The Fox and the Hunter

Chapter 2: The Fox and the Hunter

When Gideon’s private car pulled up the long driveway of his sprawling mansion, the heavy iron doors were already being opened by his head staff. As he stepped into the grand foyer, his longtime butler, David, stepped forward with a respectful bow.

"Welcome home, sir," David said warmly, taking Gideon's coat. "How was the elite gala last night?"

Gideon offered a rare, genuine smile. "It was wonderful, actually. I met some... very interesting people."

David blinked in surprise. For ten years, his master had been a ghost of his former self, attending these events out of pure obligation. Seeing a spark of genuine life back in Gideon's eyes made the old butler’s heart swell with happiness.

"David, has my son returned yet?" Gideon asked, looking toward the grand staircase.

"Young Master Jonathan called earlier, sir," David replied with a smile. "He will be arriving home to spend the weekend with you before he officially heads off to college."

Gideon’s eyes widened with excitement. The thought of having his son home for one last weekend brought a surge of warmth to his chest.

Heading upstairs to his master suite, Gideon decided to unwind. He changed into a pair of sleek, slim-fitting silk pajamas that draped perfectly over his frame. Sitting on the edge of his king-sized bed, he pulled out his phone. His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he finally saved Jace’s number into his contact list.

Taking a breath, he typed out a quick message:

It's me, Gideon. I made it home safely.

Not even a minute later, his phone buzzed.

Jace: Glad to hear it. I'll text you properly after work today. 😉😘

Gideon's face instantly burned a furious red. He bit his lower lip, quickly typing back a simple blushing emoji before locking his phone and tossing it onto the mattress.

He spent the next few hours trying to distract himself, reading a book in his study and eating a quiet lunch served by David. But as the afternoon rolled around, Gideon found himself back in his bedroom, Jace's smooth voice and heavy touch echoing in his mind. A sudden, provocative smile tugged at the billionaire's lips.

Lying back against the silk pillows, Gideon deliberately unbuttoned the top of his pajama shirt, letting the silk slide off his shoulders to expose his chest and collarbones. He angled his phone, striking a seductive, teasing pose, and snapped a photo. Without giving himself time to second-guess the boldness of it, he hit send.

Meanwhile, across town, Jace Thompson was sitting at a crowded table in the university library, surrounded by textbooks for a group study session. He took a slow sip of his iced Starbucks drink, trying to focus on the notes in front of him.

Suddenly, a distinct, custom ringtone chirped from his pocket—a tone he had set specifically for Gideon.

Curious, Jace pulled out his phone and clicked the notification. The moment the image loaded, Jace gasped, instantly coughing and choking on his drink.

"Whoa, man, you okay?"

Jace looked up, wiping his mouth with a napkin. Sitting right across from him at the library table was Jonathan—Gideon's son—alongside their classmate, Emily. Both of them were staring at him in confusion.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm fine. Just went down the wrong pipe," Jace lied smoothly, his voice a little strained.

He looked back down at his lap, his eyes locking onto the photo of Gideon looking completely undone and breathless in his bed. Jace’s heart thundered against his ribs, and he could feel a sudden, intense heat tightening in his jeans.

Locking his phone before anyone could sneak a peek, Jace let out a low, dangerous chuckle to himself.

That little fox, Jace thought, a wicked smirk crossing his face. He really has no idea what he's playing with.

By the time 3:00 PM rolled around, Jace was finally finished with his afternoon pre-college courses. He found himself wishing he could just skip his obligations entirely and go see Gideon, but as the sole heir to the massive Thompson Group, duty called.

A sleek black car dropped him off in front of the Thompson Grand Plaza—a luxurious, five-star resort hotel that served as one of his family's flagship properties. The moment Jace walked through the rotating glass doors, the bellhop bowed sharply, and the front desk hosts offered respectful greetings. Jace gave them a tight nod, loosening his tie as he strode over to the private executive elevator.

Stepping inside the quiet elevator, he pressed the button for the penthouse offices. As the doors slid shut, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Gideon’s number.

Back at the mansion, Gideon was trying—and failing—to focus on his book again. The moment his custom ringtone for Jace began to echo through the quiet room, a sudden jolt of excitement shot through him. He practically scrambled to answer it, tapping the screen to put it on speakerphone.

"Well, well, well, Mr. Gideon... or should I say, Mr. Fox," Jace’s smooth voice purred through the speaker, followed by a rich chuckle. "Your seductive little surprise earlier really caught me off guard."

Gideon leaned back against his pillows, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "I know. And I’m glad you enjoyed it."

"Oh, I enjoyed it immensely," Jace replied, his tone dropping an octave. "Especially considering I was in the middle of a group study session when it popped up."

Gideon’s eyes widened in horror, his face instantly flushing hot. "Oh my god... Jace!"

Jace laughed out loud, the sound echoing through the phone line. "Relax, sweetheart. Don't worry about it. I locked my phone so fast no one else saw a thing."

Gideon let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, but Jace's next words made his heart stop completely.

"Oh, by the way," Jace continued casually, "I saw Jonathan. We were actually put in the same project group for the Harvard pre-college summer program."

Gideon went entirely rigid. "Really...?"

A heavy, suffocating silence stretched over the call. Jace immediately picked up on the sudden shift in Gideon's energy, his playful tone softening into something reassuring. "Hey. Don't worry. I wouldn't dream of telling him a single thing about us."

Gideon gripped the edge of his phone, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. "Thank you... I want to tell him myself one day. It's just... I still don't know where we stand, or how far this goes."

Jace smiled to himself as the elevator let out a soft ding, the doors sliding open to reveal the elegant, high-ceilinged executive floor. He stepped out, heading down the corridor toward his private office. "I understand. But don't worry about the future right now. I know what I want, and I'm not planning on going anywhere."

Gideon's heart did a strange, dangerous flutter at the absolute certainty in the younger man's voice.

"I have to go now, I just made it to my office," Jace said, pausing with his hand on the door handle. "I'll talk to you later tonight."

"Okay... talk to you later," Gideon murmured softly.

"Count on it, my little fox," Jace whispered, before hanging up.