Page 17 of Where You Belong

Gage and Alex recently spent time in Virginia Beach working on a large drug trafficking operation.This was important to both of them, but to Gage, it was personal.

His dad spent his career going after men funneling drugs from Virginia through the Midwest. He lost Gage’s uncle when word got out he was behind a sting operation gearing up to take down two of the biggest drug lords in the area.

He hasn’t said much about what went down while they were away. He was there to do a job and wasn’t the type to get distracted from his mission. Alex let it slip he had spent time with some girl while he was away. When shit went down, Gage found out she was only using him to find out what he knew.

He isn’t handling it so well.

Alex swore me to secrecy, so as much as I want to ask him about it, I can’t. I’m stuck dealing with his cranky-ass moods, waiting for his inevitable crack.

“I hear you had a run-in with Haelynn and that soon-to-be ex-husband of hers,” Alex says.

Gage’s head perks up at the mention of Haelynn. Dropping the papers on his desk, he narrows his eyes on me. Alex laces his fingers behind his head, tilting back in his chair.

“What do you know about that fucker? He seems like a real piece of work,” I question.

“Not much, honestly. We stopped by to help her the day she was moving in. She told Madelyn she left her husband and, up until then, had been staying with her mom.”

I’m relieved Haelynn is across the street from them. Once Madelyn considers you a friend, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you. Haelynn and Huxton included. I trust Alex will keep an eye on things too. It’s just who he is.

I get the feeling she needed more of those type of people in her life. It also makes me feel better to know she’d have someone close by looking out for her.

“Madelyn came home and hasn’t stopped talking about how great the photo shoot went. It seems like the two of you hit things off.”

He wiggles his brows, flashing me a playful wink.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was holding out on me,” I joke.

Alex leans forward, resting his elbows against the table.“Yeah, Madelyn told me things were heating up between you two.”

“I’m not gonna lie. There’s definitely a spark there.”

I’ve replayed the moment when I turned around to see her standing in front of me a million times and haven’t been able to get the sight of her out of my mind. I’ve never felt anything like it. We hadn’t even spoken to each other, yet the magnetic pull between us was so thick it was intoxicating.

Haelynn went from being tense and uncertain to melting in my arms. I want her to feel safe and comfortable, free to be herself. As time ticked by, she warmed up to me.

I’ve been living the life as a single bachelor for too long. The dating pool in Arbor Creek is small, especially when you know too much about the skeletons living in everyone’s closet.

I’m not one to judge. Hell, Lord knows my family has been the talk of the town a time or two. If my parents have taught me anything, it’s that there’s a lot more to people than what meets the eye.

I’ve grown up with damn near most of the town, though. I can’t remember the last time I felt anything near the way I feel being near Haelynn.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. I considered dropping by or shooting her a text message to check in with her. She just moved to town, and with a son, she likely has a lot on her plate along with getting settled in. I don’t know where she’s at, but I don’t want to make a move too soon and lose out on a chance because she’s not ready.

“Madelyn came home trying to convince me to take some sexy pictures with her.”

Alex lifts his finger to his mouth, pretending to lick it before circling his nipple. I lift my fist to my mouth, choking out a laugh.

All the while, Gage doesn’t even crack a smile. It’s like the sense of humor he once had was soaked right up out of him.

“What do you even know about this girl anyway?” Gage asks, his voice cutting through the room, flipping the mood upside down.

I narrow my eyes at him. “What’s your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem.” He shrugs. “I’m just trying to figure out how this girl drops into town, and you haven’t considered doing your due diligence to check her out.”

“Is there something you want to share with me? Feel free to enlighten me.”

He shrugs again. “It’s not on me to do. All I’m saying is you don’t know this girl or what her past entails. Maybe you should keep your guard up for more than two seconds before you start trippin’ over yourself trying to get her attention.”

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