Page 25 of Shaded Amethysts
Avery’s chuckle was deep and sexy just before she said, “Oh, you’re not getting off the hook that easily. Take me to your place, so I can have my way with you.”
21
Avery
Ibarely recognized the daring, brazen woman who suggestively told Gage she wanted to have her way with him, but the urgency with which he drove toward his apartment made me think that she might just know what she was doing.
My nerves kicked into overdrive as he rounded the final bend before his apartment complex, but I refused to back down from the opportunity for a night of naked fun spent in Gage’s bed. The fact that he had tried to warn me away proved that my gut was right about him being a good guy at his core. I still wasn’t sure what he’d done to be sent to prison, but honestly, I didn’t think I cared––as long as it wasn’t too bad.
Without him, Scout wouldn’t be with his parents tonight. We still had a battle ahead of us to make that a permanent fix, but Gage was the one who’d led us to Angie’s hangout. He had saved the day. Heck, he’d saved the rest of our lives. Nothing would have felt right ever again, if Scout wasn’t with Grant and Molly.
The wheels crackled on the gravel parking lot as Gage pulled into an unmarked spot at the apartment complex and turned off the truck. We both remained motionless for a long moment, contemplating what we were about to do.
Unable to stand the thick tension any longer, I reached for my door handle and asked, “Shall we?”
Just then, a movement near the glass door of the multi-unit building caught our attention. A man, who had been sitting on the entrance steps, stood up. I squinted my eyes as recognition set in, despite the shadows darkening his face.
“I wonder what Noah is doing here,” Gage commented as he moved to get out of the truck.
I followed quickly behind Gage, curious about what the half-brothers would say to each other. As far as I knew, they tended to actively avoid each other.
Noah’s gaze traveled quickly between me and Gage. Anger twisted his features as he absorbed what he was seeing. His eyes widened with horror just before he accused Gage, “You told her, didn’t you?”
Gage held up a palm to stop his half-brother, but Noah was too furious to heed the warning. “How could you?!? You promised you would never tell anyone.”
The normally polished and professional veterinarian began pacing and running his hands through his short, gelled hair. Staring down at the ground, he mumbled to himself, “I should have known when she dumped me. I can’t believe I was coming here to apologize to you.”
“Noah, stop,” Gage growled in a warning tone.
Ignoring him, Noah whirled around and shot a manic glare in Gage’s direction before saying, “If this gets out, it will ruin me.”
“Listen to me,” Gage said firmly. “You need to stop talking.”
Noah lunged toward me. Grabbing one of my arms, he pleaded. “You have to promise not to tell anyone. Ever.”
“Take your hand off her. Now!” Gage seethed between clenched teeth. For the first time, I got a glimpse of how frightening the enormous man could be when protecting someone he cared about.
His vicious warning worked. Noah immediately released his grip on me.
My gaze traveled rapidly between the two of them as my brain frantically worked to figure out what this big secret was that Noah was convinced Gage had told me. When it finally hit me, I stumbled backward and gawked at the respected doctor.
“It was you,” I accused Noah, certain that I was right.
Both men remained frozen, while I continued to work it out aloud. “You committed a crime, then Gage covered for you and went to prison for it.”
Noah’s expression appeared utterly perplexed by my words. Finally, he asked Gage quietly, “You didn’t tell her?”
“No, but you just did,” Gage verified.
Noah’s eyes were wild with fear when he begged Gage, “Please don’t let her tell anyone. I would lose everything.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Gage promised him before adding, “Go home, Noah.”
The vet headed toward his shiny, black Mercedes. When he turned back with a questioning gaze, Gage promised, “I’ve got it.”
This reassurance seemed to convince the man because he got into his extravagant car and drove off.
I crossed my arms and openly glared up at Gage.Had he been referring to me as ‘it?’ And how was he planning to ‘take care’ of me?I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t going to be the way I wanted him to take care of me.
