Page 60 of Prodigal

The minute they stepped outside of their bubble, the world was once again fucked up and unfair and filled with dangers, but he wanted André to know that he could find protection and safety with Gideon.

Always.

“Thank you for today,” André murmured as if he’d read Gideon’s mind. “Seeing Jules so happy…” He tipped his head back, meeting Gideon’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Gideon cupped his chin. “Jules is not the only one who deserves to be happy. Did you enjoy yourself today?” He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from André’s own mouth.

“I did,” he answered softly. “It was nice to forget everything and just have fun.”

“I want to give you that all the time,” Gideon told him. “I want to be the one who makes you smile. Who makes you happy.” He swallowed. “I want that more than I want anything else.”

“Gideon.” André rolled them until Gideon was on his back, then he climbed atop Gideon, their foreheads nudging, bodies perfectly aligned.

Sliding a hand down his back and over his ass, Gideon brushed his lips over André’s. “You make me happy. I want to return that feeling.”

“You do,” André whispered against his lips. “You do.” His lips parted and Gideon swept right on in, tongue twisting over his, tasting him with a low groan. André deepened the kiss, hips rocking, and then they were humping, trying not to make too much noise, trying not to wake Jules.

“Mmm, shit. Ride me.” Gideon clasped his hands on André’s hips, urging him on. A loud groan fell from André’s lips and Gideon slapped a hand over his mouth, grinning when André chuckled into his palm.

A loud knock came on the door and they froze. The knock came again and André rolled off him with a mournful sound.

“Shit.” Gideon sat up, adjusting himself. “Yeah, come in.”

Samir entered. Gideon wasn’t supposed to be interrupted unless it was important, so there better be a reason why he was sitting there, unsatisfied.

“He wants to see you.”

Gideon lifted an eyebrow. “Who wants to see me?”

“Canto, and not you.” Samir dipped his head in André’s direction. “Him.”

André stiffened.

“Did he say why?” Gideon asked Samir, who shook his head.

“No.”

He turned to André, stroking his thigh as he addressed Samir. “Give us a minute.” He waited until Samir left before he asked André, “What do you want to do?”

“Pretend he doesn’t exist?”

Gideon pulled him into his arms. “I know, but you can’t.” He caressed André’s nape. “You can say no.” Bringing his hands up, he cupped André’s face. “I will never force you to see him or to do anything you don’t want to. You can say no.” He didn’t give a fuck what Ennis wanted when it came to André. And if André wanted it, Gideon would put a bullet in that fucker’s head. It would be no hardship since that had been the plan all along.

André didn’t speak for a while, then he eased out of Gideon’s hold with a sigh. “I might as well go, get it over with. I don’t want to waste more time than I need to on him.”

“Okay.” Gideon nodded, getting to his feet. “Let’s get Jules to bed, then we’ll go down to see him.”

André scooped his sister up in his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead when she roused. Gideon followed them silently as André made his way to her bedroom, waiting outside as André took her in. A few minutes later he was back, all the happiness from the day drained from his eyes.

Fuck Ennis. Gideon could kill him for that alone. He held out a hand and when André took it, Gideon squeezed him gently. “Let’s go.”

Samir joined them in the elevator, silent and watchful as ever. He’d been the one handling Ennis since Gideon didn’t want anything to distract him from André and Jules. André didn’t say a word, not in the elevator and not as they made their way down the corridor to the med unit where Ennis remained under heavy guard.

Despite what he’d told them about his daughter, Gideon still didn’t trust that fucker. He had yet to get answers regarding who had killed his mother and tried to assassinate him. That time would come soon enough, though. For now, he ignored the way André’s grip tightened around his hand as they entered the med unit. Samir stood back, allowing them to enter Ennis’s room.

He was awake, sitting up, looking slightly better than the last time Gideon saw him. His gaze landed on André, then dropped to where he and Gideon held hands. His eyes narrowed. “What is this? What the fuck are you doing with my son?”

“Nope.” André held up his free hand. “You don’t get to ask that question. You do not have therightto ask that question.”

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