Page 92 of Silver Secrets

“Right.” Lily nodded, walking back towards her desk. Gage heard the locks click into place as the silent alarm actuated. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he knew everyone at Montgomery Defense would be reading the alarm at the same time, sprinting towards the office.

“This is Lily Brooks at 315 Ford Avenue. We received a package that has some white residue on the inside. My boss is currently unconscious, and we need medical help.” She cleared her throat. Gage wanted to go and comfort her, but monitoring Sloane was the top priority. He wasn’t sure how to help her if things deteriorated, but he’d cross that bridge if he had to.

“No. It’s my boss, myself, an adult male, and my baby is here with us in the office. She’s twelve months old.” Fuck. Now she was actually crying. Gage’s stomach sank as he thought about Sage being sick because of whatever was in the envelope.

“LILY KATHERINE BROOKS OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR RIGHT NOW!”

Gunner was there. Banging on the door.

“Baby, everything’s okay. I can’t let you in. It’s not safe.”

Sloane’s breathing deepened and Gage rechecked her pulse. It was steadier now that she was laying down. His brows furrowed.

“Why did you trip the alarm then? If you think I’m staying out here while my pregnant wife is in there with our toddler and a threat! I swear, Lil.”

Gage stood up, walking to the doorway. “You’re pregnant?” How could he have forgotten to check back in with Gunner about that after the other night? God, he really should have figured out a way to isolate Lily from Sloane’s office. His stomach soured.

“No, I’m not. My cycle’s just all over the place and my husband has lost his mind. I told you it would be bad.”

“Tracker! What the fuck are you doing in there?”

“What’s going on?’

“Is everyone okay? I have the keys right here…”

The rest of the team was standing behind Gunner.

“We’re okay here. There’s a suspicious substance in an envelope that Sloane opened. She passed out.”

“Lily!” Gunner shook the door again and Gage could see the panic on his best friend’s face.

“Gunner, I’m fine. I don’t feel sick, or short of breath, or anything. Sage is fast asleep and help is coming. Just stay out of the way while the emergency crew gets here and figures out what is going on.”

Gage turned back around, assessing Sloane from her head all the way to her feet. She was still unconscious, but her breathing was completely normal and her color had returned to her face. He made his way to the desk, finally peering over at the envelope.

And then he knew exactly why she had passed out.

Pulling his phone from his back pocket, Gage punched in the number he’d forced himself to memorize for when that moment came.

As soon as the voice on the other side answered, Gage said the words he’d been dreading since first finding out about Sloane’s past.

“He knows where she is.”

Twenty-Three

“The team on site called ahead to the hospital to let us know that the rapid results showed the powder substance contained in the envelope wasn’t a bio-hazard or dangerous chemical.” The doctor listened to Gage’s heart again. “So, I’m happy to report that you are in good health and not in any danger of that changing right now.”

“Great.” Gage reached over and tugged his shirt back on. They’d done a complete respiratory workup on him, drained him of ten vials of blood and made him piss in a cup. All while they refused to give him an update on Sloane because he wasn’t technically her next of kin. It shouldn’t factor into things, but Gage would be lying if he said he wasn’t thinking about marching Sloane down to the Clarence County Courthouse to get hitched the next morning. “I’ll get out of your hair then, Doc. Can you tell me where Sloane is? I want to sit with her until she gets the all clear to leave.”

“Ms. Donovan is actually getting a few extra tests run before we clear her to leave. You can stay in the waiting room and I can have a nurse come get you if she asks for support once her tests are complete.”

“DoctorDonovan.” Fuck, he was so sick of people ignoring her accomplishments.

“I’m sorry?”

“You called her ‘Ms. Donovan’ a second ago. My girlfriend worked extremely hard to earn her Doctorate of Psychology, and should be addressed by her earned title. Doctor Donovan.”

The doctor smiled. “Of course. Forgive me. If you take a left out of this room, and walk to the end of the hallway, the double doors will lead you out to the waiting room.”

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