CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Two days later
– MACSEN –
“This is useless,” Lu grumbles and turns the page of a book she’s reading.
I keep my attention locked on the door. “Think of it as a trial run for our time together once we’ve wrapped this up.”
Lu throws the book on the bed and glares at me. “I’m serious, Macsen. There’s nothing wrong with me and waiting for someone to kill me was fun for the first few hours after I felt remotely better.”
Okay, us staying in this hospital room two days ago was a necessity since Lu passed out right after she puked her guts out.
When I picked her up to get her into the car I felt as if I was holding my damn heart.
After spending a few hours in the hospital where they ran some tests, the doctor concluded it was a combination of hormone changes, a drop in blood pressure, and low blood sugar.
With Lu needing to rest while they gave her some fluids and stuff, we decided to take advantage of the situation.
Meaning Holland contacted Bosco to let him know he couldn’t reach Gideon or Dudley.
Holland told Bosco to relay a message that Lu was in the hospital due to an infection and had to stay a few days.
All because officially Gideon is still her fiancé, even if the fucker was killed twice already.
One of the triplets is still out there. We have no clue where he is, and he hasn’t contacted his brother and father.
Lenz has gone through their phones and is keeping an eye on them.
Which means the last Gideon might not know his father, and brother, along with the guards, are dead and gone.
We cleaned the whole building and removed all the bodies and damage. A few brothers are waiting at the house in case the last Gideon returns. Lenz has tried to locate him through a number listed in the phones of Gideon and Dudley, but no luck yet.
“Just a little while longer, sweetheart. Humor me while you rest.” I try to keep my worry out of my voice.
Clearly, I’ve failed when her shoulders sag and she mutters, “Fine, but we’re leaving in the morning. I hate feeling weak and I’ve never spent so much time at a hospital, even if I know we’re here because I’m bait.”
I mentally cringe, knowing she’s right. Though, my first priority is making sure she’s okay. I strongly believe the stress and everything happening these past few days only added to everything crashing down on her.
“Move.” She slaps my shoulder. “I gotta pee.”
Shoving the chair back, I create room for her to get off the bed. She’s wearing one of my T-shirts and it falls mid-thigh, allowing me to watch her sexy legs as she walks barefoot into the bathroom.
Laughter from outside the room catches my attention. There’s some stumbling against the door, making me reach for my gun. Someone calls out and I watch the door slightly open.
“Are you sleeping, naked, or decent enough for some company?” A bouquet of roses appears from behind the door along with a friendly voice.
I don’t recognize the man who steps inside and he slowly lowers the flowers to frown at me. “Are you visiting Miss Hart? This is her room, yes?”
My gun is hidden by the hospital bed when I ask, “Who are you?”
“A friend of a friend,” he states and lets his gaze trail in the direction of the bathroom when he hears the toilet flush.
Yeah, right. Sketchy as fuck, and it’s why I flip the safety off the gun.
“Mind giving us some privacy, friend of a friend?” I grunt while Lu opens the bathroom door.
“Friend of a friend is my enemy,” Lu’s voice slices through the room.
The man with the roses grins and in one move the flowers tumble to the floor, revealing a gun. Behind him is Gideon who enters the room and closes the door behind him.
“Luella, Luella, Luella, you have been a very naughty woman.” Gideon tsk tsks.
I notice the ninja star in Lu’s hand that’s hidden behind her back, and I wonder where she pulled it from.
“Didn’t you get the memo, Gideon?” Lu taunts. “Your two identical brothers, and your father are dead...meaning you’re the only one left. So, there’s no need to recite my name three times, once is enough since the rest are echoes of the past.”
Gideon winces and nods as he releases a deep sigh. “I thought so, with the lack in communication, and the order I received. It’s actually why I’m here...I came to negotiate.”
“Negotiate?” Lu and I grunt in sync.
Gideon places a hand on the other man’s arms and forces him to lower the gun. “Someone wants you dead. We could pretend and make a trade instead. I report back that the order was successful, you lay low or disappear, and it will give me time to do the same.”
“You’ll do the same? As in disappear? Why?” Lu questions. “And why should I believe you?”
“You saw what happened in the basement, before you killed my brother.” Gideon holds Lu’s stare and waits for her to nod before he adds, “A few years ago we were at rock bottom. My father made a bad business decision, leaving us without a dime. That’s when I suggested the fantasy auctions.”
His gaze goes to the man next to him.
“Derek was actually the first victim. The fantasy auction was won by Derek’s ex-husband who was a billionaire.
He gave explicit instructions and I was the one who completed it by myself from start to finish, earning my first million.
” Gideon gives Derek a tender smile. “Only I faked Derek’s death and after the money was transferred, I killed his ex. ”
Lu takes a step forward and points the ninja star she’s holding in Gideon’s direction.
“Let me get this straight. You’re the one who kickstarted the killing for fun, sport, and hard cash, and now that your family is dead and we’re about to end you too you want out?
Sorry, fucker, this life ain’t a damn fantasy auction where you can buy your own ending. ”
“Unless,” I mutter, gaining all eyes on me. “Tell me, Gideon, and be honest here, who gave you the order to kill Lu?”
“Bosco,” Gideon states without blinking.
“He wants her dead to strike a deal with her father. To be honest? I think Bosco reached out to Holland to get him to spy on us because we’ve been keeping him out of our business.
Somehow, he must have known about the millions we made without giving him his cut.
I never wanted everything to spiral out of control.
The first time I was ready to call it quits.
My family wanted...needed more. I agreed to help set things up, but they had to accept my relationship, and the fact that I only helped in the background, the technical side. ”
“You were in the room ending the video stream,” Lu muses. “So, you don’t participate?”
Gideon glances at Derek and the look they give one another? It’s clear these two are more than friends.
“You’re still responsible for the deaths of innocent people,” Lu states.
“Like I said, let’s make a trade,” Gideon offers again.
I wave Lu over and she leans in while I keep my eyes on Gideon and whisper, “Let me make a call, see if we can give them a deal.”
“Like witness protection or some shit?” she whispers back.
“Who knows? Dealing with this makes faking your death easier. Let’s see what our government contact says.”
Lu bobs her head and turns to Gideon and Derek. “Give me all your weapons and go sit against the wall. My old man is going to make a call and then we’re going to decide.”
Gideon steps forward and places his weapons on the bed in front of us. “Old man?” He eyes the patches on my leather cut. “With my brothers gone I guess the engagement is over.”
“You guessed right,” I grunt. “She’s my old lady and won’t ever be yours, or anyone else’s for that matter.”
Gideon holds his hands palms up. “I wasn’t engaged to her, my arrangement with my family allowed me to cut all business ties with them.
Besides, my father still had two brothers to carry the load, and I restarted the cash flow.
Like I said, I only manage the technical side of it and never participate.
It’s also why I don’t live there anymore. ”
I hand my gun to Lu and she aims it in their direction as I grab my phone and call Thorsten. He picks up on the second ring and I explain the situation at hand. After a long silence Thorsten tells me to sit tight until he calls back.
An hour goes by until we hear a knock on the door. Thorsten strolls inside along with Falcon and Elric.
“Gideon,” Thorsten rumbles.
Gideon smiles. “The one and only.”
Lu snorts and Elric chuckles while Thorsten glares.
“I hear you want to make a deal,” my prez states.
Gideon nods. “For both me and Derek.”
“We have two options and I don’t give a fuck which option you decide to take,” Thorsten tells him. “The first option is death. Easy and clean, my personal favorite.”
“The second option?” Gideon grits.
Thorsten shrugs. “You spill your guts. And by this I sadly mean information, not your actual guts. You and Derek become material witnesses and we will make sure you two disappear once everything is done.”
Gideon reaches for something inside his jacket. All weapons are now aimed at his head.
“Calm down,” Gideon grits. “I was reaching for my phone.”
“That might have been a good thing to say before you move, asshole,” I snap.
Gideon nods and slowly opens his jacket to carefully take out his phone and hands it to Thorsten. “You can see the message Bosco sent, ordering me to kill Luella. I only have to shoot him a reply that it’s done.”
Thorsten glances through the messages and turns to me. “I guess the fucker is taking the second option.”
“I guess so.” I give my president a hint of a smile.
The sharp turn of events feels weird and unsatisfying. Though, it does lead to the same conclusion; we’re one step closer to fully getting the target off Lu’s back and ending things once and for all.