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Gideon chuckles. “Is that what you prefer, or does your master have to tell you?”
He can’t see it, but I can. The tightening of her fists beneath the table and the tensing of her jaw.
I lean into her. “Why don’t you go freshen up?”
“Where’s the powder room?”
Pointing toward the direction of it, I say, “Take your time. I’ll get rid of him before you come back.”
She stares at him. “Is he dangerous?”
“Deadly,” I tell her the truth.
Nodding, she stands. “Please excuse me. I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
I watch as she walks away a distance, stops to speak with one of the waitresses, glances back our way, then continues in the direction she’s pointed toward.
“She’s Thomas Cameron’s daughter, isn’t she?”
It doesn’t surprise me that Gideon has been spying on me. And if he could get into Maxton House, he’s probably already been in Asta as well. I’ll have to reinforce every area of security, rescreen every staff member, and go through our software with a fine-toothed comb to make sure it hasn’t been hacked.
For now, it’s either make a scene that will ruin everyone’s experience and have the man arrested just so he can escape anyway. Or I can have the conversation he’s obviously here for and hopefully learn more about my enemy.
We peer at each other for a long while, him taking sips of my expensive wine while I drink the whiskey that was just delivered.
“So tell me. How much money does a place like this bring in?” he asks.
“I’m sure you’ve already investigated that yourself.”
“Some.”
“Are you ever going to get to the point, Gideon? What are you doing here?”
“I’ve gotten to the point many times, actually. Didn’t you receive my letters? I want to know where Clive is.” Gone is all hint of amusement. He’s staring at me intensely, his nostrils flaring.
“You are out of your fucking mind if you believe I’d give him to you.” I take another drink, my movements calm.
“Even when you know I have Devon?”
“No one is worth my father’s life, Gideon. You’re wasting your time.”
Amusement lights up his features. “Are you so sure about that?”
I don’t like the way he asks that, not one bit. An uneasy feeling creeps into me as I try to figure out what has him so pleased. But I shrug it off. There’s no room for doubt in a conversation between enemies. “Let’s say I did tell you where he is. Then what? You kill him, and let me live in peace?”
“Only if you agree to shut down all of Maxton’s underground operations. You can still keep Maxton Holdings, but I want Maxton House and Asta shut down.” As he says it, the lights in the hall dim by twenty five percent, letting everyone know the bidding is about to begin.
That’s when I catch sight Landon at his table, making some exaggerated motion as he stands and bows to his friends.
“Why me?” I sit back in my seat. “Landon is next in line. He’s right over there.” I point to the table near the stage, where my brother seems to be giving a toast. “Why not harass him over this and leave me alone?”
Other than a quick glance at Landon, Gideon doesn’t give him much more consideration. “He’s useless. That boy probably has no idea where his own dick is, much less his father.”
Of course Gideon wouldn’t be fooled into believing that Landon is or will ever truly be the head of anything.
Just as the auctioneer makes his way to the podium on the stage, Landon leaves his table. I follow him across the hall with my gaze.
“You should know, I’d burn down the entire Maxton empire before I shut down Maxton House and Asta,” I say to Gideon. But my eyes are still on Landon, who’s now passed the bar and is heading toward the hall that leads to the bathrooms and offices.
