Gideon didn’t leave my side, or al ow me to leave his, the rest of the evening. He kept his right hand linked with my left al the way through dinner, once again choosing to eat one-handed rather than release his hold on me.
Corinne—who’d taken a seat on the other side of him at our table—gave him a curious look. “I seem to remember you being right-handed.”
“I stil am,” he said, lifting our joined hands from under the table and kissing my fingertips. I felt foolish and insecure when he did that—and conscious of Corinne’s scrutiny.
Unfortunately, the romantic gesture didn’t keep him from talking to Corinne throughout the meal, not me—
which left me feeling fidgety and unhappy. I saw more of the back of Gideon’s head than his face.
“At least it’s not chicken.”
I turned my head toward the man sitting beside me.
I’d been so focused on trying to eavesdrop on Gideon’s conversation that I hadn’t paid any mind to our tablemates.
“I like chicken,” I said. And I had liked the tilapia served for dinner—I’d cleaned my plate.
“Not rubberized, certainly.” He grinned and suddenly looked much younger than his pure white hair would suggest. “Ah, there’s a smile,” he murmured. “And it’s a beautiful one.”
“Thank you.” I introduced myself.
“Dr. Terrence Lucas,” he said. “But I prefer Terry.”
“Dr. Terry. It’s lovely to meet you.”
He smiled again. “Just Terry, Eva.”
Over the course of the few minutes we’d spoken, I’d come to believe Dr. Lucas wasn’t a whole lot older than me, just prematurely gray. Aside from that, his face was handsome and unlined, his green eyes intel igent and kind. I revised my guesstimate of his age to be mid-to-late thirties.
“You look as bored as I feel,” he said. “These events raise a considerable amount of money for the shelter, but they can be dul . Would you like to accompany me to the bar? I’l buy you a drink.”
Beneath the table, I tested Gideon’s grip by flexing my hand. His tightened.
“What are you doing?” he murmured.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw him watching me.
Then I watched his gaze lift as Dr. Lucas stood behind me. Gideon’s gaze noticeably cooled.
“She’s going to al eviate the boredom of being ignored, Cross,” Terry said, setting his hands on the back of my chair, “by spending time with someone who’s more than happy to pay attention to such a beautiful woman.”
I was immediately uncomfortable, aware of the crackling animosity between the two men. I tugged on his hand, but Gideon wouldn’t release me.
“Walk away, Terry,” Gideon warned.
“You’ve been so preoccupied with Mrs. Giroux, you didn’t even notice when I sat at your table.” Terry’s smile took on an edge. “Eva. Shal we?”
“Don’t move, Eva.”
I shivered at the ice in Gideon’s voice, but felt stung enough to say, “It’s not his fault he has a point.” Gideon’s grip tightened painful y. “Not now.” Terry’s gaze moved to my face. “You don’t have to tolerate him talking to you that way. Al the money in the world doesn’t give anyone the right to order you around.”
Infuriated and horribly embarrassed, I looked at Gideon. “Crossfire.”
I wasn’t sure I could use the safeword outside of the bedroom, but he released me as if I’d burned him. I
shoved my chair back and threw my napkin onto my plate. “Excuse me. Both of you.”
With my clutch in hand, I walked away from the table, my stride easy and smooth. I made a beeline toward the restrooms, intending to freshen my makeup and col ect myself, but then I saw the lighted exit sign and went with my urge to bail.
I pul ed out my smartphone when I hit the sidewalk and
texted
Gideon;
leaving.
I managed to hail a passing cab, and headed home to nurse my anger.
I was jonesing for a hot bath and a bottle of wine when I reached my apartment. Shoving my key into the lock, I turned the knob and stepped into a porn video.
In the few shocked seconds it took for my brain to register what I was seeing, I stood riveted on the threshold, flooding the hal way behind me with blaring technopop. There were so many body parts involved, I had time to hastily slam the door behind me before I pieced them al together. One woman was spread-eagled on the floor. Another woman’s face was in her crotch. Cary was banging the hel out of her while another man was dril ing him in the ass.
I threw my head back and screamed bloody murder, completely fed up with everyone in my life. And because I was competing with the sound system, I ripped off one of my heels and threw it in that
