Page 74 of Hushed

“None as certain as that.”

Gage shook his head. “Evie, you could have just fucking called.”

Evie glared at him. “No. I couldn’t. I’m pretty sure Jake tracks my phone calls.”

“Is he abusing you?”

Evie shook her head. “Not really.”

“Not really means yes. Do you want me to get you out?”

Evie blew out a breath. “I can’t leave New York. Not right now.”

“I didn’t ask if you could leave New York. I asked if you want me to get you away from Jake?”

“There’s something I have to finish first. It’s part of that thing I can’t talk about.”

Jesus Christ this girl was impossible. What the fuck was she up to?

“If you don’t talk, I’m just going to send Jax to find out what you’re up to. So, you might as well save yourself some trouble and just fucking tell me what’s going on.”

She shrugged. “You can have him do that if you want. I just can’t be the one to tell you.”

Gage narrowed his gaze. What was her angle? She always had one. He just had to figure out what it was this time.

“If I can’t call you, how can I reach you?”

Evie shrugged. “I’ll make contact.”

He stared at her as if she’d grown a third eye. “You’ll make contact? This isn’t a spy movie, Evie. We need a plan.”

“I assume you’re staying with Kenzie while you’re in town?” she asked.

He nodded, not liking where she was going with this.

“There’s a bodega two blocks south of her building that I visit sometimes. Meet me there at noon on Thursday.”

His stomach twisted as she stood. “I really do need to get back soon or I’m going to get in trouble. I didn’t expect you to take me anywhere when I approached you.”

“Do you want a ride?”

She shook her head. “No. I should call a cab and make a few random stops along the way in case he is tracking my phone like I suspect.”

Gage hadn’t even thought of that. He wasn’t sure how Austin would feel. But it was a public business with billboards around the city, so hopefully it was OK.

“Do you have any legitimate reason to be visiting a lawyer?” Gage asked.

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“One sec.” Gage stepped into the hallway and called Austin.

“Are you still in the building?”

“What’s up?”

“What other businesses are in this building that Evie may have been visiting? She’s got an abusive partner that might be tracking her phone and he’s going to want to know what she was doing here.”

Austin hummed for a second. “There is an accounting firm, several more law firms, and I’m like ninety percent sure the guy on the eighth floor is making porn.”

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