Dead Man's Deal The Asylum Tales - By Jocelynn Drake Page 0,59
something that I didn’t.
“No, you’re not like them, but I’m not talking about being a heartless killer like Simon.” Gideon paused and I looked back at him. “I’m talking about protecting the people that matter to you. The warlocks and the witches coming after you can’t be reasoned with. They can’t be convinced that they are in the wrong. If you let them live, they will keep coming after you and along the way they are going to kill that elf of yours, Bronx, Sofie, and your family.”
I pushed to my feet and walked around the table to put some space between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gideon rise as well. “You don’t understand.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand,” Gideon snapped. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around so that I was forced to look at him. He leaned close, his sharp features becoming harsh in his anger as he slipped back into his role as my main tormentor. “It’s time to stop clinging to these childish notions that you’re above them, that you’re better than them because you won’t stoop to kill another person. You can’t afford that luxury any longer.”
“Easy for you. You—”
“It’s not easy for me!” Gideon cut me off, giving me a hard shove, so that I was pressed against the wall. “When I am faced with someone, I ask one thing: is this person a threat to my family? If the answer is no, then they walk away. If it’s yes, then I finish it quickly. And a threat to me is a threat to my family because it means I won’t be around to keep them safe. It’s time for you to get off your high horse and take a hard look at what’s really important to you. This pretty idea you’re clutching or that woman on your arm, because in this world, you can’t have both.”
Gideon turned away from me and started to walk back toward the couch, running one hand through his dark hair to push it away from his face. His shoulders slumped under his fatigue and probably from the weight of the life he was trying to lead.
“I’m done cleaning up for you,” he said in a low voice. “Next time you handle it.”
“Got it.”
Gideon’s head snapped up and he looked over his shoulder at me. I thought I could see regret in his eyes for a second, but it was gone before I could be sure. He made it sound like he killed with such cold, heartless ease, but it took its toll on him all the same. There was something about the hardness in his eyes, the stiffness in his shoulders, that made me think this life wore on him. I don’t think he wanted me to have to live with the toll as well, but as he said, we didn’t have that luxury in this world.
“I’ve got to go. I need to check on Ellen and Bridgette.”
“I’m sure they’re anxious to see you.”
He nodded and started for the door.
“Did you talk to Sofie?” I said as he reached for the doorknob.
Gideon half turned back toward me. “No.”
“She wouldn’t tell me any details, but she said that Victoria Tremaine cursed her.”
The warlock frowned, staring blindly at the floor as if lost in thought. “It’s good to know. There’s too much going on right now to worry about it, though, and Victoria’s tricky enough that I’ll need to be focused on the problem when I attack it.”
“Good luck.”
Gideon shook his head, a little half smile on his face. “Yeah. Don’t forget to handle your brother.”
I frowned at the weary warlock. He was talking about wiping Robert’s memory of what he saw. “There isn’t enough bleach in the world to scrub his mind clean.”
Gideon gave me a little smirk I had never seen on his face before. “Run in the family?”
I rolled my eyes at him, fighting the urge to flip him the bird. We were having a good laugh. I didn’t want to piss Gideon off, which would only push him into taking care of Robert himself.
“At least bury the memory a little. We don’t need him accidentally mentioning the dead warlock on your floor to someone.”
“Got it,” I said on a sigh. I watched as Gideon started for the door again, a little amazed that I found myself in this moment with the man I had been sure was my greatest living enemy. “How old are you?”