Page 62 of Aiden

“I know you’re worried about me, sweet girl, but please don’t.” He plants a kiss on my cheek.

“Why did they come after you in the first place?”

He sighs, running a hand over his face. “I was careful since I was dealing with the Mafia. I didn’t want to put myself as the sole investor into their ‘jewelry business’ in case something went south. They buy storefronts and run them as jewelry shops or whatever they choose, but it’s a front for money laundering.”

“I decided to bring another person in to do the heavy lifting, someone who was familiar with their world. I thought I could trust him, but I was wrong.” He props his elbows on the countertop.

“Long story short, Vinny had a daughter. She was only sixteen. My guy, Frank, went to their house one night to get him to sign some papers. They weren’t home, but Vinny’s daughter was. Some things happened and they got romantically involved. Fast forward a few months, Vinny’s daughter, being the young girl she was had already moved on to another guy and wanted nothing to do with him. Frank didn’t like it too much, so he…” He pauses, studying me. “He killed her.”

I gasp.

He sighs. “Last time I’ll ever use someone I don’t know personally to invest with me.”

I shake my head. The poor girl, “But that’s not your fault.”

“To them, it is, or was. The Mafia works like a family. In their mind, anyone you do business with is family. So, since I did business with Frank–”

“They look at you like you’re his family.”

He nods. “An eye for an eye.”

“Is there anyone else I should be worried about?”

“No, we got rid of the bodies. Nothing can be linked back to us. But, just to be sure, I hired security to follow you and Ashley around at every waking step.” His face grows serious. “I’m going to be busier than usual, and we need to move. Between the guy that came here and everything that happened, I want us to live some place new.”

I nod, but a frown settles on my face. “Aren’t you sad? You literally just got the place.”

He shrugs. “I don’t give a shit where I live, as long as you’re there.” He looks at me intently.

It melts my insides. Could I live with him?

We make our way onto the patio, into the warm summer air. Aiden grabs two stemmed wine glasses and a bottle, and pours two glasses of wine.

“Giving alcohol to a minor now, are we?” I tease.

He pulls the glass away. “I mean, if you don’t want it.”

I stick my hand out, and he returns the thin stemmed glass to my hands. I take a sip; it’s slightly bitter but sweet. I definitely prefer it to liquor.

He eyes my happy expression. “You like wine?”

“Very much so. This is delicious! It tastes like dessert!” I take another sip.

He tops off my glass. “Just drink it slow, so you don’t get sick.” He gives me a sweet look.

“Aww, such a gentleman.” I gush.

“I don’t want you throwing up on the white rug in our bedroom.” He jokes, planting a lingering kiss on my lips.

“Our room,” I whisper.

Tall buildings and city lights try to dominate the backdrop, but nothing looks as powerful as Aiden as he sits with a glass of wine in one hand and my hand in the other.

“You can stay as long as you like, you know.”

“I’ll have to go back to school eventually.”

He scoffs. “You’re not going back to that school.”

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