Page 25 of Ruthless Touch

My father doesn’t ask how his idea sounds because he knows I hate the idea even without asking my opinion. I don’t get along with my brother. He’s the king of chaos, and every time he steps foot into my world, it’s like it’s turned upside down. The last thing I need now is to deal with Helix and Alex Rule together at the same time.

“Okay, well, I need to go attend to your suite so it’s ready for tomorrow. Have a safe flight.”

Without missing a beat, my father asks, “You do delegate menial tasks like that there, don’t you, Gideon? I mean, if you have to order that assistant of yours to do it, then you should.”

His subtle attempt to make me see that I don’t need to handle everything here at the hotel doesn’t go unnoticed by me. “I know, Dad. I just like to pay special attention to certain guests. You know, the ones who are important?”

I intentionally stroke his ego to get the focus off the fact that I enjoy paying attention to details. I always have. It might be a part of what’s wrong with me, but it’s not one of the bad parts, at least.

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Maybe your chef will make that dish I liked so much the last time I was there.”

“I can make sure he does, Dad. Just say the word.”

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And with that, he ends the call and I sit back in my office chair dreading the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Even worse will be if he brings my older brother. Christ, I don’t need to deal with him right now.

In the middle of my misery my office door opens, and in strolls Sasha with her usual leather planner in her arms. With a smile, she points toward the chair in front of my desk and sits down.

“I’m guessing by the look on your face that something bad has happened?”

“My father is coming tomorrow. He’s got some errand he needs to run. He might bring my brother.”

As if a dark cloud covers her face, Sasha’s expression drops. “God, why? Doesn’t he have enough to do where he is?”

“Which one? My father or Alex?” I ask, genuinely curious since the question could apply to either of them.

That makes her wince, and I sense she thinks she’s offended me. She hasn’t. My father can be as difficult to deal with as my brother, depending on the situation.

“Your brother, of course. Helix Rule isn’t bad. He’s a little destructive. I mean, if he’s coming to the hotel here, then he must be coming for work. Unless your mother is coming with him. Is she?” she asks, her eyes filling with hope by the time she’s finished.

Sasha, like most people, likes my mother. She softens my father’s jagged edges, and if she’s with him, then he’s not here for work.

“Not that I know of. Just Helix and possibly Alex.”

“Oh.”

We sit in silence for a few moments before Sasha asks, “Does your father know about Aria?”

I shake my head as the thought of telling him that fills me with dread. “No. And I don’t want him to, especially if my brother comes with him. She’ll need to stay in the penthouse the entire time.”

“As if that will be any different than the rest of the past three weeks?”

I sense Sasha wants to talk about what happened yesterday, but the last thing I want to do is have that discussion. Unfortunately, before I can dismiss her, Sasha gets her question out.

“Did you talk to her when you went upstairs last night? What happened?”

The hopefulness returns to her eyes, but I have to disappoint her. Avoiding her gaze, I look at my computer and answer, “No.”

“So you’re going to let her go?”

Rage fills me at the thought of losing Aria, and I shake my head in disgust that she could even suggest that. “No. Why do you think it has to be one or the other?”

“Because that’s the least you can do for her, Gideon. You don’t have an incurable disease or anything that will harm her. You simply can’t let go of the past. Not yet, at least. She deserves to know that if you want to keep her.”

A single thought fills my head and escapes from my mouth before I can stop it. “And if she can’t live with that?”

“That’s for her to decide, isn’t it?”

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