Page 19 of Demitri

“Killjoy.” The older woman rolls her eyes. “Come on in. I have some food set up for us. I figure you haven’t eaten much and you,” she looks at me, “look like you could use a good meal.”

Demitri steps aside and lets me enter first, sighing as I stare at him when I pass. Yeah, buddy, we have some talking to do later on. First question? Why the fuck does this lady who I have never met know so much about me? And did he know all ofthat as well? And for how long? The questions keep coming as I follow her to the table, where she has a lasagna sitting. It does smell amazing, but I don’t know if I trust this lady enough to eat anything she’s cooked.

“Don’t worry,” she answers my unasked question. “I didn’t make it. Or poison it. It’s from Danielle’s. Safe as can be.”

“That’s super reassuring,” I mutter as I sit.

“Will you put her out of her misery? Please?” Demitri asks.

Finally, she grins, and it’s like seeing a whole new person. “Why do you always have to kill my fun?”

“Because your fun is terrifying my girl.”

I snap my head to look at him, wondering if he even realizes what he just said. His girl? Am I his girl? Do I want to be his girl? Yes. Yes, I do.

“Fine.” She smiles, completely changing her looks. Now she looks like the fun aunt or the young grandma. “Mia, my name is Linda. Everyone calls me Aunt Linda and I work for a few different organizations, and my job is to know things. It’s to have people tell me things that I can then get into the hands of the other people who also need to know things.”

“That’s not cryptic at all,” I say.

“Sorry, honey, that’s all I can give you. My job is to keep the secrets I’m told until the information can help the greater good.”

Demitri turns his body to me, his hand on the back of my chair, not touching me, but letting me know he’s there. “When I knew I had to get out, that I had to make it permanent, I was sent here to tell her everything. She sent my information to the FBI, DEA, and probably a couple of other alphabet places.”

“Why does she know so much about me?”

“Oh, honey, that’s easy. When our boy here met you, it was my job to make sure you were safe for him to be around. One-night stands are one thing, but, well, you’ve never quite been a one-nighter, have you?”

I feel my cheeks burning, unable to say anything.

“Come on, we’re all adults here. Sex happens.”

“You know everything about me? My past?”

She becomes somber, slowly nodding her head. “I do.”

“Did you tell?”

“Not my story to tell, sweetheart. I might know more than what’s been put out there publicly, but your secrets are safe with me. Promise.”

I nod, the lump in my throat making it hard to swallow.

“How about we move on to whatever the fuck is going on right now?” Demitri offers, grazing his fingers along my shoulder before turning back to the table.

Aunt Linda dishes out the food, and we pass around a water pitcher. Once we’ve all got our meals in front of us, she begins.

“Your father’s genes are obviously taking root in his offspring. Your half-sister is trying to take over the power and control of this area using his name.”

“How?” Demitri asks.

“Remember a couple of years ago when all the high school kids were overdosing?”

“Yeah.”

“That was her. Well, her and some crazy man. She’s laid low for a while and is trying to make a comeback. She has some inside help.”

“Who?” Demitri barks, putting down his fork.

“Andrey Novikov.”

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