Chapter 8

8

Honestly, it didn't faze Gideon much to be listening to two members of The Council plot his death as he sat inside an SUV parked just outside their secret meeting location.

"He cannot be allowed to come in and take over." Prislaya Chopra sounded as if she really hated him, as if he'd offended her personally. The notion made Gideon swallow a laugh.

She'd hated his father just as much, if he recalled his father's stories correctly.

"There's nothing we can do right now," Ennis Canto told her. His voice was low, steady, in direct opposition to the hatred that colored Prislaya's words. Gideon had yet to see or hear Canto get riled up. "If we make a move at this time, we risk alienating some of our allies."

"They should be here with us!" Prislaya hissed. "You and I can't be the only ones who want that smug bastard to go back to wherever he'd been hiding for the past however many years. In a body bag."

Gideon chuckled as he shifted in his seat. They'd been in the SUV for almost two hours, an hour earlier than the designated meeting time for the two council members casually discussing his impending demise. His ass hurt and he was hungry. Plus, he wanted to get the fuck back to his place already.

To see André. That part he refused to acknowledge. He couldn't possibly want to see André when he knew André didn't want to see him. André hated him, maybe even more now since Gideon had confessed to killing Ree's father before disappearing like a goddamn coward. He'd raced out of the penthouse without looking back. He didn't want to see the fear and disgust in André's eyes.

What did it matter?

He couldn't answer that, but he also couldn't help it that he'd spent damn near all the time on the jet staring at his phone, wanting to text André. Like a fucking weakling.

He cleared his throat, focusing on the voices blaring through the SUV's speakers from the mic'd up drone—operated by one of the tech guys in the second SUV parked behind them—that hovered just outside the windows of the building across the street. It was a quaint little red and white church sitting on the corner of a quiet street in a tiny town just outside Washington.

He'd brought Samir and Will with him. He never went anywhere without Samir, and Will pulled the short straw this time, while Marco and Kaleb stayed behind to watch over André and his sister. Along with the tech guys, there were another four bodyguards in the second SUV.

"We have to be careful," Ennis warned again. "Any move we make on Winters must be foolproof. Besides, he's expecting us to act."

"Then why disappoint him?" Prislaya challenged.

"I think I might like her," Gideon murmured. "If only she wasn't trying to kill me."

Next to him, Will snorted. "Yeah, if only."

"I say we call a meeting within the next few days," Prislaya continued. "We put this to a vote. The majority will side with us. They will sanction his death."

"Hmm." Samir cocked his head. "Why do you think she's got such a hard-on for you?"

"Dunno." Gideon shrugged. "But why don't I go and find out?"

"Whoa!" Will held out a hand to stop Gideon when he reached for the door handle. "We didn't okay you going in there."

Gideon glanced from her to Samir. "Well, what are you waiting for? Okay it, then, because I'm going in there."

"G." Samir shook his head. "Now is not the time to show our hand."

"We're not showing our hand. Members of The Council called a meeting. I have a right, as The Council's treasurer and figurehead, to be included." He wanted to see how brave Prislaya Chopra and Ennis Canto would be, if they'd say the things to him that they just said to each other.

So far, they'd been hiding. What would they do when faced with him in the flesh? Suddenly, that was all he wanted to know.

"Their men are right outside the door. You won't get past them." Will pointed to where four men stood at the entrance to the church, clad in black, silent sentries waiting for their respective masters to exit the building.

"So handle them," Gideon told her. "I'll be here waiting when you're done."

She rolled her eyes but turned to Samir with a raised eyebrow. It didn't bother him that she sought approval and permission from Samir since he was her immediate boss, mentor, and head of security. If he vetoed it, then it wasn't happening. But, eyes narrowed on Gideon, Samir nodded, and Will slunk out of the vehicle, blending into the shadows.

Gideon didn't bother watching her. Will was a beast and could handle the four men out there with ease and without breaking a sweat. He focused on Samir instead, on the question in his friend's eyes. "What?"

"What's going on in your head?"

Gideon frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're distracted and spoiling for a fight. Why?"

"How do you figure?"

"Does it have something to do with our guest back at the penthouse?"

Gideon's lips parted, ready to issue a full-throated denial. He wasn't distracted. And even if he was, why would Samir think André would be the cause? "I'm not distracted." That didn't sound as confident as he would have wanted it to. "André is just a means to an end. Once he's fulfilled his purpose, I'll get rid of him."

Samir's lips twitched. "I was referring to Ree…"

Fuck.

"But you just proved my point."

Gideon scowled at him. "Oh, fuck off."

Samir laughed softly as the back passenger-side door opened and Will poked her head in. "You're all clear."

"That was fast," Gideon said.

She shrugged, holstering her gun. "Bullets usually are." She stood aside as he exited. Samir did the same and when they stood on either side of him, Gideon tugged lightly on Will's ponytail. She swatted his hand away.

"Let's go."

They stepped over the bodies of the men Will had killed and entered the church. Samir first. Then Will.

Gideon entered after them to find Prislaya and Ennis standing shoulder to shoulder up at the front of the church, facing him. The door banged closed behind Gideon, echoing in the silence.

"You!" Prislaya gasped, animosity a living thing on her features, in her eyes.

If Ennis was surprised to see Gideon, he didn't show it. He just stood there, expression smooth and unaffected as Gideon approached.

"Oh, I thought this was a council meeting…" Gideon glanced around, an exaggerated move. "But I don't see any of the other members. Shouldn't they all be here when you plot my death?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"You should be dead." At this point, he suspected Prislaya just liked hearing herself talk. "It's a death sentence for anyone stupid enough to impersonate a council member."

Still harping on that, was she? It was all bluster on her part since he'd already complied with the blood test they'd demanded of him, to ensure he was his father's son. It would have offended him, but Aldo had already told him they would ask for it.

"You wanted me dead, so here I am." He addressed Prislaya but held Ennis's gaze. "Once again, I'm doing your dirty work for you, but don't let that stop you. Do what you gotta do."

Ennis didn't move, but Prislaya shifted closer, taking a step.

Gideon pulled the gun from his waist and pointed it at her, pulling the trigger without even flicking a gaze in her direction. Nobody flinched when her body hit the floor, though he caught the quick flare of surprise in Ennis's eyes before the older man masked it.

"What about you?" Gideon asked him softly. "Ready to make your move?"

"You'll know when I am," Ennis said, tone bored.

He'd make a worthy opponent. If Gideon were someone else, he'd be wary about going up against Ennis, but he was in a fight for his life. And he loved breathing way too much. Anyone who came up against him had to die.

Didn't matter who.

Ennis didn't know Gideon had André, and he wouldn't find out, not yet. That was one card Gideon was keeping close to the vest. For now, he grinned at Ennis.

"Looks like you'll be needing another partner to plot with. Might I suggest Joseph Morrow next?" He turned away, Will and Samir sliding behind him. "I've got plans for him." He had plans for all of them, including the man who kept quiet as Gideon and his bodyguards exited the church, once more stepping over dead bodies.

He was leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake, but that was what it took.

The final body would be Ennis Canto's.

And Gideon couldn't wait.

"Got some news." Kaleb greeted Gideon loudly over the noise of the chopper blades as Gideon climbed out of the aircraft.

Gideon bit back a sigh. He'd just landed after returning to the penthouse from crashing that meeting between Ennis Canto and Prislaya Chopra. He glanced at his watch, then gestured for Kaleb to walk with him as they made their way into the building, Samir and Will at his back.

"Is it about Traeger?" He'd tasked his team with finding whoever the Traeger person was that Warren Choi had told him about and so far it'd been radio silence in that regard.

It was 8:02 in the morning. He wanted a shower, a coffee, and some food. Most importantly, he wanted some goddamn sleep. But likely that would have to wait. The group of them didn't speak, their footsteps the only sound as they got into the elevator taking them from the roof of the building, down into the actual apartment. There, Gideon led the way to his office, where Marco sat waiting for them.

Gideon nodded at him in greeting as Samir closed the door.

"No. We haven't found anything on Traeger yet."

Fuck. "What is it then?" Unbuttoning his jacket, Gideon removed it and tossed it onto a nearby couch, sinking into the chair behind his desk as he swiped a hand over his face. He couldn't recall the last time he'd had a good night's sleep. He'd been looking forward to some shut-eye.

"Somebody reported André and his sister missing."

Gideon jerked his head up. "What?" All he'd heard was André's name and his stomach immediately tightened, the way it automatically did whenever he thought about the other man. Where was he anyway? Likely still sleeping. How did he sleep? Naked? Gideon would pay good money to?—

"Yesterday evening, a man walked into the local precinct and reported André and Juliette missing," Kaleb repeated. "Told the cops he feared for their safety."

Gideon stood and walked around the desk, taking the iPad from Kaleb's grip and reading the file there. The report had been made by Ty Levins, a concerned friend . "Who the fuck is Ty Levins?"

Reaching over Gideon's shoulder, Kaleb swiped across the iPad screen and a DMV photo popped up. Ty Levins: twenty-five, brown skin and piercing gray eyes, bald head, and high cheekbones. He was gorgeous. Gideon hated him on sight.

"Did some digging," Kaleb told him. "Seems he and André were a thing, but other than that, he's clean. The report says he called André a few times and got no answer, so he went over to his apartment but has been unable to connect with André."

They were a thing? As in past tense or were they still a thing ? "Dig deeper," he told Kaleb without looking away from the device screen. "I want to know every fucking thing there is to know about him." Just in case he'd be a nuisance and cause problems for the plan, of course.

"Got it." Kaleb nodded.

"Ennis Canto called a meeting with The Council." Samir steered them to other business as he glanced up from his phone. "The request just appeared."

Gideon rolled his eyes. "No doubt he's running to tattle on me for killing Prislaya." But the joke was on Canto. It was against council code to be caught actively plotting another member's death. Oh, they could plot against each other, and kill each other, they just had to keep that shit secret. The moment you were found out was the moment you lost your seat and secured yourself a death sentence.

Gideon acted well within his rights as council head by dealing with Prislaya. Which Ennis very well knew. What the hell is that motherfucker up to?

"The next move is Ennis's, so let's see what he does." Whatever he did, Gideon would counter a thousand times heavier. He glanced at the others. "Anything else?" When they shook their heads, he headed for the door. "Good. I need a shower and some rest. Play amongst yourself while I'm gone." He left them in there, but Samir joined him, grabbing Gideon's shoulder as he turned toward the stairs leading to his bedroom.

"Hey. What's going on with you?"

Gideon lifted an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Samir stopped walking, folding his arms across his chest. Gideon halted as well.

"This André thing has you distracted."

"I'm not distracted."

Samir's expression said he didn't buy that at all, but all he did was nod once. "Just checking. I don't have to tell you what's at stake."

Gideon eyed him coolly. "No, you don't." He spun on his heel, leaving Samir standing in the hallway as he made his way upstairs. He wasn't distracted, and certainly not by André. The other man was a means to an end. A weapon, cocked and loaded, to be used at the most appropriate time. Gideon would never forget his mission. Never forget his purpose and the reason behind every move he made. Samir was out of his mind if he thought anything or anyone could distract Gideon from his goals.

That was what he told himself…until he glanced up and realized he stood in front of André's bedroom door.

Well, fuck.

He glanced over his shoulder quickly to ensure no one was around because wouldn't it be just his luck to have Samir witness this brief moment of weakness right after Gideon denied it? He stood staring at the door with his hands shoved into his pockets, bottom lip caught between his teeth. He was tired, just like he'd told the others. He needed to sleep.

But he wanted to see André more, wanted to see if André was scared of him now that he knew Gideon was a killer. If he still hated Gideon for keeping him and his sister at the penthouse. If he was still gonna keep pretending that he didn't like looking at Gideon the way Gideon liked looking at him.

He pounded on the door, harder than he'd intended to, cursing himself all the while. He shouldn't be there. Shouldn't do anything?—

The door opened and André stood there, looking adorably rumpled and more than a little annoyed in an old gray t-shirt and matching pants. Guess that answered the question of whether or not he slept naked. Gideon had woken him up, it appeared. Because his eyes were still heavy with sleep, slightly red, and they widened comically when they landed on Gideon.

"What do you want?" Sleep weighed his voice down and turned it into something Gideon wanted to strip naked and roll around in.

Goddamn it, his dick was hard. "Who is Ty Levins?" And fuck, he hadn't meant to ask that.

André's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Invite me in." Because he didn't want to stand out there in the hallway and give Samir or any of the others more to be concerned about.

"What?" André blinked. "No."

Ignoring him, Gideon pushed past him and entered the bedroom, inhaling deeply. The room was warm and neatly arranged, and a hint of André's cologne lingered in the air. Gideon's dick got harder still.

"Hey." The door closed as André grabbed Gideon by the arm, halting his progress farther into the room. "You can't barge in here just because it's your place."

Gideon grinned. "Why not?" Was it wrong to find it sexy the way André glared at him? His twitching dick said no .

André's mouth opened and closed a few times, and Gideon's grin only got wider. He loved seeing the other man flustered. "Uh, because I'm staying here."

"Hmm." Head cocked, Gideon reminded him, "You haven't answered my question."

"What's the question?"

Getting up into his space, Gideon took note of the way André's body stiffened and his nostrils flared. The pulse at the base of his throat went wild, and that sight, more than anything else, weakened Gideon's knees. "Ty Levins," he murmured. "Who is he?"

"Um." André's tongue poked out, sliding over his bottom lip and wetting it.

Gideon bit back a groan.

"Why do you always smell so good?" André's voice cracked the tiniest bit. "So expensive?"

Fuck, this guy was going to kill Gideon for sure. "You like the way I smell?"

Panic chased lust across André's features. He swallowed, holding Gideon's gaze with dilated pupils, but he didn't speak. What he did do was lick his lips again.

Gideon could fucking combust. He moved in closer. A hitch in André's breath reached Gideon's ears and it fired up the blood in his veins. His gaze dropped to those lips, glistening with André's saliva, his dick begging for mercy. Gideon didn't have to look down to check if André was also turned on. The signs were there, all visible. André wasn't looking at Gideon with frustrated hatred anymore. Frustrated lust, yes. Need, yes. Slight panic? That too.

Gideon touched André's cheek, loving the way the other man's lashes fluttered, then lowered in submission. Rubbing his knuckles across André's jaw, Gideon leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "I want to kiss you."

André's body jerked and he made a sound like a whimper. "Why?"

Why? Gideon swallowed a strained chuckle. Definitely something the stubborn André would ask. "Because I want to know your taste."

"I haven't—I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

Cupping his jaw, Gideon brushed his lips over André's. They trembled for him, and Gideon's grip on him tightened. "I want to know your taste," he said again. "Grant me permission, André."

He felt the capitulation in the way André's body sagged into his. In the hands that landed, tentatively, on Gideon's hips. In the lips that parted under his.

Then André breathed out, "Kiss me."