Chapter 195
Chapter 195
Jessica stared at me for a long moment, then inclined her head, “ Go on p>
“ I am leaving the pack on a business trip for a few weeks, ” I said, and saw her nod. She had known this already, “Dierdra is staying behind. I need someone to keep tabs on her and let me know what she does in my absence p>
“You want me to spy on the Luna for you?” Jessica asked incredulously.
“Actually, Gideon reinstated me as Luna yesterday,” I corrected her. Jessica’s mouth opened in surprise, she hadn’t been expecting that.
“So,” I could see her recalculating the situation in her head, “You are back in Gideon’s good graces, it seems. And Dierdra is…” She raised a hand, letting the sentence trail off.
“Dangerous,” I said firmly, “She is still Gideons… mate. I worry about what she will do in his absence p>
“You mean, you wonder what she will do to fuck with you while you’re gone,” Jessica said with a snort.
I nodded curtly, “That’s about the sum of it p>
“And so you come to me… why p>
I glanced off to the side, not sure how to formulate my response, “Would it be too rude to say that I believe you know a thing or two about how to ruin someone’s life p>
Jessica laughed abruptly, “Yes, that is rude, but,” she twitched her lips upwards in a red–painted smirk,” accurate. I’ll choose to take it as a compliment instead p>
“Thank you,” I allowed myself a tight smile in return, “Prevent her from making my life harder while I’m gone, and I’ll do my best to make yours better p>
Jessica wasn’t an idiot, she knew that she already had me in her pocket unwillingly, but to have me on her side in a more advantageous alliance was more powerful.
“Fine,” she agreed finally, shrugging as though it meant nothing to her, “we will discuss my payment when you return p>
I rose and saw myself out. This feeling wasn’t exactly one of victory, but I had shored up my defenses. I may not have decide whether I would take Reynaud’s deal, but now I knew that my return to Nightwolf after our trip wouldn’t mean walking back into Dierdra’s scheming traps.
I didn’t deceive myself that Jessica was my ally, or anything like that, but she seemed to hold no love for Dierdra either. Perhaps the enemy of my enemy could be useful to me in this instance …
The car was purring in the drive when I approached with my bags. Gideon was standing next to the open door, and the sight of him in his broad–shouldered overcoat took my breath away. I wondered for the first time if I would be able to survive being in the same vehicle as him for the next few hours.
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Chapter 195
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Gideon stepped forward to take my bags, and courteously helped me into the car. As we set off, I felt a weight lift. I might now have to endure the awkward tension between us, but at least we were leaving Dierdra behind. A temporary reprieve was better than none at all.
For weeks I had been under her thumb, and now I was free. I was like a new woman, and I couldn’t help but smile out the window as the scenery flew by. It felt a lot like freedom.
“Are you pleased? ” Gideon asked, and I swung my head towards him, startled.
“What? ”
“Is there anything you need?” he nodded at me, seemingly concerned for my comfort.
How unusual. He hadn’t seemed to care about my comfort at all for the last few weeks, and now he was feigning consideration for my needs.
I felt a perverse desire to come up with a few ridiculous requests as a test. Was this another facade? Was his care and regard just another way of messing with me?
“I didn’t sleep well,” I confessed. That was true, “and I have never been good at sleeping in vehicles p>
Gideon looked me up and down, perhaps noting the dark bags under my eyes and the lethargic movements of my limbs.
“Allow me to offer you my coat as a blanket,” he murmured, shrugging out of his coat and holding it out to me. My eyes widened as I took it from him, “Perhaps, if you tuck it around yourself, you may be able to sleep p>
That felt genuinely kind, and prompted me to blurt out, “Why did you refuse to divorce me p>
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