Chapter Twenty-Four Gideon
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gideon
“You can’t be serious.”
Leaning on Willow’s kitchen counter, I drag my hand down my face. These women are going to be the fucking death of me.
“Why?” Willow stares at me as if I’m being unreasonable.
But I’m not the unreasonable one here. “Come on, Gid, she’s been stuck on this ranch for such a long time.
It’s just one night out. One dinner. And I’m not even suggesting we go without you and Ry.
I want you both there, armed to the gills if need be. ”
“We’ll be with them,” Ryker says, and I stare at him like he’s lost his fucking mind.
“No one knows I’m here,” Lena reminds me and folds her hand into mine, twining our fingers together. “I won’t be dressed up the way I am for the press. No one will even recognize me.”
“It’s just dinner and drinks at the pub in Paradise Valley,” Willow says. “Just a couple of hours, and then we come right back here. It’s your birthday. We want to celebrate you, handsome.”
“Great, make me some spaghetti and call it a birthday.”
Lena and Willow both roll their eyes, making Ryker laugh.
I don’t think it’s fucking funny.
“Please,” Lena says and kisses my biceps. “I have a present for you and everything.”
This is a bad fucking idea. Every instinct I have tells me to say no. To stand my ground and refuse them.
But damn it, her gorgeous lavender eyes do things to me, and against my better judgment, I sigh. They’re not wrong. It has been a while, and there’s been no sign of danger. Paradise Valley is tiny. It should be fine.
“That’s his ‘yes but I’m pissed’ sigh,” Willow says.
“We’ve got them,” Ryker tells me and squeezes my shoulder. “Nothing will happen to either of them.”
“Fuck.”
“Let’s go before he changes his mind.” Willow grabs her purse and wraps her arm around my girl. “We’re having cocktails.”
“I could so go for a dirty martini,” Lena says with a nod. “Filthy.”
Why does that word sound so fucking sexy coming out of her little mouth?
“I won’t drink,” Ry assures me. “I know, I’m not an expert, but I’ll keep my eyes and ears open. We’ve got this.”
I’m uneasy during the entire fifteen-minute drive into Paradise Valley, but the girls are excited, chatting it up in the back seat of my SUV.
When I pull into the parking lot of the pub, I park near the entrance and turn to look at my girl. “Stay here until I tell you it’s safe to get out. You know the drill.”
Her face sobers, and I feel like a fucking prick for tossing a wet blanket on her fun, but fuck me, nothing bad can happen to her.
I love her too much.
“Say you understand, Lena.”
“I understand.” Her voice doesn’t shake, and then she smiles at me, and the knot in my chest loosens just a bit. “It’s okay, big guy. Do what you need to do.”
I pull my Glock out of the center console and tuck it into the waistband of my pants, under my shirt, and then I nod at Ryker and we push out of the SUV.
My eyes automatically skim the area. The parking lot is only about a third full, with no one currently pulling in or out, and there are no vehicles currently occupied.
“Seems quiet,” Ryker murmurs beside me, and I nod but take one more moment to look around. “Also, you’re intense as fuck when you’re in work mode. I’ve never seen it before.”
“If anything happens to her, I’ll burn this world to the motherfucking ground.”
I feel his eyes on me, but I don’t turn to him.
“When we go inside, I want you in the front and the two women between us. I’ll bring up the rear. At the table, I want a booth, with us on the outsides. They’re surrounded by us at all times.”
“You’re in love with her.”
I don’t even hesitate. “Irrevocably.”
My brother blows out a breath. “I love her to pieces. She’s great.”
“Good. Let’s keep her alive tonight.”
“Let’s keep them both alive until we’re old as fuck.” He nudges me with his shoulder, and then we move to opposite sides of the vehicle to open the doors for our girls.
“It’s safe,” I say to Lena, offering her my hand. She has a wrapped package in her lap. “When did you grab that?”
“It was in the back.” She grins at me, and then boosts up to kiss my jawline. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.”
Ryker moves to the front, leading us inside, and I hear him give instructions for where to seat us to the hostess.
Finally, we’re in the back of the room, in a booth, with the girls tucked safely against the wall, and I take a breath.
I won’t breathe completely easy until we’re back on the ranch, but for now, this works for me.
“What can I getcha to drink?” the waitress asks as she approaches. She does a double take at Ryker and me, and then a slow smile spreads over her lips. “Hey, fellas.”
“Hey, Sarah,” Willow says with a fake smile, making Ryker and me share a grin.
Willow is territorial as fuck. It’s adorable.
But then Lena’s hand lands on my arm and she tips her head onto my shoulder, also fake smiling.
“Oh, uh, hi, Willow,” Sarah says.
“You know my husband, Ryker,” Willow says. “This is my friend, Lisa.”
“And this is my boyfriend, Gideon,” Lena says, not batting an eye at the fake name that Willow gave her.
I love these girls.
“Of course, we all grew up together,” Sarah says. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Two filthy martinis for us,” Willow says, pointing to herself and my girl.
“Water for me.”
“Same,” Ry says, and then Sarah’s gone. “That wasn’t obvious at all, Trouble.”
“Sarah always had a crush on you guys,” Willow says, rolling her eyes. “And I’m not convinced that she really cares that you have a ring on your finger, but she won’t fucking flirt with you while I’m sitting right here.”
I lean over and kiss Lena on the head, breathing in her oranges. “What do you want to eat, baby?”
“I want a burger and onion rings. But I need you to get french fries so I can steal a few.”
“Deal.”
“Oh, can we do the same?” Willow asks Ryker, who just nods and sets his menu aside. “Good idea. Okay, before the food gets here, Gid needs to open his present.”
“I need a drink first,” Lena says, and just then, Sarah returns with all our drinks. We place our food order, and Lena takes a few sips of her martini. “Oh, that’s good.”
“They used the good gin,” Willow agrees with a nod. “Okay, presents.”
“You guys didn’t have to get me anything at all. It’s just another day.”
“Wrong,” Lena says. “It’s the best day of the year because you were born on it.”
Christ, my heart.
I ignore Willow’s aww and Ryker’s grin, and lean over to kiss her lips.
“You’re all the present I need, Rebel.”
“You guys are way too gooey,” Willow says as she takes another sip of her drink. “Come on, the wait is killing me.”
Lena bites her lip, then grabs the long, thin wrapped box that she stowed between her and the wall and hands it to me.
I don’t bother to try to save the paper as I tear into the gift, then open the lid of the box and feel the breath catch in my lungs.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, and drag my finger over the glass covering my mom’s face. It’s a sketch of my parents, sitting on the porch of the farmhouse, laughing and looking so in love, my heart aches. It’s exactly how I remember them from the time when Ry and I came to live at the ranch.
I pass the frame over to my brother, and then I cup my girl’s face in my hands and kiss her.
“Thank you. That’s the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received.”
“You’re welcome.”
“This is incredible,” Ryker says, shaking his head as he stares at my girl’s art.
“Right?” Willow wipes a tear from her cheek. “You’re so talented, Le-Lisa.” She winks at Lena, making her laugh.
“I’m glad you like it.”
Very few people come in and out of the pub, and soon, I start to let my guard down just a little and let myself enjoy this time out with my favorite people.
“What kind of book are you recording now, Willow?” I ask after our food is delivered and we start eating. Lena puts two of her onion rings in my basket and grabs a small handful of fries.
“It’s a hockey romance, actually. I’m enjoying it. Next up, I have a dark stalker romance.”
“I bet it’s fun to work on such diverse projects.” Lena licks some ketchup off her finger, and it has my cock standing up and paying attention.
“I love that it’s always different,” Willow agrees. “I have a fun job.”
“Gideon mentioned that you have a degree in finance?” Ryker lifts an eyebrow at Lena. “That’s my jam, girl. What kind of portfolio do you have?”
“Mostly IRAs, but the bulk of my money is in trust, from my parents. I come into the rest of it when I’m twenty-five.”
“When is that?” Willow asks. “Not because I need any of your money—I’m just curious when your birthday is so I can prepare.”
Lena laughs at that. “I turn twenty-five in January.”
January 14.
Maybe I’ll propose to her on her birthday.
Because if she thinks I’m not marrying her, she doesn’t know me at all.
Ryker and Lena keep talking about dividends and stock trades, and Willow and I stare at each other with glossed-over eyes.
“This is not a fascinating conversation,” Willow finally says.
“Yes, it is,” Lena objects, shaking her head and passing her empty glass over to Sarah in exchange for a fresh one. “I just learned like three new things from your husband. Whoever said that jocks can’t be smart are wrong.”
“Who says that?” Ryker asks with a scowl, making the girls laugh. “I’m fucking smart.”
“I mean, you married me, so you’re brilliant.” Willow kisses his arm, making him smirk.
I hear the back door of the pub open and assume it’s someone taking out the trash. We’re not far from the hallway that leads to the restrooms and the back door.
“I have to pee,” Lena whisper-shouts. “Can you please let me out?”
“I’m going with you.”
She blinks up at me. “I’m not into that. It’s not my kink. Sorry, big guy.”
Ryker laughs, and Willow spits out her martini.
“I’m going to make sure the bathroom is safe, Rebel.”
“It’s safe. You don’t have to hold my hand. There’s hardly anyone in here, Gideon.”
I shake my head.
“The hallway is ten feet away.” Lena points and then kisses my hand, which is linked with hers. “No one has even gone back there in a while.”
“I’ll go with her,” Willow says. “I have to pee too. It’s all these martinis, which are delicious, by the way. But yeah, they go right through you.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“Trust me, if anyone tries any funny business, I’ll scream,” Willow says.
“Plus, I’m totally badass now. I know how to punch, kick, and bite my way out of just about anything.” Lena flexes her arm, showing off an impressive biceps, if I do say so myself.
“Damn, look at the guns on your girl, man,” Ryker says with a low whistle.
“Told you.” Lena looks smug as she smiles up at me with glassy eyes. “Willow and I can pee alone.”
I slip out of the booth and peek down the dark hallway, then nod at the girls, who slide out of the booth and walk past me. As I sit across from Ry, I hear the bathroom door swing open and then closed and let out a breath.
“I hope you plan to marry that girl.”
“That’s my plan,” I agree. “I’m so fucking glad that Willow came around.”
“Me too. She was not easy to live with there for a while.” He sips his water, but before he can say anything else, we hear Willow’s scream.
And my blood runs cold.