Page 8 of A Love So Wrong
Gideon forced himself to take a deep breath and swallow his gut reaction before carefully speaking. "Dad, let's be real honest right now," he said evenly. "Mom is not the best judge of character. She nearly got scammed by someone pretending to be a credit card debt collector on the phone before Jade walked in and overheard the conversation."
Henry scowled at the reminder of the event.
"So, you can see why I can't readily take mom's opinion of a two-second meeting on someboywho wants to take Jade out the one night I'm out of town," he said crisply.
"Gideon," Henry sighed heavily. "What are you going to do? Drag her away from her dates, stop her from dating entirely?" he reasoned. "No, I'm sorry, son, but I can't allow that. We let you date when you were her age, and she should be able…"
"Dammit, dad," Gideon exploded, his grip on the steering wheel lethal now. "This is Jade we are talking about! The same girl who would not speak for nearly a year when we moved in with you guys. Jade, who spaces out at the drop of a dime and who has absolutely no experience with boys beyond Beans!"
"Slow down, Gideon," Henry commanded, an edge of steel lacing the man's voice before he broke out into a small coughing fit. Settling down, he took a deep pull of his water before wiping his beard with the back of his hand. "I don't care how mad you are. You will keep it in the speed limit," he rasped.
"Sir," Gideon acknowledged as he begrudgingly let his foot off the accelerator a bit.
"Besides," Henry said tauntingly. "Her date will be over by the time we get home, so there is no use speeding."
*~
Putting the truck into park on the narrow concrete driveway that led to the large metal barn where they stored it, Gideon hopped out after killing the engine. Oh, he sped all right. He had shaved off thirty minutes off their trip. Proud of himself and ignoring Henry's grumblings, Gideon strode across the darkened lawn with wide steps, leaving Henry in his wake. Coming through the front door, Gideon ignored the delicious smell of food and walked purposely down the short foyer entrance and stopped at the open hallway that led into the living and dining room.
Standing at the table, setting down a clean plate looking as if she had just walked through the door mere minutes ago herself was Jade. Agonizingly slow, Gideon dropped his eyes to her wedged heels and her dark blue skinny jeans. A few inches taller thanks to the shoes, Jade stood before him in a light he had never once seen her in, not even the night of her freshman dance. Pulling his eyes away from the curving lines of her jeans, he trailed them over the deep wine-red off-the-shoulder, ruched shirt that draped delicately over her slim shoulders and breasts. A gold bracelet jangled against her slender wrist as she put down the second empty plate. Gideon could see her tensing under his inspection, but he didn't care. He couldn't stop staring as he noticed the slight shimmer of sparkling lip gloss peek from behind the curly curtain of her honey-brown hair, that for once she decided to wear down. The need for answers mingled in his gut, along with barely checked anger. Scarcely able to rip his gaze from the transformed girl before him, he looked up just in time to see their mother pop around the corner from the kitchen.
"Oh Gideon, doesn’t she look wonderful?" Sandra asked happily as she gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.
Hugging her back, Gideon caught Jade's eye over their mother's shoulder and gave her a wintery smile full of wrathful promise. "Oh yes, she looks absolutely stunning. Must have been some date to deserve this level of beauty," he said in a stilted voice as he pulled away from Sandra's hug, his piercing stare never wavering from Jade, who tried to avert her guilty gaze from his.
Who was this boy? Did Jade like him? Was this boy spellbound by her like Gideon was? Did Gideon need to make yet another public example out of this kid?
Not relenting his attack, Gideon settled his gaze on her cat-like eyes. "Why is that eyeliner I see?" he asked in a too cheery tone as he took an intimidating step towards her.
Jade flinched, and he could feel her ready to bolt in the other direction, and Lord would he chase her down, he thought with sick satisfaction. But the deep sound of Gideon's name being called stopped his pursuit, saving her—for now.
"Gideon," Henry said with tired warning as he rounded the entrance. Giving Gideon a reproving look, Henry hugged and kissed his wife before opening his arms to his daughter. Whisking past Gideon to the arms of her savior, Jade did not hesitate. Giving him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek, Jade instructed their father to sit down before serving him the hot soup.
Calling upon patience, Gideon sat down stiffly in his chair and waited with an unholy eagerness for Jade to sit next to him.
"Um," Jade cleared her throat as she hastily put down Gideon's bowl in front of him and scooted away. "Since I already ate earlier tonight, I was wondering if I could excuse myself and go to bed."
"Of course—" Sandra began.
"Oh, don't leave on our account," Gideon interrupted. He could hear the malevolence in his own voice at her attempt to flee but didn't care. He was going to pin her down someway or somehow, and he would get his answers. "Come sit," he offered. It was meant to sound like a friendly suggestion, but it came off as a frosty demand.
"Ignore him," Henry held out one arm from his chair and accepted one last hug from Jade. "Of course, you can go, but just tell me really quick before you go, how was it? Did you have fun?"
Gideon's stomach roiled at this. Fun was the last thing he wanted to hear.
Pushing back some of her curls from her face, Jade gave Henry a big smile that felt like a blade to Gideon's throat before she nodded.
"Yeah, I actually had a really good time. We went bowling and hung out at Judy's Diner," she said as she stepped back, purposely avoided looking at Gideon.
"Well, I'm glad," Henry said. "Go and get some good sleep. I love you." Henry gave her another hug before she stepped back and hugged their mother with another goodnight.
For the briefest of seconds, her hazel eyes met his across the table, and Gideon could see the flash of guilt before she pulled away. Turning, she practically fled down the dark hall, the final sound of her door opening and closing signaling she was safely tucked behind her bedroom walls. Gideon just smiled as he lifted his spoon of steaming hot soup. She was definitely not safe.
Sandra chuckled as she gave Gideon a bright smile. "Now Gideon," she chided. "You should be happy that your sister is dating and having fun."
Gideon gave his mother a broad smile, the same smile he used to always pacify the woman and get what he wanted. "No," he said simply, before shoveling down a spoonful of the soup.
After cleaning the dishes and straightening the kitchen, Gideon waited until his parents slowly ambled down the hall to their own bedroom. The sound of their door closing felt like a grandfather clock striking midnight in an old castle. There was a finality to it that said all should be quiet, and all should be asleep. Well, not yet, Gideon thought with a smirk.
