Skin Walkers: Gauge (10 page)

Chapter 16

Jenny
could only watch as Gauge stalked to the closet door, jerked it open, and began yanking out Ella’s clothes. 

“How long was he in here grilling her,”
he demanded angrily.

“
I’m not sure, Gauge.  I was in with other patients.  I checked on her about two hours ago and she was alone then.”

He
seemed displeased with her response as he began cramming clothes into the bag he’d found in the closet before he turned and snatched items off the dresser top to shove into the bag, some that didn’t even belong to Ella.  “We’re leaving!”

“
Christ, Gauge!  This isn’t my fault.”

“Isn’t your fault
?” he spun on her, his eyes sparking with undisguised fury as he jabbed a finger in the direction of the bed as his voice rose.  “He interrogated her to fucking exhaustion!” 

In the bed, Ella’s pale features we lax in a
fatigued slumber.

“That tells me he tortured her for a great deal of time, while your incompetent staff did nothing to stop him!”
 

Jenny looked at Ella’s sleeping form and frowned sympathetically.  Gauge was being loud and for Ella to be sleeping through it…  “Look, I can have a Sentry stationed at the door.”

“One of
Monroe’s
Sentries?” Gauged asked sarcastically.  “No.  He placed her bag on the chair and crossed to Ella’s sleeping form.  He bent reaching for her, then stopped and straightened as he eyed her bandaged ankle and arm that rested across her chest in a sling.  “Will  it hurt if I lift her?”

Huffing out an exasperated sigh, Jenny crossed to wrap the blankets more securely around Ella.  “No, but keep her covered.  Where are you taking her?”  As if she needed to ask.

“My place.”  He lifted her effortlessly and felt his pride swell at how right she felt in his arms. 

Jenny crossed to open the door as she spoke.  “I’ll have one of the nurses bring her bag up and she’ll deliver some pain meds as well.”  She held the door open as Gauge passed.  “Contact me if either of you need anything, and bring her back in a week for a check
-up.”

His grunt was the only response she got.  In the hallway, Gauge stopped to peer down at Ella.  Unconscious as she was, he couldn’t keep his protective instincts from surging to the
fore and kicking in full force.  He lifted her slight frame higher and held her tighter as he exited the infirmary and made his way excitedly up to his suite. 
Ella’s coming home!
  He was eager to have her in his suite and reunited with Alysa. 

Over the few weeks he’d had her, he’d grown close with the child…perhaps too close.  The thought of Ella healing and taking Alysa back home had him fighting down his possessive instincts.  He knew she’d applied for housing on the Estate and had meant to speak to Monroe about pushing the application through
.  King was supposed to have taken care of it, but now that Monroe had given Ella a deadline to divulge information on her attacker, well, he may as well start looking for housing for all three of them outside the Estate.  As much as he too wanted answers, he wasn’t going to let Monroe use Ella’s pain to get them.  He wouldn’t force them from her either.  When she grew to trust him,
if
she grew to trust him, then she would confide in him.  Until that time, he’d simply have to wait.

He contacted Anne through the mist.  She was one of the Walker women employed at the Estate’s daycare where Ella typically left Alysa when she worked.  He’d hired her to assist him in caring for
Alysa while Ella was recovering since the Walker woman was already familiar with the family.

“I’m on my way back.  I’m bringing Ella.  Prepare
my room.”

“
You go it,”
Anne responded.

Some short minutes later, Gauge was tucking Ella into his bed.  He had a spare room, and it had been his original intention to house her there, but once he arrived in his suite, he
had
to have her in his bed.  

Anne was in the sitting room, getting Ella’s things from the nurse that had followed Gauge up. 
Quietly, Anne slunk into the room to set Ella’s bags next to the door before holding up a bottle of meds and shaking them once.  Gauge looked at her and she set them on the dresser nearest the door before whispering, “Call me if you need me.”  She exited just as quietly as she’d entered. 

Gauge stood with his arms crossed and stared down at Ella as she slept.  He took a step back so the couch in the sitting room was in his line of
sight as he turned to eye the other room.  Alysa was on the couch, crashed out with a blanket tucked around her as cartoons played silently on his TV.  His two beauties were sleeping safe and sound and his world had never felt more right.  His house felt full, his home felt complete.  His chest tightened with emotion and he stalked out to the sitting room where he picked up Alysa and carried her into the bedroom. 

Gently, he placed the babe on the bed beside her mother and swallowed hard as he eyed the cozy scene they made.  His mind made up, he toed of his expensive shoes and unknotted his tie before easing onto the bed beside Alysa. 

One arm curled to cushion his head as he faced the two females.  He snaked a hand across Alysa’s little body to lock his fingers around Ella’s good hand and it felt warm and fragile reminding him of the delicate woman she was.  

Why did it feel
so right to have them in his home and under his protection?  He thought on it long and hard.  At first, he thought it was guilt, but after dissecting his emotions further he realized that, while he did carry some blame for Ella’s condition, it wasn’t what evoked the tenderness that he felt for the woman in his bed or the child that wasn’t truly hers.  It was longing.  He’d come to StoneCrow to seek out an existence where he didn’t have to hide who or what he was.  He’d come with the dream of being free and the hopes of starting a family.  He’d never intended to stumble upon an already formed family that he couldn’t give up, but thinking on Monroe’s threat, he knew that if Monroe did in fact banish Ella and Alysa from StoneCrow that he’d gladly go with them.  They would never be unprotected again.  Not while he lived.  Granted it’d be easier if they could remain at StoneCrow. 

The thought set his mind in motion.  There was only one way for a human female to
be granted Walker status.  A plan began to formulate.  The best way to outwit CEO StoneCrow was to beat him at his own game.  He twisted Walker law to suit his needs, why couldn’t others do the same?

How long he plotted, Gauge didn’t know, but when Ella jerked and her eyes slowly opened, he smiled at her when her confused
gaze landed on him. 

“Morning, gorgeous.”

She looked from him down to the child sleeping beside them and inhaled sharply.  She pulled her hand from his and lifted it to finger Alysa’s hair.  When her eyes found his again they were brimming with emotion.  “Thank you,” she whispered.

His tone was soft,
“For what?”

“For taking care of her,” she licked her lips and eyed the room
before looking back at him.  “For taking care of
us
.”

“It’s been my pleasure,”
he suddenly turned serious.  While the circumstances had been hideous, he had enjoyed the chance to take care of Ella and her child.  The action had spawned some form of ownership and he wasn’t sure he could ever let them go.

“How was she?” her hand smoothed over Alysa’s cherub-like cheek.

“Perfect.”

Ella’s eyes lifted to dart around the room.  “What…what am I doing here?”

“After what Monroe had done, I didn’t want you in the infirmary any longer.   Now, to get to you, he’ll have to come through me.”

She sucked in her bottom lip.  “I’m not trying to make trouble for you.”

“You’re not.”

“If Jenny cleared me, maybe we should…”

He didn’t let her finish.  “You’re not.”

Perfect brows knitted, “I’m not what?  Not cleared from medical?”

“Jenny released you into my care.”

“Well, I was just trying to say that if Jenny released me then…”

Again he cut her off.  “She released you
into my care.
  You’re not going anywhere, gorgeous, don’t bother asking.”  He eased from the bed, careful not to wake Alysa.  He was relieved when he heard a knock at his door.  “Stay here,” he commanded and exited the room.

“Stay here!” Ella mocked in indignation even as
she curled her body tighter into Alysa’s, feeling safer than she had in years.

***

Gauge jerked his front door open with a snarl, “WHAT?”

In the hall, King’s brows hiked.  “Having a rough home coming?” his tone was playful.

Hissing out a pent up breath, Gauge plowed a hand into his hair.  “Damn woman!” it was the only explanation he offered.  “What do you need, King?”

“I’d like to know your plan.”

Gauge eyed him as if deciding whether or not King could be trusted.

“Don’t look at me like that.  I’ve gone behind Crow’s back several times for you.  I deserve to know what your plan is and I’m not leaving without that information.”  As if to solidify his words, he crossed
thick arms across an equally impressive chest.

Motioning with his head for King to back up, both men stepped into the hall and Gauge sealed the door closed behind them. 

“My plan is to wait.”

King wasn’t convinced.  “Wait?”

“Yes.  Wait.”

“And just what is it exactly that we’re waiting for?”

Impatient, Gauge eyed the door behind him before frowning at the Chief of Security.  “You saw what was carved into her back, and you also are aware of the fact that Alysa’s not hers.  The man that did this to Ella clearly has a personal interest.  I’m assuming that interest is Alysa.”

“Her father,” King supplied.

“Yes.”

“So, I still don’t understand what we’re waiting for.”

“Clearly, the bastard went to Ella’s apartment with the intentions of taking Alysa.  She wasn’t there, which means the prick’ll be back.  He wants the child and he knows Ella’s got her, which means….” he let his words die off as he saw clarity in King’s eyes.

“You think he’s coming here.”

“Of course he’s coming here.  We have something he wants.”

“That’s your plan?”  King snarled, clearly displeased.  “Wait for him to attack the female and take the child?”

It was Gauge’s turn to snarl as he lunged forward to go nose-to-nose with King.  “No one is touching either of them!   They are MINE!”

King refused to back down.  “Explain!”

It took all Gauge’s strength to force himself to calm as he took a step back from King.  “I’ve taken some of Alysa’s clothing to the Sentries at the gate and the wall.  They’ve memorized her scent and have direction to seek out any familial trace to outsiders attempting to access the Estate.  When the fucker shows up here, I’ll know it!”

King’s frown dissipated.  The plan wasn’t bad.  It wasn’t ideal, but Gauge was right.  The bastard who’d attacked Ella would have no idea what he’d encounter by coming to StoneCrow.  It’d be child’s play for any Sentry to sniff him out if they knew what they were looking for.

King nodded, “And once we have him?”

“What do you think?” Gauge growled sarcastically.

Chapter 17

The next few weeks weren’t easy.  Ella and Gauge seemed to butt heads at every opportunity and agreed on very little.  He’d demanded that she and Alysa keep his much larger room, while he’d relegated himself to the smaller guest
room.  It had been difficult getting her to even agree to stay with him, but he’d appealed to the mother in her, and just as he’d expected, she’d caved. 

The first few days were a test of his patience and
his teeth, as he clenched his jaw watching Ella as she hobbled around his home, refusing to permit him to carry her or do the menial tasks she wanted done that took her nearly hours while it’d only have taken him minutes.  Eventually, she’d gotten to the point where she could walk practically unimpaired, but it hadn’t been easy for the Walker to endure.  Suffering the scent of her pain on a daily basis while being forced to merely watch her struggle was infuriating.  Worse, she still refused to confide in him that Alysa wasn’t hers and that the child’s father had been the one to attack her.  It was more than infuriating, it was insulting!

Gauge had defended her to CEO
StoneCrow, and he’d taken her in.  The least he’d expected was her trust. 

Watching her usher
Alysa out the door with Lilly for a play date with her daughter, Mahkya Mulholland, he knew he’d been a fool.  How could someone who’d spent her life hiding just simply trust him because he’d given her a place to sleep?  A growl rumbled in his chest and drew her attention.

“Gauge?”  Finely shaped brows hiked
as she closed the door, “You alright?”

“No,” he grumbled shoving to his feet and pacing away from the sofa.  “I want some fucking answers, Ella.”  He was angry, but it wasn’t with her.  Sure, he’d hoped she’d come
clean, but mostly he’d hoped that the bastard who’d dared to touch her would have shown his face by now.  The fact that he still had to worry about Ella and Alysa’s safety had his back teeth gnashing. 

“Answers about what?” her tone was flippant as she crossed to pick up toys Alysa had scattered on the sitting room floor.

“Would it faze you to learn that I already know the truth?  That all this time, I’ve simply been waiting for you to trust me enough to give in?” 

He watched her hands slow in their task as her body tensed.  She turned her head to eye him over her shoulder.  Whatever she read in his eyes must have satisfied her because her glib tone was back.  “Sure I lied.  I told everyone I’d tripped.  Truth is, I was attacked by a mugger.”  She shrugged, “No big deal.”

“NO BIG DEAL!” he roared, launching himself across the room. 

Ella recoiled and tripped.  Strong hands caught her before she could hit the ground.

Annoyed, Gauge pinned her good arm to her side with the intention of growling at her that it was in fact a very big deal, when she did the one thing, the only thing that could freeze him in his tracks.  She flinched…actually flinched.  She threw up her still-bandaged arm, using it to protect her head and rolled her body toward one hip.  It was then that he knew.  He knew why there were no marks on her face, and why the entire left side of her body was destroyed.  This was how she’d defended herself from her attacker.

“Ella,” he
spoke firmly, “I’d never hurt you.”  He was fighting to keep his flare of regret and anguish under control.  It was proving difficult.  He was done waiting.  To help her heal and to protect her, he needed answers. 

“Know that whatever you tell me behind these
doors stays here.”  Gauge’s words were clipped, terse.  “I want answers Ella, and I want them now.” 

Ella shook her head, her eyes wide
as she dropped her arm.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Gauge jerked back, his
hand connected with the lamp that sat on the table next to the sofa, sending it crashing into the wall.  “I can smell your deceit.”

Ella flinched, her face now ashen.  Her tongue darted out to lick her parched lips as her eyes glistened with fear.  “Gauge…” his name was a whisper as she brought her hands together in front of
her, she rubbed nervously at her bandaged wrist.  “Please try and understand.  The more people I drag into this the more…”

“
Monroe wants you off the Estate.  Aside from claiming you, there’s no other way to stop him from making that happen unless you tell the truth.”

Ella’s eyes rounded.  “I’d never do that to you.”  When he looked at her questioningly she answered his unasked question.  “I’d never permit you to claim me out of necessity rather than emotion.”

He couldn’t help but ask, “Even if it saves your life?”

She dipped her head.

Whether she confided in him or not was of little consequence.  If Monroe wanted her gone, then he’d run with her.  There was no way in hell he’d leave this woman and that innocent child unprotected.  “The truth.  Now!” He boomed.

Ella’s hands went to her belly as her eyes slowly slid from his to rest on his feet.  “
Alysa.”  She couldn’t formulate the words.  She’d been running and lying so long that now she found it virtually impossible to admit the truth.  She blinked and the tears breached her eyes, sliding down her pale cheeks.  “A-Alysa’s not mine.”  The admission was barely audible. 

“That’s why you were attacked?  You’ve stolen someone’s child?”  His tone was incredulous.
  It’s what he’d suspected, but hearing the words brought it all home.

Ella’s eyes snapped to his.  “No!  I didn’t steal her.”

“If she’s not your child Ella…”

“She’s my sister’s child.”  Ella took a step closer, her hand reaching for him before she stopped herself.  “Please
, Gauge, just listen.”

His eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them, and he was quiet
ly awaiting her explanation.

“
Alysa is my niece, my sister Jenna’s child.”

“So you took the child from your sister.”  It wasn’t a question.

Ella felt her cheeks flame in anger as she bit out, “My sister is dead.  Her husband killed her.”

“
Alysa’s father I presume?”

“Yes.  He was always abusive.  She
’d call me often crying, saying how she was concerned for her and Alysa’s safety.  She was worried that he’d tire of beating her and start in on Alysa.  I was finally able to talk her into leaving him.  She was supposed to come and stay with me…”  Her hand covered her mouth as she attempted to hold back a sob.  “She…she never made it.”  Her eyes grew distant as she relived the nightmare.  “She died that night.  It was ruled an accident.  They said she slipped and fell in the shower and the blow to her head had...”  Tears were now flowing unchecked down her cheeks.  “It’s not true, Gauge.  She’d called me earlier that night.  She’d already showered.  He killed her.  He killed my sister and made it look like an accident!”  Her tone was imploring, she needed him to believe her.

His features softened marginally.  “How did you get
Alysa?”

Ella swiped at her cheeks, rubbing the palms of her wet hands on the thighs of her jeans. 
“At the funeral.  He was so busy accepting everyone’s sympathy he didn’t even notice that he’d forgotten Alysa in her baby carrier all alone in the pew at the church.  I hadn’t planned it, it just…just happened.  I was three rows back and I watched him get up and walk away.  The church nearly emptied and no one even remembered she was there.  When he went to the adjoining room for the reception…  I couldn’t just leave her there, Gauge, not when I knew what kind of monster he was.  I grabbed her and I ran.  I’ve been running ever since.”

A knock sounded at the door
.  Gauge ignored it, frowning down at Ella instead.  When the knock sounded again, Gauge turned with a growl and stormed to the door before flinging it open and demanding, “What?”

Ella couldn’t see around Gauge’s massive frame, but she heard a frightened young man state, “Mr. Alexander, CEO StoneCrow requests you in his office immediately.”

“Tell him it’ll have to wait.”

Gauge was in the process of closing the door when the young man continued, “He wanted me to let you know that it’s an emergency that won’t wait.”

Gauge growled again before turning to pin Ella with angry eyes.  “I’ll be back shortly.  Don’t even think about leaving this suite.”  He was silent a moment before offering, “Who you choose to stand beside you in battle will determine your fate here, Ella.  Choose wisely.”  He strode angrily from the suite slamming the door behind him. 

Ella waited several moments to give Gauge time to get on the elevator before she peeked her head out the doo
r to ensure the hall was clear. 
What does that mean?  Who I choose to stand beside me in battle?  Is he offering? 
She wished she knew, but couldn’t chance sticking around to find out. 

Back in the suite
, Ella raced to her and Alysa’s shared room.  Inside she pulled a duffle bag from the closet before rushing to throw open the dresser drawers.  She’d need enough clothes and provisions to last them. 

Her mind raced as she packed as much of
Alysa’s clothes and supplies as she could before grabbing a few items for herself.  When Gauge said he’d be back soon, she knew he meant it, and that left her little time to pack, dash to King and Lilly’s to retrieve Alysa, and get the hell away from StoneCrow. She had to run.  Although she wanted desperately to trust Gauge, to trust that he’d take care of her and Alysa, she simply couldn’t risk Alysa’s life on the chance.  She couldn’t risk that they’d take Alysa from her.

As she waited for the elevator, her heart nearly stopped when the doors finally eased open.  She half expected to find an angry Gauge towering inside waiting on her.  Luckily
, the elevator was empty and she was dashing through the lobby and exiting the front doors before she had a chance to run into anyone she knew. 

Outside, she quickened her pace to the garage as the breath
huffed out of her in frigid puffs.  There was access to the garage from inside, but she didn’t want to chance running into Gauge.  Instead, she punched her pass code into the locked doors with icy fingers and entered once the doors released.  Moments later, her duffle bag was tucked in the trunk of Gauge’s car.  She hoped he’d forgive her for taking it.  In no time, she was racing across the Estate on her way to King and Lilly’s cabin. 

Her eyes continually darted to the rearview mirror as she pulled the smart phone from her purse with one hand then selected the touch-screen icon that would automatically dial Lilly’s phone.

“Hello?”

Ella tried to sound casual. “Hey Lilly
, it’s Ella.”

“Oh hi!  H
ow are you?”

“Fine, fine.  Look, the reason I’m calling is there’s been a change in plans.  I’m on my way to pick up
Alysa.  Can you have her ready when I get there?”

“Uh
h…sure.  Is everything okay?”

“Oh yeah,” Ella flinched at the too high pitch in her tone. 
“Gauge has some surprise for us.  He won’t say what it is, but he just wants us both to be there.”

“Oh how fun
!” The smile in Lilly’s voice was genuine.  “Sure, I’ll get her coat and shoes on her now.  How close are you?”

“Just about there.  I’ll just wait outside if that’s okay?”

“Sure, I’ll bring her out when you get here.  See ya in a few.”

Ella ended the call.  Her nerves were wreaking havoc on her. 
Please don’t let him catch us; please don’t let him catch us!

Minutes later when she pulled up in front of Lilly’s cabin, she nearly gasped aloud to discover King
smiling on the porch as he waiting holding Alysa bundled in his arms.

Ella tried to calm herself as she waved at the Walker.

King closed the distance to the car quickly, his feet crunching loudly in the snow, before opening the back door and setting Alysa inside.  “We’re sorry she can’t stay.”

Ella heard the click of the seat belt as King continued, “Maybe next time she can…”  His words trailed off as his head slowly turned.  His eyes were dark, his face expressionless as his nostrils flared and he inhaled slowly.

“What are you doing, Ella?”  His tone was laden with the gravity her actions would evoke from Gauge.

Ella turned to look straight
forward; her knuckles white as she clenched the steering wheel.  “Thank you, King.  Say goodnight, Alysa.”

King didn’t move, just
stared at Ella.

“Bye
, Uncle.”  Alysa’s endearment had King tearing his eyes from Ella’s to kiss the child on the forehead.

“Bye
, baby,” he whispered before inching back out of the car.  Before he closed the door he warned, “I’ll give you ten minutes to change your mind before I contact Gauge.  I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She didn’t respond, and when King finally closed the back door, Ella sl
ammed her foot on the pedal as King stood in the dark watching her taillights until they were swallowed up by the night.