indicate she even sensed another person was in her space.
Aidan reached out to grab her.
“You’ll be flipped to the pavement, Aidan.” She spoke with a confidence so quiet his hand froze an inch from touching her. Still without turning, she took a few more steps and opened her mailbox. “And I’d hate to drop my new plant.”
“How’d you know?” That he was there? That he was about to touch her?
“I sensed you.” She turned with a handful of mail and smiled with the certainty of a strong woman’s power. “And I saw you in your car.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Aidan. I’m more aware of my surroundings than you think. My dad required it of me.” She locked her mailbox and nodded behind her. “You wanna come in or were you only here to see if I’d notice you?”
“I’m coming in. We need to talk.” He said nothing else while he followed her to her first-level apartment. Unlike the neighbors living on the second or third levels she had a bricked patio with landscaping that flowed smoothly into the common courtyard with a view of the pool and hot tub.
“You moved.”
“Home wasn’t the same after Valentine’s Day.”
“Right.” It would make sense that she’d struggled to stay where she’d helped trap a serial killer she’d known personally.
Following her through the double door of the patio into her living room, Aidan found himself more at home than he’d have expected. Keeping with the vibrant colors used in the landscaping, her apartment was painted and decorated in shades of blues and greens with red accents. It was nothing like her last place. This one was much more welcoming and friendly when he’d have expected white and modern lines.
Intrigued by what else he could learn about her, Aidan walked through her living room and kitchen when she headed into her bedroom. She had framed photographs everywhere, with few people repeated. She’d been in a few weddings and there was a picture of her sitting in Nigel’s lap, laughing as he nuzzled her neck. The pictures that captured Aidan’s attention sat beside the coffee maker in her kitchen. It was a place of honor where she’d see them every day. In one, she lay on a picnic blanket with her head in a man’s lap. He looked foreign and about her age at the time. They stared at each other without caring they were being captured on film. Whoever the man was, she’d obviously adored him.
The next picture was a gut punch. She was smiling up at an older man who held her lovingly with thick arms locked at her lower back.
“Son of a bitch.”
“What?” Lana asked as she stepped into the kitchen.
He turned with the picture in his hand and shook his head. He should have put it together. The last name. The fact that she had contacts everywhere and in every field. Her familiarity with legal processes. She was a pain in the ass, but he had to admit her evidence was always valid in court. “I should have known. Should have put it together.”
She smiled. “Most people don’t.”
“My living relies on my ability to put things together.” Aidan looked between the picture and her. “You look just like him.”
“So I’m told.” She took the picture and leaned past Aidan to put it back. Her hand lingered momentarily over the man’s smile. Her father’s smile.
“You never mentioned him. Never used his name to get your way with us.” And damn if he didn’t respect her for it. She’d said she didn’t do easy. She apparently meant it on more than one level.
“No.” She shrugged. “So what? My dad is the director of the FBI. I don’t need to flaunt his name to achieve my goals.”
“Does Kieralyn know?”
“We’ve been friends since college. She’s spent holidays with us.” Lana turned the oven to broil. “Are you eating?”
“Sure.” He still had questions to ask about today. He was more curious about why she didn’t use her father as leverage. And why Kieralyn never used him as leverage. Or even mentioned who he
Aidan reached out to grab her.
“You’ll be flipped to the pavement, Aidan.” She spoke with a confidence so quiet his hand froze an inch from touching her. Still without turning, she took a few more steps and opened her mailbox. “And I’d hate to drop my new plant.”
“How’d you know?” That he was there? That he was about to touch her?
“I sensed you.” She turned with a handful of mail and smiled with the certainty of a strong woman’s power. “And I saw you in your car.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Aidan. I’m more aware of my surroundings than you think. My dad required it of me.” She locked her mailbox and nodded behind her. “You wanna come in or were you only here to see if I’d notice you?”
“I’m coming in. We need to talk.” He said nothing else while he followed her to her first-level apartment. Unlike the neighbors living on the second or third levels she had a bricked patio with landscaping that flowed smoothly into the common courtyard with a view of the pool and hot tub.
“You moved.”
“Home wasn’t the same after Valentine’s Day.”
“Right.” It would make sense that she’d struggled to stay where she’d helped trap a serial killer she’d known personally.
Following her through the double door of the patio into her living room, Aidan found himself more at home than he’d have expected. Keeping with the vibrant colors used in the landscaping, her apartment was painted and decorated in shades of blues and greens with red accents. It was nothing like her last place. This one was much more welcoming and friendly when he’d have expected white and modern lines.
Intrigued by what else he could learn about her, Aidan walked through her living room and kitchen when she headed into her bedroom. She had framed photographs everywhere, with few people repeated. She’d been in a few weddings and there was a picture of her sitting in Nigel’s lap, laughing as he nuzzled her neck. The pictures that captured Aidan’s attention sat beside the coffee maker in her kitchen. It was a place of honor where she’d see them every day. In one, she lay on a picnic blanket with her head in a man’s lap. He looked foreign and about her age at the time. They stared at each other without caring they were being captured on film. Whoever the man was, she’d obviously adored him.
The next picture was a gut punch. She was smiling up at an older man who held her lovingly with thick arms locked at her lower back.
“Son of a bitch.”
“What?” Lana asked as she stepped into the kitchen.
He turned with the picture in his hand and shook his head. He should have put it together. The last name. The fact that she had contacts everywhere and in every field. Her familiarity with legal processes. She was a pain in the ass, but he had to admit her evidence was always valid in court. “I should have known. Should have put it together.”
She smiled. “Most people don’t.”
“My living relies on my ability to put things together.” Aidan looked between the picture and her. “You look just like him.”
“So I’m told.” She took the picture and leaned past Aidan to put it back. Her hand lingered momentarily over the man’s smile. Her father’s smile.
“You never mentioned him. Never used his name to get your way with us.” And damn if he didn’t respect her for it. She’d said she didn’t do easy. She apparently meant it on more than one level.
“No.” She shrugged. “So what? My dad is the director of the FBI. I don’t need to flaunt his name to achieve my goals.”
“Does Kieralyn know?”
“We’ve been friends since college. She’s spent holidays with us.” Lana turned the oven to broil. “Are you eating?”
“Sure.” He still had questions to ask about today. He was more curious about why she didn’t use her father as leverage. And why Kieralyn never used him as leverage. Or even mentioned who he
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