“That’s all I wanted to know,” he said. “That’s all I wanted it to be for you. Memorable. So you can stop apologizing and acting like we did something wrong. The only thing that maybe we should’ve done different was…well, done it a while ago. Maybe I would’ve had some shot at convincing you…”
I felt more troubled than ever. “Please don’t ask me to choose between you and God, Teo.”
“I would never do that,” he said, horrified. “I know you’d choose God every time. I’m not interested in putting myself into a position where I’m going head-to-head with the Big Guy.” He came closer to me and took me by the shoulders. “I completely respect your vocation, Aidan. And I hate to think anything I’ve done suggests that I don’t. I know we can’t…be together, but it’s still my job to protect you. I can’t have you running out of the house without me just because you’re embarrassed about—a little kiss.”
I wondered what had been in his mind to say before he came out with those last three words. What we’d done was more thana little kiss, even I knew that. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I just didn’t think. Tara said it’s safe—“
“And maybe it is, but until I scope out the surrounds, you don’t go outside anywhere. Understand?”
“Do you want me to stay away from the windows, too?” I said with a faint smile.
“They’re bullet resistant,” he said almost offhandedly. “So you’re safe enough inside.”
That shook me again. “How long will I have to be cooped up in here?”
“Not long. Carlucci and I will walk the perimeter when he gets his ass out of bed, make nice with the Donovan guards, get the lay of the land. After that, I’ll have a better idea of where you can and can’t go in this town.”
“In thistown? InBoston?”
He nodded slowly. “You think I’m not taking this seriously? Twice now someone’s come for you. Ain’t no one getting by on my watch.”
“But I want to visit my parents, and—”
“And you can. Once I’ve donemywork. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go shower and dress. By then Carlucci should be up.” He swept out an arm that clearly meantshow yourself out, and I went back into my own bedroom to gather my thoughts and pray once more.
Because while Teo thought I’d meant a choice between him and God would have been an easy one to make, the truth was more complicated.
And that didn’t seem right for a man who was due to take his vows of priesthood in only five days’ time.
Chapter Eighteen
Teo
“So what exactly did you and Priest Boy get up to last night?” Carlucci asked as we walked down the cross streets, peering at the buildings around. Tara had given us instructions on which were Donovan-owned, and what guards we could expect to meet in them. Mostly they were other houses or apartment blocks. More than a few had no windows facing the garden in the Donovan house, for which I was grateful. If Aidan intended to commune with God there in the garden every morning, at least he’d be safer than I’d first expected.
“Don’t call him Priest Boy, and fuck you,” I growled.
“Okay, then, fuck me,” Carlucci chuckled.
We walked on a few steps until I broke. “Why? What’d you hear?” I couldn’t help thinking about the springs I’d heard creaking overhead from the Boss and Mr. D’s room down the hallway from where Aidan and I were sleeping. I didn’t know where Carlucci and his guy had been placed, but if they were right under the bedroom—
“Nothin’ at all. It’s what my eyes saw that you should be worried about.”
“Huh?”
“Aidanlooks like he got attacked by a gentle vampire last night.” At my noise of incomprehension, he added, “Hickeys, dipshit. Not, like, real obvious. But they were there. And ifInoticed, you know who else is sure to notice?”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
I knew exactly what he meant—or who, rather: Finch D’Amato. Nothing like that got by him. “Let’s hurry this up so I can go tell A to put a scarf on or some shit,” I said. If only he was already wearing that priest collar. Maybe that would’ve covered the marks.
The idea of my marks on Aidan’s neck under a priest collar was weirdly sexy.
“So youdidfool around?” Carlucci asked with a wicked grin.
“Shut the fuck up and keep your nose out. You focus on keeping Mr. D safe, I’ll focus on the priest.” We’d arrived at the entrance to the first guard house, and I rang the doorbell while glaring at him.
