Page 84 of The Flame of Carson
“Hell yeah it was.”He replied, stroking her back.“We should get showered and ready for work.”
Stacey sighed, “Yeah.Guess it’s back to the real world.”
“Hey, look at me Stace.”Gage said.Stacey shifted her head and looked at him.“I love you.I want you to know that behind these walls, this is OUR haven.You hear me?It’s you and me babe.I have your back and you have mine.”
“Yes Gage.You and me.”Stacey nodded tearfully.“I love you too Gage.”
––––––––
––––––––
He watched as Staceyand Gage got into their cars and pulled out going in different directions.She went toward the publishing house and he toward Blackout.Making a quick mental choice, He followed Stacey.Back in New York and now here in Austin, He had yet to make physical contact with her.Hitting a button on the steering wheel, his Bluetooth activated and moments later a ringing echoed through the car.
“Yeah.”
“I know we said I would wait before approaching her, but I think this one time would work in our favor.”
“How so?”
“I have yet to physically approach her.First, it was her boss in New York and then Carson here in Austin.It would throw them off their game more should I choose now to approach her.”
There was silence on the other end.He knew his partner was running the possibilities by this sidestep.He too had done the mental math so to speak and had concluded there would be a low probability of Blackout catching him.Especially, if he caught her before she was either in the security of her building or back home.
“Where were you thinking?,”
“I’m currently following her onto the loop.Perhaps a little...nudge.”He smiled sinisterly.
“Yes, just don’t damage her.Too much.We will need her when the time comes.”
“I know.How is your hunting going?Fruitful I hope.”
“Very.She has no idea she is even on my radar.You would think she would have been taught something from him over the years.”The other man chuckled.
“Well, I will let you know how my twist works out.”
Disconnecting the call, He sped up and switched lanes so that now he was behind Stacey’s Maserati.Yet, she had not noticed him.Another thing in his favor was the light traffic.While He wasn’t above collateral damage, this lowered the risk of witnesses.When they eased onto the freeway, he made his move.Gunning the engine, his front bumper hit Stacey’s rear.He could see the surprise on her face when she looked back.
Not giving her a chance to really study his face, He revved the engine and hit her again with a textbook PIT maneuver.The move sent her car spinning and he saw in his rear view that her car crashed sideways into the concrete divider.He also knew because neither had got up to full highway speed, so she would walk away.Adjusting his Ray Ban’s, He sped off before anyone noticed him.
––––––––
––––––––
Gage and Morton hadjust reached the lobby when a shiver of dread shot through Gage.The man actually lost his breath and reached for the wall to steady himself.A frown contorting his face.Morton spun and braced his teammate.
“Gage, what’s wrong?”
“I...it just felt like...well, like someone just walked over my grave.You know what I mean?”
“Copy that.Come on, let’s get back to the office.Do you want me to call Ethan?”
“No, not yet.Let’s meet with Nick first.It could be nothing, and just a residual thing.I mean, this is the first day I’ve really been working outside the office since...”
Gage and Morton shared a look.It had been two weeks since Gage had done any kind of work that wasn’t desk work.In essence, it was also the first time in two weeks he and Stacey had tried to return to their regular routines.Sure, she had worked at the office, but she had always gone there after dropping him off at Blackout.
The two entered the elevator but remained silent.Gage slowly regained his breath, but his heart was still racing.He just knew that something had just happened.He struggled to push those worries and fears from his mind when they exited the elevator on Nick’s floor.Side-by-side they walked toward the office, stopping outside Nick’s door and knocking.
“Come!”
