I didn’t like hearing Aiden so frustrated and down. “I wish you were here,” I said quietly. “I’d give you a back rub.”
“I’d give you a front rub,” he said instantly.
I chuckled. At least I’d lightened his mood for the moment. “I had fun last night.”
“Me too.”
Now I had his attention. “I meant with the talking, but the rest of it was okay, too.” Actually, it was spectacular.
“Just okay?” His voice grew intimate. “Hmmm. I might have to try again.”
I smiled into the darkness, feeling happier than I had all day. “I guess I could let you try. I mean, it’s the least I could do.”
“You’re a giver. All right, I have to go. Miss you.” He clicked off.
“I miss you, too,” I whispered before standing and all but gliding back into the living room. Aiden missed me. He’d said the words. It took me a second to catch the tension blanketing the living room. Even Zena lay on the floor and watched me come closer with soft brown eyes. “What’s going on?” I asked.
Donna looked up from her phone and then handed it over. “You’re not going to like it.”
My good mood evaporated faster than a Nordstrom’s gift card. I took the phone and saw the online version of theTimber City Gazette. I groaned. “Don’t tell me.” I scrolled down to see a new article by Jolene about me. I read the headline out loud. “Local Attorney in Protective Custody: Either as a Witness or a Cold-Blooded Killer.”Shock caught me, and I looked at Quint.
He stood and turned around, raw fury on his face. “I’m sorry. I—”
“You told Jolene?” I asked, my voice quivering. “What I said to you in the office? You told areporter?”
He paled. “I’m so sorry. She seemed concerned about you, and we’d just spent a few good days together relaxing, and I didn’t think she was on the record. I sure didn’t think she’d run with a story like this.”
Zena whined and moved toward him, apparently catching his distress.
I dropped my head and then read the article. Yep. It was pretty bad. Jolene had drawn intelligent connections between Sasha, Bev, the Lordes and me. Thank goodness she didn’t know about the ATF involvement. She would’ve run with that story and helped Barensky get away, no matter who got hurt afterward.
Quint’s brown eyes were softer than the dog’s. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Even though Jolene had taken some license in quoting an unnamed source, she’d also done her homework and gotten all of the facts. “She would’ve found all of this out anyway.” I reached out and punched his arm. “You’re forgiven.” I could never stay mad at Quint.
Quint’s phone blared and he looked down at the screen. His expression made my stomach ache. It was so angry. And a little wounded. “Excuse me,” he said, lifting the phone to his ear and walking toward my bedroom, where he firmly shut the door.
Tessa poured more Baileys on my now melting ice-cream. “Look at the bright side. Not one of us is Jolene O’Sullivan.” She smiled and leaned over to pour more into Donna’s bowl. “Jolene hasn’t met the tornado of Quintino Albertini when family has been hurt. Yep. I’m mighty glad I’m not on the other side of that phone call.”
Her words cheered me immensely. I sat and took my bowl. “I wish we could listen.”
“No,” Donna said. “Not me. I never mind missing a display of Albertini temper.” She winked at Bud. “Not that I have a temper because I don’t.”
Tessa snorted and then caught herself. “That’s right. You don’t have a temper.”
I nodded solemnly. Oh, Donna had a temper and it was ice cold and devastating. “Nope. No temper.”
Bud smiled, finally looking relaxed next to her. “I can see that. You do seem to be the calm one in the family.” He caught himself and looked at Tessa and then at me. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Tessa said cheerfully. “I wish we all were as calm as Donna.”
Calmly deadly, that was. I again nodded. “Yeah, me too. She’s a haven in a turbulent storm.”
“Enough,” Donna said, sitting back. “Let’s talk about anything but me. Like why dead bodies keep showing up around you, Anna. What is going on?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But at least Bud is here to keep me safe. We do appreciate it, Bud.”
Donna turned a full wattage smile on the poor guy. “We do. It means the world that you’re protecting Anna.”
