“Because of this.” He points to me. “Because you’ve never questioned my orders before. He’s a fucking risk to you. Do you honestly believe he won’t turn you in the first chance he gets? He’ll use you to get to me.”
“The way you’re doing with Sofia,” I throw back.
“Exactly.”
“Gunn won’t do that.” He’s had too many chances and has yet to hand me over.
“He would. You know this because it’s what you would do. It’s a matter of time before one of you gets bored. The chase kept it fun. It’s over. You fucked. What now? You start dating?”
My eyes flick to his and his brows arch upward in surprise.
“Youwantto date him.” He tilts his head and he does that annoying penetrating thing with his gaze, where he digs into mine to search to his answers. “Oh my God. You’ve fallen for him.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckles, infusing his deep rumble with so much sarcasm it sounds truly evil. “I should have seen this coming. My own pupil, my right hand, stupid enough to fall in love.”
For the first time since I met him, since the day he hid me in his bedroom and kept me safe, I hate him. “Shut up.”
“I’m truly disappointed, Scarlet. People like us don’t fall for anyone, much less the fucking enemy.”
“Stop it.”
His smile vanishes in an instant. “Kill him. Kill him before he kills you.”
“Don’t make me do it.” I tap my thumb against my thigh in frustration.
“You’re going soft, Scar. First it was Maisel Cameron,” he says, using Maisie’s full name which she fucking hates.
But it’s not the name that makes my skin curl. It’s the fact that once upon a time, he threatened her life too.
“There is one bullet. You either put it in Clive’s head, or Scarlet will put it in your sister’s.”Gideon gave Skye the ultimatum the day of the showdown with Arran Maxton and his father.
My blood ran cold at his words. Gideon didn’t want Maisie dead, but he’d order me to do it to get the revenge he wanted.
In the end, I killed Clive Maxton myself because Skye’s hand shook too much and I couldn’t risk Maisie’s life.
“Now it’s Gunn Sinclair,” Gideon continues. He takes a sip of his drink and sets it down on the coffee table. With his elbows resting on his knees, he clasps his hands and stares at them. “Does he know how you feel about him?”
I shrug. “I haven’t told him.”
“He cannot love you, Scarlet.”
“Why not? Because of who I am?”
“Because whoheis!” he booms so loudly, I jump a little. “Gunner Sinclair is a Sinacore beyond blood. He is Luca’s sworn brother. In the end, he will choose family.”
“Like Rowan did with you,” I whisper.
He nods. “And like I will always do with you, because you aremyfamily.” He shakes his head. “Do you remember what you told me the day I let you crawl in through my window?”
How could I not? I was fifteen, running from the police that searched for me. And so afraid. I ran without knowing where I was going. Ran without aim, and somehow ended up in hisbackyard. He saw me from his bedroom on the second floor and motioned me over.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“They’re chasing me.”
“Who?”