Page 21 of Final Vendetta

“What do they want?” I mumbled partly to myself.

“What most reporters do these days,” Gideon ground out, his jaw tight. “To capitalize on what happened to you, all to increase their ratings and hopefully make them more money. But don’t worry about them…” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, giving me a reassuring kiss. “Right now, your only focus should be on regaining your strength.”

“Thank you.” I leaned my head back against the headrest, exhausted from days of interrupted sleep.

“Of course.” He pressed one more kiss to my hand, then lowered it, but didn’t let go.

Instead, the soft brush of his thumb along my knuckles offered me comfort as I closed my eyes, settling in for the drive.

But after what felt like only minutes, the car came to a stop and Gideon gently nudged me awake.

“We’re here.”

I fluttered my eyes open, expecting to be at his house in San Diego. But we were in front of a building adjacent to an airstrip, the lights of the runway visible in the distance.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“A private terminal near the airport.”

“What are we doing here?”

“Going home.” He flashed me a smile, then slid out of the SUV, rushing around to open my door for me. “Are you okay to walk a few steps?” he asked as a man hurried toward us with a luggage cart and began unloading our bags at Henry’s instruction. “The plane’s ready and waiting for us.”

“A private plane?” I playfully waggled my brows, taking Gideon’s outstretched hand and allowing him to help me to my feet. “You sure know how to spoil a girl.”

“And I intend on spoiling you every day for the rest of your life. If you’ll let me.”

“How can I say no to that?”

He brushed a gentle kiss to my lips before pulling back and meeting Henry’s gaze. “Thanks, brother. For everything.”

Something unspoken passed between the two men in the few silent seconds before Gideon wrapped him in a brief hug. When he released him, Henry turned his attention toward me.

“Take care of yourself. And him.”

I laughed under my breath as he gave me a gentle squeeze. “I’m pretty sure he can take care of himself.”

“Maybe. Just don’t let him lose sight of who he is,” he whispered before dropping his hold on me.

“Ready?” Gideon asked, touching a hand to my back.

“Let’s go home.”

“I like the sound of that.” He beamed a wide smile that reminded me so much of Samuel.

I should have been thrilled.

Instead, it only made me long for the mysterious stranger in black who I watched kill a man with his bare hands.

Chapter Ten

Gideon

“Where are we going?” Imogene asked as I drove north along the freeway after landing at a private terminal by San Diego airport.

Normally, I wouldn’t go through the trouble of flying from LA to San Diego when the drive typically only took a little more than two hours, depending on traffic.

But I wanted Imogene to be taken care of.

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