He made a note to get her a cell phone along with new clothes today when they went out shopping. He’d planned to take her for a new wardrobe. She deserved to be in the best and most comfortable clothes. The drive would take them out to Austin where she’d less likely be recognized. Since he’d worked there for a decade, he knew where to go for everything.
Rushing into the house, he called out her name. No sounds could be heard.Fuck.He dashed through each room until he reached his bedroom door. A low noise from his television gave him some comfort. He slowly twisted the knob, hoping that he wouldn’t frighten her. Sprawled out on his bed, Hope slept with her head toward the foot of the bed.
“Baby. You scared me,” Gage whispered before bending down and kissing her temple. As he pulled back, her eyes fluttered and her puffy lips parted.
“Gage,” she moaned.
“I’ve finished up my end today. Bill has everything under control. I’m ready to take you to Austin.”
“Oh. Is that a good idea?”
“As much as I like seeing you in my clothes, I don’t think it’s a good idea for everyone else to see you in them. I might have to commit murder.”
“Silly. I’ll get dressed.” She scurried off the bed, looking around the room with a curious brow before her eyes widened. “Oh my. I totally forgot that I snuck into your room.”
“You’re welcome in here.” Gage choked on the words because he envisioned seeing her on the bed all the time with no clothes while he stalked toward her, equally naked.
She smiled up at him, making his heart race with her natural beauty. “Thank you. I haven’t watched television in years, and I didn’t want to put the television on downstairs in case someone came to the door.” His good humor disappeared as the extent of the neglect showed.
“Smart. Come on, Hope. Let’s get you some clothes,” Gage muttered through gritted teeth.Cummings deserved a bullet in his head.
She readied herself in ten minutes. Once in the SUV, she felt a little nervous. “Should I hide in the back or something?”
“No. Put on my hat, sit back, and relax.” He took off his hat, leaving his hair a mess, but Hope only focused on how handsome Gage looked. His large hand cupped the cowboy hat and then plopped it onto her tiny head. While she blushed and giggled at the way it slid down her face, he had a completely different reaction.
He gripped the steering wheel hard as she fixed the hat, making his cock throb against his zipper. Her hair framed her face, and the hat only added to her femininity, catching Gage’s attention. Growling, he muttered, “Damn, you are so cute. That hat fits you perfectly.”
“It floats on me.” She giggled, pushing the brim back up after it slid down her face for the third time.
“Hold on.” Gage jumped out of the truck and ran back into the house, snatching one of his Rangers baseball caps off thehat rack. He tugged on the door handle on the passenger side and smiled at Hope. “This should be much better.” He adjusted the baseball cap and then handed it to her. “Now, sit back and chill. It’s only forty minutes from here.”
He closed the door before he gave in to the urge and kissed Hope until they came up for air. They didn’t have time to waste. The drive would be a long one, and he wanted as much time as possible for her to get what she needed. He pulled out onto the drive and down toward the main road, receiving a ping on his phone alerting him to the fact that his security cameras and sensors did their job and picked up on his vehicle passing his ranch.
He released a sigh of relief, knowing they couldn’t get onto the ranch without him being aware. Halfway through the drive, Gage’s cell rang. “What’s up, Alex?”
“He’s no closer to finding her. They’re looking closer at the neighboring towns. Watch out. They know she had to get help from someone.”
“My friend Sean already installed the cameras and additional sensors for vehicles crossing the field. It works. We’re going shopping for some clothes. Something has to be done with Cummings. I know Navarro will drop off when better opportunities hit his plate, but it’s Cummings that will be the one looking hardest for her.”
“That’s right. We’ve got some petty charges on him, but if we could get more on him, we can have him arrested.”
“We’ll have it figured out. lie low until then. I’ve hired my friends to look into Cummings and Navarro, searching for a crime.”
“What if I just call my father and get him to talk? I’m sure he’ll be pissed enough to snap and say something he shouldn’t,” Hope said.
“That’s a great idea, but we’d have to be ready to route the call and get Navarro at the same time. It’s a two-headed snake we’re dealing with here.”
“Do you think there’s a way to bug their house or something?”
“They’re too smart for that. If we found one of his associates willing to turn on him, then we can get what we need, but they’re too afraid. Rumor has it your father has let the cocaine rot his brain. He’s prone to violent tendencies.”
“I don’t doubt it. He’s known to have had them before.”
“He’s hit you before?” Gage asked, disgust etched in his words. His knuckles whitened as he drove on with a scowl.
“Yes. He beat me when he found out I looked up Martial Arts videos on YouTube.”
“Alex, I’m doing my best to stay on the right side of the law, but he’s pushing me. Snapping his fat neck has crossed my mind several times.”