Page 45 of Better Off Wed
Knox glanced at me. He wore glasses, which he hadn’t had on any of the other times I’d seen him. His lips twitched in response, barely a movement in his stoic face.
“Knox doesn’t like divulging his secrets,” Jack answered with a grin. Connor let out a cackle from across the room, his hands flying over his keyboard as his eyes stayed trained on his screen.
Gideon’s hand gently squeezed my knee, and I turned to see him watching me. “You want something? Tea? Coffee? Water? Food?”
I shook my head. My stomach was one big writhing mass of stress. Putting anything in it was out of the question.
His eyes were intent. “We’ll find out who did this,” he vowed.
I believed him. He held my gaze for a long moment, and it became harder to breathe. His eyes were intense, but the anger in them was gone. Hecared. It made my heart swell, which was so typical of me and so utterly disastrous. I just couldn’t help myself from falling for him, even though Iknewhe didn’t want me that way. Every time he touched me, he wrenched himself away from me. And still, I wanted more. I was a fool.
But here he was, directing every member of his company to find out who had keyed my car. When was the last time someone had cared so much about my safety? When was the last time someone had recruited any amount of resources to helping me with a problem?
I couldn’t remember. I’d been on my own for so long, even when I’d been in a relationship.
Gideon sighed, stood, and extended his hand toward me. “Come with me,” he said gently.
I slipped my palm against his, and he threaded his fingers through mine. He turned to toss the flash drive I’d procured to Jack, then tugged me up to my feet and kept hold of my hand as he guided me toward a closed door on the other side of the room. Holding his hand felt natural and thrilling all at once. I never wanted him to let go.
But he did let go when we got inside the room. It was asmall meeting room, with a couch, two armchairs, a low table, and a big screen on the wall. Gideon sat me down on the couch and took a seat next to me, his expression serious.
“You didn’t sign up for this,” he started without preamble. He licked his lips and swallowed thickly, gaze sliding away from mine for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and met my gaze again. “I’ll understand if you just want to grab your stuff and go, Sadie. No hard feelings.”
I reared back. “What?”
“I’ll find out who did this either way. But I know this isn’t what you thought you were getting when you agreed to marry me. We can rip up that certificate, go our separate ways. I know this changes things.”
“You’re trying to get rid of me?” My words were breathless.
Gideon’s brows slammed down. “I’m trying to keep yousafe. If someone has it out for you, the best thing for you to do is go back to the city.”
I crossed my arms and stuck out my jaw. “Nice try, Gideon. Still isn’t gonna work.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve been trying to get rid of me since the moment you saw me at the end of the aisle.” An idea dawned. No—not possible. But still, I had to ask. “Didyouvandalize my car? You’re trying to scare me off?”
He stared at me, disbelieving and furious. Then in a low voice, he said, “I’ve married a lunatic.”
“That wasn’t a no,” I observed, leaning back on the couch. “You could just tell me you don’t want to stay married to me. No need to cause property damage.”
Then he was there, caging me against the arm of the sofa. His scent filled my nose. His arms strained against the fabric of his shirt on either side of me, his jaw twitching from how hard he clenched it. All that existed was him. The heat of his body blazing against me. The closeness of his features. The feel of his warm breath ghosting across my skin. “I did not key your car, Sadie,” he enunciated. “I didn’t slash your tire. And the last thing I’m trying to do is get rid of you.”
I gulped, heart thudding in my throat. My body was ablaze, even though no part of him touched any part of me. My gaze dropped to his lips, and I remembered how they felt against mine. Remembered the way his stubble abraded my skin. Remembered how badly I wanted to feel the rasp of it against my inner thighs. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it,” I answered, and it came out as a whisper.
His fingers tightened against the couch, causing the leather to creak in protest. “I’m trying to give you achance, Sadie. A chance to make the right decision.”
My pulse was still too fast. I narrowed my eyes. “And what’s that?”
“Get away from this town. Find something better for yourself.” He paused. “Someonebetter.”
I clicked my tongue, shoving his chest so he’d back away. I stood up, restless and on edge. Crossing the room, I stared out the window at the trees surrounding the building. It took several long moments for my heartbeat to settle. Then I turned and found Gideon watching me. His gaze held an edge of desperate hunger, but the line of his shoulders was resigned.
I lifted my chin. “No.”
He jerked. “What?”
“I’m not leaving.”
