Page 33 of Prodigal

“You cannot afford to be distracted, G.”

“I’m not distracted.” Didn’t he already tell Samir that? Seems his friend didn’t buy it then and he didn’t buy it now.

“And you cannot get involved,” Samir continued as if Gideon hadn’t voiced that obviously false denial. “He has his purpose, and it does not include fucking you.”

Gideon bit back the angry retort that surged to the tip of his tongue. “Let’s not talk about André.” Because he didn’t want to hear what he couldn’t and shouldn’t do. Not when all of the arguments against it made sense. Not when all of it was true. “What does Ree want?”

Samir shrugged, slowing his footsteps as they arrived at Gideon’s office. “She didn’t say, just insisted she needed to talk to you and only you.” He jerked his chin at Marco, who stood outside the closed office door like a sentry, arms crossed. “I had him search her thoroughly for a wire or any recording devices. Or a gun, in case she came back to put a bullet in your ass for killing her father.”

Gideon scoffed. “She didn’t like himthatmuch.” But Ree was fierce and a fighter. Had been even as a child. He’d always admired that about her. He blew out a breath. “All right, I’m going in alone.”

“The fuck you are,” Marco barked. “She could still do something?—”

“She won’t.” He probably shouldn’t be vouching for Ree, but he did. “Ree wouldn’t hurt me.” Without waiting for a response from either of the men who sometimes forgot they actuallyworkedfor him, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Closing the door softly, he leaned against it and smiled at Ree, who sat at the edge of his desk. “My people think you’re here to kill me.”

“Maybe I am.” She got off the desk and approached him slowly. Still short, dainty, and breakable in appearance, but her eyes told a different story. She’d been through some things. Maybe not as fucked up as Gideon, but she’d been tested all the same. “Payback for killing my father?”

He cocked his head. “Ree, why do you think I did that?”

“Funny, that’s what’s been bugging me, and it’s the first question I asked the guy who just appeared in my apartment last night.”

Gideon stiffened, eyes narrowed. “What guy?”

She shrugged. “Took a while to figure out why he was so familiar, but then it came to me.” She snapped her fingers. “Ennis Canto. You two run in the same circles, don’t you?”

What the fuck was Ennis playing at? “What did he want?”

“To confirm that you did kill my father. And to tell me you cannot be trusted.”

“And you believe him?”

“What does he have against you?” Ree asked instead. “Because clearly, if he came to me, he has an agenda.”

“Just a business deal,” he told her dismissively as he turned and opened the door. As he expected, Samir and Marco waited on the other side. “Marco, have Ree taken home. I want at least two men on her at all times.”

“Wait, what?” Ree grabbed his arm. “That’s not why I came here. I?—”

“It doesn’t matter why you came, Ree,” he said to her while holding Samir’s gaze. “Ennis Canto paid Ree a visit.”

Samir lifted an eyebrow. “A desperate move.”

Indeed. “Marco.”

Marco stepped in, taking Ree’s arm and holding tight as she tried to jerk away from him.

“Gideon, wait. Hey, don’t fucking touch me. I’m not done. Gideon!”

“Go with Marco, he’ll make sure you’re safe.” Gideon ignored her protests until Ree and Marco were out of sight. Samir joined him inside the office, closing the door.

“Going to Ree was a desperate move on his part.” Samir’s expression turned thoughtful. “We just might have him where we want him.”

They just might. “Let’s shift to the next stage of the plan. I want it executed tonight.”

Samir’s phone pinged and he fished it out of his pocket, lips curling at whatever he read on the screen. “Perfect timing.” He lifted his head, eyes flashing with that particular gleam he got whenever a plan was coming together. “The Council just called an emergency meeting.”

Gideon chuckled. “Perfect timing, indeed.”

All the membersof The Council were present. Well, except for the dead ones. Prislaya’s seat was empty, but it wouldn’t be for long if The Council had its way.

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