Page 114 of Faking It

He shakes his head. “We won’t be working in the same industry.Espionagewas my last work. After today, I’m retiring for good.”

“What about your dad, that debt? Gideon, you’re going to lose the house!”

I don’t understand why he’s so calm when I’m getting flustered on his behalf. Can he really stand to lose all this?

“This is material. I can always buy another,” he replies, sounding as calm as he looks. “I went over to my father’s house this morning, prepared to walk away and let him have it.”

“Why?”

His hands slide into his pockets as he rocks on his heels. The long, searching stare that he’s giving me, that tenderness in his eyes, the dead silence that prolongs, it’s making my body wound tighter than a banjo string.

“What happened?” I whisper.

“Mahogany Filmswanted to cut ties with you. I refused to go along with it, letting them know it’s you and me or nothing at all. My aunt called my bluff, and I walked out.”

“Jesus, Gideon.” My eyes fill with tears. There are so many emotions coursing through me, chief of which is a startling realization that I’m in love with this man. “You didn’t.”

“I walked right out, Ana,” he repeats, his expression inflamed. “It made me sick that they would distance themselves without even hearing your side of the story. What they did was not okay.”

“You’re right, but…” I shake my head. “I’m not worth it, Gideon. I’m not worth losing your house. After how I treated you—”

“This is bigger than what happened between us. It’s doing what’s right. You didn’t deserve that decision. Not after you saved the company a shitload because of the buzz around us. Not after you showed up on time and worked your ass off, helping to make a killer movie. There was no way I could support what they’d done.”

“I imagine your dad must’ve been livid.”

He shrugs. “I knew he would retaliate, so I beat him to it.” Then he smirks. “Turns out, it was a waste of time. My dad is being questioned by the authorities as we speak.”

My jaw slackens. “What did he do?”

“Conspired to steal my money,” he replies simply, and my mouth flies open again.

I plop down on the couch as he gives me a breakdown of what happened. At least, what he theorized, based on what he learned from the FBI. His dad wanted to force him back into acting, so he teamed up with Gideon’s investment banker to embezzle all his savings. Over time, his banker made unauthorized transfers from his accounts while providing doctored reports each quarter. By the time Gideon realized this, it was already too late. The money was gone, and so was the investment manager.

With Gideon now broke, his father could control him once again.

“He thought it was a win-win,” Gideon finishes. “Either he controls me, or I’ll lose everything.”

I shake my head. “He didn’t count on your banker being caught, obviously.”

“He sure didn’t. From what I’ve learned, Jeremy should’ve left the country with his half of the money. At least, that was their plan. I don’t know why he changed his mind. I guess the authorities will find that out in due time.”

“Oh, my god,” I sigh. “I can’t decide who’s worse, your dad or my mom.”

“They’re both evil.” He sits beside me. “And they’re getting a just reward.”

“How did you get her and Logan to confess?” I ask.

A soft but mysterious smile lightens his features, then he shakes his head. “I’d rather you not know, just in case.”

“Just in case of what? Did you do something illegal?” I exclaim, horrified. I’d be devastated if Gideon gets a criminal record on my behalf.

“Not yet. Not if they stay away from you,” he replies, then shushes me with a finger pressed to my lip. “That’s all I’m going to say about it.”

“Thank you.”

That tenderness appears in his eyes, fanning the flame of my desire for him. “Don’t mention it.”

I want to touch him so badly, but I don’t dare. He hasn’t even mentioned forgiving me yet. I finger the hem of my shirt, and his gaze falls, watching the movement.

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