Primal Bargains
Page 23
Morgan goes pale. “I can hardly believe it,” she says. “All this time I thought…”
Raven reaches over and squeezes her hand. She looks hopefully at Gideon. “If Tynan’s alive, does that mean Dad might have gotten out too?”
Bishop closes his eyes briefly, tightly. “We saw him though. When we…”
“When we closed the coffin,” Archer finishes.
“Right.” Raven nods her head sharply. “Right.”
Morgan lifts her hand. “But Tynan might have gotten out, right? And he’s… he’s sending you things from the car? And trying to steal his notebook that Dad left him?”
“I realize it sounds like… a lot,” Gideon says gently. “But it makes the most sense.”
Morgan inhales sharply. “But why disappear? Why hide from us?”
“And why come back now?” Cassian asks. He holds up the car computer, which he’s brought with him. “Why send us this?”
Gage rubs at his forehead. “Because something happened when the car crashed. Something that made him think it wasn’t an accident.”
“So he suspects it was one of us trying to kill him?” Bishop rumbles.
Gideon nods. “It’s what I did. Maybe…” He gestures to the computer Cassian is still holding. “Maybe there’s something in there we need to find. Or maybe he’s warning us he’s back for his revenge.”
“I can help.” That comes from Victoria, who’s been sitting quietly and taking it all in this entire time. She came home with us last night and stayed in the cottage. “It looks like some of the equipment we had to use in the Army.”
It does, but I’m surprised Victoria offered. This isn’t her fight, although she is here in the room. And she doesn’t like Cassian.
Cassian looks solemn, like he knows that offer from Victoria shouldn’t have happened. “Thank you.”
Victoria goes pink. “I just want to get inside that thing.” Then she goes red as she realizes how that sounds.
Cassian opens his mouth, thinks better of it, closes it again.
Gideon clears his throat. “Like I said, maybe there’s something to find there. And maybe there’s something in the notebooks Tynan needs to find.”
“The thief did say that she only wanted the notebook,” I say. “And she didn’t seem to know anything about the computer. So if Tynan did suspect you at first, he seems to have changed his mind.”
Gideon shakes his head. “Don’t assume that. He’s been gone so long we can’t even begin to guess at what he’s thinking. We have to allow for the possibility he’s not on our side. Or that he’s actively against us.”
“Even assuming that, why not show himself?” Morgan is pleading now.
“I don’t know,” Gideon says. “He must suspect we’ll guess he’s still alive. So he doesn’t want the rest of the world to know he’s alive.”
Archer nods. “We have to keep quiet about this. All of us.”
“So we’re back exactly where we started,” Gage says curtly. “Holding jack shit.”
“That’s not true.” Morgan’s tone is quiet. “We know that Tynan’s probably still alive. That’s… that’s huge.”
“And you guys finally told us the truth about the accident,” Raven says. She and her sister exchange a look. “Which you should have done from the very beginning.”
“We know,” Bishop says, not looking at her.
“I want to see the notebooks too,” Morgan says. “You guys owe me at least that much.”
“You can’t show Beck,” Gage says.
“He’s my partner.” Morgan’s stance is tight with defiance. “In every sense of the word. Of course I’ll show him.”
“Let her see them,” Archer says. “She’ll probably catch something that I’ve missed.”
Gage doesn’t look happy, but he doesn’t protest.
“So,” Gideon says, “we have notebooks to decode.” He looks to Archer. “A computer to resurrect and search through.” Cassian nods. “And a thief to track.” Gage raises his eyebrows in acknowledgment.
“What about Tynan?” Bishop asks. “Assuming he really is alive.”
“We’ll look for him,” Raven says. “Starting by going through everything he left behind, everything we can remember of him.”
Morgan swallows hard. “I can help.”
“I didn’t want to presume,” Raven says.
Morgan smiles faintly. “As if you ever could.”
Gideon spreads his hands. “Looks like we’re holding quite a bit more than jack shit.” He closes his hands, his expression going solemn. “And we’re all together again. Like we really haven’t been since Ira died. That has to count for something.”
There’s a long moment where they soak that in. A moment filled with affection, solidarity, and a tinge of sadness too. Grief binds them together as much as a shared history does.
“It does.” Morgan says that, which surprises me. I thought she’d hold out the longest. “But without Tynan, we’re not all together.”
“And that’s why we’re going to find him,” Bishop says.
“Damn straight,” Gideon says.
I reach for his arm because I have to touch him right now. He’s bringing them all back together.
Archer sees and a faint smile crosses his mouth. “Well, we should get to it then. And let you two get back to whatever you were doing.”
Raven’s eyes go wide. “Oh my God, that’s right. We interrupted you guys.”
“No,” I say, right as Gideon says very seriously, “Yes, you did.”
“Interrupted you doing what?” Archer asks with a knowing look.
“Work,” I insist, my cheeks heating. “Seriously, we’ve been running the new pictures we have—and the voice files—through the recognition software. And I have a new client, one who’s got a ton of work for me.”
“Oh yes, definitely work.” Gideon says that so deadpan I have to give him a very hard look.
Raven rushes over to hug me. I’m so shocked I simply stand there in her arms.
“Stop teasing her,” Raven commands them all. “Do you want to scare her away?”
“It’ll take more than that.” Gideon is smiling at me with love, affection, and all the warmth in the world.
“I’m not scared,” I say as Raven squeezes me again.
“We’ll get out of your hair.” She winks, then turns to the rest of them. “Come on, we have work to do.”
They head to the door, all of them looking happier than when they came in. Or at least resolved and determined—it’s a stretch to call Gage’s expression happy.
“Could someone give me a ride to the Caltrain station?” Victoria asks.
Before I can tell her we’ll call for a car, Cassian says, “I’ll take you. All the way home.” He shrugs as if he doesn’t really care if she accepts his offer. “We can talk about the computer on the way.”
“Sure.” Victoria’s expression is strained, but she follows him out. Call me, I mouth to her as she goes by.
When they’re gone, I turn to Gideon. He’s watching me with a solemn, almost puzzled expression.
“You brought everyone back together,” I say. “You should be proud.”
“I tore us apart to begin with.” But his protest is routine.
“Then you put it back together, which is good.”
He pulls me close, kisses me quick and sweet. “You just won’t give up on this, will you?”
“I won’t give up on you. Not ever.”
“And thank God for it.” He seals that with a deep, romantic kiss. The kind that will last.
Chapter 39
When it’s all over and the guys have finally left, I feel like I’ve been through several rounds in the boxing ring with Rustem—exhausted, wrung out, but satisfied.
Speaking of Rustem, I need to find him tomorrow and let him beat the piss out of me in the gym. I owe him for tossing him out like that. Luckily Tess was here to save me from myself.
“We really should get back to work,” she says reg
retfully, still nestled in my arms.
She’s right, and now’s not the time to drag her upstairs and have my wicked way with her. Tonight will be though.
With a sigh to let her know I’m doing this against my will, I lead her out of the office. “My parents found me again last night,” I say as we walk back to the security room.
“I hope they told you how proud they were of you.”
I snort. “They told me everything I should have changed before we even started building the place. They never, ever stop.”
She looks so damn mad my heart lightens. Tess is ready to take on my parents, and I love it.
“They shouldn’t have done that,” she says angrily. “I hope you told them to fuck off.”
I shake my head. “It would have caused a scene, and it wasn’t worth it. I did that thing that you did and talked around everything she said. It drove her nuts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that seethingly angry. At least not since I dropped out of med school.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Although I don’t need it, I let Tess’s sympathy wash over me. This is what it means to be loved—to take this comfort and goodness even though you don’t technically need it. But it makes you feel so complete you’ll always take it.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “I’ve got you, Tynan might still be alive, and my closest friends haven’t turned on me like I thought. My parents’ approval would be nothing compared to those.”
She leans her head into my chest. It comforts and strengthens me all at once.
“Honestly,” I say, “as they were walking away, I realized I really didn’t care. At all. I just wanted to find you again and get home. And to say thank you to my team. They did something really amazing.”
“You helped.”
“A little,” I admit. “I want to build more of those clinics. All over the country.”
“You will. Even if we never find where Tynan is or what secrets are hiding in the notebooks, you’ll continue to do good things.”
I pause in the doorway of the security room and take her in. Precious, beautiful, wondrous Tess. Who thinks I do good in this world even though I’ve definitely done bad.
But she still appreciates—and loves—the beast inside of me.
Epilogue
“I still don’t count this as a real vacation,” Gideon growls as he helps me into the hired car.
I can see his point. It’s ninety degrees and about to rain, the air is too thick to breathe, and we are technically working. But we’re just now leaving the Phillips Collection, and we’re supposed to spend all day tomorrow at Glenstone, and we spent yesterday afternoon on the National Mall, so yeah, it’s a vacation for me. I’ve never been to DC before, and Gideon is determined to show me everything.
And the work part isn’t anything boring—Gideon is here to talk to the head of the VA medical system about putting his neurosurgery systems in their clinics. I’m between big jobs at the moment, and I’ve hired on an entire crew since things are so busy, so I get to simply sit in the background and listen as he sells them on his amazingness.
“Trust me, this is definitely a vacation,” I say.
Gideon slides in next to me and shuts the door. He nods to the driver, who puts up the privacy partition and then pulls into traffic.
“Wait until the yacht,” Gideon says. “Then you’ll see this is nothing.”
He might have a point. Gideon hired a private yacht with a complete crew to take us, my parents, and my sister on a trip to Hawaii and other islands in the Pacific. When he told me about it, he said, “Your parents and sister deserve it,” which was a pretty sneaky way to get me to agree. But he was right—they do.
“Yes, but you won’t be impressing high-level members of the government on the yacht.”
He rolls his eyes. “It doesn’t take much to turn your head, does it?”
I snuggle up next to him. “You turn my head.” I trail my fingers down his thigh. “Along with other parts of me.”
His laugh is low and wicked. “I didn’t know that part of you could turn.”
“Maybe you just haven’t explored it thoroughly enough.”
He narrows his eyes. “Is that a dare? Because I’m pretty damn thorough with you every night. But we could go deeper…”
I shiver at the idea. He’ll make that threat real and turn me inside out in the process. I swallow hard. “Let’s forget dinner and go back to the hotel.”
“This is why I love you,” he says with a knowing smile. “Because you have the best plans. Of course, we could start right here.”
“And that’s why I love you,” I say as he dips his head, his fingers finding my buttons. “Because you make my plans even better.”
Thank you for reading—I hope you loved Gideon and Tess’s story! If you want to share the love, you can leave a review here.
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Ready for your next bold billionaire? Read on for what’s next from Raleigh!
A playboy and an ice princess make a seductive bargain while the secrets of his past stalk them both…
Victoria: Cassian is exactly the kind of charming playboy I hate. Smooth talker. Game player. Heartbreaker. I’ve been burned by his kind in the past. But he takes it to the next level with his sultry gaze and hard, powerful build.
He’s got an Achilles’ heel though—there’s a dark secret from his past threatening to destroy his empire. And he comes to me for help.
But he’s not getting me for free. Cassian’s going to teach me all his tricks of seduction. Once I’ve cracked his code, I’ll beat the bad boys at their own game. Except with a single, sizzling kiss, Cassian tears down all my defenses. And suddenly I’m in over my head and falling fast.
Cassian: Victoria’s ice-princess act doesn’t fool me. Inside that beautiful, frosty facade, I know I’ll find a woman made of pure fire.
* * *
But no matter how much she tries to maintain her distance, I need her. She’s going to help me keep the secrets of my past where they belong—buried deep. Victoria agrees to help if I give her lessons in seduction. Little Miss Uptight wants to learn how a bad boy operates? She’s about to get a lesson she’ll never forget.
* * *
As I unwrap more of the real Victoria though, I’m realizing I want to do more than teach her—I want her for my own. Forever.
* * *
Band of Billionaires: A tragic secret binds them together… Revealing the truth could tear them apart.
* * *
Primal Bargains (Book One, Gideon’s Story)
* * *
Deadly Appetites (Book Two, Cassian’s Story)
* * *
Covert Sins (Book Three, Archer’s Story)
* * *
Forbidden Loyalties (Book Four, Gage’s Story)
* * *
Lost Hearts (Book Five, Bishop’s Story)
* * *
Necessary Betrayals (Book Six)
More Band of Billionaires Stories
A tragic secret binds them together… Revealing the truth could tear them apart.
* * *
Primal Bargains (Book One, Gideon’s Story)
* * *
Deadly Appetites (Book Two, Cassian’s Story)
* * *
Covert Sins (Book Three, Archer’s Story)
* * *
Forbidden Loyalties (Book Four, Gage’s Story)
* * *
Lost Hearts (Book Five, Bishop’s Story)
* * *
Necessary Betrayals (Book Six)
Bastard Capital Series
The original Bold, Brilliant Billionaires
* * *
Enter the world of Bastard Capital: Unrivaled men. Unimaginable wealth. Unlimited power.
* * *
Books in the Bastard Capital Series
* * *
Secret
Acquisitions (Book One, Mark’s story)
* * *
Unfinished Seductions (Book Two, Logan’s story)
* * *
Competitive Instincts (Book Three, Finn’s story)
* * *
Intimate Mergers (Book Four, Paul’s story)
* * *
Hostile Attractions (Book Five, Elliot’s story)
* * *
Private Disclosures (Book Six, Dev’s story)
About the Author
Raleigh fell in love with billionaire romance as a teenager thanks to Harlequin Presents. She fell in love with San Francisco in her twenties thanks to how charming the city was. And she fell for a coding genius thanks to how charming he was.
Naturally, she had to put all of the things she loved into her romances.
You can find her online at www.raleighdavis.com.