Page 37 of Ruthless Touch

Before I can utter a word, he walks away and disappears into his office, leaving me with my babysitter again. When I turn to look at her, I can’t even disguise how miserable I am about all that’s happened.

“So first I get accosted by that awful brother of his, and now I get to hang out with an ice sculpture. Super.”

“Maybe I’ll melt in the sun as we have a bite to eat. I’m assuming you’re hungry since Gideon told me to feed you.”

Sasha begins to guide me across the lobby as I say, “Nobody asked what I wanted. I was just enjoying getting some sun, and the next thing I know I have to be given over to the babysitter again.”

That makes her smile, strangely enough. “We’ll have a nice time with some good food and sun, and you can tell me about what Alex did. I’m sure it’s nothing I haven’t heard before. He’s a piece of work that one.”

“I’m worried Gideon thinks I was coming on to him or something because now he won’t even talk to me. I swear I was just relaxing in my bikini. I never once invited his brother in, and I certainly didn’t give him any idea that I wanted to hang out with him.”

With a look of disgust, Sasha says, “He’s a thug. He’s a dick to his brother, so I’m not surprised he got handsy with you.”

We find a table just outside the doors and sit down as her attempt to make me feel better starts to work. “I just don’t want Gideon to think I wanted him to act like that. I’m worried what happened is going to ruin everything between us, and just when things were starting to be good.”

“No worries. It’ll be fine. Gideon can’t stand his brother, and I know he likes you, so chances are pretty good he knows exactly what happened had nothing to do with you wanting Alex to act that way. What that man needs is a woman to smack his face hard. Maybe then he’d get the idea he shouldn’t go around touching people who aren’t his to touch.”

After the server takes our order for some biscuits, we sit together silently soaking up the sun until I can’t wait any longer to ask her about what Alex said. “Sasha, who’s Gia?”

She opens her eyes and turns her head to look over at me. “Who told you about Gia?”

“Alex. He said Gideon was in love with a woman named Gia and that I’m the spitting image of her. Is that true?”

Sasha studies me for a long moment and then tilts her head right and left. “You do resemble her now that you mention it. She had long brown hair and green eyes like you, except I think yours are actually a much nicer green. Hers were more of an olive green.”

“You knew her? Were they really in love?” I ask, unsure I want to hear the answer.

“I didn’t know her. I knew her through Gideon, just like I know you through Gideon. As for if they were in love, you’d have to ask him.”

God, this woman can be infuriating! Always protecting him. Why not just say it? They were in love.

“I’m asking you. Were they in love?” I press, not willing to let go of this.

She looks up toward the sky for a few moments and then back down toward me. “Assuming I believe Gideon is capable of love, or whether any of us are, then I’d say yes, they loved each other.”

All that to say he loved a woman who looked just like me.

“What happened to her?”

“She died. That was a long time ago. Don’t go dredging up the past. It never turns out well.”

I want to say that I don’t know how I feel about being some replacement for another woman who Gideon loved and who died, but I remain silent as all Alex said about Gia and me being so similar fills my head. Am I just someone Gideon wants around because I remind him of her?

Has he been so distant because he’s still in love with her? I made the move on him in the shower. Perhaps he doesn’t care for me at all. Perhaps he just wants me around because I look like the woman he lost.

The woman he still loves.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Gideon

My rage barely contained, I march into the conference room to find Cesare relaxed and watching soccer on the TV. At least one of us is having a good time today.

“Comfortable?” I snap.

The enormous man slowly swivels around in his leather chair and looks at me oddly. “Something on your mind today, Gideon?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to stem the headache that’s settling into my skull. “No. Sorry.”