Gideon [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book Two (2 page)

He could remember the long
hours past daylight when he would crouch on the floor and stare up
at that same picture, trying—
hoping
—that she would appear. Just
so he could meet her and actually feel whole. He could remember
those many desolate childhood visits he had made to that very hall.
He could. But he refused to. Because if he did, all those sobbing
memories would only make him wonder of how great having a complete
family was. It would remind him of how many he had lost. And
remembering how many he had lost…would remind him of—
No! He refused to go there. It’s been three years. He’d had three
long years to cope from losing her. Three long dreadful years—years
he would make sure no one know of how badly they affected him. The
thrill of sex was no longer what it had been. Three years ago, he
had indulged in the favors of women simply because it was
available—and he was a conqueror; he had loved sex. But now, he
paraded around the Marujan kingdom—not even searching for—but
taking the easiest warmth he could get and fucking his mind
away.
It was better that way. He had fallen for a woman too easily and
now he was paying the painful price. Never again. Three years ago,
he was a boy. Today… he’s a man.
A slight click came from his right, bringing him out of his brief
reverie. Gideon turned slightly to see Lady Marza slipping out of
the Oleander Room, her face flushed and glowing. Smiling to
himself—and knowing he simply could not resist—he headed towards
the room and shoved the door open. There his older brother was,
sitting around the large desk, feet up casually.
“You don’t waste any time, do you?”
A smile formed on Faolan’s face as he got to his feet.
“Brandy?”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
Gideon had always favored Faolan more of his two brothers. They
understood each other.
“So…how’s it been?” he said, handing him a glass. “I heard you’re
getting even more popular in the villages. Mothers apparently have
a bounty on your head for spoiling their
virginal daughters
.”
“What can I say…? I’m a wanted man,” he chuckled, sipping down the
intense liquid. “And you aren’t so innocent yourself, Mr.
Do-Gooder. I might be
allegedly
ruining girls but you’re the one devouring old
women. Isn’t that illegal or something?”
True amusement glittered in Faolan’s eyes. “Lady Marza is not
old.”
“Well, she surely isn’t young.”
His brother swirled the deep-colored liquid in his glass…staring at
it reminiscently. “She’s….experienced. She knows what a man
wants.”
“
Every
woman
knows what a man wants.” And they both chuckled at that.

Faolan returned to his seat
and sighed heavily, staring his younger brother down while toying
irritatingly with his long dark plait. The expression he wore
cautioned Gideon—he knew his brother was always the type to bring
up some manner of bullshit he did not want to hear. And at the
moment, there was precisely one thing he did not even want to think
about at the very least. So…he decided to try an attempt at
diverting Faolan’s thoughts. “Amelia and Hadaen are back at it
again."
“They are, aren’t they?” Faolan grinned and tossed down the
remainder of his drink. “Those two won’t ever fail to keep this
castle amused. What did she do this time? Take over Cook's job in
the kitchens?”
Gideon laughed. “That was too damn funny. Hadaen’s face was
hilarious when he recognized her. But no. No. This time, it’s much
worse.”
“What? Tell me…” Faolan sat up straight, the laughter already
bubbling up in his throat.
“She locked him out of their bedroom.”
A burst of laughter came out of Faolan as he slapped his knee and
regarded Gideon with tears in his eyes. “No… You’re joking.”
Gideon grinned. “I’m dead serious. She got one of the footmen to
change the locks for her. I don’t know how she accomplished
that…but she did.”
“Serves him right!” Faolan chuckled and shook his head. “Leaving me
to slave here after his own duties while he could have prevented
ever losing her in the first place.”
“Yeah. Our sister-in-law is one hell of a drama. You should see
what she did to his motorcycle…”
Faolan sobered up instantly, his lips quivering—trying to hold the
laugh in. “What—what did she do?”
The moment Gideon opened his mouth to speak; the door opened
……...and in walked Hadaen. Faolan sat up straight, all amusement
wiped from his features while Gideon washed his chuckles down with
the remainder of his beverage.
Hadaen stepped further inside the room, his long black coat
swishing against his long strides. He then eyed both of them
dubiously and moved towards the bar. Faolan and Gideon exchanged
awkward glances while he poured himself a glass of brandy.
And just to both of their surprise, he swallowed down a portion of
the drink and laughed dryly.
“I dare
any
one
of you to get married!”

Chapter
Two

T
he tantalizing aroma of scented
candles hit him the moment he made his way into the room and past
the long three-layered red silk drapes. The room was dark, thick
much darker drapes blocking the mid-morning sunlight from entering
through the wide windows. He smelt her—Dahlia—long before he even
caught a glimpse of her long blonde hair fanned out around the soft
white sheets where she lay. Gideon swallowed deeply as he watched
her. Her head was positioned at the far end of the bed towards him,
her eyes apparently closed and the thin sheer skirt of her mauve
dress draped skimpily over one raised knee. He sucked in a breath,
her fairy-like appearance reminding him of another blonde beauty.
The same blonde beauty he had allowed himself to fall for…the
amazing creature he had unknowingly given his heart to…..
…..The same one who was the reason for him being where he was at
the moment; rock hard and ready to pound.

Moving swiftly over to the
bed, Gideon brushed a feathery caress over her cheek. She smiled
and opened her eyes.
“It’s about time…” she murmured softly.
“I got held up.” He watched as she cat-crawled away from him and
towards the other end of the bed. “You know how things can
be.”
Dahlia screwed up her face and pouted. “I’m always last…”
He gave her a small chuckle, removing his coat at the same time. “I
always make up for it, don’t I?” And when her frown didn’t resolve,
he removed his belt as well, dropping his pants to the floor. Her
eyes instantly flew to his straining cock, obvious desire ignited
within the depth of her blue eyes.
Blue eyes
, he reminded himself
consciously.
Not green. Not
like—
“You are a cruel, cruel man, Gideon Maruj. If my father finds out
you’re here, I’d be disowned for sure,’ she giggled, reaching to
clasp his swollen member between her small grasp. “But…it may just
be worth it.”
Music to his
ears…
Gideon removed her eager hands from
his body instantly and pinned them down to the bed, his weight
pressing her down into the mattress. Her eyes glittered
wantonly—the ever temptress she was; which was one of the reasons
he had chosen Dahlia’s company more frequently than others. The
depth of her eyes bore no strings…no attachments. No questions. She
was simply a woman who wanted and he was a man who gave. Eventually
she knew that he’d get bored with her and he’d move on to the next
best thing. It was not personal. And she knew that. She
understood.
At least, he hoped she did. There was no beating about the bushes
with her. He would visit her chamber once every Friday night—maybe
twice—and she’d be waiting patiently for him. And she’d welcomed
him with open arms—and legs—and show him a grand time. That was one
thing he had Dahlia had in common since lately. They fucked. There
was no space for emotions; no place for love.
“It is worth it!” he breathed in the hollow space of her neck,
sucking in her scents and nipping gently at her flesh. “Must I
remind you what you told me last night?”
Dahlia stiffened beneath him, her face flushing deeply. Gideon
laughed as his thoughts wandered to their last encounter, her
thrashing and squirming beneath him. “I thought we agreed not to
talk about it.”
He moaned, mimicking her actions from that night. He then drawled
in a low high-pitched voice, “
You fuck me
so goooddd. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop
.” And he burst out in a loud cackle when she pursed her
lips, embarrassed.
“
Shhh
,” she
hissed. “Someone might hear you!”
At that point, he swiftly parted her legs and positioned himself at
the wet heat between her thighs. Dahlia grasped his shoulders
tightly as he sunk fierce and deep inside her. Tears rushed to her
eyes—he was nowhere gentle. Not even the slightest. But she wanted
it. She wanted him. So she bore it, wincing as his thick smooth
flesh impaled her tight entrance…..and drove her over the
edge.
Gideon elevated himself on his elbows, watching the pleasure ride
across her beautiful features as he drove into her hard and
fast…over and over again. His fingers knotted in her hair, gripping
tightly and holding her in place. The sex was good, her tight damp
walls clutching on to his cock like a damn glove. But that was all
there was to it. He took pleasure from the sex they had—great
pleasure but that was all it was. He didn’t know what she got from
their encounters, and neither did he care. He just hoped she was as
rational as he thought and kept her damn emotions in check. They
had a sexual connection—he did with almost all women. But he’d
never think with his heart ever again. It had just been stupid of
him to believe once that he could have had the cake and eat it
too.
Dahlia’s grip tightened, her long crimson nails piercing into his
flesh. A deep groan escaped his lips as he flexed his pelvis one
last time, slamming into her. Clenching his jaws firmly, Gideon
tensed as his release flowed from his body, remaining completely
still for only a moment before he rolled off her and sat up on the
edge of the bed. Her breathing was heavy behind him, her soft
feminine scents blowing around his frame as he slowly steadied his
own breaths. Then without further notice, he reached down to pull
up his pants.
“You’re leaving?”
Gideon squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Of course he was
leaving. He then got to his feet and turned to face her, all the
while re-doing the zipper of his trousers. He did not like the
tension in her voice—he did not like it all. She’d better not come
with any attachment bullshit now. He would not stand for it.
“Yes. I‘ve got to get back to the castle. I’ve stuff to take care
of.”
She was silent for a while. Too silent. And for too long a while.
Gideon chose to ignore it. Shrugging on his coat and running a hand
through his hair, he regarded her expectantly. “What is it?”
“I just thought—”
“Just thought
what
?” he asked, somewhat irritably.
Do
not say it, Dahlia. Do not be a fool
.
“I thought you probably would’ve stayed a few more minutes. My
parents don’t get back from the town till at least a couple hours’
time.” She sat up, clutching the blankets around her and those deep
blue eyes moist and glittering.
Oh
hell
! “Just for a few more
minutes….”
“Dahlia.” Her name came out in a deep groan. She was not thinking
clearly. She was giving into her emotions—attaching herself;
bringing strings into their affair. It simply would not do. And for
that reason and that reason alone, Gideon decided it was best that
they part ways and move on with both of their lives. He had been
wrong about her. Dahlia was falling for him—she was young and
spirited and all those lovely things that attracted a man, but he
had no time for such things.

She knelt in the center of
the bed, waiting and staring up at him as if he was brunch. There
was a faint tug in his gut, warning him to be a tad bit more
affectionate. Concerned. But he quickly dismissed the feeling and
finished adjusting his clothes. “I have to go.”
Turning away from her momentarily, he heading swiftly for the
door.
“Will I see you next Friday?” she whimpered, her luscious breasts
swaying behind the thin blankets as she jumped off the bed and
hurried behind him.
Gideon released a slow breath. “I’ll see you,” he said and ran a
thumb across her cheek. A tiny smile formed across her pink lips
and he sucked in a harsh breath. He then pushed away the draperies,
his hand resting on the doorknob, about to turn.
“Gideon?”
He froze. He did not like the sudden change in her voice at all.
She seemed all to giddy all of a sudden. Dahlia clearly was getting
the wrong ideas behind his words. What he had intended on saying
was not:
I’ll see you
but
, Don’t look out for me. I’m not
coming back.
“Yes?”
“You’re amazing. I love spending time with you, you
know....”
Huge fucking
mistake!
Gideon stilled. Every tendon
within his body drawn tight and about to snap. Forcing a tight
smile—and a smile, nonetheless—he pressed a swift kiss to her
temple and fled the room before she could even manage another
intake of breath.
What the fuck was she
thinking? Falling for him like that?
Moving past the narrow hall that led from her bedroom, Gideon
cursed deeply beneath his breath and eyed the long window he had
come in from. Without even casting a look behind him, he jumped
through the window and landed hard—a full two stories down—on the
damp lawn, his boot digging deep in the dampened earth. When he
managed his way off the property, he chanced a glance back at the
large house, his eyes moving upwards slowly…and finally to the same
window…..
…..his gaze clashing with those of the beautiful Dahlia. Grimacing,
Gideon allowed for a brisk nod and then went on his way. What he
needed was a fine shower…and some liquor. Certainly, no more
visiting of the mansion which sat at 2aD Division
5.
And no more
Dahlia.