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16
“Gideon?”At her befuddled and obvious question, he only smiled. Maggie shook her head in shock. “How did you…never mind.”
Ally glared at the necromancer. “You followed us here? What do you think you’re doing? How dare you, you—”
“I’m just enjoying a cup of cappuccino. I am free to travel as I see fit, am I not?” He sat back in his chair, a passive but still somehow smug expression on his features. He crossed one ankle over his other knee. “It’s a beautiful day, and Rome is a beautiful city.” His silver eyes flicked to Maggie, and his expression softened. “If they let you off the chain, you should go see the ruins. This city is truly something amazing.”
There was something mournful in his gaze. Something that said, “I wish I could show you.”
Ally gritted her teeth. “If you’re here to pick a fight—”
“I am here, as I said, to drink cappuccino. I wanted to make sure that Marguerite”—he sighed—“Maggie, forgive me, knows that I am here if she needs help. I have no intention to otherwise intervene.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re talking out your ass?” Rinaldo walked up, still pissed he was hung over, after clearly having realized that the rest of his companions hadn’t followed him inside. Now he looked angry for two reasons.
“Because you’re a suspicious, violent lot of zealots and elitist sociopaths. It’s fine.” He shrugged. “I don’t hold it against you.”
Maggie couldn’t help but laugh and paced away a few steps. “Are you even really a psychiatrist?”
“Yes. Well…” He paused thoughtfully. “Do I have a license? No. Do I know as much as any other practitioner of medical science? Absolutely. Although I do prefer surgery to psychology.” He frowned at her. “I am sorry for misleading you.”
“You mean you’re sorry you lied to me.”
“I never lied. I just never outright said the truth.”
She wanted to pour the hot coffee over his head. Her expression probably told him as much. “That isn’t a good way to earn my trust.”
“All this deception has been for a good reason, I promise you.”
“Can you two please stop pretending we’re not here?” Rinaldo grunted. “Because I can have a dozen guys here in five seconds.”
“To do what? Haul me away in chains? We know why that won’t work, dear boy.” Gideon cracked his neck loudly to one side. “Shoot me? I would rather you didn’t. I like this suit.”
“I—” Rinaldo went for his gun.
“Stop! Stop.” Maggie rubbed her hands over her face. “This shit is just getting stupid. Rinnie, chill. Please.”
Rinaldo blinked, surprised. He clearly didn’t expect getting snapped at. He opened his mouth for a moment, before he shut it, blinked again quizzically, and let her talk.
“Thank you.” She looked back to Gideon. “And you—stop being an asshole. You’re the one overstepping here.”
Gideon’s expression matched Rinaldo’s briefly, before it cracked into a pleased smile. He bowed his head. “My apologies, princess.”
“I thought you were letting me go where I wanted?”
“I am. I’m just uncomfortable with being very far away should you need assistance. I’m here to protect you if it turns out you need it.” He sipped his coffee. “And only if you need it.”
The dream she had the night prior flashed through her head. Him, bleeding out in her arms, his first concern being her safety above all else. “I believe you.”
Relief and happiness washed over his features like the flash of a lightning bolt. Brief, but unmistakable. And with them had been…hope. He looked at her with so much emotion for such a brief span of time that it left her as dumbstruck as if it had really been lightning. It took her a second to gather her wits. “Guys?” She glanced at Rinaldo and Ally. “Can I talk to him in private for a few minutes?”
Rinaldo opened his mouth to say something that was clearly pretty close to “fuck no” when Ally elbowed him hard in the thigh. “Sure, hon. Sure. We’ll be right on the other side of the door, keeping an eye on you two.” The sister smiled sweetly at Gideon, looking like the perfect cherub. “If he does anything stupid, we’ll have several bloody holes punched straight through his head before you even know anything went wrong. Won’t we, Dr. Raithe?”
Gideon looked decidedly uncomfortable. And angry.
Oh, shit. I wonder if he knows she’s a demon.
“I am a man of my word, Aln’laiel. You know that.”
