Page 33 of Black Tie Billionaire
Twelve
“You ambushed me. Again.”
Gideon turned from his silent—okay, brooding—study of the scenery passing by the car window to look at Shay. She’d been quiet since they’d left the Creightons’ mansion ten minutes earlier. No, she’d been distant since returning to the dining room after dinner.
And Madison had followed a couple minutes behind her, wearing a sly grin. Personal experiencehad taught him his ex could be a malicious bitch. Had she said something to Shay? Had Madison hurt her? A wave of protectiveness had surged inside him, and he’d just managed to check the impulse to drag Shay onto his lap and demand answers. To ease the tension that had strung her shoulders tight. To assure her that if Madison had sharpened that dagger she called a tongue against Shay, hewould fix it.
Instead, he’d remained sitting beside her at the table, continuing the charade until they could politely leave.
Disgust ate at him like a caustic acid. Disgust with himself. He’d led her into the lion’s den and hadn’t shielded her.
Every war has casualties.
He mentally repeated the reminder like a mantra. He’d been aware when he’d included Shay as part of his plansthat she might be wounded, but the end justified the means. He intentionally conjured an image of his sister lying on that hospital bed, black hair limp, skin pale as she stared listlessly out the window. Oh yes. The end justified the means.Olivia—her suffering, her brokenness, her loss—justified it.
“Am I supposed to know what that cryptic comment means, Shay?” he asked. “Because I can assureyou, I don’t.”
She didn’t flinch from his flat, indifferent tone or the dismissal in his question. “You knew Madison and the senator would be there tonight.”
Gideon stared at her, not even debating whether to give her the truth or not. “Of course I did. Janet and Donald are business associates of Julian’s.”
“You didn’t think to warn me?” She shook her head. “What if Trevor had beenthere?”
“And?” he asked, anger igniting inside him. “I hoped he would be. But it doesn’t matter. Maybe him hearing about his sister dating his enemy from his future father-in-law or his fiancée might work out better than I intended.”
“Do you care that your schemes and plans are hurting people?” she whispered.
The disappointment in her voice, as if he’d somehow let her down, raked overhis skin. Burrowed beneath it.
He hated it.
Dipping his head, he leaned closer until only inches separated them. So close her breath ghosted over his lips. “Your brother?” He paused. “No.”
“All this for her,” she breathed, her gold-and-green eyes roaming his face. Summer on the verge of autumn. That’s what they reminded him of. Shaking his head as if he could physically rid himselfof the sentimental thought, he leaned away from her, turning back to the window. “Madison was right.”
He stiffened, his suspicions confirmed.
Slowly, he straightened and shifted on the seat, meeting her gaze again.
“What did she say to you?” he growled.
“Nothing I didn’t already know,” she replied, her full bottom lip trembling before she seemed to catch the betraying sign. Herteeth sank into the sensual curve.
“What did she say to you, Shay?” he repeated, grounding out the question between clenched teeth.
“That you were using me to get back at her and Trevor. That she could have you back if she wanted. She...” Shay paused, and something flickered in her eyes. “She told me to ask you who broke up with whom. From that, I’m assuming she left you.”
He didn’tanswer. Couldn’t.
What did it matter if Shay knew the dirty details? Of how he’d walked in on her brother in Madison’s bed. How the woman he’d believed he would spend the rest of his life with had told him she’d upgraded with Trevor.
None of it mattered now. Yet he couldn’t shove the words past his throat.
Shay shook her head, chuckling softly. Except the sound contained no humor.“So is that your master plan? Was the file on my brother your way of ensuring I cooperated while you plotted to steal back your ex? That would show Trevor who the better man was, right? Teach him—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That’s another thing Madison accused me of being. Dumb. But I’m not. You’re fighting over her like she’s some ball you lost on the playground. Andin the end, I’ll look like the idiot she called me. But that doesn’t matter to you, does it? Not as long as you win.”
