Skin Walkers: Gauge (6 page)

Chapter
9

Molesting his assistant hadn’t been Gauge’s intention, but all rational thought flew out the window when he
realized she’d been seconds away from running from him.  In all honesty, he’d been dying to taste her all day.  Arriving at the office to find that she’d followed his direction regarding her scent and appearance had been the first key to his undoing.  It wasn’t lost on him that she’d worn slacks when he’d told her not to, still it didn’t matter.  The sleek clothes and lack of hideous glasses transformed her into a new woman.  His initial estimation had been confirmed.  Ella Garret was exquisite.  No.  Exquisite seemed too weak.  She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on, and he’d been itching to touch her all day.

When Ella melted against him and moaned weakly, Gauge had to force himself to pull back.  He wanted her, and if she clung to him for another second,
all soft, pliant, and needy, then he knew that he’d take her. 

Breaking the kiss, he stared down and watched her eyes slowly flutter open.  The hazy lust slowly receded to be replaced by stark realization that quickly morphed into mortification.

“Mr. Alexander,” she tried to pull back but he held her firmly against him.

“Don’t do that.  Don’t look like you suddenly regret something that was meant to happen.
  Something that needed to happen.”  His tone lowered, as he gripped her chin and locked his eyes on her lips, “Something that is going to happen again.”

“
I work for you,” she pushed at the wall of his chest.  “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

His eyes glinted with a barely restrained fury as they found hers.  “Why?  Because it’s unacceptable to mainstream society?  We don’t live in that world, Ella.  We live in this one.”

“Sir, I…”

“Don’t call me that,” he growled.

“Sir, we shouldn’t,” she didn’t get to finish.

He bent and lifted her so that her legs were wrapped on either side of him, with one strong arm shelving her ass.  He found the wall and pressed her into it as his mouth claimed hers
.  His body crushed up against hers.  He could feel the heat of her even through their clothes.  Her arousal heightened and when the scent of it hit him, a growl rumbled in his chest as he rolled his hips and ground his erection into the cradle of her thighs.  She gasped into his mouth and her breathing hitched, but she wasn’t pushing him away.  No, her fingers curled into the fabric of the shirt at his shoulders, pulling him closer.  

Gauge cursed himself for starting something he knew they couldn’t finish.  When he finally pulled back, Ella slowly blinked up at him from the veil of sooty lashes.  Her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed,
and her breathing was erratic.

The corner of his mouth lifted.  “I must admit, I like this look much better.”  He lifted a hand to brush a wisp of her hair back from her cheek.  “But if you keep looking at me like that, gorgeous, I’m going to take you so hard and deep
up against this wall that you won’t even care that there’s a little girl in the other room.

Ella blinked hard, remembering Alysa.  “Shit,” she muttered under her breath, wigg
ling in his hold.  He slid her down the front of him and groaned at the sensation before placing her on her feet where she busied herself righting her clothes.  Satisfied, she side-stepped him and made a bee-line for the door.  His hand caught her arm.

“Hey
?”

She turned
to look at him and knew her face was still flushed.  She opened her mouth to speak, but the look of concern of Gauge’s face halted her.

“There are no judgments here, Ella.”  He motioned with his head toward the door that led to the dining room and a waiting Alysa.  “I know things have been hard.  If you ever need to talk,” his hand slid down her arm to curl around her slender fingers, “I’m here.”

If I ever need to talk?  He’s here?
  Had he just attempted to seduce information from her?  She knew the color drained from her face when Gauge’s handsome look of concern twisted to one of anger.

“
That
is
not
what that kiss was about!  I didn’t kiss you to get information from you.  I kissed you because I
wanted
to.”

Tilting her head back to look straight up at the ceiling, Ella drew
in a deep breath and held it for long moments before she exhaled very slowly hoping to dispel her inner turmoil.  When her eyes finally met his, her resolve was back.  The character she was playing was back.  “Mr. Alexander, thank you for dinner.  We’ve gotta go.”

“Damn it, Ella!” he reached for her, but she called out to Alysa.

“Hey baby,” she pulled the door open, jerking her arm out of Gauge’s grasp as she glared at him, but spoke to the child.  “Dinner is over.  We need to go.”

Gauge could only watch as she crossed to the table and pulled Alysa up into her arms. 

“Thank Mr. Alexander for dinner.”

“B-but you didn’t eat!” Alysa’s head swiveled to
ward her mother before she pointed at Ella’s half full plate.

“That’s okay, baby,” she pinned Gauge accusingly, “I
’ve lost my appetite.”

“Thanks!” Alysa waved excitedly as Ella rushed from the suite leaving Gauge to scrub a hand down his face as he muffled a curse.  He stalked to the table and slumped in his chair, shoving his plate away.

He was brooding when he felt a mental nudge indicating some Walker was trying to contact him through the mist.  He permitted it. 

“Gauge, this is King.  I’ve got some information on Ms. Garrett that I think you’re going to want to
hear.”

“What is it?”

“I’m just ending my shift.  If you’re free, I’ll be up in five.”

“I’ll be here.”

***

“You’re one hundred percent sure?” Gauge questioned, frowning at the information King had just provided.

“I’m sure, Gauge.  I hadn’t noticed, until the shifted Walkers pointed it out.  I partially changed and they were right.  Alysa is not Ella’s daughter.”

“Sonofa…”  Gauge’s expression darkened and he pinned King with feral eyes, “Tell me you haven’t given this information to Monroe.”

King shook his head, “Not yet.  But at some point, it’ll have to be done.  I don’t know if Ella’s kidnapped the child or if
they’re here to gain Intel on Walkers, but you need to find out and find out fast!”

“Christ, they were just here.”

“And you couldn’t tell,” King sounded skeptical.

“It wasn’t something I was looking for.  Why wouldn’t she be Ella’s
child?  I just assumed…”

“Well, Ella’s requested residence here at the Estate.  Monroe’s been holding back on approval because he wanted to wait and see if she could handle the job.  I’m goi
ng to put it through to get her and Alysa residing here ASAP.  As it stands they could disappear right now and no one would know.”

“And if they’re enemies,” Gauge hated to ask.

“Then it’s best we keep ‘em close isn’t it?”

***

The following morning, Gauge entered his office to find Ella already seated behind her desk.  At the mere sight of her, his heart rate kicked into overdrive.  He’d spent half the night trying to figure out what it is she was up to and the other half reliving their kiss.  “Morning, Ella.”

“Mr. Alexander,” she responded brusquely without looking up from her computer monitor.

“I’d see you in my office,” he commanded as he crossed in front of her desk, removing his suit coat as he went.

God, no!
  Ella didn’t want to be in his office.  She didn’t want to be in the outer office, hell she didn’t want to be in the same building as this man.  She’d spent the better part of her night thinking about the way he had kissed her.  She’d realized too late that it was a ploy to get close to her, but it didn’t change the fact that it’d been one hell of a kiss.  Her wild imagination had gone further than that until she was squirming in bed trying to get herself to stop thinking about what it would be like to have him braced over her and driving into her
hard and deep
as he’d threatened.  She was an ingénue when it came to passion, but that fact hadn’t stopped her from having some highly inappropriate dreams about the sexy Walker in the other room.

Standing, she took a fortifying breath and headed for his office.  Once inside, she intentionally left the door open.  Head down, and concentrating too hard on the pen and pad in her hands she attempted to sound
aloof.  “What do you need, sir?”

“Something’s come up.  We’ve got a business
meeting we are both required to attend this evening.”

The revelation had her head snapping up, “Oh!  But I can’t,” she was shaking her head as she pointed over her shoulder with her pen, “I’ve got to pick up Alysa from daycare.”

Gauge’s eyes drank in the sight of her before it was his turn to drop his head and feign aloofness.  He began sorting a stack of papers on his desk.  “You’ll have to pick her up early and bring her with us.”

“But, Mr. Alexander, I…”

He didn’t let her finish, “Mr. StoneCrow is expecting both of us.”  He lifted his head to pin her with a grim expression.  “And both of us is what he’ll get.  Make your calls.  We’ll go up straight from the office at five.  You can leave at four-thirty to retrieve Alysa.  It should be plenty of time.”

“Sir,” Ella’s tone was forceful, “she’ll need to eat first and…”

“It’s a dinner meeting.  She’ll eat with us.”

Ella stood staring at Gauge’s bent head as she attempted to formulate another argument.
  She found none. “Anything else, sir?”

“No,” he didn’t look up and she exited his office to call the daycare center and inform them that she’d be picking Alysa up early.

Chapter 10

Alysa clamped onto Gauge’s hand while he gripped Ella’s elbow.  “Shall we?”

Leaving their office, Ella couldn’t help but wonder if this is what it’d be like if she and Gauge were an item.  Every day, she’d retrieve Ella from day care and the trio would go for dinner before retiring to his suite.  She straightened her spine and tensed, not wanting to feel so comfortable in his presence.  When she tried to pull her elbow free, he permitted it, but only long enough to snatch Alysa up into one arm and securing the other around Ella’s waist.  She tried to inch away, but his strong fingers only curled over her hip and pulled her harder into him.  She would have voiced a protest if Alysa hadn’t been so close.

Gauge led them to the elevator and Alysa clapped excitedly when he let her push the button that took them up to the penthouse
.

The top floor housed the Estates’ pub dubbed the Crow’s Nest,
an enormous ball room, and a separate fine dining establishment that rivaled any in the state.  Gauge led them to the Crow’s Nest and Ella was relieved.  She didn’t want to chance having a rambunctious child in any elegant dining facility.

Inside the pub, Gauge led them to one of the booths that lined the wall.  The pretty female behind the bar approached and laid out napkins.  “Welcome to the Crow’s Nest.  I’m Cindy.  Can I get you something to drink?”

Gauge didn’t hesitate, “The pretty girl will have milk, I’ll take a glass of white merlot, and the lovely lady will have,” he turned to eye Ella expectantly.

“Wine too, please,” she supplied, a little miffed that he’d order for Alysa without consulting her first.

When Cindy left, Gauge smiled at Alysa, “Do you like milk?”

Alysa
nodded and reached for the salt and pepper shakers. 

Ella’s hand shot out and grabbed the shakers first before smiling and shaking her head, “I don’t think so, young lady
.”

In seconds, Cindy was back with their drinks and two menus.  “Here ya’ go.  I’ll be back to take your order in a few.”

Gauge perused his menu, but Ella eyed the pub.  “Isn’t this table too small?”  She pointed to a line of tables in the center of the room.  “We could put a few together.” She made to stand, “I’ll get the bar maid to help.”

Gauge’s hand caught her elbow and she turned to face him.

“Crow will be late.  He said to eat without him.”

“Oh.”  Ella reclaimed her seat, “Okay.”  Something didn’t feel right.

Cindy returned too soon, “Are we ready?”

Ella blushed as she took up her untouched menu.

“I can order for us if you’d like?”

Ella nodded sheepishly and placed her menu back on the table. 

“My pretty girl will have the six ounce fillet with mashed potatoes and gravy, and,” he looked at Alysa, “carrots or broccoli?”

She bounced in her seat, “Carrots!”

He chuckled.  “Carrots it is.  And her mother and I will both have the seared duck with apple cabbage compote and
roasted potatoes.”

“Great,” Cindy penned down the order, “I’ll get this in right away.”

When she left, Ella muttered a thank you.

“Do you enjoy seared duck?”

She shrugged, “Never tried it.”

He smiled, “Then you’re in for a treat.”

Aside from Alysa’s incessant chatter and non-stop questions, they waited in relative silence.  Every time Ella sneaked a peek up at Gauge, it was to find him studying her curiously.  She wondered if he was regretting kissing her.  Once he actually appeared angry as his lips thinned into a grim line and she couldn’t help but feel like she was in trouble.  Luckily, Cindy returned with their food and she was delighted to discover that Gauge had been right.  Seared duck was quite the treat.

Ella couldn’t keep her eyes from darting to the clock that hung over the bar.  She didn’t want Mr. StoneCrow to arrive to them eating, so she ate quickly and several times admonished Alysa to do the same.

“It’s fine,” Gauge commented.  “Take your time.  There’s no rush.”

Dread began
to pit in her stomach.  What did he mean there was no rush?  They had a business meeting planned.  Didn’t they?

Cindy returned to clear plates and to re-fill Ella’s wine.  She typically wasn’t a drinker, but she needed something to take the edge off her nerves.

As she took a sip of her wine, she saw Gauge’s rigid shoulders relax as she eyed the doorway.  Setting her glass down quickly, she turned to greet CEO StoneCrow, but was shocked to find he wasn’t the source of Gauge’s sudden ease.  A large man, carrying a toddler, and holding the hand of a beautiful brunette entered.

“Where is everyone?
”  Ella fought down her panic.  “You said there was a meeting.”  Her eyes scanned the room and she wrapped a protective arm over Alysa’s shoulders.

“Mr. StoneCrow isn’t coming.”
Gauge’s eyes narrowed on her.  “I wanted to talk to you outside of work and knew that after last night, you’d be reluctant to grant me any second opportunity.”

Her eyes rounded, “You lied?”  The incredulity in her tone was quickly replaced by anger,
“How dare you!”  She was just about to get up from her seat when a large foreboding figure stepped up to the table and had Ella leaning back in her seat and pulling Alysa tighter to her side.  It was the man who’d entered with his family.  He was huge and had a nasty scar that ran from his hairline, over one eye and the bridge of his nose to slash across the opposite cheek.  He looked fierce and intimidating.  Ella swallowed hard.

“This is Commander Drago.”

The Commander smiled and while it made him seem slightly less menacing, it didn’t have Ella relaxing any.

The
Commander held up his arm and his tiny female walked up to step into his embrace.  Her jet black hair was interrupted at her temple with one white swath that ran all the way down the long length of her hair.

“Hi, Ella and Alysa,” the woman beamed.  “I’m Aries and this is my mate, Conn.”

“Hi!” Alysa piped up happily.

Ella didn’t speak.  
It didn’t go unnoticed to her either that Aries referred to herself as Conn’s mate and not his wife.  It was a slip she was sure the other woman wasn’t even aware shed’ made.  Ella turned to eye Gauge warily, “What’s going on?”

Aries held up a hand and a little girl dashed over to the table, “This is our daughter, Wynter.”

The girl locked eyes on Alysa and smiled as she waved excitedly.  “Wanna play?”

Alysa
inched out of the booth without even asking.

“
Alysa!
” Ella hissed reaching for the child.  Gauge snagged her hand and held it.

“It’s okay.  I’ve asked them to entertain Alysa so that we might talk.”

Ella tried to jerk her hand free as Alysa inched further from the table.  “Wait!”  She was near hysterical.

Gauge squeezed her
hand and commanded, “Alysa, come here.” 

The little girl did as asked he watched as Ella visibly relaxed.  He looked up at Conn and Aries still standing near his table.  “Give us a moment?”

Conn nodded and led his mate and child closer to the door.

 
Ella reached for Alysa, but Gauge snatched the child into his arms and stood to stare down at Ella.  “I’m going to send Alysa with Conn and Aries.  She can play with their daughter, Wynter, while we talk.  She’ll be safe.  It’s just a play date.”

Delicate brows speare
d down as she shook her head, “No!  Talk about what?”

Conn lingered near the door with his family. 

“Alysa, give mommy a kiss.  You’re gonna go play, okay?”  He leaned down to give Ella the opportunity to peck her daughter on the cheek.  When Ella reached for her instead, Gauge pulled back.  His tone was firm and brooked no refusal, “She’ll be fine.  It’s only for an hour or so.”  In seconds, Gauge was at the door speaking with Conn and his family.  They exchanged smiles and then Alysa was deposited in Conn’s arms as the Commander, his angel, and a very excited Wynter, exited the Crow’s nest with Ella’s daughter in tow.

Gauge returned to the table and Ella was blinking back tears, attempting to compose herself.  “Where are they taking her,” she attempted to round the table, but Gauge slid into the
booth and pulled her back down into her seat.  He secured an arm around her shoulders to keep her from attempting to flee.

“We need to talk.”

“I can’t,” she tried to rise, but the weight of Gauge’s arm on her shoulders kept her in place.  “I can’t leave Alysa with strangers.”

“She’ll be fine.  Conn and Aries enjoy having
other children around.  Wynter doesn’t get to interact with many children her age.  It’s fine.  They’re not strangers.”  He used a finger under her chin to force her eyes to meet his.  “I’d never put her in harm’s way.  Besides, we need some time alone to talk freely.”

Oh God, here it comes!
  “I don’t want to talk freely,” she jerked her chin out of his grasp and tried to pull away, but his arm slid lower to circle around her waist while his free hand cupped her face and forced her to look at him. 

“Ella, don’t!”

Her eyes collided with his and her breath caught.  He was a beautiful man.  Too beautiful. When she’d had the chance to date she’d always had a firm rule against dating men that were more beautiful than herself, and Gauge Alexander definitely fell into that category, but the way he was looking at her now made her wish that…   No, she couldn’t go there.  Not only was he her boss, but she had Alysa to think about and that meant putting her desires on the backburner. 

She shook her head as if to clear it, “Mr. Alexander,” she began at an attempt at formality, “thank you for dinner, but I’ve gotta get going.”  She scanned the pub as if searching for an excuse.  Her eyes locked on the w
indow, “It’s begun to snow and we’ve got a long drive.”  She turned to face him but didn’t have the courage to meet his eyes so she settled on staring at his mouth.  She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d taste as good as he had the first time they’d kissed.

Gauge knew he was on borrowed time, so he shot straight to the heart of the matter.  “Whose child is she?”

Ella stilled and paled dangerously.  “What?  Mine!” her tone was too airy with a forced composure.

“Ella, I know she is not yours.  I want the truth.”

Stars exploded in Ella’s vision and she swore she was going to pass out. 

“Breathe,” Gauge commanded, gripping her shoulder tightly
to give her a shake.

Ella’s mind was racing so frantically that she hadn’t even realized she was holding her breath.
Her mouth fell open and she sucked in an agonized breath as her shoulders rose and fell with her rapid breathing, but she couldn’t seem to catch her breath.  She flattened a hand on her chest, willing her breathing to slow from its erratic pace.

“Easy, Ella!”

She knew the display was only confirming Gauge’s suspicion, but for the life of her, she couldn’t seem to control the sudden panic that flared to life.  She was shaking her head frantically, wanting to deny his claim but no words came out.

“Here!” Gauge lifted her glass of wine to her lips, “Drink this, it may help.”

She reached for the glass with shaky hands, but Gauge didn’t release it as he tilted it to pour it into her mouth.  She took a sip and when he made to pull away, she clamped her hand over his and kept drinking.

Just get a grip!  He doesn’t know
anything; if he did he wouldn’t be asking.  Right?

Satisfied that she’d gotten herself under control, she allowed Gauge to set the glass on the table even as his other hand rubbed at her back, “You okay?”

She dropped her head, “Fine, I just,” she shook her head and then eyed the door longingly.  “I’ve just never had Alysa taken from me like that before.”  It was the truth, and while it wasn’t the real source of her consternation, Gauge didn’t need to know it.

“I’m sorry,”
he expelled a harsh breath and plowed his hand into his hair.  “I should have done this better.  I wasn’t trying to corner you, but I know that’s how it feels.”

Cindy returned and re-filled Ella’s wine glass for a third time, eyeing Gauge.  “Everything alright?”  She looked genuinely concerned.

“Fine,” Gauge snapped and motioned with his head toward the bottle of wine.  “Leave it.” 

Cindy did as requested before casting Ella a sympathetic looking and heading back to the bar.

Ella used the linen napkin to dab at her mouth before asking quietly, “W-what made you think that Alysa wasn’t mine?”

Now it was Gauge’s turn to grow anxious.  He couldn’t very well admit that he could scent the lack of maternal connection.  “I, uh…,” his eyes shifted around the table.  “
I did a background search.”

“And…” she prodded.  She wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

“And I found Alysa’s birth records.”

It was a lie.  Ella had worked as a nurse for the hospital where Alysa was born.  It was how she knew
Stoney; both had gone to nursing school together.  She had shredded the birth records herself the day before she’d devised her plan to take Alysa.  Two could play Gauge’s game.