by Kadi Dillon
Gideon’s eyes were fixed on a tall, dark-haired goddess. He’d seen her in the little pink thing before, he mused. But he hadn’t seen Rebecca in action. It was just his luck she’d asked him to take things slow. Damn her. He hadn’t slept a wink the night before and probably wouldn’t again until he eased this insane lust for her.
The tiny observation room didn’t hold much. There was a black, leather couch on the far wall and a tall, potted plant in the corner. The two-way mirror took up the entire wall where the girls were dancing in front of it.
There were thirteen girls dancing in the show. He’d learned this from Lewis. Nikos’ husband. Obnoxious and skinny, Lewis stood fully clad in tight black. His white-blond hair should have been spooky with his pale complexion and black eyes, but he was too friendly and too cheerful to be frightening. As long as he didn’t hit on Gideon, he didn’t have a problem.
“Oh, this is Miss Rebecca.” Lewis all but pressed his nose to the two-way mirror. “She’s Nikos’ prima ballerina. Oh, look at those lines!”
Remembering her reference to their lines, Gideon smirked. Elegant, he thought. He watched her jump and spin, then land hard on her ass. He was sure they had a name for the sexy little move she did, but he didn’t know it. He saw the Russian, Niko smile at her and clap his hands. She glared at him and he saw her lips move muttering something that sent Nikos’ head back in an explosive laugh.
Rebecca stood gracefully and moved back to repeat the move. He saw her thighs strain as she jumped then Niko moved in and caught her cleanly on the waist. He’d told himself he wouldn’t be jealous. But damn the man, his hands were everywhere!
“I bet she’s going to have a bruise on her—”
“Probably,” Gideon interrupted his brother. He’d brought him along in case the goons decided to try anything. The waiting game was tiring. He had every confidence he, his brother, and father could handle them. But having to wait to get his hands on their sorry asses was just pissing him off. He wanted to make a move.
If he knew where to begin, he would go find them. He owed one of them, the one who snatched his phone. He owed him a couple of bruises for the ones he gave Rebecca. And while he was at it, he’d like to give Austin Channing the beating the bastard deserved. Not only had he abandoned his daughter, he’d basically thrown her to the wolves while his ass was probably living it up on a beach somewhere. Once the danger had passed, he’d come back– if he even came back at all– and uproot Rebecca’s life again.
And that’s what burned him the most. How could anyone care so little for Rebecca? He knew enough by now to know neither one of her parents ever really gave a damn. She lived with her mother, but she didn’t know her. He knew Rebecca worried about both of her parent’s safety more than her own and neither one deserved it.
They’d go pick up Lilah from the airport tomorrow before she had the chance to go home. Rebecca had told him she wouldn’t be happy to learn about Austin’s return and all though she didn’t say much else about it, Gideon sensed the scene would not be a pretty one. He would be there for her and hoped that would be enough.
The red-head Colin had been admiring before sauntered over to the mirror, checking her backside out. She ran her hand down the back of her thigh. Gideon snorted and looked past her. Rebecca was talking to the Russian while the other girls guzzled water or packed up their bags to leave. Colin was saying something about getting Red’s number, but Gideon hardly paid attention. Rebecca’s shoulders were set, the lines she had talked about straighter than an arrow. His mouth watered at the sight of her sweat slickened arms and endless legs.
She smiled at Niko then turned to walk away. She glanced at the mirror then quickly away before disappearing through the side door that led to the dressing rooms. Trying not to picture exactly what was going on in there, Gideon decided a breath of fresh air was called for before he saw her again and walked out the door.
Colin was leaning up against the brick wall outside the ballet studio watching Red walk away. He gave an appreciative sigh before turning to his brother.
“I love ballerinas.”
Gideon snorted. “You like their legs.”
“Legs are good. They’re also flexible.” Colin pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. Blowing smoke lazily, he sighed. “Where’s your ballerina?”
“Changing.”
“So she’ll be a minute?”
“Yeah, what’s on your mind?”
Colin pushed off the wall and stuffed his free hand in his pocket. “I’m leaving in six weeks. I’m flying to California then sailing to Kauai. I’ve already made arrangements to ship June.”
“For how long?”
He lifted his shoulder. “Not sure about that part yet. It’s a one way plane ticket.”
“You are coming back, right?”
“Yeah. I just need to get away for a while. I’ve been here for four years. I just feel like I’m going crazy.” He crushed his cigarette and leaned back against the wall.
Gideon nodded. He knew the feeling all too well. In West Virginia, they’d had the whole ocean to sail if they had wanted. Lake Erie just didn’t compare. “You told Mom?”
“We’ve talked about it. She’s supportive but I just wonder how Jess will take it.”
“She’ll blame herself.”
“Yes,” Colin murmured. “I bought the island for her. I’ve stayed for me. It isn’t her fault that bastard—” He cut himself off, Gideon knew, because it was a losing battle. There was nothing they could do, nothing they could say to fix it. “I still blame myself.”
“If you’re to blame, then so am I.” The old anger simmered but didn’t boil as it used to. Years had passed. Whether Jess was healed or not, she was happy where she was. She was safe and content on the island.
“I’m the oldest. I should have looked out for her better.”
It was the main reason Colin had bought the island. He had felt responsible for what happened to their sister and had shipped his whole family off to Avery.
“Yeah,” Gideon said, struggling to relieve some of the pain and tension, “well, I’m the smartest, so I should have looked out for her better too.”
Colin smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I just need some time alone.”
“Hey, I understand. I was thinking about taking a little time myself.”
Before Colin could comment, the front doors swung open and the women poured out of the building. Gideon watched for Rebecca, but she didn’t come out with them. He walked into the studio with Colin following him and stopped in the doorway of the dance room.
Rebecca stood in the middle of the room with her back to them. A skinny blond with pale, ringlet curls stood in front of her, her lips twisted in amusement. Rebecca’s back was rigid then she shrugged—a jerky movement that showed both attitude and distress. The blond walked away—she more like bounced away—and Rebecca stayed rooted in the same spot.
Blondie stopped abruptly and smiled when she spotted the two men.
“Hi.” She tipped her head to the side like an empty-headed dog.
Her voice was even annoying, Gideon thought as he walked past her. Rebecca spun around with tears in her eyes and met his gaze. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, she’s fine.” The blond gave up on trying to charm Colin, who had turned into a stone wall upon seeing Rebecca’s face. She walked over to where Gideon and Rebecca were standing. The sound of her heels tapping echoed in the quiet room. “She just had a reality check, is all. Right, Rebecca?”
“Get fucked, Hallow wits.”
Gideon jolted at the heat in Rebecca’s voice. Anger shot in the blonds’ eyes, then she shrugged. “I do. Regularly.” With that, she sauntered to the door. She paused long enough to sneer at Rebecca again. “You should try it. It’ll loosen you up a little.”
Chapter Nine
I just might, Rebecca thought while rage rushed through her veins like liquid fire. It was a relief to feel anger instead of hurt. But she knew better. The hurt would come
later when she was alone. She wanted to laugh at Molly’s bouncy exit but was afraid it would come out as a sob.
Keeping her eyes away from Gideon’s probing gaze, Rebecca went to retrieve her bag then started out the door. She tensed when Gideon took her arm and turned her. She couldn’t stop shaking and hoped he wouldn’t notice.
“What was that about?”
“Nothing, really. She just has a way of pissing me off. Happens all the time.” She shrugged out of his hold and continued to the door. Colin pushed off the wall and pulled the door open for her. “Thanks.”
She waited for them to catch up.
“We’ll talk on the boat.” Gideon took her arm again and led her down the street.
Rebecca didn’t comment. It took all her energy to keep from letting the tears fall freely. She’d have felt better, but she had cried too much already. For her pride’s sake, it had to stop.
Colin jumped onto the boat first and reached back for her hand. Gideon took her elbow to help her up before leaping up behind them. The speedboat didn’t have a cabin so Rebecca knew Gideon meant for her to tell them both what happened. It wasn’t their business, she thought. Then immediately she knew she was wrong. It was very much their business, or most of it.
Gideon waited until they were about a mile away from Cleveland before sitting down beside her on the bench. Colin sat at the helm facing the front but she wasn’t fooled. If he was as obnoxious as his brother, she knew he was listening intently.
“Tell me,” Gideon demanded quietly.
Rebecca sank her teeth into her bottom lip and shrugged. “My father gave Molly a message for me.”
“What was the message?”
“Look inside.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Colin asked.
“I have no idea.” She didn’t like the way Gideon was looking at her. It took all she had not to squirm under his scrutinizing gaze. “That’s all he told her to tell me.”
“That’s not why you were upset.”
“No,” she agreed slowly, hating the fact that he always saw more than she wanted him to see. “But that’s all that pertains to this situation. Like I said before, Molly Hallowitz just loves to piss all of us off. That’s why we call her Hallow Wits.”
Gideon cursed so violently she jumped. He pushed off the seat and strode to the other side of the cruising boat. “You don’t want to talk about it, fine. But don’t lie to me.”
Rebecca threw her chin up. “I didn’t lie. I said that was all that pertained to this situation. And she does piss us off.”
He growled and shot a look at Colin. “Give me a damn cigarette.”
“No.”
“Damn it, Colin.”
“Damn it, Colin,” he mocked. “What crawled up your ass?”
“Give. Me. A. Cigarette.”
Colin leaned forward until he was eye to eye with his brother. “No.” He drew out the o and made it just insulting enough. A growl erupted in Gideon’s throat and he swung his balled fist at Colin’s head.
Rebecca squeaked as Colin ducked and rammed Gideon in the stomach. The men fell over and began to grapple like young boys on a playground. Rebecca shouted their names but they couldn’t hear her over their own threats and grunts. Never having experience with fighting men—or boys—Rebecca seethed.
She stalked over to the helm and cut the engine. When that didn’t faze them, she began to shake one of their shoulders. She couldn’t tell who, but as she was shaking him, he brought his fist up again. Rebecca flinched back, knowing they didn’t see her. She backed up a little too fast and the back of her knees rammed into the side of the boat.
It seemed to happen in slow motion. There was nothing she could do to catch her balance. She teetered a moment, swinging her arms and let out a high pitch squeal. The only thought she could process as she hit the cool water was thank God she had turned the boat off. She hit the water and plunged under, a roaring filling her ears. Her lungs were already screaming by the time she stopped sinking under the water.
Since the sky was black, she couldn’t tell which way was up. Panicked, she tried to let her body float naturally to the surface but she seemed to hang in limbo. While her lungs burned for air, Rebecca’s vision began to fade. She cursed her father again because he was the reason everything was happening. And he’d slept with Molly Hallowitz. Oh, it burned. The pain in her lungs couldn’t compare to the pain in her heart. She hated that her last thoughts, her last comprehensible thinking was about her spineless father.
She kicked out again and came into contact with something big and solid. She shrieked in the water and through the bubbles from the little air she’d released, she saw Gideon’s dark eyes before she was grabbed and drug up. At least she hoped it was up.
A few painful seconds later, they broke surface. Rebecca gasped and brought air into her tortured lungs again and again. She felt another strong pair of hands pulling at her. Without being clear on how she came to be, she landed on the floor of the speedboat shivering. Gideon landed in a heap beside her and immediately took her in his arms.
She couldn’t say for sure who was shaking more. She assumed it was her because she was so cold. Her teeth chattered from the frigid air and shock of almost drowning. She buried her face into Gideon’s chest, too exhausted to yell at them for knocking her into the water in the first place. She could be mad about it later, she decided.
She had thought for a moment that she was dying and that shook her more. She had been fading, she knew. She remembered the limpness in her limbs as she had struggled to move them. She remembered her last thought being The Dance and wanting so badly to slam her fist through the canvas for causing her life to turn upside down.
Through the canvas, her mind repeated. And she knew.
“The p-painting.”
“Forget about the stupid painting.” Gideon grabbed the blanket Colin had retrieved from one of their nifty storage compartments and wrapped her up tightly. “Are you all right?”
“Look inside the painting.” She shuddered again as the warmth spread. “He p-put something in the painting. And he wants me to look inside the canvas.”
“We’ll take care of it.” Colin’s voice was quiet.
She glanced up at him. “You’re bleeding.”
Colin wiped at the blood on his lips and sneered. “Bastard. Still got a sneaky left.”
“You idiots knocked me in the water.” She tried to put attitude in her voice but it came out shaky, which infuriated her. “You two were fighting like a couple of—” She seethed. “Idiots!”
“You’re completely right,” Colin agreed.
“Shut up, kiss ass.”
“You started it,” Colin pointed out.
Gideon growled. Rebecca pulled on his shirt. “Grow up! C-can we please get to the house some time soon. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s freezing.”
“Get the boat moving, dumb ass.” Gideon pulled Rebecca fully into his lap. “I’m so sorry, baby.” He kissed her wet hair.
Rebecca gave up and laid her head against his shoulder. Her arms and legs felt as though she’d run ten miles and her head was pounding harder than waves against rocks. She felt as though she’d been hit by a truck. “Want to share my blanket?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I thought I was going to die,” she whispered.
“I know.” His voice had grown thick and his grip tightened.
Rebecca shut her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to be in her warm bed at the Avery home, but she had to see what was inside The Dance. She wouldn’t sleep until she did. What if it was money? Should she turn it into the police? How could she keep her damn promise when the whole thing was a big joke anyway?
She accepted—as much as anyone could—that her father was a criminal. He’d never been anything else for as long as she’d been born. She accepted that he’d used something of hers to rip someone off and had ultimately endangered her life. But how could he sleep with Molly? How could he have told he
r things he had no business telling? She shivered again as she recalled Molly’s hateful words. “You’re father told me about how he left you. Gosh, Rebecca. I wonder what makes you so unlovable. It’s no secret your mother can’t stand you.”
She didn’t know anything, she told herself as the tears threatened. But she knew Molly had been telling the truth when she had told her they’d slept together. How else could she know all the private things she knew? Rebecca knew Gideon was angry with her for not telling him everything. But how could she? It was humiliating.
The boat lurched to a stop. Rebecca kept her eyes closed because her head was pounding viciously. She didn’t protest when Gideon picked her up and jumped down from the boat with her in his arms. He didn’t set her down as she expected though, he just began walking toward the house.
“I can walk.”
He ignored her and walked through the door Colin had opened for him. As soon as they entered the house, she heard Rose’s usually quiet voice throwing questions at her son. She felt warm, dry hands on her shoulders as soon as Gideon sat her on her feet. Seconds later, Rose and Jess were drying her with towels still firing off questions like a loaded cannon.
“I f-fell,” she managed to say. She let them fuss while she closed her eyes. Rose checked her for bumps or bruises and tried to pat her hair dry.
Rebecca heard the men talking and turned her head. Gideon nodded at something his father said and walked over to her.
“You okay?”
She nodded, clutching the blanket around her. She felt as though she had skin made of ice instead of flesh. It was only September, she thought. Maybe she was going into shock. Could a person in shock know they were in it? She wanted to ask but her teeth chattered.
Colin brought a cup to her and wrapped her hand around it. “It’s warm tea. It’ll take the chill off.”
She drank it obediently and sighed as the warmth began to spread.
“Thank you.”
“What happened?” Rose asked again, easing Rebecca into a chair.