I ran my palms along the whiskers on his chin. “I’m not involved in the case. Not really. It was a shock that Lenny showed up at my office tonight.” Although, my nana had brought him the other day. Still, I wouldn’t have thought he would seek me out for help.
“I should’ve seen it coming,” Aiden said grimly. “I mean, it’s you.”
A somewhat fair statement. Sometimes, I caught him looking at me with genuine concern in his eyes. Did he doubt our future? Was he afraid he’d end up with kids and maybe a wife who got shot at a lot? Of course, it wasn’t like he worked in a safe field. He was fired upon often and had recently dealt with a bomber. What kind of changes would we have to make if we decided to have kids someday in the far future? One of us had to be safe. Of course, as an attorney, I should be mostly safe. Yet, I kept ending up in these situations.
“Anna?” He leaned in to study my eyes. “Lost you for a second there.”
“I don’t want you to lose me,” I whispered, tears pricking the backs of my eyes.
He wiped at the corner of one eye with his thumb. “Hey there. Hold on. It’s been a rough night. It’s okay.”
It might’ve been the pain pill or the disappearing adrenaline, but I couldn’t stop. “I don’t want you to decide I’m too much effort. Or too much risk.” The idea hurt in a way I’d never be able to explain.
His expression softened. “I’m in for the long haul, Angel. I promise.”
Another tear fell. Yep. Must be the pain pill. “Me, too,” I said. “I don’t want you to worry that I’m in danger all the time.”
“I don’t. And I promise, I’ll lock you down if necessary.”
Well, that dried up my tears. But then he kissed me, deep this time, and I forgot all about my worries.
Chapter24
Iwoke to the rumble of Aiden’s voice on the phone and blinked, wincing as I tried to roll over, realizing the pain pill had worn off. My shoulder pounded like it had taken a hammer. I supposed an arrow tip was kind of like that. Pushing my hair out of my face, I gingerly sat up and looked around. “Aiden?” I called.
He moved into the bedroom with his phone to his ear and a cup of coffee in his hand. My mouth watered. He handed me the mug, and I took a big drink of the brew. It was perfectly warm and tasted like cinnamon. I took another sip.
He sat on the bed and looked refreshed. I hadn’t heard him shower, but his hair was wet, and he’d shaved his hard jaw. Today, he wore a long-sleeved, black T-shirt and faded jeans.
He looked me over. “Just great,” he said into the phone.
Both of my eyebrows rose.
He set the phone on the bedside table and pressed the speaker button. “Hey, Pierce, you’re on with both Anna and me now.”
“Hey, Albertini,” Detective Pierce said. “How are you feeling?”
“A little sore.” I tried to move my shoulder and then winced. “Okay, a lot sore. Getting shot by an arrow kind of sucks.”
Pierce chuckled. “Yeah. Don’t worry, we’re going to find this guy.”
“I know. What’s going on right now?”
Movement sounded over the phone as if Pierce had walked out of his office. “Pete’s Pawn Shop got hit early this morning.”
“By the Cupids?” I asked.
“Yep. Pete was in early doing inventory, and they shot him with an arrow.”
My heart dropped. Pete was a nice old guy. I’d been to his pawn shop several times over the years. The weathered brick building stood on the outskirts of town and often offered decent silver jewelry. “Is he okay?”
“Yeah. The lead Cupid, the guy in all black, shot him in the leg. Pete is in the hospital now but should be released later today.”
“Why did the Cupid shoot Pete?” I asked.
Aiden sat on the bed and gingerly pulled my T-shirt away from the bandage to look at my stitches. I ignored him because I didn’t really want to look.
“We don’t know,” Pierce said. “Pete was cooperating with them, and he even opened the safe, but when they were leaving, the lead guy turned, pulled back on the bowstring, and shot him.”
