Chapter 91: If not Tyler, then who?

Gideon’s pov

I hadn’t meant to.

Burying my face against her soft neck was impulsive, unreasonable, completely out of character, and a primal, overwhelming reflex that bypassed all of my reasonable thoughts and restraint.

Dammit.

One moment I was reaching for her seatbelt for reasons I could not understand, and then the next, her scent was like a hook in my gut, reeling me in.

I had just needed a closer look to be sure she was truly okay, because I could still hear her heart rending sobs, but then the desire humming under my skin came to life.

I couldn’t pinpoint when it started, when my housekeeper began consuming my thoughts, but now she was everywhere. In my house, in my car, and in my goddamn head.

I pulled back, clicking her seatbelt into place and fixed my gaze on the window while the chauffeur pulled out of the curb. I could see her reflection in the glass, her teeth sinking down on her plump bottom lip, and the urge to free her soft lip from those pearly whites and taste them had me tightening my fists.

Her gaze flickered to Milo, and her lips curled into a snarl of contempt before she went back to worrying her lip, stealing glances surreptitiously glances at me.

Interesting. She disliked him?

I was under the impression that they were friends. Did something happen between them? I couldn’t help it, I stole a glance at her meeting her eyes and she ducked her head, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Knight?"

Yes, there is. You won’t look at me.

"I thought we agreed," I murmured, "that when outside the estate, I’m not your boss,"

Her eyes widened as she looked back up at me.

Good girl, eyes on me. Keep those eyes on me.

"Did we?"

"I distinctly remember you saying I could call you Ivy,"

She licked her lips. "Does this mean I can call you Deon then?"

The sound of my name on her lips had a glaze of hot pleasure clouded my vision.

Deon... please.

I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a near whisper. "Are you sure you’re fine, Ivy?"

Using her first name felt like crossing a line. Her blush deepened, spreading down her neck. "Yes. I’m fine... T-Totally fine."

For a brief second, I entertained the thought of tracing her blush down her neck, peel off that top she had on so I could see if they ended right on the rosy tips of her breasts.

They rose and fell, heaving against her top, and when I tore my eyes off them to look at Ivy’s face, she had that look.

That rosy aroused look she had when I kissed her back at the orphanage. Pretty brown eyes clouded with pleasure, her lips parted invitingly.

"Do you think Tyler will squeal?"

In a snap, I pushed away from Ivy, turning my attention to Milo, digging my nails into my palm. Fuck, Amber better show up at the club this Saturday or I was going to lose my mind.

When the car pulled up to the mansion, she lunged out of the car, rushing out in a breath. "Thank you for the ride, Mr. Knight. I’m grateful."

Then she was off, dashing in through the front door. I watched her go, my eyes tracing the sway of her hips in those pants.

I shook my head, clearing my throat. I definitely, most definitely hoped Amber showed up at the club this weekend. All this pent-up frustration, this maddening desire to touch my housekeeper, had to be released elsewhere.

"Are you heading back to the office?" Milo asked from the front seat.

I was about to say yes when my phone buzzed. Kai’s name flashed on the screen. "I can see your car. Are you back home already?"

"Just arrived," I replied, my eyes on the front door closing behind Ivy. I hung up and turned to Milo. "Change of plans. I’m staying here. You can go. I need to brief my brothers."

He nodded, but something flickered in his eyes. "Of course, Gid."

When I walked into the living room, Roman had Ivy cornered, his arms draped around her as he laughed at something Irene was saying. Irene was holding up a slinky emerald green dress, modeling it for Ivy.

A sudden, sharp image flashed in my mind: Ivy, slipping out of one dress and into another. The thought was so vivid, so visceral, that I had to physically shake my head to dislodge it. This had to stop.

"Ro, game room, we need to talk,"

"Aww come on," My brother whined. "I just got to spend time with Vivi,"

Thirty minutes later though, I and my brothers were in the game room, discussing the situation with Tyler.

"It’s too neat," Kai paced by the pool table.

"There are discrepancies. For one, how the hell would Tyler have gotten into the Starlight Gala? A single ticket costs more than he makes in a year. If he did, we can pull the CCTV and confirm it in an hour. It doesn’t add up."

"It’s too convenient," I agreed, "The moment we start hunting for a mole, one falls into our lap, like a Christmas gift? The real mole is setting him up."

"What about the call Milo got?" Roman mumbled, smacking a punching bag. "We need to analyze the recording so that if it’s doctored, we’ll find it."

I cracked my knuckles, straightening. "So here’s the plan then, Kai, get the CCTV footage from the Starlight Gala. All of it. Roman, get that recording from Milo and analyze it. I’ll play along and act as if I believe Tyler is our mole, push the prosecution, make it look convincing that we’ll punish Tyler and that would make the mole let their guard down."

As we finalized the details, my phone buzzed with a text.

Tatiana: You haven’t called me since I got back. Don’t you miss me? I miss you. Gid, why are you always so busy? I need you...

I swiped the message away without replying, a wave of irritation washing over me. Tatiana was back, and I was avoiding her because I was still hung up on a ghost.

On Amber.

A week without her, and my focus was fraying. That had to be why I was so obsessed with Ivy’s scent. I hated this indecision. I was not an indecisive man.

But now, caught between my housekeeper and a fantasy, I was floating like a bloody fool. If Amber didn’t show up this weekend, I would have to take Tatiana.

Or I might have to breach Extasim’s policies and find out who Amber was. The second option was sounding far too enticing.