The Absolution of Aidan(64)

“Look, this isn’t about the mafia life. This is personal to him, and I’m worried. What’s crawled up your ass and left an asshole bomb that detonated?” Rising up from my chair, I make my way over to the cake I made. The one Anna found and helped me make. She has a knack for this as well, so does her mother.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I was out of line. Trust me. He’s fine.” Dilan’s voice is tense. Ah, and there she is, the reason why the bomb exploded up his ass. The beautiful Anna. He watches her from behind as she walks past without even seeing him across the kitchen floor.

“God. I needed to get away from my mother. Twice in one day she’s looked at me with these little, sad eyes and then says, “You need to start dating, Annabelle Drexler. I’m ready for one of these.” I’m like seriously, mom, do you not know what our lives are like right now? It’s not like I can go out on a date. Besides, the man I would love to take me out on one just happens to be our bodyguard.” She lowers her voice a little when she expresses that little bit of news.

I risk a peep out of the corner of my eye at Dilan, who happens to still be gaping at Anna. I think his ears may be flapping like he cannot believe he heard her correctly.

“So, Dilan, huh? He’s a great guy. And I know what you mean about not being able to go out on a proper date. Hopefully, this gets taken care of soon. Wait a second. Does this mean, are you two thinking of staying here?” Oh yes, Dilan’s ears are flapping like elephants’ do when they’re trying to cool down the heated blood flowing through them.

“We are. I cannot believe how nice all of you have been to mom and me. Besides, with dad gone now, it would be a good time for a fresh start.” Oh, yeah. He’s flapping now. He may get up and fly. I listen with rapt attention as Anna carries on about their plans to move here. She even tells me a little bit about her relationship with her father, too, which I tuck away to tell Aidan about whenever her gets his ass home.

“Do you know much about Dilan?” I look at her with a questioning stare. How stupid I must look when she’s the one asking the question. I blink. Oh, how I could have fun with this, especially with him sitting in the chair not moving at all. Maybe all of his cells have left his body and he’s no longer a living thing. Ha! Well, Anna sure does know how to take a lady’s mind off of her worries, doesn’t she?

“What do you want to know?” I play dumb and start to clean up the counter. Anna makes herself right at home by propping a hip against the counter with her back still facing Dilan.

“Well, I know he’s a bodyguard, a thief, and a member of the mafia,” she rattles off.

“Yup. Does any of that bother you?” I ask jokingly.

“Not at all. I mean, I may not have a lot of experience with men, but after the shady shit my dad did before he died, I have no room to judge. Besides, I’m not a judgmental person anyway.”

God. I want to shift my eyes in Dilan’s direction. I don’t though. I love Anna and even though this is cracking me up inside, I would never do anything to purposely embarrass her. Now, Dilan on the other hand… I’m high fiving myself right now.

“I think Dilan is a wonderful man. He has a nice ass too, and don’t even get me started on those tattoos of his.” I fan myself.

“Oh, God. I know. We were working out together the other day, and I shit you not, my panties were completely soaked when he took off his shirt and the tattoo across his back flexed with every pull-up he did.” When I look her way, I notice her eyes are closed as if she’s in deep thought or remembering the way he looked. I shoo him with my hand. I’ve never seen a man move as fast as he does. Just in time, too. Because what she hits me with next would have definitely gotten him spotted. He would have crumbled to the fucking floor.

“When I said I didn’t have much experience with men, I really should have said none at all. I’m a virgin, right down to I’ve never even been kissed.”

“Oh, Anna. I think that’s wonderful.” I mean what am I supposed to say?

“I just feel like I’m, I don’t know, a tom boy or something. I mean, all through high school, sports were my life. Then I went to Hygienist School. Guys were never in the picture,” she says rather sheepishly. She reminds me of what it would be like if I had a younger sister to share these kind of stories with. Kind of like the relationship Alina and I have, where you can tell your girlfriend anything, and they will never judge you.

I dry my hands off on a dishtowel and pull her into my arms. “You’re not a tom boy, that’s for damn sure. You’re beautiful, Anna, and any man, including Dilan, would want you. I’m not talking strictly sexually, either. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. As long as you continue to be you, then the right man will come along and sweep you away. You will have fallen before you even realize it.” I glance over her shoulder because I feel like someone is watching us. And shit. Dilan is right there. Oh, shit. He heard her. He knows everything.