“You ever been spanked?” he asked.
I caught my breath. Oh, definitely not my thing. “Don’t even think it. I have no problem pressing charges for a battery, Devlin,” I retorted, my butt already tingling. “Now stop trying to scare me away because it obviously isn’t working. Try something else.”
His nostrils flared, making him look like a warrior from years gone by. “You are the most stubborn person I’ve met in my entire damn life,” he muttered.
“I know.” Something eased inside me. A flare of panic that had surprised me with its intensity. “Did you kill Danny?”
He shook me just enough to show how close to losing his temper he really was. Then he released me. “No.” He took a step back and shoved both hands in his pockets as if he was afraid he’d grab me again. “You can’t be involved in your sister’s case, and we both know it. So back off and let everyone else do their jobs for once.”
“Why were you in Tessa’s apartment?” I persisted, back down on my flip-flops and searching for even ground. “Tell me what happened.”
“No.” He stepped to the side. “I’m not discussing it upon advice from counsel. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get ready for a date.”
I burst out laughing. Full on, from the belly, surprising even me.
His dark eyebrows rose.
I caught my breath and put a hand to my stomach. “Oh, Aiden.” I coughed a couple of times. “I don’t give two shits if you’re dating somebody. If you think hurting my feelings is going to get me to crawl into a hole and hide from this, then you don’t know me at all.” Plus, I didn’t believe him. If I did, Iwouldbe seriously wounded. But he just seemed to be trying too hard to get me to back off. Why? I could never turn away from a puzzle. Ever.
He looked at me like I was nuts. Yeah, I’d seen that look before.
I smiled, finally relaxing. “Scaring me didn’t work. Hurting my feelings didn’t work. The only thing that is going to work is for you to tell me the truth.”
“The truth?” He scrubbed a hand through his thick hair. “All right. Here it is. You were the one good thing I’ve done in my entire life, that day a million years ago, and I thought I could revisit that. Be a hero once more.”
“You were,” I whispered. He’d turned against his whole club and driven a car hauler full of drugs into a dangerous situation to save my life just a couple of weeks ago. “You are. This isn’t making any sense to me.” It felt good to be in his space again, even though I was more confused than ever.
He shook his head, his eyes darkening to a deep sapphire. “That’s just it. I’m not. I’ll hold that one day forever, and I’ll keep a part of you with me, but our lives are too different. We’re too different. You have to move on from us, and you have to let the justice system take care of the case. Tessa didn’t kill Pucci, so she’ll be okay. So will you.” His words were soft, as was his voice.
I’d been dumped before. Never like this. “I guess there isn’t much more to say.” Not that I wasn’t going to help my sister, no matter what. Then I walked by him, my bewildered heart slightly breaking—but I still wasn’t completely buying it. Until I opened his outside door and nearly walked right into Jolene O’Sullivan.
“Oh.” She stumbled back and caught herself before focusing on me, recognition dawning quickly. Then a catlike smile spread across her still lovely face. Her eyes were blue, her hair a natural blonde, and her figure cheerleader tight. “Things never change, do they?” She looked over my shoulder at Aiden. “Seems like old times, doesn’t it, sweetheart?”
Chapter 8
Isomehow made it to my car and out of the parking lot before bursting into tears or throwing up or both. My hands shook on the steering wheel as I drove down the quiet road to get a far enough distance away before calling Donna. Or Lacey. Yeah, Donna. My sister hated Jolene as much as I did—or at least she had years ago.
Just as I reached for my phone, it buzzed. “Hello,” I said, keeping my eye on the road.
“Anna? It’s Thelma. Are you still coming by today?”
My chin dropped to my chest, but I still watched the road. I’d forgotten. “Yeah. In fact, I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes or so.” My voice shook, and I cleared it.
“Great. I have to run to the store for a better suitcase and then go visit my new flame before I leave him for weeks because he’s going to watch my cat while we’re gone, but Georgiana is here to give you directions. Drive carefully, honey bun.” She fumbled for a minute or so and disengaged the call.
I sighed and fought back tears. Okay. Aiden really had picked up his life without me. Jerk. Fine. I would go do the favor for the elderly ladies and then get drunk with Donna. It was a tequila night, for sure. My mind fuzzed as I drove toward the retirement community where Thelma and Georgiana lived. I’d met them during a case, and they’d kind of adopted me as a granddaughter, which was awesome because they baked a lot and I loved cookies. Since they’d helped solve a drug case, they’d earned a financial award from the federal government, so they were heading off for a three-week Alaska adventure that included a cruise.
The bright and oddly painted homes in the Sunnyside Retirement community failed to amuse me for once. I pulled into the driveway of a white duplex with beige trim on one side and bright pink on the other. I stepped out of my car and headed for the pink side, my body feeling like it had been through my Uncle Sean’s woodchipper.
Georgiana opened the door on my first knock, took one look at me, and yanked me against her very ample bosom. “What happened?”
That fast, I went from tough to full on tears. She drew me inside to the sofa and patted my hand as I told her the entire story. “I know that girl power matters, and we should stick together, but Jolene was always such a…witch,” I hiccupped. “I was ten years old when Aiden rescued me from that kidnapping, and he was sixteen, but he let me hang out with him for two years as one of the gang.” I’d felt cool and safe as his friend.
“Go on,” Georgiana said, rubbing my leg. She was very tall and rather round and looked festive in a flowered dress with bright blue sandals.
“Jolene was a year younger than him, and she slept with Donna’s prom date the night of the junior prom,” I said, trying not to wail it.
“What a bitch,” Georgiana agreed, her brown eyes narrowed. “What happened after that?”
