I gulped. “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
Aiden’s gaze met mine, steady but slightly glazed. I narrowed my eyes. “Are you drugged?”
“I hope so,” he mumbled, his voice low and gravelly.
I crossed to him and took his hand. His skin felt warm and strong against my palm. “Nonna, why are you threatening him with a spoon?”
Her eyes twinkled, but the spoon didn’t lower. “He tried to leave. Can you believe that? Dr. Michelle Sambo, one of the best doctors in the entire universe, said he needs to stay overnight. The man passed out in a courtroom.”
“I know, Nonna,” I said. “I brought him here.”
“Oh, that’s right. Good girl.” She leaned toward Aiden, eyes narrowing. “Have I made myself clear?”
Aiden turned his head slowly, giving her a soldier’s nod. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Nonna,” she corrected.
“Yes, Nonna.”
I bit back a grin. The sight of the mighty Aiden Devlin surrendering to my grandmother could’ve cured anxiety. He looked more like a chastised altar boy than a federal agent.
“Good.” Nonna’s tone softened as she turned toward the window, rummaging through her purse. The spoon clinked against metal before she pulled out a Ziploc bag full of cookies. “I made your favorite—chocolate chip with brownie chunks. It’s a lot of chocolate, but you’re in the hospital. You’ll live.”
Aiden’s eyes brightened. “Thank you.”
“That’s a good boy.” She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Anna, I’ll speak with you later.”
I stood, still half off-balance from the whole spoon episode, and hugged her when she came around the bed. She smelled like lavender lotion and powdered sugar.
“I’ll be back tomorrow morning,” she said.
“Yes, Nonna.”
Aiden nodded. “Yes, Nonna,” he echoed around a mouthful.
I snorted. I might need to keep her around more often. Apparently, she could do what no one else could—keep Aiden in a hospital bed.
She swept out of the room, the scent of baked chocolate lingering behind her. I heard her greet Saber in the hall, then the low rumble of their conversation.
A minute later, Saber loped inside, grin stretching. “Nonna said to give me a couple of cookies.”
Aiden immediately drew the bag closer to his chest. “Uh-uh. These are my cookies.” His words came muffled through another bite.
I blinked between them. Two of the most dangerous men I had ever met, both trained to kill, both with files thicker than phone books, and they were fighting over cookies.
Sometimes, life made zero sense.
“Give him a cookie, Aiden,” I suggested nicely.
“Fine.” Aiden sighed, then fished out what looked like the smallest one in the bag and handed it over.
Saber snatched it and shoved the entire thing in his mouth before Aiden could rethink the gesture.
“You better make it last,” Aiden said, tone deadpan.
Saber wiped a crumb from his lip. “She promised to bake me my own batch next time I’m in town.”
They sounded like brothers who’d survived the same wars and still argued over snacks.
