I hang up without another word.
* * *
I didn’t sleepat all last night, which isn’t unusual. Sleep has never been my friend. It’s more like a fleeting thought than anything else. When it comes, it’s never for long, but there are many nights it doesn’t come at all.
Since I had nothing better to do, I stayed outside Aria’s house watching, waiting to see if the curtains would ever open again or she would leave, but I saw neither. Not until around seven the following morning. A short man with thinning hair and a fat beer belly finally moves the dark fabric blocking the windows, giving me a perfect view inside.
I thought I would see Aria moving around, getting ready for her day, or maybe eating breakfast at the table positioned in front of the windows, but I don’t. She never came into sight, which makes me wonder where she could be. I know for a fact she never left because I watched her house all night.
My thoughts are quickly answered when she appears for a split second before pulling the door open and exiting the house. She looks different today. She has a black duffel bag gripped in her hand, her hair in a high bun on top of her head, skintight leggings wrap around her toned legs, and a T-shirt that's cut to fall off one shoulder, showing her bright pink sports bra. Normally, I don’t focus on anyone long enough to even tell you the color of their eyes, but with her, I never want to stop looking. I could stare at her body all day.
With her in view, I start my car and creep behind her the same way I did last night as she walks. She follows the same path, staying on the sidewalk until she makes it to the bus stop two blocks away. When she steps on, I pick up my speed behind and follow her in the opposite direction of Rigatoni’s.
After a few minutes, the bus makes its second stop, and she appears again. I pull onto the side of the road and kill my engine as she crosses the street and enters a gym.
Glass takes up the entire front of the building, giving me the perfect view of her as she walks inside. When she strides inside a room off the front, tiny humans swarm her, hugging her thighs with smiles on their faces. I’ve never much liked kids, but even I can admit it’s kind of cute to see them so happy when she walks into the room.
I watch her lips moving as she claps her hands together and starts pointing at different spots on the floor in the open room. The kids scurry, each one taking a different place, then look at her for direction. When she stretches and moves her body, they do the same.
I’m so engrossed in watching her touch her toes I don’t even notice my phone vibrating on the dash. The dim light coming from the screen is what grabs my attention.
I pick up the device, hit answer, then bring it to my ear. “Ace.” I greet my brother the same way he greets me.
“I looked into the girl, and she’s clean. The only thing I was able to dig up was some old news articles from when she was in high school. She was supposed to get some badass scholarship but landed wrong after a flip and tore her ACL along with some other shit, ending her being a gymnast. But she has no criminal background. She’s squeaky fucking clean and works two jobs. She’s a normal broad.”
They say those who can’t do teach, and suddenly, it all makes sense why she’s teaching these kids. “Great. Thanks.” I end the call.
For a minute, I thought Aria was only asking for help for some underlying reason. Like maybe she was close with one of my family's many enemies, but seeing as she has no criminal history, I doubt it.
As the class she teaches ends and the kids all disappear, I wait for Aria to come outside before I step out of my car. I sprint across the street and come up behind her, push her into an alley, and clamp one hand over her mouth and the other over her arm. I can hear the scream bubbling in her throat, but when I turn her around, keeping her arm clasped in my hand, and her eyes lock to mine, it dies. It’s almost as if she knows I won’t hurt her.
I drop my hold on her mouth. “Tell me why you need help.” I don’t bother with formalities. She knows who the fuck I am and what I’m talking about.
She shakes her head and points her eyes anywhere but on me. “It-it was stupid to ask. I changed my mind.” Her voice is shaky, not at all like last night. “I don’t need protection anymore.” The lie doesn't roll off her tongue with ease. She must be one of those people who rather stick to the truth, something I highly value in a person. I hate fucking liars, but I don’t hate her right now because I know she’s scared, and that’s the only reason she’s keeping something from me.
I narrow my eyes and stare at her, waiting for her to say something else, but she stays silent. “Fine. If you say so.”
I drop my hold on her arm and turn, watching her hurry from the alley and on to the bus at the stop. If she doesn’t want to tell me, I’ll figure it out myself. I’m already too obsessed with her to walk away now.
Annoyed, I race back across the street and slip into my car, wasting no time putting the key in the ignition, starting it, and peeling off.