With more enemies lining up to kill him than he can count, a playboy billionaire must hire the only woman capable of keeping him alive, even if she hates his guts.
Gabriel Gerard's life is full of gorgeous women, expensive cars, and infinite wealth...
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Gabriel fell into an uneasy sleep that night after trying to remember all of the spells he had learned from the books locked away in his old apartment. His dreams started off happily enough with Bri coaxing him out into the late afternoon sun. She was in their old high school uniform with her long black hair glittering in the late summer breeze. He couldn't understand her words, but her dark blue eyes were alight with mischief, and he gladly followed her into the trees outside of Independence Hall. She laughed and led him into a forest that got thicker and darker. The afternoon sun faded as she got farther ahead. He called out for her to wait, but she stopped looking back at him. She began to run.
Gabriel couldn't keep up, and the farther he got into the trees the darker it got. He chased the black trail of Bri's hair around every corner, but he couldn't be sure that it just wasn't his imagination. He was suddenly cold, the wind cutting through his t-shirt. He rounded a clump of trees and ran straight into a group of figures cloaked in black. Stumbling back, they advanced on him. Their hoods hung low but hid no faces. There was nothing inside their cloaks. Radiant colors of magic erupted from where their hands should be. He cried out as flames burned his skin and lightning electrocuted his soul.
Gabriel awoke with his heart pounding. He struggled to free himself from the sheets twisted around his legs. His ruby necklace glowed in the dark as he made his way to the bathroom. With shaking hands, he splashed cold water on his face. The nightmare was not the worst he'd had, but he took little comfort in the fact that they were getting better. All he wanted was for them to stop.
***
The next day a knock at the door gave Gabriel the hope that he might be able to explain himself better to Olivia. He was disappointed. Asher came in without asking and headed straight for the bar.
"Ash, so great to see you. Won't you please come in," Gabriel said before he slammed the door behind his brother.
"Oh, don't be all sour grapes, Gabe." Asher poured himself a glass of whiskey and offered one to share but was declined. "I come bearing good news."
"You've realized that you have no idea what you are doing and are giving me my company back?"
"You know GIG is mine. Fair and square. You have been shirking your duty as VP though."
"Fuck off."
"No need to be rude, Brother. Besides I'm here to offer you a fantastic assignment."
Gabriel glared at his brother.
"Aren't you going to ask me what it is?"
More silence.
"Well, if you must know," Asher explained, "I'm opening casinos. All over the world. And I want you to run the one right here in Manhattan."
"You're opening casinos?" Gabriel asked. "You gotta be kidding me. That is why you are talking to the Wus in China."
"How did you know that I contacted Bing?" Asher studied his brother.
"Just because I'm not running GIG anymore doesn't mean I don't know what is going on with my own company." Gabriel sat down and tucked his hands behind his head. "Gambling is still illegal here. It has been ever since the attacks. You know the government doesn't want its stressed-out citizens blowing their hard-earned wages on games of chance. Then they might notice how little they actually take home after taxes when they can't afford food."
"I know all of this." Asher sat across the room swirling his drink. "That is why I had Mom push congress for a bill granting an exception for GIG. Anything to help this country's major backer."
"Impressive." Maybe Patricia had underestimated her second son's industriousness. Gabriel wondered if she would still be trying to orchestrate his return to GIG power. He sighed and asked, "And putting up casinos in the People's Federation of Asia takes money out of our enemy's hand and puts it into our coffers."
"Exactly! Don't be mad that you didn't think of it, Gabriel. I know that you had other surreptitious monies coming into GIG that I have yet to find but nothing like this. And don't worry. You will have plenty of more chances to prove your business acumen as VP because, unlike you, I will value all of my employees' opinions."
"I'll never work for you, Ash."
"Then you better get out there and pound the pavement. You know that no one is allowed to reside in New York without registered employment."
"Don't worry about me, Brother. I have plenty to keep me busy."
"Fine." Asher stood up setting his empty glass on an end table. "Don't say I didn't try to help."
"Your generosity has been noted." Gabriel held the door open just long enough for Asher not to get hit in the ass.
