Reflected in You: A Crossfire Novel

of the afternoon going over the last few weeks in my mind, recalling conversations I’d had with Gideon, things he’d said or done, searching for answers. When I left the Crossfire at the end of the day, I saw the Bentley waiting out front and waved at Angus, who smiled back. I had issues with his boss, but Angus wasn’t to blame for them.
    It was hot and muggy outside. Miserable. I went to the Duane Reade around the corner for a bottle of cold water to drink on the walk home and a bag of mini chocolates to enjoy once I got through my Krav Maga class. When I left the drugstore, Angus was waiting just outside the door at the curb, shadowing me. As I turned the corner back toward the Crossfire to start the trip home, I saw Gideon step out to the street with Corinne. His hand was at the small of her back, leading her toward a sleek black Mercedes sedan I recognized as one of his. She was smiling. His expression was inscrutable.
    Horrified, I couldn’t move or look away. I stood there in the middle of the crowded sidewalk, my stomach twisting with grief and anger and a terrible, awful feeling of betrayal.
    He looked up and saw me, freezing in place just as I had. The Latino driver I’d met the day my father arrived opened the back door and Corinne disappeared into the car. Gideon remained where he was, his gaze locked with mine.
    There was no way he missed me lifting my hand and flipping him the bird.
    Abruptly, I was struck by a thought.
    I turned my back to Gideon and moved off to the side, digging into my purse for my phone. When I found it, I speed-dialed my mom, and when she answered, I said, “That day we went out to lunch with Megumi, you freaked out on the walk back to the Crossfire. You saw him, didn’t you? Nathan. You saw Nathan at the Crossfire.”
    “Yes,” she admitted. “That’s why Richard decided it would be best to just pay him what he wanted. Nathan said he’d stay away from you as long as he had the money to leave the country. Why do you ask?”
    “It didn’t hit me until just now that Nathan was the reason why you reacted the way you did.” I faced forward again and started walking quickly toward home. The Mercedes was gone, but my temper was rising. “I have to go, Mom. I’ll call you later.”
    “Is everything all right?” she asked anxiously.
    “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
    “I’m here for you, if you need me.”
    I sighed. “I know. I’m okay. I love you.”
    When I got home, Cary was sitting on the couch with his laptop on his thighs and his bare feet on the coffee table.
    “Hey,” he called, his gaze still on his screen.
    I dumped my stuff and kicked off my shoes. “You know what?”
    He looked up at me from beneath a lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes. “What?”
    “I thought Gideon took a hike because of Nathan. Everything was fine and then it wasn’t, and shortly after that the police were telling us about Nathan. I figured one thing was linked to the other.”
    “Makes sense.” He frowned. “I guess.”
    “But Nathan was at the Crossfire the Monday before you were attacked. I know he was there to see Gideon. I know it. Nathan wouldn’t go there to see me. Not a place like that with all the security and people I know around.”
    He sat back. “Okay. So what does that mean?”
    “It means Gideon was fine after Nathan.” I threw up my hands. “He was fine that whole week. He was more than fine that weekend we took off together. He was fine Monday morning after we got back. Then— bam —he lost his fucking mind and went crazy on me Monday night.”
    “I’m following.”
    “So what happened on Monday?”
    Cary’s brows rose. “You’re asking me?”
    “Grr.” I grabbed my hair in my hands. “I’m asking the fucking universe. God. Anyone. What the hell happened to my boyfriend?”
    “I thought we agreed you need to ask him.”
    “I get two answers from him: Trust me and wait . He gave my ring back today.” I showed him my hand. “And he’s still wearing the one I gave him. Do you have any idea how confusing that is? They’re not just rings, they’re promises. They’re symbols of ownership and commitment. Why would he still wear his? Why is it so important to him that I wear mine? Does he seriously expect me to wait while he screws Corinne out of his system?”
    “Is that what you think he’s doing? Really?”
    Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back. “No. And I can’t decide if that makes me naïve or willfully