Page 40 of Possession

“Okay,” I take a nervous breath. “I need to know if Parker is okay?”

“What would I know about Parker?”

“You know about everything that goes on around here.”

“He doesn’t work here anymore.”

“Gage, I know,” I whisper, pivoting my head around to make sure that no one else is within earshot of us.

“You know what?”

Gage pours himself another shot but places my empty shot glass in the bar sink.

“I know where my missing supplies are going.”

“Then why did you bother asking me about them?”

“Because you know where they’re going too. I just wanted to see if you would be man enough to tell me the truth.”

“Funny, that’s the second time you’ve questioned my manhood today, Lena. Yeah, you’re definitely turning over a new leaf, and I have to admit…I like it.”

My neck flushes, which completely confuses me. I’m attracted to Christian, not Gage.

I need to stay focused.

“We just want to make sure he’s okay.”

“We?”

I hesitate to reply, but I’ve come this far, and I promised Megan I’d get her some answers.

“Me and Megan.”

Gage raises what feels like a judgemental eyebrow. “I hope that you find him so you two can…focus on other things. More productive things.”

“So you refuse to confirm for me what I already know?”

“I promise that you don’t know anything that you think you know, and you’re getting yourself all worked up for nothing.”

“Who’s getting worked up for nothing?” a familiar voice says from the shadows, and my stomach churns. It’s difficult to tell what time of day it is inside the windowless walls of the club which is why neither of us saw Christian approach.

“Nothing,” I stutter, not understanding why I’m so damn nervous.

“Gage?” Christian addresses him.

“It seems that our Lena is looking for some missing steaks and chicken parts.”

“Our Lena?” Christian looks between the two of us with a perturbed look on his face. I can already tell what he’s thinking, and I swallow thickly.

“Just a figure of speech,” Gage replies after noticing my discomfort. “I just figured she’s like the unofficial little sister of everyone at the club.”

“Not everyone,” Christian says flatly. “Lena, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Um, sure.” I’m almost certain that he overheard our conversation, and he’s pissed. “I’ll catch up with you later, Gage.”

Gage raises an arm to wave me off silently, and I follow Christian to Hunter’s private office on the second floor of the club–like a lamb to the slaughter.

Before I can explain myself, though, he starts barking out orders.

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