Page 61 of Ruthless
The instant her father was out the door, she was in Gideon’s arms. She didn’t know who moved first. It didn’t matter. She was where she wanted to be. Ever since the news this morning of Clement’s murder and Gideon’s possible arrest, she had been on edge. They had waited so long to be together, and the thought that it all might come tumbling down around them was too much to bear.
“Having you in my arms like this is a dream come true,” he said.
Her face buried against his neck, Eve smiled. One of the many things she appreciated about Gideon was his ability to say things that would sound cheesy from anyone else. The man’s gruff, golden voice could make the reading of a dictionary sound sexy.
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Why don’t—”
The chime on her cellphone startled them both. It was an alert from OZ. Frowning, she grabbed it, and they read the text together. Get satphone from G. Call me.”
“That can’t be good.” She glanced up at Gideon. “Is Ash really pissed at me?”
“Not at all. Not sure what this is about.”
“Guess I’d better call him.”
“I’ll go get the phone.”
Tired of her self-imposed lock-in, she released a frustrated breath and said, “I’ll go with you.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. I’m barely recognizable anymore. I’ll wear a hoodie. No one’s going to be expecting to see me. Besides, the sooner I can call Ash, the sooner we can get back to other things.”
He grabbed her and planted a hard kiss on her lips. “Then grab your jacket, woman, and let’s go.”
Laughing at his eagerness, she did just that. It had been so long since she’d felt this lighthearted and at peace. The lies that had separated them were out in the open. She had not only forgiven Gideon, they were now free to be with each other the way she’d always wanted. Some might say she had forgiven him too quickly, but she didn’t care. She refused to waste another moment on her anger. Bottom line, she trusted this man with her life and her heart.
Gideon would never betray her again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Gideon had remained watchful and vigilant on the trip to his apartment. Even though Eve no longer looked like the princess the people of Ile de la Lune remembered, and she likely wouldn’t be recognized, he was taking no chances. The stupid-assed emoji of a smiling devil might be as lame and subtle as they came, but he was treating it as a threat.
He breathed easier the moment they walked into his apartment. Giving little thought to how the place looked, he helped Eve remove her jacket and hung it in the coat closet. When he turned to face her, he was surprised to see an amused smile on her face.
“What?”
“How long were you planning to stay here?”
“Just until you’re ready to go back to OZ. Why?”
“Because it’s a home.”
He looked around, trying to see the apartment through her eyes. It had taken him about half an hour to order additional furniture online, along with some throw pillows and draperies. He’d spent a couple hours putting things in place, and that had been that.
Since this was a temporary residence, some people might’ve left it the way it was and called it good enough. Having become responsible for three siblings at fifteen, he’d learned that making a house a home contributed to good mental health. Making sure his brothers and sister had what they’d needed had been priority number one. That had included ensuring a comfortable home environment. He’d done the research and implemented what he’d learned. It had carried over into adulthood.
He shrugged. “I like my creature comforts.”
“It’s actually lovely.”
For some reason, he felt ridiculously vulnerable at her unexpected compliment. “Thanks. Have a seat. I’ll get the phone.”
Going to his bedroom, he unlocked the safe he’d purchased for his weapons. He returned to see she’d picked up the latest book he’d been reading. “I heard they’re making this into a movie.”
“Hope it’s better than the book. So far, the main character has killed off everyone he knows.”