Page 83 of Lethal Salvation

Bás had offered to introduce him to a friend called Zack Cunningham, who was looking for someone to help him diversify his portfolio. Gideon loved the idea of being a consultant and going where he was needed but having the freedom to move on or walk away when it didn’t suit him any longer.

“Yes, yes. Now, add the brown sugar too.”

Miss Rose was ninety if she was a day and held court in the pub most nights. Some said she had a gift for predicting things and Bishop, the husband of the now very pregnant Charlie, said she’d seen him and Charlie getting back together before he had. He knew each of these couples’ stories and the fight they’d had to get where they were and, while his and Nadia’s was far from the most violent, it was his favourite.

“Good. Now mix it but don’t over-mix it.”

Twenty minutes later, the kitchen of the home he and Duchess had purchased on the outskirts of the village smelled divine.

“Now, you can’t ice it until it’s cooled.”

“Thank you for helping me.” He’d been determined to do this himself until he realised he couldn’t bake for shit and hadn’t wanted to ask Nadia’s friends for help. He loved them mostly, even Lotus, but they couldn’t keep secrets like these for shit. Tell them a top-secret nuclear launch code and they’d take it to the grave under torture. Give them gossip and their lips flapped like a clean load of washing in spring.

“It’s my pleasure and I’m just gonna put this out there now. When those twins come along, Rose is a nice name.”

“Twins?” He could feel the blood draining from his face.

Her cackle and the smooth skin of her gnarled hand eaten up with arthritis patted his face. “Don’t worry, Giddy up, it won’t be this year but soon. You mark my words.”

Hours later, the idea of twins with Nadia’s face and his eyes running around their home was still on his mind as he waited for her to come home. Looking out of the window, he saw her car draw up and pull into the drive. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the kitchen to check on dinner. The lasagne he’d made was his one signature dish and thankfully Nadia loved it. Her father had taught him to cook it when he’d visited a few months ago.

Seeing them speak over each other in multiple different languages drove home just how damn smart this woman was and how lucky he was to have her in his life.

“Honey, I’m home.”

Gideon rushed to the door and saw the grin on her face as she shucked off her jacket.

“That never gets old, baby.”

He handed her a glass of red wine and ushered her into the open-plan living area where he’d set up the table with candles and flowers.

“What’s all this?”

“Can’t a man spoil the woman he loves without the third degree?”

Her lips tipped up and she rose on her toes to kiss him, the flavour of the wine sweet on her lips. “He can.”

She sat at the table, and he rushed back to pull the lasagne out of the oven, almost burning himself as he juggled the pan.

“Need some help?”

He could hear the smile in her voice and shot her a look that promised retribution.

Her giggle only made him smile. “What am I going to do with you?”

Placing the pan on the potholder in the centre of the table, he replied. “I could think of one or two things.”

Gideon dished out two servings of the dinner, regretting the decision to eat before going through with this. He’d faced corporate raiders, gunmen, his evil stepmother, and Lotus with a hangover, and he’d never been this nervous.

“So tell me about your day?”

He listened as she told him about her day spent with Bás going through potential new recruits for Shadow. Since becoming a permanent part of Nadia’s life, he’d signed an NDA which meant nothing since the organisation didn’t exist but the threat Jack, the man behind it all, had issued had been real enough.

Gideon could respect that and understood the need for such secrecy. He didn’t mind, he had no intention of going anywhere ever.

“You not hungry?”

Gideon looked down at his half-eaten plate and the mangled mess where he’d just moved the food around the plate. “I made dessert.”