OtherSide Of Fear (Outside The Ropes #3) (28 page)

I gripped his hands before he could walk away. “Don’t do that.”

He paused, questions in his eyes.

“Don’t dismiss me like that. I asked what’s going on, and you promised to keep me in the loop.”

He sighed, dropping down onto the bed next to me. “It’s only business. Ian’s taking on too much at once and not juggling it well. I’ve got to go sort it out now, before it becomes anything big.”

“Come on, Gage. I know it’s not just club business.” I leaned back from him.

He ran his hands over his head. “I didn’t say it was. I said it was business, and it is.” He stood up, pulling his gun holster from a drawer and sliding it over his shoulders. He turned back around, facing me. “And I meant it, it doesn’t involve you, don’t worry.” He stepped towards me. “I’ll be home later, I’ll fill you in then.” He slid his hand under my hair, behind my neck, not letting me pull away. “Now, wait for Sal. He’ll take you to school, and you can ace your test.” He pressed his lips to mine and then left the room.

His avoidance of the question stirred my agitation, but I tried to still it. I’d hold him to his word of telling me later, but I was too jumpy to go back to bed. Instead, I pulled out my statistics book and spent the next few hours studying, or more like stared at the page of formulas while thinking about what Gage was doing.

I don’t know if I aced my test. It was one of those things where I zipped through it unsure if I understood it all or only thought I did and was getting it all wrong. But I know Gage didn’t come home like he said he would, and he didn’t talk like he said he would.

He slipped into our bed in the middle of the night, pulling me to him and mumbling how much he loved me, like he had been asleep instead of out. But I wouldn’t relax in his arms. I couldn’t fall back to sleep.

“What happened today?” I asked, not pulling away yet, not wanting to make more of this than I needed to.

He sighed, eyes closed as he held me tighter. “Everything that could go wrong did. And it took longer to sort out than I thought it would.”

“What went wrong?” I whispered as I turned around in his arms to face him.

He opened his eyes then and gave me a soft smile. “Just little things. I left them alone too long, and they’ve managed to mess up the order I had going. It’s going to take a little time to get it all sorted, but that’s what I’ve got to do.” His soft lips pressed to my forehead and then his eyes closed again. “Now, shh, let’s go to sleep. It’s been a long day, and I only have a couple of hours before I have to go back.”

“Wait, you haven’t really said what’s going on. What do you have to do tomorrow?”

His hand moved up and down my back, tired eyes meeting mine, looking for understanding. “I’ve got to oversee an order coming through tomorrow and meet with Viktor after. Like I said, sort it all out. It’s only typical business stuff. Now can we please go to bed? We can talk more tomorrow.”

I nodded, letting it go for now. He needed rest, I could tell, and his body was heating next to mine, pulling me back into sleep.

“Bye, Sal.” I wanted to slam the car door, but he closed it for me as I got out.

“You going anywhere else today? Should I wait?”

“No. You can go, but if you see Gage, tell him to call me.” I turned around, not caring to cover my frustration, not waiting for a response as I stepped onto the elevator, heading home.

I pulled out my phone. Still nothing. No missed calls, no text messages, nothing in response to my calls.

He had missed the doctor’s appointment. He’d been talking about it all week, but he missed it. My muscles pulled between anger and worry. I tried to focus on the anger, that was easier.

The doors slid open to our floor and I went into the condo, holding my breath. But I let it go, with my last bit of hope, when I confirmed it was empty. And still, my phone was frustratingly silent.

I was already in stretch pants, t-shirt, and tennis shoes, and my muscles screamed for release. So I left as quick as I came and went back to the elevator, only going to the gym on the first floor. I debated going to our typical gym, but I wasn’t going to let my anger cause me to take risks. Gage had been adamant about Sal taking me everywhere.

I paced myself, making sure to not push too far, listening to my body to tell me when I had enough. Unfortunately that time came too soon, not enough time had passed for Gage to call back. And each second that ticked by added to my worry, till it was overflowing. He had wanted to be there today, he had wanted to hear the heart beat. The sound was scarred into my brain; a whooshing, steady, fast beat. Our baby. Only fourteen weeks.

I showered in the empty gym locker room, not wanting to go back to the empty condo just yet. As I walked out, someone grabbed my elbow, steadying me, holding me in place at the door.

My heart stopped as I looked into Anthony’s brown eyes and I tore away from him. “What the hell are you doing here? Who let you in? You’re not allowed in this building.”

The building had security at all entrances; no one was aloud to come in without permission. His sudden appearance was making my head spin and throb.

“You never called.” He held his hands back, but his body still blocked my escape, unless I ran back in the locker room.

“And I won’t be calling. I already told you, I don’t know anything. Now get the hell out of here before I report you.”

“Regan, my offer to help you is about to expire. It’s now or never.”

“Never. Now get out.” I crossed my arms, anger filling me. He wasn’t someone I would shrink from, and he needed to see I was serious.

“You don’t understand. Things are happening, we’re getting close, and they’re feeling the pressure.” He took a step towards me, losing control of his voice as he tried to convince me. “People have gone missing, and if you don’t come over now, we can’t protect you against anything.”

“Help me? You just said people are missing, and you think being seen with you would help me? Get out of here, now.” I was certain his motives had nothing to do with helping me. I stepped towards him, pushing him back. “I told you, I don’t know anything. But this is my only warning, if you keep bothering me, it’ll be you that needs protection.”

He didn’t flinch, but his eyes narrowed like he caught me. “Against who? Gage? Where was he today, Regan? He didn’t make it to your appointment.” He dropped his gaze to my stomach. “His priorities are going to get him put in jail. You have to be the one to make the right choice if you want that baby to stand a chance at a decent life.”

I heard the truth in his words, but I couldn’t show that to him.

He stepped back, letting me go. “Now’s the time to decide. What’s it going to be?”

I didn’t hesitate. I turned and walked away from him without looking back.

The moment I stepped into the condo and locked the door, my mask burst and all strength left me. My stomach clenched with nerves that wrecked me. I tried calling Gage repeatedly, but his phone went straight to voicemail.

Desperate, I called Sal.

“Mrs. Lawson, do you need a ride?”

“Are you with Gage?” I cut off his question.

“Not yet.”

“But you know where he is.”

He hesitated. “He’s at the Dollhouse, I’m on my way now. I’ll tell him you called.”

I hung up and called the club. A girl answered, and when I asked for Gage, she put me on hold.

“Hello, can I help you?” Cherry’s clipped tone frayed my nerves.

“I need to speak to Gage.”

“Who is this?” She questioned, voice low.

“His wife. It’s important.”

The music in the background faded and she laughed. “I’m sure it is, but we’re busy. Call his phone, he can decide if he want’s to talk to you or not.”

Anger torched my thoughts as she hung up. I wanted to strangle her. I wanted to strangle him for not answering.

I called back, but Cherry grabbed the phone from the girl that answered the second she knew who it was.

“Look, take a hint. He’s busy. Let the adults deal with business. You can whine to him later.”

She hung up again, and I went to the room and changed, grabbing my keys and gun on the way out. I had to talk to Gage and warn him about what Anthony said, but I’d also show that bitch she couldn’t dismiss me.

The drive to the club didn’t give me time to cool off. It only gave me time to replay the conversation over and over, reinforcing the anger tearing through me.

I stormed into the club on a mission, no one stopping me. The place was packed, and I couldn’t see who all filled the main room, but I weaved through the tables and people, going straight to Gage’s office—or his old office.

The door was locked, and I banged on it with no answer.

A girl, Porsha, stopped in front of me with a smile. “Mrs. Lawson, they’re all in the paradise lounge right now. Can I get you a drink?”

I shook my head and walked away, unable to pretend at any pleasantries.

There were several VIP lounges and the paradise room was the biggest. I was met with a wall of people when I entered. Too many to see through, and I felt claustrophobic as I weaved between men in suits and girls in barely anything. I spotted Ian sitting on the couch that ran along the far wall.

He saw me and rose to his feet, something flickering in his eyes. “Regan, what are you doing here?” He gripped my elbow the moment he was next to me and walked me out of the room. “Does Gage know you’re here?”

“Where is he? I need to talk with him.” I went with him, hoping he’d talk.

“I’ll get him, but…”His nervousness was suffocating as he looked around. “You shouldn’t be here. He won’t like that.”

“Just go get him.” I pulled out of his grip as we walked into the hall. Some people spotted the walls, but the open space allowed me to take a breath.

Ian looked down at me with a nod. “Yeah, okay. I’ll get him, just stay here.” Instead of stepping away, he looked down the hall some. “No, actually wait in here.” He pulled me to a smaller room and flipped on the lights, illuminating it in a soft red glow. “Wait here.”

He walked away, and I tried to make sense of what was going on, I tried to quiet the fear screaming in me.

I couldn’t stand still and went to the doorway to wait for Gage to come down the hall. But instead, what I saw made me regret leaving the condo.

Anatoli Rusnak stepped out of the Paradise room. His eyes landed on me just as retreated to hide in the room. But I realized my mistake too late. I should have stayed in the hall. I tried to step back out, but he was already at the door.

His body filled the frame, dark grey suit moving with him like a second skin. His hair was slicked back but a strand fell in his face, the only thing out of place.

“Sweetheart, I didn’t think you would come here tonight.” He smiled and stepped into the room, forcing me back further.

Then he shut the door behind him, closing my escape. I stood tall, pretending that everything in me wasn’t dissolving, that I was more than a puddle of fear. I let the weight of my gun, strapped to my leg under my boot, give me strength.

“GAGE SAID YOU WOULDN’T BE HERE, BUT I’m glad you are.” For every step forward he took, I couldn’t stop myself from taking one back. He repelled me, and I couldn’t let him get close.

My fingers by my side twitched to reach for the gun, but I didn’t want to act too soon. After he was several steps into the room, I started to step to the side instead of back, hoping to make my way around to the door. My pace was slow, matching his. He was a lion that might attack at any sudden change.

“I’m not staying.” I spoke just to break the silence.

He stopped walking then, eyes dropping over me. “You should. Just because Gage doesn’t have time for you, doesn’t mean I don’t.”

“I don’t need your time.” His words lit my fuse, hitting too close to the truth. I took my chance then to walk out the door, keeping my wide arc around him.

When I reached the handle, he was suddenly there, gripping my arm, pulling me back. “Don’t go yet.”

My other arm dipped low, almost not reaching the gun as he yanked me up, but when I turned to face him, it was out and pointing at him.

“Let go of me.”

He dropped me, but then did something that shot an electric pain through my wrist. And my gun was no longer in my hands. All I had left was a throbbing arm and a new wave of fear.

But I was still at the door, so I reached behind me. He slammed me against the frame with one hand on the center of my chest, and my gun against my cheek.

“That was really, really stupid,” he hissed as he took the gun away, slipping it somewhere on him. Then he gripped my shoulders, his face was too close to mine, body pressed into me. “I had thought you smarter. When I realized you hadn’t told Gage, I thought maybe you would be different. You certainly seemed different.”

I had to turn my head to the side as his breath heated around me, his nose almost skimming mine.

He used one hand to grip my face, turning me back towards him. “But I think you’re weaker than ever before. It’s a shame what you let him do to you.” His other hand slid down my arm and up my legs, his height giving him the reach to feel the top of my boots without giving up leverage. “You have any other weapons on you?”

“No.” I closed my eyes against his touch, but I could still feel it with every cell.

His hand slid higher up my inner thighs, slow and firm, and then he swirled it out to my hips and skimmed in the band of my jeans, fingers trailing over my skin.

His breath was harsh and hot as he leaned into me, lips now at my ear. “I only wanted to talk. Why do you always have to fuck things up? Push me too far?”

Then I was falling, landing on my side as he threw me into the room. Every action I saw of his was slow and deliberate, but he attacked in bursts too quick to see coming, like a shark.

I scrambled to my feet. His eyes flashed with lightning, warning me that the storm was only just beginning.

“I didn’t know what you thought. I didn’t know if you blamed me. I was only trying to protect myself.” I kept one arm out as I backed away. This room had too much empty space, a couch along the wall, a pole in the center with a small platform, all reflected in the mirrors on the ceiling. There was nothing to use to my advantage.