Outside The Ropes: OtherSide Of Fear Part 36

"He said no. You said hes good with details, so let him work it out."

Rusnak sat back with his hands up and smile that was nowhere near innocent. "All right, Sweetheart. Just offering an idea." Rusnak c.o.c.ked his head to Gage. "Why dont you think about it, and let me know the plan when youve got it figured out."

Gage stood up. "Ill do that. Ill be in touch." He extended his hand to me and nodded at the two men to our side, never looking back towards Alessandra or Anatoli.

We left the restaurant and waited for the Valet in a chilly silence. It wasnt till we were in the car pulling away that Gage broke.

"Im going to f.u.c.king kill Dexter, and then Im going to take out each of those a.s.sholes. Theyre all going to f.u.c.king pay for s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with my family."

36: Set Me Up.

HIS ANGER FILLED THE CAB OF THE SUV, leaving me cold, my thoughts frozen as his threat blew around in my brain.

"What do you think they meant? What has Dexter done?" I hadnt talked to Dexter since I returned; I thought to avoid making it harder when disappeared.

"I think its pretty f.u.c.king clear what they meant. Dexters got himself in debt with some bad people, and the little f.u.c.ker thinks running for Magnally will get him out." His hands re-gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. "Anatoli thinks he can use that. He probably set that s.h.i.+t up. Now he wants me to bring him in. Just another thing linking me with them."

I rubbed my temples, trying to process. "But why would Dexter do that? After everything?"

Gage was staring straight ahead at the traffic around us, his voice low. "I dont know for sure, but I can guess." He glanced at me, and I glimpsed the heaviness of his thoughts darkening his gaze. "After you left, I cut him off."

The way he spoke sent a chill through me, down to my toes, and I twisted in my seat to face him. "Like, you havent talked to him at all?"

He stretched his jaw as he shook his head slow and then stretched his neck just as slow, taking his time to respond, "I stopped funding him. Id been giving him money every month, sometimes more, for bills, school, whatever he said he needed." The tension settled back on his shoulders, and he was clenching his jaw again. "I f.u.c.king knew he was still gambling, but I gave him the money anyways. I wanted to keep him from owing the wrong people, and I didnt want his family to go without. But when he let you just walk away, and then I couldnt find you anywhere." He flicked his eyes over me. "I punished him for it. I know it was my f.u.c.king fault you left, but I took it out on everyone else. And I left him dry when he was used to living a certain way."

I slid my hand to his leg and gripped his thigh, aiming to give comfort as much as take comfort. I didnt want him to be angry over me anymore.

He didnt respond to my touch but kept his hands gripped on the steering wheel, knuckles whiter than ever, and the lines of his forearms stood out as his muscles strained.

"So what does this mean for us? Does it change anything?"

"I dont know." Then he jerked his head to me and grabbed my hand on his leg, keeping me in place. "I mean no, it doesnt. But it might take more time, I need to talk to Dexter."

He sighed, a sigh I knew well. A sigh that meant he was trying to think and wasnt clear on anything. A sigh that usually meant my questions werent welcomed right now.

"All right. Talk to Dexter, find out whats going on with him, and then we can adjust whatever needs to be adjusted." I nodded, trying to quiet my own thoughts that warned me it wouldnt be that simple.

He glanced at me before training his eyes back on the road to make a left turn at an intersection. "I will."

Before the silence could settle and my doubts begin to rise, Gage slid his hand behind my head and leaned across the console to place a kiss on my forehead. Then he cast his lips down and pecked my lips. He pulled back just as suddenly as he had started, and I was left blinking at him for a moment.

"I love you. This will work out. Well figure it out." He laced his fingers with mine and held my hand between us on the center console. Then he glanced at me with a hesitant smile. "Dont doubt us, okay? Thats what they want, to put pressure on us. They want to keep us in line and always second guessing ourselves."

Its like he read my mind, speaking to the fears that were creeping in. I gripped his hand tighter and nodded, knowing he was right about them, but hoping he was right about us.

The light was on in the hall, it streaked into the dark room, but thats not what woke me up. Gages voice from down the hall did. He wasnt yelling, but he was forceful.

"-thats the deal. You want my help, you f.u.c.king come here and earn it."

I slid out of the bed and walked down the hall to his office.

"A few days. Thats all itll take, but you need to listen and do what I say- f.u.c.k him, Ill deal with him. h.e.l.l let you because h.e.l.l want you in on this."

I turned the corner to the office, pus.h.i.+ng the door open to see in. Gage was sitting behind the computer, focused on the screen.

"That would have been good to think of before, but its too late now. Maybe now youll f.u.c.king learn. So youre either doing this or youre not, which is it?" Gage looked up then, seeing me in the doorway. He inflated as he inhaled and then stuck up one finger, signaling me to wait. "Okay." He clicked the computer mouse on something. "Its all set up. Now dont f.u.c.k this up, Im counting on you."

He hung up the phone and tossed it onto his desk. He looked up at me and slide his chair back to give me room between him and the desk.

"Was that Dexter calling you back?" I took a guess as I walked in front of him and sat on the edge of the desk.

He nodded and rolled forward, wrapping his hands around my waist. He looked up at me from where he sat, something in his gaze, something dark that I could fall into. "Hes going to come help with the s.h.i.+pment."

I tensed. "Really? But, I thought-are we not going to give that information?" I couldnt even say the words FBI, it gripped my stomach to even think about it.

He dropped his head, and I wanted to reach out and slip my fingers into his hair, but I sat still, waiting on his answer.

"We will." He looked up at me and then rose to his feet, stepping close. His hands pulled me into him. "Call him today. Set it up. Well give the information about all the drop offs, the names, locations, everything. Dexter wont be near any of it, h.e.l.l be here with us."

"And what about Leona and Felix? If Dexter owes money to some dangerous people-"

"Shes back in Baltimore visiting with family, for now. By time they get back, he will have paid."

"So our plans arent changing?"

"Set up the meeting. Hopefully what we say will help Ian too. And after everything, we disappear."

My hands were shaking as I placed them on his chest, but I was unable to still the vibration. "Shouldnt we wait for the meeting? It could be dangerous for you to go back to them after. I thought we were giving the information and leaving right away."

"Babe." He gripped my shoulders. "Its probably going to take more than one meeting for him to get the information he needs, the evidence he needs. We have to give them time to set things up. Its all a risk, but the plans are flexible. We need to be ready for whatever might happen." His eyes searched mine. "Are you ready for this?"

I nodded, breathless. I had to be ready. This was what I wanted, what I started. He was doing this for me. "Ill call."

"Use this phone." He reached past me and opened a drawer to my side, pulling out a flip phone. He pressed a few b.u.t.tons and after a moment he handed it to me, its screen lit up.

"Ill go get the number." My blood ran cold as I stepped away from him, back to our bedroom to get Anthonys card.

"Its ringing." I picked up the phone from the table.

"Answer it." Gage pulled me back against his chest, arms wrapped around me on the couch.

I pressed the accept b.u.t.ton and held the phone to my ear.

"Well meet at the Dollhouse at four."

"The Dollhouse?" I turned to read Gages face. That wasnt one of the places we had said earlier today when I first spoke to Anthony.

Gages face hardened, and he shook his head.

"That place is still a crime scene, its closed since the bust." And that was the truth. "We cant meet there."

"I know its closed. But theyre done their investigation, itll be private."

"Theres no one there anymore?" I questioned so Gage would know.

"Its empty and remote. No one will see us."

"It would be private. At four today?" I kept my eyes on Gage and he nodded.

"Yes. Will you be there?"

"We will."

"We? No, Im not meeting with Gage. Ill only do this if its just you."

The pressure in my chest was building. I pushed away from Gage and rose to my feet, unable to stay still. "What? Who are you to make these demands? You either want the information we can give or you dont."

"Considering the last time I saw you, you threatened me with him, Im taking precautions." He kept his voice calm. "Im taking a risk here Regan, and Im not even sure you have information beyond what I already know anymore."

"Im taking a risk too-" Gage grabbed the phone from me and put it on speaker.

"I know. And I want to keep this safe for both of us. I still want to help you. Please, this once, meet me alone. We can set something else up with him after today."

"He can give more information than me."

Anthony sighed. "Then lets set up a real meeting. But you asked for this to stay unofficial, private. If you want it to be just me, I need it to be just you, for now."

Gage stood stone faced and arms crossed, but he nodded.

"All right. Ill see you then," I conceded.

Gage pressed the end call b.u.t.ton, staring at the screen for a moment before he looked up at me. "Youre not going alone."

"I thought you told me to agree?"

"I did, but Im not letting you go alone. Ill be there, he just wont know it." Gage and I both looked at the clock; it was a little past three. "b.a.s.t.a.r.d didnt give us much time."

I dropped Gage off on the opposite side of the woods that backed up to the club, and then I drove slow to a side street where I could park and walk up on the club myself. I didnt want my car to be seen in the parking lot.

Anthony must have had the same idea because his car wasnt in the lot either. No cars were in the lot. But Anthony stood at the back door, propping it open with his body.

"Lets talk inside, out of the wind." He nodded his head into the back room.

I looked around the area outside the club, everything was empty, but I felt eyes everywhere. On me. On us. And I quickened my pace into the club.

"We can sit at a table in here." Anthony started walking in front of me and then glanced back and slowed to fall beside me with a small smile. He gestured for me to go first. "You know the way, I almost forgot."

I didnt believe him. He hadnt forgot any of it, and his play at casual fired warning shots throughout my body.

Every step I took, I scanned the area, eyes straining to see in the shadows. I flipped on the floodlights to the main club, hoping to wash away any hiding spots. I still felt eyes on me and my skin crawled. I chose a table in the corner with a position to see the rest of the room.

Anthony sat, pulling his chair close to my side as he scanned the empty room too. He kept pulling at his jacket, sliding his hands in and out of his pockets. Maybe he felt the same nerves I did.

"Why now, Regan? Why not before when I approached you?" He stilled his movements and then leaned towards me but stopped himself from touching my arm when I pulled away.

I placed my hands on the table in front of us, clasping them together, and shrugged. "Im over caring what happens to me. And the more I think about the people that have been hurt, the more I want to tell. Someone has to stop them."

"Who? We arrested Ian Balov and three of his men, as well as saving a dozen girls, and were closing in on the rest of his operation. Is there someone else bigger?"

"Ians not anyone." I leaned forward on the table, surprised that he thought he had taken down someone important. I shook it off though and got to the real information, wanting to end this as soon as I could. "Theres a big deal going down next week, c.o.ke being s.h.i.+pped to three points in the U.S. If done right, you could bust several key players including Alessandra and Anatoli Rusnak."

He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. "Drugs?" He tapped the table. "All right, I can pa.s.s on whatever you tell me, but Im here about the human trafficking, Regan. Thats my role. Do you have information on that?"