Page 18 of Ruthless Touch
“This would be so much easier if I knew where I was going.”
I assume it’s nowhere that will involve a lot of hiking or running since he pointedly commanded me to wear this dress, but with Gideon, who knows? The man might tell me to go shopping up and down the coast for some unique item he insists I have for only reasons he understands.
A knock tears me out of my deliberations about my footwear, and I hurry over to answer the front door. I’m not sure why Raphael is knocking anyway. He only does that when Gideon is home. I suspect he’s been told to never knock when it’s only me here so he can possibly catch me doing something.
As if I’m up to something nefarious here all day.
I fling open the door and see not Raphael waiting for me but a new security guy. As big as my usual guard, this one has light brown hair and blue eyes that instantly remind me of Marcus. God, I hope he didn’t end up wandering the streets because of Gideon’s jealousy.
“Hi. Who are you?” I ask as my gaze travels down his very muscular body and back up to his attractive face.
“Phillip. I’m here to take you to the eighth floor,” he says in a soft voice that seems odd coming from someone his size.
“Phillip? That sounds distinctly un-Italian. Are you from here, Phillip?” I ask as I grab my purse to leave.
I check to make sure I have my phone while my new bodyguard explains he’s an American who works for Helix Rule and has been assigned to the hotel for the remainder of the month. I listen, smiling as he talks and wondering if he’s done something bad to be sent here by Helix or if this is a move upward for him. I decide not to ask since I have a feeling he won’t tell me anyway.
Everyone here is all about keeping secrets. It’s like this hotel does something to them as soon as they step foot in the front door.
“Well, lead the way, Phillip.”
Closing the door behind me, I step out into the hall to go to the elevator and see Raphael. As always, he’s silent and as still as a stone. I bet he’s happy he didn’t get stuck touring me around the eighth floor today.
“You get a break, so ease up, Raphael. Maybe smile. Or would that make your face crack?” I say with a giggle.
He doesn’t respond. I watch to see if he even blinks before the elevator doors close. Nothing. Maybe he is a statue.
Thankfully, my new guard is more talkative, so I turn to look at him and ask, “What’s on the eighth floor that I need to be there today?”
“An art gallery,” he answers. “I’m not sure why you need to be there today, but that’s where I was told to take you.”
“Were you told anything else?”
Phillip shakes his head and frowns like he’s disappointed he can’t help me with an answer. “Nothing. Just pick up the woman at the penthouse and take her down to the eighth floor.”
“Do you know something about art?” I ask as the elevator begins to come to a stop. “Is that why you got this assignment today?”
My question gets me a broad smile. “Not a thing. Sorry.”
As the doors open and I step out onto the eighth floor, I wonder why this particular guard was chosen by Gideon to escort me around the hotel’s art gallery. Why wouldn’t Gideon just do it himself since I’m sure he’s quite proud of the pieces in his hotel’s collection?
Then again, why does Gideon do or not do anything? The man is a complete mystery to me.
Unlike the main floor with its black marble floor and enormous marble columns and the penthouse floor that always seems dark, the eighth floor has pale marble floors and white walls. Lighting is situated overhead so it focuses on the pieces of art hanging on the walls and showcased on pedestals throughout the floor.
I look at Phillip and smile. “This is nice. Have you ever been here before?”
He shakes his head and looks around. “No. Too bad I don’t know a thing about art. This might be really great if I did.”
Unsure how this is supposed to work, I ask, “Were you ordered to walk around with me? Or am I on my own?”
Phillip points at the glass doors we just walked through when we got off the elevator. “I’m supposed to wait here.”
Of course he is. It’s the only way to leave this floor, so naturally, Gideon has told him to position himself there so I can’t get away. Even when he does something nice, it turns out that I’m still treated like a prisoner.
“Okay. I’ll be back in a little while,” I say as disgust fills me. Not at Phillip, who’s only doing his job. No, at the only person in this entire building who deserves my anger and resentment.
Gideon Rule.