I pulledinto my driveway after dropping Clark off at his car, and I was unsurprised to see a motorcycle resting in front of the garage door. There had been a few texts from Aiden asking where I was, and then one saying that the article was out, so he figured I was safe. I limped along the flowers to the front porch. Why I was limping, I had no clue. But after the night I’d had, limping made sense. I unlocked the door and moved inside to see Aiden sprawled on the sofa.
He blinked awake and looked up. “Nice picture in the paper.”
It was almost three in the morning, and I needed sleep. “How did you get in?”
He sat up. “You’re not the only one who can force a lock.” With his hair ruffled and his blue eyes sleepy, he looked like a mellow predator who was thinking about springing. He stretched his impressive arms and chest.
My mouth watered, even after the night I’d had.
He looked me over, and my body tingled. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Then I studied him, and thoughts crashed into me. “Wait a second. Are you the reason Krissy didn’t press charges? I mean, did Saber talk to her or something?”
“Or something.” Aiden stood and stretched again. His T-shirt rose to reveal his cut abs. “I called Rich directly, and he did me a solid. I amnothappy that I now owe a favor to Rich Pucci, Angel.”
Aiden being not happy gave me more tingles, for some reason. Man, I was screwed up. “I’m sorry about that.” I hadn’t asked for the favor, but pointing that out would make me seem ungrateful, and I was very grateful I hadn’t been charged for trespass and malicious mischief, for starters. I moved toward him. “How can I make it up to you?”
He stiffened and moved away, slight alarm flaring a lighter hue of blue in his incredible eyes. “I have some ideas, believe me. We’ll talk about them tomorrow.”
Oh, he had to be kidding me. I put my arms on my hips. “Are you joking right now?”
He swallowed, and that tough guy neck moved. “What?”
Seriously? I stepped forward, and he stepped sideways and away from me along the sofa. “I’m not infected with anything,” I protested.
“I didn’t say you were.” The shadow along his cut jaw showed a couple of days growth. “I have to get going but wanted to make sure you were all right.”
I shook my head. “Unbelievable. Fine. I’m getting smudged by Nana O’Shea tomorrow morning. Does that make you feel better?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied, heading toward the door and away from my cremated dead people cooties. “Although if I did, that would make me feel a lot better.” His brogue emerged when he was tired, and right now it was rough and sexy. He’d only lived in Ireland until he was a teenager, but sometimes the brogue returned. He paused by my front door and turned to face me. “It was stupid breaking into that funeral home. Tell me you get that.” His tone strongly suggested that I get that.
Sure, I’d been trying to help Tessa as well as Aiden, but that wasn’t a good reason to break the law. “I wasn’t going to go inside, but we heard something and thought somebody could be in danger.” How was I supposed to know a cat was moving around?
“Then you should’ve called the fuckin’ police,” he said, his voice quiet.
I had already learned that when Aiden was angry, truly pissed, he became quiet and still. Right now his voice was way too soft and his body unmoving. “How much trouble have I created now that you owe Pucci a favor?” I asked.
“You don’t want to know, and that’s how you pay me back. Stay the hell away from Rich Pucci, his girlfriend, and her sister. Do you understand me?” His jaw ticked, and he looked every bit as dangerous as I knew him to be.
Yet he didn’t scare me. Well, not really. “I’m fairly certain I don’t have a choice.” Then to make a point, I walked toward him.
“Good. Bye.” He slipped outside and shut the door behind himself.
I smiled. Maybe having dead people cooties wasn’t such a bad thing.
Chapter 25
Istill felt a little off all morning, and neither Clark nor I talked much as I drove over the pass. After dropping a still twitching Clark off at Nana O’Shea’s house, which was set against a mountain and had fields extending out, I meandered across the small town to a house closer to the main river. My Grandpa would already be out for the day, and I figured a talk with my Nonna Albertini might help put things into perspective. Thick logs made up their home, a couple of pickup trucks lined the area by the super organized shop, and an extra-large USA flag flew high and proud from its own pole in the center of the yard.
Grandpa Enzio had been a CB in World War II, and boy, did he have some stories to tell. I made a mental note to find and spend some time with him this weekend.
My Nonna Albertini opened the door before I could knock. “Hi.” She leaned in for a hug, smelling like flour.
“Hi.” I hugged her back. “What are you cooking?”
“I’m making raviolis for the barbecue on Sunday.” She gestured me inside and headed back to her kitchen.
I followed happily, shutting the door and sinking into the familiar smells of family. I reached her kitchen, and she tossed an apron toward me.
