park, but after several minutes, he found a spot in a parking garage. It was going to cost him a fortune when they left, but she kept her mouth shut about that, too.

“Are you asking me to spank you again?” He undid his seatbelt and turned to face her as he spoke.

Since she had a suspicion he would do it right there in the garage if she didn’t answer, she relented and told him the story. “She didn’t say a lot directly to me. Seemed surprised that I knew you. It’s what she said to her friend in the bathroom that pissed me off. It sounded like she was a fan of whatever the hell Chris was planning, and she was obsessed with how I knew you. Ultimately, they decided I was probably one of your dozens of one-night-stands and that I must not have been that great in bed since you wouldn’t take me to Exposure.

Gage leaned back against his seat and shook his head. “Everyone warned me she would be a pain in the ass if I ever got involved with her. I’m so sorry you had to hear all of that. You understand that you’re way more than a one-night stand to me, right?”

She ducked her head and looked at her shoes. “I didn’t at the time. Because technically, all we had was a one-night stand.”

Gage swore again, then looked over at her with a mix of sadness and frustration in his eyes. “It’s a miracle you called me at all. So, on top of making sure they lose your address, it looks like I’m going to have to have a word with Evie.”

“Gage, please, don’t. I’m begging you.”

He got out of the truck and came around to open her door before responding.

“What do you expect from me, Kenzie? You want me to ignore the fact that they were threatening you? That they’re employing people who have no regard for the basic principles that our community lives by? I can’t do that.”

She took his hand and let him help her out of the truck without another word. Gage wasn’t the type of person to ignore injustice, so she wouldn’t ask him to. But she did silently pray he didn’t start a fist fight and get himself arrested.

“When we get inside, you can let me do all the talking unless you need to fill in details.”

As they approached the door to the club, her stomach twisted at the thought of going back inside, but Gage being with her helped give her strength. He squeezed her hand as he pulled the door open, and some of the tension eased away. It would not be the same as going in on her own. She had someone with her whose only goal was to protect her.

A commotion in the bar area caught their attention, and Kenzie strained to hear. “Deb, if that’s you, you’re fucking late,” a voice said.

Gage smirked at her when they both recognized the voice as Evie.

The annoying blond appeared in the lobby and froze as soon as she spotted them. “Gage?”

“And Kenzie. Or don’t you remember her?”

His voice was menacing, and Kenzie wasn’t sure she’d ever heard him sound more terrifying. Evie apparently felt the same way, because her face went white, and she didn’t say anything. Gage, however, had plenty to say after he casually flipped the lock on the door and turned to face her again.

“I’ll deal with you later. Right now, I’d like to talk to whoever’s in charge.”

Evie sputtered for a moment, before trying to make herself taller by squaring her shoulders and thrusting her chest forward. “What makes you think I’m not the one in charge?”

Gage let out a loud laugh and shook his head. “Good to see you haven’t changed, Evie. Cut the BS and point me to whoever run’s this shit hole.”

A man stepped into the lobby looking fierce. Kenzie recognized him as the one who was with Evie last night.

“I’m in charge here. What seems to be the trouble?” He draped his arm protectively around Evie who gave Gage a smug look.

Gage squeezed Kenzie’s hand one more time and stepped forward. “Can we take this to your office, Mr.…?”

The man shook his head. “Name’s Jake, and out here is fine. Say what you need to say or leave.”

Gage crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Jake. “I’d like to know why you’re employing people who don’t seem to understand the concept of boundaries. Someone was a little too interested in my girl last night and it seems they wanted to spike her drink.”

Evie’s eyes went wide, and Kenzie glared at her.

“That’s bullshit,” Jake said. “Chris would never do that.”

Evie elbowed the beast of a man in the ribs, and he stared at her with an expression that almost had Kenzie feeling sorry for the girl. Gage shook his head, clearly not experiencing any sympathy. “I never said it was Chris. Now, what are you going to do about this?”

Jake closed his eyes, and Kenzie could tell he was silently cursing himself for his slip-up. “He didn’t do anything illegal.”

“No, but he was planning on it. If he isn’t fired, I’m going to make sure the city shuts you down.” Gage didn’t yell or even raise his voice as he made his threat. The even tone Gage used made him sound even more terrifying. A man that much in control was more likely to make things happen.

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