Gideon inclined his head to show he understood what the Alpha was saying. Or not saying. It was okay to hunt, it was okay to kill, as long as he didn’t leave any bodies drained of blood in the gutter.
“Kiya will show you to your room. You have my word that no one here will intrude on you while you are at rest.”
“Thank you.” Gideon was sure the Alpha meant well, but he had no intention of spending the day inside the compound. He hadn’t survived this long by taking his rest among strangers, and he sure as hell didn’t intend to start in a den of werewolves.
The Alpha’s gaze rested on each one present. “Please let everyone know we have a guest and that he is here with my consent.”
Greta, Brett, and Dorothy each bid Gideon good night and left the room. Victor Rinaldi nodded curtly in Gideon’s direction, his expression virulent, before following Dorothy out the door.
When the others were gone, Kay’s father embraced her. “Rest well, daughter.”
“Thank you, Father. Good night.”
With a last cautionary glance at Gideon, Alissano quit the room.
Gideon stared after Kay’s father. Though no words had been said, the Alpha’s message had been clear—leave my daughter alone. Which was pretty much the same message that pompous ass, Rinaldi, had sent him.
Gideon shoved his hands in his pockets. Too bad, fellas, he thought as he followed Kay up the winding staircase, because he had no intention of leaving Kay alone, now or ever.
Kay didn’t say anything as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. While she wouldn’t call her father’s invitation either warm or cordial, at least Gideon had been invited to stay as long as he liked. How long would that be? A day? A week?
She stopped in front of the last door on the left at the end of the corridor. “Here we are.”
He gestured at the closed doors up and down the length of the hall. “Are these all bedrooms?”
“Originally, yes, but now my father uses one at the other end of the hall for his workout room. The one across from that is my mother’s sewing room. The one next to yours is filled with old furniture and other odds and ends, and the one across the way is another guest room.”
“Where do you sleep?”
“Why? Are you going to come visit me in the middle of the night?”
“Probably not a good idea. I don’t think your dad misses much.”
“Well, if you change your mind, my room’s on the second floor, below yours.”
“I guess your parents sleep on the second floor, too, don’t they?”
“Yes, but at the other end of the hallway. My brother’s old room is between theirs and mine.”
“Good to know.” He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t think your father likes me.”
“That’s okay,” she said, opening the bedroom door. “I like you.”
Smiling, Gideon wrapped his arm around her waist, drew her into the room, and closed the door. “I’m glad to hear it, because I’m rather fond of you, too.”
“Are you?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he lowered his head to hers and kissed her.
Rising on her tiptoes, Kay slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back, her tongue mating with his as he drew her body closer.
Time stopped and nothing seemed to matter but his mouth on hers, his hands moving restlessly over her back. She moaned when he lifted his head, sighed as he rained soft kisses along the length of her neck. Pleasure coursed through her when she felt the brush of his fangs against her skin.
“Gideon …”
There was no need to ask what she wanted. Swinging her into his arms he carried her swiftly to the queen-sized bed and lowered her onto the mattress. He was about to stretch out beside her when he heard footsteps in the hallway.
Grabbing Kay by the hand, he pulled her to her feet and straightened her clothes.
A knock at the door was followed by her mother’s voice. “Kiya? Are you in there?”
“Yes, Mother. Was there something you wanted?”
“A few minutes of your time, if you don’t mind.”
Kay glanced at Gideon. “Sorry.” She mouthed the word.
“No problem.” Bringing her into his room, with her parents in the house, wasn’t the smartest thing he had ever done. He had no excuse, except that it was getting harder and harder to keep his hands off of her, to remember that she was “engaged to be engaged” to another man.
He was standing well away from the bed when Kay opened the door. “Thanks for showing me to my room, Kiya. Good night, Mrs. Alissano.”
Kay’s mother forced a smile. “Good night, Mr. Marquet.”
Gideon nodded. First the boyfriend. Then the father. And now the mother, all with the same, unspoken warning in their eyes. Leave Kiya alone.