Page 11 of Silver Secrets

Sage promptly face-planted against Gage’s chest. “Guess not, Wings.”

“I kind of hate that I’m not her favorite uncle.”

“There’s always the next kid. I have a feeling Lily and Gunner will have so many, we all get a chance at being the favorite of at least one of their offspring.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Oh,” Nash walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a mug from the top shelf. “I need you to look at the coding for the scenario I’m working on for The Trident this week. There’s some sort of glitch with the lighting cues in the training package, and I can’t figure it out.”

“Fuck,” Gage’s eyes went wide as he pushed his hand gently across Sage’s back. “Shit. Don’t tell Mommy and Daddy I just said that in front of you.”

“Why the fuck are you crying?”Gunner’s voice boomed across the open lobby and into the kitchen.

“Shit. Should we go out there and see what that’s about?” Nash grimaced.

“Take Sage back to your office and send me an email with the scenario issues. I’ll see what’s going on.”

Gage handed over a reluctant Sage to Nash and walked past a wide-eyed Mae at the reception desk. Gunner was hugging Lily, who was in fact crying. Shit, had something happened at work? Lily was Sloane’s receptionist, and suddenly, the image of Sloane hurt and alone was all that would play in his mind.

“Lily, you okay?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah,” she sniffled. “Our last client kind of lost it on Sloane. It was scary.”

“Lost it how?” He took another step closer to Lily. “Is Sloane okay? She’s all alone over there now, isn’t she?”

“I asked her if she wanted me to send someone over from here to be with her, but you know how she is. I’m sure she’s just more comfortable having a minute to herself.”

“Fuck that,” Gage growled, turning to push through the doors. He stumbled out onto the sidewalk, breathing heavily as he tried to prepare himself for what he was about to walk in on. Lily was probably right. Sloane would want to process whatever the hell had happened on her own, but Gage had to see that she was okay.

It took fifteen seconds to walk out of Montgomery Defense, down the sidewalk, and make it to Sloane’s door. His hand reached out, only to find the door locked. Fuck.

“Sloane? It’s Gage. Can you come to the door?” Gage asked as he knocked over and over again on the glass. The second she stepped into view, his chest released the knot that had been crushing him.

“What are you doing here? Are you okay?” she asked as she opened the door for him. He took two steps inside and turned around, watching as she shut the door behind him.

“Am I okay? Want to tell me why Lily just walked into the gym with tears in her eyes?”

“She just left here and seemed fine.” She wasn’t fucking relocking the door.

“Can you lock that?” he demanded. Her vibrant brown eyes went wide, but she nodded and reached over to engage the lock. “She mentioned something happened with one of your clients.”

“Gage, you know I can’t talk about any of that?—”

“What the fuck is that?” Gage’s growl had her stumbling backwards.

“What?”

“Those marks on your arm. Did someone grab you?”

“That’s nothing. My client was just having a hard time. That’s all.”

“And they put their hands on you?”

“Well, yes. But I’ve dismissed them from the practice and they were very apologetic.”

“I want their name.” Thank fuck he had his notebook in his back pocket. “I want their name and I’m running a background check on them.”

“Well, I’m very sorry to tell you this, but I’m not giving you their name.”

“Sloane. I do not want to hear about patient confidentiality. They put their hands on you. They hurt you. I need to know.”

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