Page 59 of Lethal Salvation

“Ah, yes, I see. Well, I don’t expect it’s something a woman of your generation would understand. It’s more of a modern, younger person’s thing. Women over sixty don’t tend to get it. Much like my generation don’t understand the need to fill our bodies with silicone and Botox.”

“Sixty! How dare you? I’m barely ten years older than Gideon.”

Sadly, that was true. She’d dug her claws into his father with her youth and beauty.

Nadia patted her arm and she flinched. “Of course you are.” Her wink sealed the implied insult that she was lying.

Before Marsha could explode, he pulled Nadia away. “Come, darling, let’s get a drink.”

He left Damon and Lotus to take up the slack, his brother having more tact. Although he wasn’t sure Lotus would win any personality competitions. At the bar, he ordered a scotch and white wine for Nadia.

“If this room wasn’t full of complete assholes, I’d get down on my knees and beg you to marry me after that little performance.”

Nadia laughed. “That was fun. Women like her are a ten a penny in my world and she may think she’s meaner than a wet cat, but she isn’t anything special. Also, I prefer rubies, not diamonds.”

Gideon tucked that piece of information away, hoping one day he’d get a chance to use it, and not feeling any of the panic he’d normally have at the thought of marriage and a lifelong commitment. “Good to know.”

“Now, while Damon and Lotus have your parents occupied, why don’t you go and speak with Carter over there and I’ll slip away and plant these bugs?”

“I don’t like the idea of letting you out of my sight in this room with all these disgusting people.” The rooms were packed with people he knew and, as some tried to catch his eye and others tried to hide their surprise at him and Damon attending, all he wanted to do was run and get far away.

Nadia slipped her arms under his tux jacket and around his waist as she looked up at him. “I know this is hard for you but this is my job and I’m damn good at it.”

“I know that. I’ve seen it first-hand, but it doesn’t make me want to protect you any less. I lo…. You mean a lot to me and I don’t want to see you hurt. I’d never forgive myself.” He’d been so close to telling her he loved her, he’d worked so hard not to say it in Italy because the time was wrong, and he almost blew it here in front of these people with her friends listening to every word they said.

Nadia rolled her lips as if she was trying to come to a decision before she went up on her tiptoes and spoke quietly into his ear. To the outside world, it looked like she was kissing him and he held her close, his dick already perking up at having her so close. He wasn’t sure there’d ever be a time when he wasn’t half erect around her. The chemistry was too strong to be contained or dulled.

“I love you, too.”

He stilled, sure his brain was playing tricks on him before he turned to look at the woman who’d just rocked his world.

“I wasn’t asleep.”

As she kissed his cheek and pulled away, he let her, too stunned to respond fast enough. He watched her weave through the other guests until she was lost to his gaze. He felt eyes on him and looked toward Damon who was smirking and lifting his glass, clearly having heard every word. A smile spread over his face that couldn’t be contained, something inside him feeling like it might burst with pride and happiness. He moved to go find her and kiss her until she was jelly in his arms, but he was stopped by Carter.

“Gideon, I need to speak with you.”

“Can it wait?” He looked past his brother for the woman who completed him and that was the exact feeling she gave him. Completeness.

“No. It’s important.”

“Fine, what can I do for you?”

“Not here. Let’s talk in the library.”

“Fine, lead the way.”

“No, you go first. I’ll follow in a few minutes.”

Gideon sighed but knew this was the goal and he should use the opportunity to help end this nightmare. “Fine.” Gideon downed the scotch, slammed the glass down and walked away.

The section of the house where the library was housed was quiet and shut off from the rest of the party. Men and women were strategically situated around the house and he lifted his chin to one as he walked past. Nobody tried to bar his entry and he assumed it was because they knew he was one of the family members.

The library was where he felt his mother the most. Her last good days were spent there reading to him and Damon and playing scrabble or chess. It was the one room untouched by Marsha and for that he was grateful.

A few minutes after he arrived, he heard the door behind him open and glanced back to see Carter closing the door on them. He could see the sweat on his brother’s brow and the unusual nervousness emanating from him.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”