Page 97 of Silver Secrets

“You’re not giving one-hundred percent. Harder. Faster. That punch was weak. It won’t get you out of a bad situation. All it’s going to do is piss off whoever you throw it at.”

God. Normally she liked when her sparring partner for the day wasn’t Gage. He was her favorite partner, there was no doubt about that, but he also worried and fussed over her too much. Nash was a softy too, but the other guys, especially Hawk and Gunner, never let her slip. They held her to an impossible standard, and she liked that. Because she needed that push. But there was something about the way Gunner was pushing her buttons that pissed her off. She felt the rage building up in her bloodstream as she sank her feet into the ground and rotated her body, ready for her next strike against him.

“Keep your chin up, Sloane. Dropping it will only get you in trouble.” Gunner grunted as Sloane landed a kick against his side. She was absolutely exhausted, sweat dripping down her face from their session. But the scowl on Gunner’s face was telling.

It fueled her to be better.

“Alright, let’s call it a day. Gage will kill me if we hit it too hard today.”

“No.” She shook her head before wiping the sweat from her upper lip. “I think we should keep going. I didn’t land that kick how I wanted to and I still need to practice getting out of a few different holds. Nash got me with a choke hold yesterday I couldn’t get out of and I don’t want that to happen again.”

“I think that was still a success don’t you?”

“Why? Because I didn’t freak out when he touched me?” To be honest, she’d been so surprised that Nash’s hold on her body hadn’t set her off. Gage had been there… his eyes locked onto hers looking for any sign of her trauma bubbling to the surface, but she hadn’t felt worried beyond a little unease in her stomach.

“We’re going to call it a day.”

Sloane sighed. “Fine.” She sat down on the mat and reached out for her water bottle. While the other guys would sit and chat with her as they cooled down and stretched, Gunner never did. He would simply nod and take off towards his office. Which is why Sloane was caught off guard when he sat down next to her, his eyes crinkled in the corner like he was contemplating something.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep.”

More staring. What the hell?

“If you have something you want to say, just say it.”

“Are you okay…” he cleared his throat. “After what happened the other day?”

Ah. The freak-out of epic proportions where she hyperventilated, passed out, and made everyone think a chemical bioweapon had been deployed in her office? Sloane felt her already overheated skin burn with embarrassment.

“Yeah. I’m okay. I meant to apologize for the hassle everyone went through. Especially you and Lily. I never would want her or Sage to be in danger from being with me.”

Gunner’s eyes searched her face, for what, she didn’t have the slightest clue.

“It was terrifying. They’re my whole world, Sloane. My everything. I won’t let them get hurt in this.”

“I completely understand. If Lily doesn’t want to work with me anymore, I get it.”

He scoffed. “Please. Like I could tell that stubborn woman anything. I mentioned we were sparring together and she told me in no uncertain terms that she wouldn’t be giving up her job, so I shouldn’t even bring it up with you. I just want it to be clear that I protect my family.”

“It’s clear. Trust me.”

Sloane was finally able to get a sip of water while the silence stretched between them again.

“Are you in love with him?”

The water bottle wasn’t even back up to her mouth for another drink, but that didn’t stop Sloane from choking. “With Gage?”

Gunner nodded, then sighed, running his hand over his face. “He’s one of my best friends Sloane, and for the first time in years, I’ve seen life back in his eyes. He’s worked hard to get here. To return to some sort of normal after he lost his whole world. I don’t ever want to see him like that again. So, I’m asking: do you love him?”

“I’m not going to say it to you before I get a chance to say it to him,” she admitted.

“You should tell him soon, then. Because we all know how he feels about you. If you can’t give it back to him, then let him go.”

She let her eyes fall closed as she breathed so deeply her chest hurt.

“I’m scared, Gunner. I’m scared that despite what I feel for him, I should be keeping him at arms length because this is all going to end badly. The writing is on the wall. It’s only a matter of time before he comes for me. How is it fair to Gage if I tell him the truth… that I don’t think I can live without him… when I can feel the end closing in on me?”

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