“Maybe this doesn’t have to do with your work,” Wally suggests. “Maybe it’s connected to your private life.”
I snort. Private life? What private life? If I’m not working, I’m at this pub hanging with these guys or Suzie. Don’t get me wrong. I think my life is pretty awesome. But it isn’t exactly filled with drama. Unless you count practical jokes from the uncles drama, which I most definitely do not.
“Try again,” is the only thing I say in response to Wally’s suggestion.
“There is one difference in your private life.” Sid points to Aiden.
“You are not seriously saying Aiden is behind this. What? So he can play the hero? I’m not buying it.”
Aiden pulls me close. “I don’t think he’s implying anything of the sort. I think he’s referring to my ex.”
I scrunch my nose in disgust at the reminder of Stephanie. She’s not my favorite person, but even I have to admit she can’t be involved. “Nope. Timeline doesn’t fit, assuming the break-ins at my office and house are associated with whoever followed us on Friday and this note.”
Someone growls and I look up to see Pops is wearing his angry face. Oops! I may have neglected to tell him about the incident on Friday night. “We will talk about this later, young lady.” Oh boy. He’s pulling out the big guns calling me young lady.
“I think we can assume all the incidents are related,” Aiden says. “Which means I missed something when we went through your files.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You missed something?”
Sid chuckles. “Ah, young love.”
“Until we figure this out, you’ll be staying with me,” Aiden demands.
I put my hands on my hips and face him. “What part of I’m not a wilting wallflower did you not understand? Shall I get a dictionary to help explain it to you?”
“Smart ass. I know you’re not weak or a wallflower or whatever word you want to use. But I also know you’re in danger. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“He’s right, you know,” Wally has to add his two cents.
“Fine!” I throw my arms in the arm before pointing two fingers at Aiden. “But I won’t be staying with you.”
Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to stay with Aiden. The memory of our sexy times this weekend rears its head and I feel my face flush. Oh yeah, I totally would. But I will not rely on any man. Nope. I may be willing to give this relationship thing with Aiden a try, but I know better than to believe it will ever be permanent. Relationships don’t last. Just ask my mom. Oh wait, you can’t because I haven’t seen or heard from her since I was twelve.
“I’ll stay with Pops.” My room in his apartment above the bar hasn’t changed since I moved out after college. I crash there often enough after a night of tequila-filled fun to know this for a fact.
“Sorry, Pops.” I wink at him. “You’re going to have to keep it down tonight.”
He grunts but doesn’t bother to contradict my sass. There’s a knock on the door followed by two uniformed police officers walking in the office. The uncles fade away. Seriously, they don’t simply walk out of the room. No, they sneak out as if they were never there to begin with. You have to see it to believe it.
“Detective Barnes?” The tall, African American officer steps forward. “You wanted to report an incident?”
Pops approaches me and kisses my head. “I’ll get your room set up, Babycakes.”
I spend the next thirty minutes answering a gazillion questions from the uniformed police officers. How many times can you say I don’t know in a conversation? A lot, let me tell you. A lot. They finally leave after making me sign a statement.
We follow them to the front door of the pub and lock up after them. “Well,” I say to Aiden. “This is not how I expected the evening to end.”
He puts his hands on my hips. “If you had agreed to stay with me, this night could still have a happy ending.”
I snort. “Corny.”
“Let me walk you to the apartment. Then, I need to get home.”
“Babe, you don’t need to walk me to the apartment. It’s an internal staircase. I’ll be fine. Pops is waiting up for me.”
He ignores me and grabs my hand. “Where am I going?”
I lead him to the back hallway we were in before. Across the hallway from the office is a door with a keypad. I punch in the code and open the door to a set of stairs. I open my mouth to tell him he can leave me now, but he places a finger on my lips to silence me. Then, he pats my ass in a silent demand to get moving.