We Have Till Dawn - Cara Dee Page 0,57

Christ, my nerves were shot. No time like the present, right? Here goes everything. “Pick me, Gideon.”

His gaze snapped up and met mine, and I swallowed against the onslaught of emotions that resurfaced without warning.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Choose me. Not her,” I said. “I don’t think we can fit into each other’s worlds, but I think we can create something that’s just ours. And…maybe I can’t promise you a life of perfect stability—I know I can’t—but I promise to always pay attention to what you need. I promise to be there.” I had to swallow again, not to mention blink past the sting in my eyes. “That house and those family traditions could be ours—with kids we adopt or whatever. Or surrogacy? I don’t know. All I know is that I want a future with you. I want us to be real. And I want there to be a seat for you at the table when we have Sunday dinners at Nonna’s. Hell, Pop already invited you.”

My bravery was fading fast, mostly because I couldn’t read Gideon’s expression for shit.

Was it too much? Fuck. I’d ambushed him and then overwhelmed him. Great start of something he had no reason to believe I could handle.

“I shoulda called before.” I rubbed my forefinger and thumb over my eyes and cursed myself.

“It’s almost ten thirty,” he mumbled. “Ten thirty…ten thirty.” His jaw ticked, and he screwed his eyes shut for a moment. “I need a pause button. I need to stay calm and proceed according to my plan.”

His… His plan.

I felt the color drain from my face, and it was as if someone had just kicked me in the stomach.

“Please be at the apartment tonight,” he told me. “I want to explain—”

“Gideon!”

No. No, fuck that noise. I looked over my shoulder and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That had to be Claire.

She was coming out of a taxi, all blond hair and crystal-blue eyes and designer clothes.

As I faced Gideon again and felt nausea creeping up my throat, he took a small step closer, and the panic was clear in his eyes. They were pleading with me.

The sheer desperation made me toss my own pain out the window, and I said, “You don’t have to explain anything, but I’ll be there tonight.” There was no erasing the dullness from my voice, though.

The clicking of heels approached and wrapped up my minute. Time to take a hike.

He was gonna proceed with his plan.

He was choosing her.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, right before Claire reached us.

She eyed me curiously. “Hello.”

Fuck my life. I dropped my stare to the catalogues in her arms and saw at least one bridal magazine.

I grinned and shook my head. It was the only thing I could do if I didn’t wanna flip my shit right here on the sidewalk. But my heart fucking broke.

“Who’s this, Gideon?”

I pushed off the wall and took a step back. “You know who I am.” With that said, I gave Gideon a last glance before I trailed back toward the street where Anthony had dropped me off.

Then something stopped me.

Claire said Gideon’s name with enough worry in her voice that I had to look back, and when I saw that he was about to lose it, it wasn’t about me anymore whatsoever. I’d made a promise. More than that, I couldn’t look the other way—not even if I wanted to. So I hurried back to him and kidnapped the proverbial remote control.

“Come here. Let’s get you inside.” I handed over the leash to Claire and positioned myself in front of Gideon. “Listen to me.”

He managed to make eye contact, but I could sense it wouldn’t last long. His breaths were coming out quicker and quicker, and his features were contorted in pain.

“This is highly inappropriate,” Claire hissed under her breath.

I ignored her. This was my doing, and I was going to fix it.

“Just follow me, Gideon.” I kept a grip on his arms and started walking backward.

The doorman offered his assistance, and Claire said something to him. I couldn’t make out the words, and it didn’t matter.

“I’m not going anywhere, hon,” I said quietly, hopefully so only he heard it. “You’ve got your pause button, okay? Right now, we’re just gonna get you upstairs.”

He screwed his eyes shut halfway through the lobby, but he didn’t stop following me. Step by step, I got him closer to the elevator until we were inside it. Claire pushed the button for the top floor, and Chester butted