Page 35 of Praying for Thunder

Jaw lock back in place.

She growled, “Why do your eyes change sometimes?”

Stepping back over me, he doused the pan with sauce. “As I have said, I can only reveal that to my Old Lady.”

Did Ani already know this answer? Yes, but I think it was her way of ‘testing the waters’. I think, deep down, she realized she could want more from Diablo. She sensed that being his Old Lady was something she would eventually want. The problem was that he was just as stubborn. Even though there were signs showing him Anita was possibly his girl, he had decided he would make her wait. When the time came that he asked her to be his Old Lady, he wanted to be sure she was positive when saying yes.

She plopped back onto the couch, arms crossed. “I won’t let you trap me.”

“That’s not what I’d be doing.” He stirred the food.

She harped, “I’ve seen how that ends.”

Jabbing a piece of broccoli in the pan with a fork, he grinned. “Not in my world.” He squatted in front of me with the food while telling her, “But that’s fine. You don’t even know if I’ll ever ask you to be mine.”

“Huh!” She got up from the couch. “Then why all the drama?” She, again, referred to what was beyond the closed drapes.

“My brothers are concerned for my well-being. That’s all.” He hung the fork in front of my mouth, promising me, “I won’t lie to you, ever. You will now like broccoli.”

Unlike Ani, I was fully on board the Dio Train. I took a mouthful. Crunch!

As the flavor danced on my tongue, I smiled, green mush all in my teeth. “Dat good!”

“See? Dio don’t lie!” He stood, winking at Ani. “Ain’t that right, babe?”

“Grrrrrr!” She stormed into the bedroom. “I’m taking a shower.”

Out of nowhere, fear rocketed through me. Swallowing in one gulp, I got up and rushed toward the closed bedroom door. “Wait!”

Catching up to me, Dio scooped me up in the bedroom. “Hold up. Hold up.”

I wiggled in his arms. “I have to go! With my Ani!”

Besides the glaring issues Ani and I had, the smaller cracks were now starting to show.

His powerful arms easily handled my fit. “Okay. Okay, my dude.” His mouth was near my ear and calm. “I’ll make it happen, but can you tell me why?”

My chest heaved. “Why what?”

“Why do you have to be with your Ani when she showers?”

I stopped moving. I was clueless about that answer.

Dio sat on the bed, me in his lap. He pointed to the closed bathroom door. “She’s right there. And goin’ nowhere. So, you have a minute to tell me what has you so upset right now.”

Back then, I hadn’t a clue. Nor did I think I had a good reason to cry, but that didn’t stop tears from falling. “I don’t know.” I stared at the closed door. “But… it is where I’m to go.”

In disbelief, he asked, “Every time she showers?”

“Yes.” Attempting to make sense of my meltdown, my little brain reminded me, “My toys are in there.” My bottom lip trembled. “Can I go to my Ani now?”

A vein bulged in his reddening forehead as his sad eyes squinted. “Of course.” His arms released me. “I didn’t mean to stop you.” He assured me, “You and your Ani have a routine I need to find my place in.”

I wasn’t sure what all that meant, nor did I care. My everything insisted on being where I belonged.

Dio went to knock on the door, but missed, due to me swinging it open. So he said, “Sorry. Someone was upset to not be in here with you.”

The shower curtain flew open. “Niño?” As usual, her hair was dry, tied up in a ball on top of her head. We only washed her hair on Sundays. But that was it for our ‘normal’. I was confused at this point. My place had always been by Anita’s, except when at the club, but this had shocked Dio—a man I already trusted. So, should I not be in there?