Page 58 of Faking It

Gideon lunges but doesn’t get to Michael. Jared and an older man appear by my side and pull him back. I glance at the older man and do a double take. It’s like seeing Gideon twenty years from now.

His dad.

If I thought Gideon looked pissed… hell, his father is a hurricane. His thick beard and dark countenance remind me of a grizzly bear who got awoken mid-hibernation. He releases Gideon at the same time Jared does, then helps Michael from off the floor.

“Mike, go see about that bruise.” He jerks his head down the hallway. “James, let’s go.”

Gideon adjusts his rumpled shirt while sliding Jared a look before following his dad. The tension between them is thicker than a hard dough bread. I watch as his stiff shoulders disappear around the bend.

Jared takes my arm. “Come on, sweetie. I think we could both use a drink.”

“No alcohol for me,” I reply. Jared shoots a questioning stare at me but says nothing.

He grabs me a non-alcoholic mojito from the bar and a glass of scotch for himself, then leads me through the crowd to the other side of the room where velvet couches lay. “Stay away from Michael,” he cautions me as we sit. “He makes the devil look like a saint.”

I nod, knowing he doesn’t need to tell me twice. “What’s the story behind him and Gideon? Seems like there’s no love lost.”

Jared scoffs. “They were best friends, and I use that term quite loosely, my dear. Society marked Gideon as the bad guy, but only a handful of us know he was just a shield for that bad seed. Michael did the crimes, and Gideon took the blame.”

“Why would he do that?” I ask, puzzled. Gideon didn’t seem the type to succumb to peer pressure.

Again, Jared scoffs, jerking his head in the direction Gideon went. “Two words. His dad.”

I remember the tense look that passed between both men. “Care to elaborate?”

“Ha, ha.” Jared wags his finger at me. “You’re asking me to gossip, and I don’t do those things.”

Yeah, right. “Just once for me. Please?”

He drops his shoulders and smacks his lips. “Only because you’re growing on me.”

“Aww.”

After an exaggerated eyeroll, he goes on. “Here’s the deal. Uncle James and Michael’s dad have been best friends since they were like kids or something. Michael’s dad is Martin Galanos, as you should know by now. They’ve always been competitive, but let’s face it, it’s obvious who the clear winner is. Uncle James won several Oscars years ago, but Martin excelled even more.” He leans in with a conspiratorial look. “Between you and me, there’s some serious envy going on there, covered up with so-called respect, of course.”

“Oh, wow.” There’s no need for him to elaborate. It’s obvious where the envy lies.

Jared leans further in. “Uncle James might be envious, but he’ll do anything to stay in Martin’s good books. After all, he’s one of the most powerful men in Hollywood right now.” He catches my blank stare, then rolls his eyes. “You’re smart. Figure it out.”

It takes about a minute to connect the dots, which leads me to ask, “What’s the story behind Gideon and his dad?”

Jared wags his finger at me again. “Uh-uh. You haven’t grown on methatmuch. If you want to know, ask your fake boyfriend yourself. Then again, some information is on a need-to-know basis.”

His expression leaves me intrigued. Curious. It seems I’m not the only one with a secret, after all.

Chapter 21

Gideon

“What the fuck were you thinking, attacking Mike like that?” Dad hisses the second I turn the corner. He stands against the wall, his arms crossed on his chest, the dark fury on his face illuminated by the overhead light. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

“He had it coming to him and so much more.” I’m still furious over his attack on Ana, especially since she refused to press charges. I wish Michael and I had another moment alone where I could give Ana the justice she deserves.

“Had what coming? He barely looked at the girl. Hell, your relationship isn’t even real.” I look at him with surprise, and he scoffs. “Yes. Cheryl told me.”

“So much for a fucking NDA,” I mumble.

“I told her to keep me in the loop regarding your behavior, and she felt inclined to tell me. We’re family, so there’s no need for secrets.”

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