Page 111 of Yours Until Forever

As I near the kitchen, I hear a woman’s voice, and then Gage’s.

Shayla.

And whatever they’re discussing, it doesn’t sound good.

Her voice is sharp. Elevated.

Gage’s is low and clipped. But rising.

When I round the corner into the kitchen, I walk into a standoff.

Gage is facing Shayla, but he’s angled just enough that when I enter, his eyes flick to me. Only for a second. It’s like he registers me, but the fury is louder than everything else.

His posture is locked tight, shoulders coiled, every inch of him readying for impact. The edge in his voice is the same one I heard last week when he fought with her on the phone. Sharp. Controlled. But barely.

Shayla’s gaze catches mine briefly, but she goes right back to Gage.

“I’m just saying I need us to go over our agreement and make some changes.”

“Because you’re going to be in LA more,” he grates. “Have I got that right?”

“Maybe,” Shayla says, and I recognize that look in her eyes. That’s the way a woman looks when she’s trying to speak about something important to her while doubtful it’s going to be heard how she needs it to be.

“Jesus Christ, Shayla. Maybe? You either are or you aren’t. Which one is it?”

Shayla pushes her shoulders back defiantly. “Don’t snap at me, Gage.”

Gage plants his hands on his hips and inhales hard. “I’m trying not to snap, but you’re not actually saying anything. You came in and started on about your work and needing to be in LA for it. Then you said something about needing to be there to support Michael. Then you said you need to be here for Luna.” He takes another centering breath, drops his hands to his sides.“I’m just wondering how the hell you can be in two places at once. Give me something useful to work with here.”

“I know I can’t be in two places at once. I’m not stupid. I just...I just need to figure this all out. How we can make it work with Luna, and how I can make it work with Michael.”

“And packing Luna up and moving her to LA is the answer, right?” he bites out.

Shayla’s chin wobbles for half a second before she swallows it down. “I don’t know, Gage.” Her face twists with confusion. “Maybe.” Then, her voice cracks when she says, “I think so.”

That admission tips Gage over the edge. His entire body goes rigid and the air in the room turns flammable as he says, “Right. So youaremoving to LA.” He pauses and it feels like he’s only seconds away from detonation. “And you lied to me about that last week.”

Shayla stands so still I wonder if she’s even drawing breath. And god, I know that posture. I’ve lived it. It’s not fear of harm—it’s the bracing for what he’ll say next, knowing it won’t hit skin, but heart.

A flush crawls up her neck and I watch as she slaps her armor on and goes to battle for herself.

Eyes like polished steel, she tilts her chin at him. “I didn’t lie, but sure, go ahead, twist my words.” Her tone is diamond-sharp.

“You told me I was reading too much into things,” he says, angrily. “A person doesn’t just decide in one week to make a life-changing decision, so yeah, you didn’t give me the truth.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe not everyone’s like you, Gage? That maybe some of uscanmake a decision in a week?”

“Fuck.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Can we just have a productive conversation, Shayla? For fucking once.”

“Yes, because you just need facts so you can manage a situation,” she spits. “Like humans are situations, which wearen’t. But you never listened to me whenever I told you that,so I doubt you’ll listen now.” She stares at him with bitterness. “At least Michael doesn’t tally up every flaw like a fucking scorecard.” Her voice breaks slightly when she adds, “He doesn’t treat me like something broken he regrets choosing.”

Her words hang there, heavy and split open.

But Gage doesn’t respond to them. He just steamrolls right past them, like they were noise, not meaning.

He reaches for the back of the chair he’s standing near, gripping it hard. His knuckles go pale, arm locked like he’s holding back from throwing the whole damn thing. “Luna’s not moving to LA.” He slams that down between them like a verdict, each word clipped and final, and I feel it hit my body like a whipcrack.

Shayla jolts. So do I.

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