The Current Between Us (37 page)

“
Yes,” Em said, looking at the paper too.

“
And you tried to use the different colors I showed you. It looks wonderful, honey. I love this, thank you,” Gage said, looking over the picture. He had no idea what it was supposed to be, but she clearly tried hard, and his heart did a little flip at the love it took for her to color this for him. There were words at the top, but all the letters ran together. All he could make out was the ‘thank you for’… Then the rest all ran together. After a minute, he started reading it out loud.

“
Thank you for… What does this say, Emmie?”

“
It says, thank you for making my daddy and me and Hunter happy. Right, Rhonny?” Em asked, looking back over her shoulder. Rhonny nodded, giving a small smile, and Em turned back to Gage.

“
I had to write the rest on the back.” She took the paper and turned it over, showing the rest of the writing.

“
You don’t have to thank me, Emalynn, I love your daddy.” Her little eyes bounded up to his, tears instantly filling them and his heart may as well have physically fallen from his chest with the pain he felt.

“
But he doesn’t think you do.”

“
Em, I can’t tell you more. This is grown up stuff, but I promise you, I do love him very much, and I’ll call him. Okay?” She nodded, but kept biting her lip, and the tears finally built enough steam to spill down her cheeks. Gage used his thumbs to brush them away and smiled at her. “Your daddy’s very lucky to have you, Emalynn.”

“
Em, we need to go,” Rhonny said from behind her.

“
Can I have a hug?” Gage asked, and Em nodded wrapping her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. He closed his eyes, loving this little hug.

“
Thank you for my picture,” he said into the hug and embraced her back, keeping her there just a moment longer.

“
Goodbye, Gage.”

“
Bye, sweetheart.” He wanted to tell her he would see her soon, but after he laid his findings out to Trent, he wasn’t sure Trent would ever have anything to do with him again. He rose and watched as Rhonny and Em left. Rhonny waited until they got outside before she picked Em up, carrying her to the car. Em continued to cry on her shoulder as Rhonny patted her back. He’d already caused this family so much pain, and he hadn’t even given his report yet. Gage kept his eyes on both of them the entire way to the car, and it crushed him to know the part he’d played in putting sad faces on those two lovely girls.

****

Hours passed and the night grew dark as Gage sat in his office staring at his phone. The photo he’d snapped of Trent at the gallery during the grand opening now shining as his background picture. He would never forget that night for as long as he lived or the man who’d stood by his side for the entire evening. Trent played the perfect host for him. Everyone wanted to know about him and commented on how happy Gage seemed with Trent. Gage never let him get more than a step or two away before he drew Trent back to him. It felt so normal, so natural to have Trent there with him.

Gage also watched other men staring at Trent during the opening, trying to get his attention, and he remembered the desperate sense of jealousy coursing through him with each long glance he caught directed toward his date. A chuckle escaped his lips, now, thinking about it. He
’d never been jealous a day in his life, but he knew, first hand, what those sideways glances the guys gave Trent meant. Hell, he’d perfected that look, but Trent never seemed to notice. Trent only had eyes for him all night long.

Gage couldn
’t understand why Trent didn’t see how wanted he was in this world, but thank God he didn’t, otherwise he would have been scooped up a long time ago. It staggered Gage to think he might have never had a chance to know Trent Cooper. On a whim, while he waited for night to fall, Gage had downloaded the photo onto his laptop and loaded it as his screen saver. He ran his finger over Trent’s lips, those perfect lips. He was stalling, delaying the inevitable. He needed to call Trent. As it stood right now, he might still have a chance to keep Trent in his life, but once he met with him tonight, explained everything, he knew in his heart they would be over, forever.

Gage
’s career had always been the most important thing to him. Building his own life meant everything to him. Standing on his own two feet was just a part of who he was as a person, but keeping Trent and the kids safe and unharmed had become as important as the career he’d always put above all others. The love he felt for Trent… It couldn’t be placed into words. The thought of going on, without Trent, crushed his soul. He looked down at his desk, his brows coming together, and absorbed the deep pain slashing through his heart at losing such a man. He looked at the papers on his desk, holding the images of Abdulla, but all he could see were the images of Trent and his sweet children running through his mind.

Gage forced himself to stop, take a breath, and gain perspective. There was
no question in his mind he would be moving forward on this case. Abdulla couldn’t be allowed to continue his reign of terror; he deserved everything about to rain down on his sorry ass. He’d killed hundreds, maybe thousands, of innocent people for nothing more than money. He’d infiltrated government military structures, killing servicemen from within their own ranks. Gage couldn’t imagine how those last moments had gone for the hundreds of soldiers who lost their lives at the hand of someone supposedly a comrade. Abdulla was treasonous, a blight on humanity, and charges must be filed against him, justice claimed once and for all. He needed to stand public trial for the mass genocide and destruction he’d caused around the world.

Trent, Em, and Hunter would probably need to be put in some sort of witness protection program. If it came out Abdulla had children, those children would be in danger for their lives, for the rest of their lives, from all the competing militia groups Abdulla fucked over throughout the years. Gage
’s need to protect those children shouted loudly from inside his heart. He’d studied these groups too closely, and to them, killing Abdulla’s children, no matter how innocent they were, would most assuredly be within a range of acceptable practices when exacting revenge against their enemy.

Trent would be in danger, too, and the thought caused Gage
’s newly encountered protective streak to surge to the forefront like never before. He needed to keep Trent safe like he needed to breathe. The testosterone pumping through him pushed him to rip someone’s head off for even thinking to harm Trent, Hunter, or Em. The aggression coursed through him required control and he ran his hands over his face, pushing back from the desk. Wars were never won by brawn, they were only won by brains, and he would do well to remember that in this case. Trent needed him to be on his A-game.

How had this happened? He
’d worked this report for six long years. How had this case ended up here? His eyes glanced down at the clock on the computer, eight pm. Em and Hunter’s bedtime. He forced himself to stop stalling and palmed his phone, running his finger across the screen. He wasn’t going to let himself worry about the future any more tonight. The bottom line: even if Trent never wanted to see him again, he would offer his help. If Trent didn’t want it, he’d secretly take care of whether they liked it or not. Gage ignored the pain in his heart at the prospect of never seeing Trent again and dialed the number.

The first call went to voice mail. So did the second one, but Gage knew Trent always carried his phone on him. It was also his work phone and he answered it all night long. Gage picked up the gallery
’s phone and called again a third time, Trent answered.

“
Yes,” Trent’s voice sounded clipped, edgy and sharp. So he knew this number, too.

“
We need to talk,” Gage said, trying for matter-of-fact, but feeling like he fell short. He got silence back for several long moments. So much silence, Gage looked down at his phone’s caller ID to see if the call had been dropped or disconnected, but it hadn’t.

“
I know I asked you to just tell me when this ended for you, but you’ve already said it loud in clear,” Trent said.

“
I have?” Gage asked. Why had he asked that?

“
Yes.” Again Trent’s voice sounded clipped and sharp.

“
I disagree.” No, he didn’t disagree. He’d been terrible to Trent Sunday night… More silence. Trent had an incredible way of being very quiet, and yet it spoke volumes. “I need to talk to you. Are the children asleep?”

Silence again.

“Trent, I’m coming over, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Gage disconnected the call. His voice held more confidence than the insecurities racing through him should have allowed. He gathered the file he’d put together, outlining all the evidence, step by step, for Trent. At the last minute, he shut his laptop, grabbing it, too. Gage decided a boost to his confidence couldn’t hurt, and snagged the keys to the Ferrari for the drive over.

Chapter 20

Trent stood in front of his bathroom mirror inspecting himself closely. He’d taken a quick shower, and dressed in fresh clean blue jeans and a polo golf shirt. He put on socks and a pair of loafers, shaved and brushed his teeth. He did everything he could do to build himself up. The only problem he could see were the red rimmed eyes staring back at him. He didn’t know how to get rid of those. Hell, those eyes staring back at him reminded him of the time surrounding his sister’s death. He always had carried his heart in his eyes, or so he’d been told. There was just no way to hide the pain of heartbreak.

He
’d keep the house dark; that was the only option he could think of to hide his eyes. He didn’t want Gage to know the effect his rejection had on him. He sent Rhonny a text message telling her Gage planned to come over. He expected this to be the breakup talk and asked her to stay hidden for a while. He then went through the house turning off all the lights he could without appearing odd. Hopefully, it would help mask him from Gage. At this point, all he had left was his self-respect, and if it looked like he spent his time being a crying mess, he wouldn’t even have self-respect to get him through the next few minutes.

Trent went into the living room and took a seat on the sofa. The house seemed eerily quiet, and he crossed his leg over his knee psyching himself up for the coming conversation. Ignoring the pain in his heart, he
’d let Gage say whatever he needed to say and then ask him to leave. He would walk Gage to the door, shut, and lock it before he let one tear slip down his face. In this big master plan, he decided he would allow himself tonight for a full on pity party. Tomorrow, he would wake up and begin to repair the damage done to his company by coming out so publically. What a dumbass he’d been. He would also begin looking for some part-time work to bring immediate money into the house.

Having his picture in the paper for the city to see just wasn
’t one of his smartest decisions. He should have thought through it better, but he promised himself he would never do anything like this again. Em and Hunter deserved someone to think with their head, not their stupid, lovesick heart. And honestly, it was beyond pathetic how in love he already felt with a guy he knew from the beginning wasn’t for him. If this didn’t push all the stupid, romantic thoughts from his heart, he guessed nothing ever would.

A quiet knock tapped at the front door. Trent stayed seated for a second more, steeling his heart before he rose and took the few steps to the entryway. His great plan to stay strong began to waver as he watched Gage at the front door through the frosted glass. He definitely wouldn
’t make eye contact. He would look at his forehead or nose, but never in the eye. He opened the door and stepped back. If he didn’t invite him in, just stood right there to let Gage say what he wanted, he could shut the door and be done very easily. Gage didn’t wait to be invited in, though, he stepped inside carrying a folder and his laptop, and stopped in front of Trent, too close for comfort.

“
I’m sorry I hurt you Sunday night. I’ll live with the fact I did for the rest of my life. It was unfair of me, but I was very confused with what I found. It’s not an excuse, just what happened, and I’m very sorry,” Gage said, taking an additional step into his personal space. It occurred to Trent perhaps Gage didn’t understand the meaning behind personal space because he always did this. He stayed so close Trent could feel every breath Gage took.

“
It’s fine, Gage,” Trent said, and stepped back and away, shutting the front door. He thought better of it and pulled the door open again. “If that’s all you came to say, consider it said.” He cocked his head toward the front door, encouraging Gage to leave.

“
Why won’t you look at me?” Gage asked, stepping up on him, caging him between the front door and his body.

“
I am looking at you,” Trent said.

“
You’re looking at my nose,” Gage said and lifted Trent’s face with his finger under his chin. It forced Trent to lift his eyes and Gage narrowed his. “Have you been crying?”

“
God, no! I just haven’t slept in several days. I have a lot going on,” Trent said as he wrenched his chin from Gage’s grasp and looked away from the sexy compelling eyes that could hold him in their thrall. The pain in his heart crippled him from the lie he’d just told. This time he shut the door completely and scooted out from around Gage, but Gage stopped him.