I touch his jaw and he allows me to.
“You can be good if you want to be,” I mutter.
“I think it’s too late for me angel face.”
“I’m not an angel Aiden,” I correct him.
“You are to me.”
As he leans forward and kisses me I feel the thing I shouldn’t feel stir in my heart.
It’s what attraction turns into when you feed it with passion and desire.
I know I shouldn’t entertain it because I’ll make the mistake of falling for him.
Aiden’s phone rings and like always he’s ready to answer it.
His eyes widen as he listens to the person speaking and he stands.
“I’m leaving now,” he says and hangs up. he looks at me and brushes the edge of my jaw. “Eat. I’ll be back later.”
I want to ask him if everything is okay, but I hold off. A call to the boss after nine isn’t going to be a social call.
“Okay.”
He rushes off and I watch him, wondering what is really going to happen.
The time is going and I don’t know what Jude is doing to my mother.
I can’t sit here and fall for a man I know I’m not supposed to be with when Mom is in danger.
Chapter
Aiden
I jump off my motorcycle and race forward.
Dominic and Massimo found Dr. Pearson.
They found him in a pawn shop on the outskirts of L.A.
I make my way down the alley way leading down to the shops. There’s a cascade of them and the place looks shady as fuck with shadows shifting around in the dark as I push forward.
I don’t care who’s here, or how shady they are. All I can think of is Aleksei and I find myself hoping I’ll get answers. The tough exterior I normally shield myself with is fading, reminding me I’m human and when it comes to my child I’m a father who just wants to protect him.
I turn the corner and see Dominic waiting outside the pawn shop for me with some of our men. I’m guessing Massimo must be inside then with the good doctor.
Dominic lifts his head to acknowledge me.
“You sure it’s him?” I ask.
“Sure enough, and Gibbs was able to verify it.”
I grit my teeth and follow him inside. As soon as we walk in I understand why we’re here. The air is heavy with marijuana and some other shit.
And this pawn shop with the useless crap and fake jewelry laid out in the display cases is clearly just for show. The fucking shop is a front, but like most places like these in the City of Angels no one gives a flying fuck if you make it look legit.
Massimo’s voice is the first thing I hear when we walk through the door labelled Staff Only.