Chapter 38

When he didn’t speak right away, Gideon added, “You owe me, John.”

“I owe you nothing. Our slate was cleared decades ago.”

“Really? The way I see it, you’re not the one with Guardians actively trying to kill you. That puts one of us in the plus column.”

Gideon had never played this card before. Even when their relationship had strained every possible boundary. Even when Gideon had wanted John dead. He had never been quite so desperate to sink this low.

Ever since that fateful morning when Emma got snatched and Jesse was nearly killed, Gideon had discovered he could actually sink even lower if it meant preserving what little joy he had in his life. Finding Jesse. Keeping Jesse.

Ray Serrano wasn’t the only one Gideon was willing to sacrifice if he had to.

One look into his eyes and John knew it, too.

“What is it you had in mind?”

Any other time, Gideon would have smiled at the defeat in John’s voice. It wasn’t often he had the upper hand.

Not now. Not with so much at stake.