Page 3 of Gage

My phone buzzed, the sharp sound jarring me. It was my sister, Sam. I hesitated, knowing I was about to get an earful, but finally picked up.

“Hello.”

“Lori, where the hell are you?” Sam’s voice was sharp, laced with anger and concern. “Dad told me you followed them to Alaska. Get home right now before something happens to you. Damn, I thought you outgrew this adventurous streak after the Army.”

“Sam, relax,” I said, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “I’m sitting at the airport. Nothing is going to happen to me. Haven’t I told you before that I’m the older sister? I’m the one who does the lecturing, not you. I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.”

I glanced out the window at the endless stretch of snow-covered tarmac. Fine. Sure. If Gage survived, and if the police didn’t find me poking around, maybe I’d be fine. But my gut told me this was far from over.

“Dad said after Alaska, you’re planning to follow them to Greece. What’s going on with you? What if they find out you’re tailing them? I think you should just come straight home.”

Samantha’s voice carried a mix of worry and exasperation, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Samantha, stop worrying about me. You’ve got two kids and a husband to take care of.” But then I heard it—a faint sniffle on the other end of the line. My stomach tightened. “What’s wrong? Is Dad sick?”

“No,” she said, her voice trembling. “I just… I thought I’d do something different for myself and decided to follow Dean. He’s been acting strange lately. Then I saw him kissing another woman inside a restaurant.”

I gripped the phone tighter, a flash of anger surging through me. “That bastard. Did you confront him?”

“No,” she admitted softly. “I went to see Dad instead, and he told me where you were. What should I do?”

“I’m going to tell you exactly what to do, so listen carefully,” I said, my tone firm. “Pack your clothes and the kids’ things. Get everything you need and go to Dad’s house. When that assholeasks what’s going on, send him a picture of him kissing that woman. I know you took one—you’re always taking pictures.”

She let out a shaky breath. “What if he tries to take the kids from me?”

“Sam, go see Nathan. Tell him you want to file for full custody. Show him the photo. And for God’s sake, don’t forgive Dean this time. He’s been cheating on you for years. You’re going to divorce him. Don’t even talk to him.”

“I want to divorce him,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t even care that he’s seeing someone. I’ve had enough. It’s just… taking care of the kids alone is such a big job.”

I softened my tone, trying to reassure her. “What are you talking about? You’re already doing it alone. Dean doesn’t take the girls anywhere. Does he ever stay with them while you take time for yourself? No, he doesn’t! He doesn’t do anything with just him and the girls. This is your chance to have a happy life. Leave that bastard. Take next week off and stay at my place on the beach.”

The line went quiet for a moment, and then I heard her sniffle again. “Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’m so glad I called you, Lori. Go to Greece and follow that handsome Gage Sparrow.”

I froze, caught off guard. “How do you know I’m following Gage Sparrow?”

“I remember you telling me about him when you left the service,” she said with a light laugh. “I was always jealous of you—you had the guts to do what you wanted, and I married that dickhead right out of high school. I love you, Lori.”

Her words hit me with a mix of warmth and guilt. “I love you too, Sammy.” I glanced across the airport lounge, spotting the unmistakable figure of Gage Sparrow and his team. My heart raced. “Hang on, here they are. I’ll take a photo and send it to you. I’ll pretend I missed my plane and see if I can hitch a ride with them.”

Raising my phone, I snapped a quick photo, zooming in on Gage’s sharp features and the confident set of his shoulders. I sent the image to Sam, who replied instantly with an emoji of a face fanning itself. I couldn’t help but laugh under my breath.

Stretching in my seat, I let out a loud, theatrical groan. Showtime. “I can’t believe I missed my plane!” I said dramatically, making sure my voice carried. “My friend is getting married in Greece, and I promised I’d be there. What do I do?”

The man sitting next to me—a rugged guy with a scruffy beard and kind eyes—looked up from his tablet, clearly amused. If he’d overheard my entire conversation with Sam, he didn’t let on.

“You should find someone with a private plane and see if you can buy a seat,” he suggested, his lips twitching into a faint smile.

“Really? Do people actually have private planes that fly that far?” I asked, tilting my head in feigned innocence. My tone was light and playful, but inside, my nerves were a storm. Gage and his team weren’t going to know what hit them.

3

Gage

The attic was freezing,the icy air slicing through my jacket and gnawing at my skin. Each breath I took was visible in the dim light, misting out in soft white puffs. The space smelled of rot and mildew, the stale air heavy with neglect. Shadows skittered across the wooden beams as my phone’s flashlight swept the room. At first, it seemed empty, but a nagging instinct kept me searching, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

My boots creaked against the warped planks as I moved cautiously. Then I saw it—a jagged piece of the wall jutting out awkwardly, just enough to look out of place. My heart thudded in my chest as I knelt down, my fingers trembling from both the cold and the growing dread. I tugged at the loose board, and with a groan, it came free. My flashlight cut through the darkness of the hidden opening, and what I saw made my stomach drop.

Three women were crammed into the tiny, suffocating space, their bodies limp and pale like discarded dolls. Ropes bound their wrists and ankles, and tape was plastered cruelly across their mouths. Bruises marred their skin, vivid streaks of purple and blue standing out against their pallor.

“Jesus,” I muttered, the word escaping in a shaky breath. The sight hit me like a punch to the gut, a wave of fury and helplessness surging through me. Sirens wailed faintly in the distance, a sound both reassuring and far too slow. I moved quickly, reaching into the cramped space to pull them out. Their bodies were cold to the touch, their heads lolling as I carefully dragged them free.

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