Captivated by You (Crossfire#4) (18 page)

Yes, money talked—loudly—and Gideon had tons of it. But he conveyed command and control

with subtle actions. I recognized that after living with Nathan’s father, my mom’s first husband, who’d wielded power like a blunt instrument.

Gideon knew how to own a room without thumping his chest. I doubted the setting made any

difference; he would be a formidable presence in anyone’s office.

His head turned and his gaze met mine. There was no surprise in those brilliantly blue eyes of his.

He’d known I was there, had sensed me just as I often sensed his approach without looking. We were

connected somehow, on a level I couldn’t explain. There were times when he wasn’t with me and I

just wished he was, but I still felt him nearby.

I smiled, then dug in my bag for my phone. I didn’t want Gideon to feel like I was just sitting

around waiting, not that doing so would pressure him at all.

There were dozens of e-mail messages from my mother with photo attachments of dresses and

flowers and wedding venues, reminding me that I needed to talk with her about Dad paying for the

ceremony. I’d been putting off that conversation all week, trying to steel myself for her reaction.

There was also another text from Brett, telling me that we needed to talk … urgently.

Standing, I looked around for a quiet corner where I could make that call. What I saw was

Christopher Vidal Sr. rounding the corner.

Gideon’s stepfather was dressed in the khakis and loafers I’d come to expect, with a pale blue

dress shirt open at the collar and rolled up at the sleeves. The dark copper waves he’d passed on to Christopher Jr. were neatly cut around his neck and ears, and his slate green eyes were capped with a frown behind old-school brass-framed glasses.

“Eva.” Chris slowed as he neared me. “How are you?”

“Good. You?”

He nodded, looking over my shoulder at Gideon’s office. “Can’t complain. Do you have a minute?

I’d like to talk to you about something.”

“Sure.” The door opened behind me and I turned to see Scott stepping out.

“Mr. Vidal,” he said, coming toward us. “Miss Tramell. Mr. Cross will be another fifteen minutes

or so. Can I get either of you something to drink while you wait?”

Chris shook his head. “Nothing for me, thank you. But if you have a private room we could use, that

would be great.”

“Of course.” Scott looked at me.

“I’m good, thanks,” I answered.

Leaving his tablet on his desk, Scott led us to a conference room with a sweeping view of the city.

A long, polished wood table gleamed beneath the recessed lighting, with a matching cabinet covering

one wall and a large monitor lining the other.

“If you need anything,” he began, “just dial one and we’ll take care of it. There’s coffee in the

cabinet there, and water.”

Chris nodded. “Thank you, Scott. Appreciate it.”

Scott left. Chris gestured for me to sit, then took the chair to the right of mine, spinning it to face me.

“First, let me congratulate you on your engagement.” He smiled. “Ireland speaks very highly of you,

and I know you’ve been instrumental in bringing her and Gideon closer together. I can’t thank you

enough for that.”

“I didn’t do much, but I appreciate the thought.”

He reached for my left hand, which was resting on the table. His thumb rubbed gently over my

engagement ring and his mouth curved ruefully.

Was he thinking about the fact that Geoffrey Cross had selected the ring for Elizabeth?

“It’s a beautiful ring,” he said finally. “I’m sure it meant a great deal to Gideon to give it to you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. It meant a lot to my husband because it was a symbol of the love

between his parents.

Chris released my hand. “Elizabeth is taking this very hard. I’m sure there are a lot of complicated emotions a mother must feel when her first child decides to get married, especially with a son. My

mother used to say that a son is a son until he gets married—then he’s a husband—but a daughter is a daughter for life.”

The conciliatory explanation rubbed me the wrong way. He was trying to be kind, but I was tired of

all the excuses, especially when it came to Elizabeth Vidal. The pretending had to end or Gideon

would never stop hurting.

I needed the pain to stop. Every time he woke up crying, it shattered me a little more. I could only imagine the damage it was doing to him.

Still, I debated letting it go for now. I could argue and push forever, but Gideon needed to be the

one to demand the answers and hear them given.

Put it away. When the time is right, it’ll happen.

But I found myself leaning forward instead, unable to hold the silence Gideon had kept for too long.

“Let’s be honest,” I insisted quietly. “Your wife didn’t have this reaction when Gideon became

engaged to Corinne.” I didn’t know that for sure, but having seen Elizabeth with Corinne’s parents at the hospital, it seemed likely.

His sheepish smile proved me right. “I think that was different because Gideon had been with

Corinne awhile and we knew her. You and Gideon haven’t been together long, so there’s still some

adjusting to do. I don’t want you to take it personally, Eva.”

The smile chafed, but it was the words that were too much for me. Resentment welled and flowed

over the wall I tried to contain it behind.

Chris wasn’t blameless, either. Taking a grieving, troubled boy into his home had to have been

hard—especially when he’d been building his own family with Christopher Jr. and Ireland on the

way. But he’d accepted the role of stepfather when he married Elizabeth. He shared responsibility for pursuing justice for a wounded and exploited child. Hell, a
stranger
would have an obligation to report the crime.

Leaning forward, I let him see how angry I was. “It’s
very
personal, Mr. Vidal. Elizabeth is feeling threatened because I’m not going to put up with this bullshit anymore. You both owe Gideon an

apology and she needs to admit to the abuse. I’m going to keep pressuring her to make things right.

You can count on that.”

His posture stiffened visibly. “What are you talking about?”

I snorted with disgust. “Seriously?”

“Elizabeth would never abuse her children,” he said tightly when I didn’t reply. “She’s a

wonderful, devoted mother.”

I blinked, then stared at him. Was he as delusional as Elizabeth? How could they both act like they

didn’t know?

“I think you’d better explain yourself, Eva. Fast.”

I sagged back into the chair, stunned. If he was acting, he deserved a goddamned Academy Award.

He surged forward without getting up, bristling and aggressive. “Start talking.
Now.
”

My voice came quiet. Small. “He was raped. By the therapist he was seeing.”

Chris froze. For a long minute, he didn’t even breathe.

“He told Elizabeth, but she didn’t believe him. She knows he was telling the truth, but she’s denied it for whatever screwed-up reason she’s come up with.”

He straightened, shaking his head vehemently. “No.”

The one-word rebuff pushed me to my feet. “Are you going to deny it, too? Who would lie about

something like that? Do you have any idea how hard it was for him to admit to what was happening?

How confused he must have been that a man he trusted would do those things to him?”

Chris looked up at me. “Elizabeth would never ignore … something like that. There’s a

misunderstanding. You’re confused.”

I took in his dilated pupils and white-rimmed lips but refused to feel bad for him. “She went

through the motions. That’s all. When push came to shove, she chose to side with everyone but her

own child.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

I grabbed the handle of my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I bent into him, meeting him at eye

level. “Gideon was raped. One of these days, you and your wife are going to look him in the eye like I’m looking at you and you’re going to admit it. And you’re going to apologize for all the years he’s lived with that alone.”

“Eva.”

Gideon’s voice cracked through the air, making me jump. Straightening in a rush, I stumbled as I

faced him.

He stood in the open doorway, his hand gripping the handle with such force it should’ve broken

off. His face was hard, his body stiff, his gaze searing me with a different kind of heat.

Fury. I’d never seen him so angry.

Chris pushed heavily to his feet. “Gideon. What’s going on? What is she saying?”

Gideon’s arm shot out and grabbed me. He yanked me into the hallway with such force I yelped in

alarm. I felt the bite of his fingers even after he released me.

With his hand at the small of my back, he propelled me forward, his stride so long and quick I had

to scramble to keep pace.

“Gideon, wait,” I said breathlessly, my heart pounding. “We—”

“Not a fucking word,” he snapped, pushing me roughly through the etched glass security doors into

the elevator vestibule.

I heard Chris calling Gideon’s name. I caught sight of him rushing toward us just before the

elevator doors shut him out.

9

AS I LED Eva out of the Crossfire, Angus took one look at my face and his smile disappeared. He

opened the rear door to the Bentley and stepped aside, watching me urge my wife into the backseat.

Our gazes met over her head as she slid into the back. I read the message in his faded blue eyes.
Be
gentle with her.

He didn’t know how hard it was for me to show as much restraint as I was managing. I could feel

the vein pulsating in my temple, echoing the driving pulse beat that had my cock throbbing.

I’d nearly stopped the elevator halfway down to fuck Eva against the wall like an animal. The only

things that deterred me were the security cameras and watchful guard eyes monitoring the feed.

I wanted to leash her. Sink my teeth into her shoulder as I nailed her. Dominate her. She was a

tigress, clawing and hissing at everyone she felt had done me wrong, and I needed to pin her down.

Make her submit.

“Goddamn it,” I bit out, rounding the back of the car to get in on the other side. Eva was a wild

card. I couldn’t control her.

I folded into the seat and slammed the door shut, staring out the window because I was afraid of

what I’d do if I looked at her. She was the air I breathed and at the moment, I couldn’t catch my

breath.

She set her hand on my thigh. “Gideon …”

Grabbing that slender hand wearing my ring, I shoved it between my legs and thrust my aching dick

into her palm. “Open your mouth again and that’s what I’m putting in it.”

She gasped.

Angus slid behind the wheel and started the car. I felt Eva’s gaze on the side of my face. Her hand

pulled away and I nearly groaned at the loss of her touch. Then she shifted, curling into my side. Her other hand slid back between my legs, cupping my cock possessively. Her lips pressed a kiss against

my jaw.

My arm went around her back. I took a deep breath, inhaling her scent.

The Bentley pulled away from the curb and we melded into midtown traffic.

IT wasn’t until we pulled over in front of the office building where Dr. Petersen kept his office that I remembered our appointment. I’d been counting the minutes until we got home and I could take Eva

the way I needed to … fast … hard … furious.

She started sitting up when Angus got out of the car. I tightened my arm around her. “Not today,” I

said tightly.

“Okay,” she whispered, kissing my jaw again.

Angus opened the door. She pulled away, then got out of the car anyway. She spun through the

revolving doors and left me staring after her.

“Jesus.”

Ducking down, Angus peered in at me. “Couples therapy means the both of you.”

I glared at him. “Stop enjoying this.”

The smile in his eyes curved his lips into a broad grin. “She loves you, lad, whether you like it or naw.”

“Of course I like it,” I muttered, glancing over my shoulder to check the traffic before opening my

door and stepping out. I rounded the trunk. “That doesn’t mean she’s not a loose cannon.”

Angus shut the door. A rare summer breeze ruffled the graying red hair that peeked out from

beneath his chauffeur’s hat. “Sometimes you’ll lead, sometimes you’ll follow. Expect you’ll grumble

about the following part for a while yet.”

I growled, exasperated. “She talked to Chris.”

His brows rose with surprise even as he nodded. “I saw him go in.”

“Why won’t she leave it the hell alone?” I stepped onto the sidewalk, tugging my vest into place

and wishing I could straighten my thoughts as easily. “She can’t change the past.”