7. Gideon

GIDEON

I t was with a heavy heart that I left her there. I'm not usually one to go against my instincts, and it bothered the hell out of me, that now, when it was most important, I had no choice but I couldn't just remove a seventeen year old girl from her fathers' house on a whim.

He was the only family she had and she had no idea what he really felt about her, well maybe a little bit but I don't think my baby really understood all that was at play here. What child can accept that he or she isn't loved unconditionally by their own parent?

I will eventually have to tell her these things but our relationship was too new. For all that the attraction between us was very strong I'm still relatively a stranger to her. This was the man who'd been the only constant in her life, and no matter his treatment of her, I was sure my Blossom had strong feelings for him, it's just who she is.

Back at my place I paced the floor in worry while sipping a snifter of cognac. I found myself checking my phone every five minutes to see if she'd called and I somehow missed it. I had eyes and ears on the house so that gave me a peace of mind but still every second that she was in his presence was like torture. I wanted to just go over there and take her, bring her home. But I was afraid of alienating her; what if she blamed me?

I need for our relationship as unconventional as it already is to go smoothly, that wouldn't happen if I acted on the caveman mentality that she seems to draw forth from me. Being with her this afternoon had only solidified my feelings, that this was right, that we were right society be damned. I will let nothing and no one stand in my way, least of all her bastard of a father.

I hate the position I must take, knowing what I know about him and about his plans for her future. I hope he took my threats seriously, because I would have no problem destroying him if he harmed one hair on her fucking head. As for his sick twisted plans against his own flesh and blood, I could only be thankful that I came along when I did.

The mere thought of it was sickening to think that anyone could think to do such a thing to their own flesh and blood was beyond the realm of human decency.

I have to stop thinking of these things, for now anyway, otherwise my well laid out plans would go up in smoke. I have to tread very carefully. When she does eventually come to be with me here, or in our new home, which I'm hoping she would help me pick out sometime in the near future, I want it to be a happy occasion, and not because I had to drag her from the clutches of her deranged father.

I tried losing myself in work, the work I had put aside to take her shopping today. She was such a delight, found such pleasure in the littlest things. I wouldn't let my mind go to the fact that she was this way because Cliff Sanders had deprived her for so long, when I think of her being a small child at his mercy my stomach hurts.

Fuck, I can't do this. She'll just have to be mad at me for a while, the more I think of it the more I feel like an unfeeling cad for leaving her there. I was hounded by an unsettling feeling in the pit of my gut, had been fighting it ever since I drove away and left her there. Please don't let her hate me for what I'm about to do. "I'm coming Blossom, for better or worse you're mine now and I take care of my own."

I was pulling on my jacket when my phone finally rang, without even looking I knew what it was, my heart raced and my blood ran cold. "Thorpe."

"Ah sir, there seems to be some sort of altercation taking place in the residence should we intervene?"

"Yes, subdue and contain, I'm on my way." This is your fault Gideon, you knew what type of man this was and still you let her go there, how could you? I will have to beat myself up later right now my only thought was getting to her. I didn't call my driver, I took the Aston out myself I needed speed.

I reached the house in less than fifteen minutes, as I walked up to the door I could hear her father railing against my men. I kicked in the door and walked in on my worst fucking nightmare.

One of my guards had the asshole sequestered in a corner of the room while the other sat on the stairs with a crying Ashley. Without uttering a word I walked over to the stairs and picked her up. Her little body was trembling uncontrollably and I wanted to commit murder. I had to shake the blood from my eye before I could see to her. I took deep calming breaths so I wouldn't scare her anymore than she already was before kneeling at her feet and drawing her into my arms.

I checked her over for any sign of physical harm but there was none evident. I took a sigh of relief at least she'd been spared that, I hoped.

"What happened here Ashley?" I kept my voice level though the rage threatened to choke the fuck out of me. I can't end her father in front of her. That's what I kept repeating to myself as I awaited her answer.

She was crying too hard to answer so I turned to my men, they would've everything that went on inside the house. "What happened?"

"We heard breaking glass and screaming then crying, we weren't sure what was going on so we called you."

"Thanks guys! Did you hit her?" I looked at the man whose neck I imagined wringing.

"I didn't touch the little bitch."

I made to step towards him until I remembered I was holding her in my arms. She cringed at his outburst and I drew her closer to my chest as if to shield her from his words. How many times had he called her that and worst? The stupid fuck; not now Gideon, take care of Blossom first, deal with him later.

Without another word I turned and walked up the stairs with her still clutching me as if afraid I will leave her. Never a fucking again, at least I had the asshole to thank for giving me this golden opportunity. I kissed her brow and gently passed my lips across hers. "Which room is yours baby?"

I spoke softly as if to a child, she had yet to say a word and I had no idea of the extent of his latest attack and how traumatized she might be.

She pointed out her room to me and then buried her face in my neck. It's when I opened the door that I saw the destruction. Everything I'd bought her had been either broken or torn to shreds. This too was my fault, she'd tried to warn me, but I stupidly believed that my threats would keep him in check.

It seems his hatred of her far outweighed his fear of me, or my retribution. I turned and left the room with her still in my arms. She won't be needing anything here after today.

Downstairs my man was still standing guard over him, I wanted to plow my fist in his face but that would mean putting her down which I wasn't ready to do.

I sufficed myself with giving him a glare, in that look I told him everything he needed to know. His tyranny of her was at an end, now mine of him will begin.

"Leave him." I walked out of there and to my car, my men followed behind after I had secured her in the front seat. The piece a shit came outside but kept his silence, wouldn't want the neighbors to hear what was going on. I could care less about his reputation, but her I will protect, his time will come.

It burned a hole in my gut not to put a bullet in him right then and there but she came first. I had to get her the fuck out of there and to safety, only then will I think of what to do with him. I could give my men the order to take care of him but this was personal. He'd fucked with mine after I'd warned him, that's an affront, an insult that will not and cannot go unanswered .

I didn't look back at him as we drove away, just took her hand in mine, kissed her palm, and took her home.

She curled into a ball in the front seat of my car, not saying a word just crying her heart out. I thought of settling her down at home and going back there to beat the crap out of him. I don't remember ever feeling such violence against another person in my life and I've done some violent shit.

When we reached my place I faced a moral dilemma, a first for me. Should I lead her to the guest room or have her stay with me? I had no intentions of touching her, not yet, but I didn't want her to spend the night alone, not feeling the way she was.

I parked in the underground garage and came around to let her out, she climbed into my arms like a child; broke my fucking heart. How could anyone hurt such a sweet, loving heart as hers? The tears were finally gone but she was still sniffling as she once again buried her face in my neck.

I used the card to access my private elevator thankful that I had privacy. I tried putting her down but she just clung tighter and made a distressed sound. "Ssh-ssh, it's okay baby, I've got you."

I kissed her brow as the elevator climbed to the penthouse, since she refused to release me I guess I had my answer. She didn't want to be alone.

I walked to the master suite and placed her gently on the bed. She was already in her pajamas and all she had on her feet were socks so I just placed her under the covers.

"Look at me baby." I pushed her hair back from her face so I could look into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes that were now red from too much crying.

"You want to tell me what happened sweetheart?" She shook her head and buried her face in the pillow. There was no need to push, I'm sure my guys had a recording of what had gone on in there, I just wanted her to talk.

"Okay, we'll talk about it tomorrow when you're ready." I took some time to formulate my next words in my head. This was it the point of no return and I knew that no matter what she was staying with me. I just hope she wanted that too, it would be fucked to start our new life together on a bad note, but there's no way I would ever let her go near him again.

"Do you know what's going to happen next Ashley?" She turned over and looked at me, her eyes puffy and red, she looked like a lost little girl, and I could kick my ass for putting her in this position, for not following my gut the one time it counted the most. I was so cocky, so sure of myself that I had foolishly put her in danger, now I will have to fix things.

"You're going to stay here with me."

"For tonight?" Her voice was so sad and so unsure, how will I ever undo the damage he'd done to my sweet girl? Killing him won't fix that. It sure the fuck would make me feel a fuck of a lot better though.

"I was thinking more like...forever, if that's what you want." No matter what she says she's not going back.

"But what about my dad, isn't he going to make trouble for you? I don't want you to get hurt because of me." She seemed afraid all of a sudden, holding onto me even tighter. What the fuck?

"Hurt how baby?" What the fuck had he said to her?

"Just be careful okay, don't go see my dad anymore, and if it's okay I want to stay here with you, but how?" Her words were all rushed and jumbled together but I got what I wanted. I'll deal with her fears later, I'm not afraid of that fuck but I guess for her he was the scariest thing she knew. Fucking monster.

"Don't worry about it I'll take care of everything."

I stayed with her holding her hand and playing in her hair until she fell asleep with tear tracks on her face. This one was on me, but Cliff Sanders was still going to pay for making her cry.

I held her onto her a little longer before kissing her lips softly and leaving the room.

"Sam, I want those tapes before you call it a night." I kept my voice low in case she awakened and came looking for me .

"Sure thing sir uh, I think you should know he called in reinforcements. I don't think he's aware that we have ears on him. I'm not sure how he thinks we came to be here, but so far he's still speaking freely. Should I leave Bruce here or should we call it a night?"

"I got what I wanted out of there for now you can bring in the Intel in and call it a night." I hung up the phone, reinforcements huh, probably his partner in crime Stark. Good, I hope they talked very freely then I could kill two birds with one stone.

I walked back to the bedroom to check that she was okay; she was sleeping peacefully curled up on her side. I kissed her brow and pulled the covers higher up around her shoulders and stood over her just looking at her.

I can't believe she was really here, even with the events of the last few hours it seemed unbelievable that she could really be mine. If I stopped to think about it I'd probably think I'd lost my damn mind. I shook my head even as the smile broke out across my face. Whatever had brought us here to this moment she was mine, this beautiful unbelievable creature was truly mine. "I'm going to make you so fucking happy Blossom, see if I don't."

Tomorrow her life with me begins. He might've destroyed those few paltry gifts but I will replace them and more. From now on she would have everything her heart desires, everything he'd denied herherwhole life I will see that she gets. But most importantly I will show her that she was worth a hell of a lot more than he had planned to sell her for.