Page 29 of Black Tie Billionaire
“I didn’t know you and Trevor went to school together.” Shock whistled through her. “Henever mentioned knowing you.” Not that he mentioned Gideon at all unless it regarded acquiring his tech company. Or more recently, not unless a blue streak of unflattering adjectives followed his name.
His sensual mouth curved into a hard, faintly cruel smile. “Your brother and I have a long history. He was decent until that day. I was a scholarship student at an elite, private prep school.That already made me a target for most students there. But your brother wasn’t one of them. Until after your mother died. Then he became one of the worst. That he and I were often head-to-head competitors in academics and athletics didn’t help matters. Neither did the fact that I didn’t take his or any of the other assholes’ shit.”
“He changed after Mother passed,” Shay murmured, the daggerof pain stabbing her chest all too familiar when she thought about the boy who’d become a hardened man. “She was the...buffer between him and my father. My dad...” Shay shook her head, turning to stare at the passing scenery outside the car window, but seeing Lincoln Neal’s disapproving, stern frown that was often directed at his children. But more so at his first-born child. “He was demanding,exacting and nearly impossible to please. And Trevor desperately wanted to please him. Which became impossible after our father died. Yet, even now...” Again she trailed off, feeling as if she betrayed her brother by revealing even that much.
“That doesn’t excuse his behavior,” Gideon replied, ice coating his voice.
“No,” she agreed, more to herself than him. “But no one is created ina bubble. And no one is all bad or all good. Sometimes it helps to understand why people behave the way they do. And it helps us give them compassion and mercy.”
Strong, firm fingers gripped her chin and turned her to face him. Gideon’s touch reverberated through her, echoing in the taut tips of her breasts, low in her belly, and in the pulsing flesh between her thighs. He’d clutched her likethis the night of the blackout, holding her in place, so he could watch her as she came. Now, like then, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. Like then, her lips parted, but now, she swallowed down the whimper that clawed at the back of her throat.
“Your brother doesn’t deserve compassion or mercy, Shay. So don’t try to convince me differently with sad stories of his childhood.” He sweptthe pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, and this time she lost the battle and released that small sound of need. His eyes narrowed on her mouth, then after several moments, lifted to meet hers. “Why does it feel like I’ve—” He frowned, but didn’t remove his hand.
“Why does it feel like you’ve what?” she breathed, dread filtering into the desire. He’d heard her plead for him, for his touch,many times during the night they’d spent together. Had the sound she’d released just now triggered his memory?
God, in hindsight, she should’ve been up front with him about her identity from the beginning. If she came clean now, he would only see her as a liar.
Maybe because you’re lying by omission?
Shame crept in, mingling with the dread. She hated deception of any kind, and thisdidn’t sit well with her. At all. But self-preservation trumped her conscience at this point. Her reasons for initially remaining quiet still stood. She didn’t trust Gideon. Didn’t know what he would do with the information that Shay Neal had masqueraded as waitstaff at one of the biggest social events of the year and then slept with him under false pretenses. Would he use it as another source ofammo in this war he waged with her brother, leaving her reputation and her company as casualties?
Possibly.
No, she couldn’t afford to find out.
“Nothing.” He dropped his hand from her face, his customary impassive expression falling firmly back in place. Turning from her, he picked up a small, rectangular box from the seat beside him. “Here. I have something for you.”
She glanceddown at the gift, then back up at him. After several moments, she returned her attention to the box and, with slightly trembling fingers, removed the lid. And gasped.
Delicate ruby-and-gold bangles nestled on black velvet. Tiny diamonds rimmed the bracelets, making the jewelry glitter in the dark.
They were beautiful. Just...beautiful.
“There’re eight of them,” he said, picking upthe bangles when she didn’t make a move toward them. “In Chinese culture, eight is a lucky number. Red is also lucky.”
Gently grasping her hand, he slid the jewelry onto her wrist.
“Thank you,” she whispered. In the past, she’d received earrings, necklaces and rings from men who hoped to win her over—or rather win over the Neal heiress. But none of them had been bought with thought ormeaning. None of them had been forher, Shay. Whether he’d intended it or not, Gideon had given her a piece of himself, of his heritage. And for that alone, she’d accept. “They’re gorgeous.”
“You’re welcome,” he murmured, his fingers brushing over the tender skin on the inside of her wrist before withdrawing. For a moment, she caught a flicker of emotion in his eyes before he shut her outonce again.
She felt the echo deep inside her.
And for some inexplicable reason—a reason she refused to explore—it hurt.
A charade, she reminded herself. They were both playing their parts, and gifts to his fake girlfriend were part of those roles.
As long as she kept that truth forefront in her mind, she wouldn’t get caught up in the beautiful enigma that was Gideon Knight.
