Page 47 of The Flame of Carson
“I was on my way out when I bumped into Mr.Whitney.He is out here.”Judy answered.
Stacey frowned and rose to her full height, “Send him in then head on home.I will see you Monday.”
“See you Monday.”Judy nodded.
Stacey closed her bag as Grant walked in.“Grant?What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know how to start honestly doll.”Grant sighed walking in and leaning against the long table against the wall.“After we had lunch, I texted Ethan and he told me to go to Blackout and he’d be there shortly.”
Stacey felt her gut roll, “Just spit it out Grant.”
“It seems that while he was with Tony at the federal building, meeting with some hacker to try and get a bead on the filter this guy is using to block his location, Gage lost it.First, he grabbed the hacker guy by the lapels and after Tony kicked him out, Gage had some kind of panic attack.”Grant explained.
“He had a...oh god.”Stacey breathed, her eyes closing.“Where is he now?”
“That’s why I’m here.Lance drove me over.Gage is back home, and Ethan wanted me or Lance to drive you over.Whoever drives you, the other will drive your car to Gage’s.”Grant answered.
“Let’s go then.I need to get to Gage.”Stacey said.
Grabbing up her bag, she and Grant left her office.When they got outside to the parking lot, she found Lance standing next to his truck and an unreadable look on his face.Without a word, she tossed Grant the keys to her car and climbed into Lance’s truck.After Grant somehow crammed himself into her sports car, Lance pulled out of the lot.It was a few moments before Lance broke the silence.
“Gage is going to be fine Stacey.”
“Will he Lance?He’s in too deep and today it reared its ugly head.”
“Yes, he’s in too deep, but at the same time he will get through this.”
Stacey did not miss how Lance tightened his grip on the wheel.“What is Ethan going to do?”
“He hasn’t said yet.”Lance stated.
Stacey looked out the window as Lance drove.She had a pretty good idea what Ethan was now going to be forced to do.What happened today would mean that Gage would no longer be part of Blackout’s investigation into her stalker.The bigger question for her was, how the hell was Gage going to take the news when Ethan finally told him?Closing her eyes and squeezing the strap of her bag in her hand she drew on her years of Krav Maga training to calm her worry.She just needed to get to Gage.
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Gage opened his eyeswhen he felt a hand against his forehead.“Mm, hey babe.
“Hey yourself big boy.”Stacey smiled gently.“How are you feeling?”
“Honestly?A bit shaky still from the damned shot the doc gave me in the E.R.”he answered.
Stacey sat beside him and took his hand in hers, “When Grant came to get me and told me what happened, I was...”
Gage reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek, “Hey, hey babe.It’s okay.I’m going to be all right.”
“Are you?Really?”she breathed, her eyes meeting his.
Gage didn’t know how to answer.Would he really be okay?He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again but nothing came out.As if she sensed what he was feeling, Stacey leaned down and kissed him softly.She gently pulled back and just laid her hand against his cheek.Like she was trying to infuse the strength he loved so much about her into him in that simple touch.She leaned back a little.
“Why don’t you try and get a little more rest.I’ll go downstairs and fix us some dinner.All right?”
“Okay.Um, is Ethan still here?”
“Yeah, he is.He said he would not leave till I saw you.”
“Can you send him up?”
