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When her fingers slipped into my hand, I squeezed them. Not tight enough to hurt, but tight enough for her to feel that I wasn’t letting go.
She should get used to that feeling.
Tension strummed through her as we stepped out into the hall, but as we moved down the corridor and toward the salon, she released a soundless breath.
Relief was its principle source.
Rolling my eyes, I told her, “I’m many things, Aoife, but I’m not a liar. I won’t, and will not, lie to you.”
That had her head whipping to the side to gape at me—a move that I should have taken great offense over, but I didn’t. Couldn’t. In my line of work, whether it was the legit property development side of things or the shit I pulled for the Points, it could be said that we all needed the gift of the gab to get out of trouble.
Not me, though.
I didn’t lie.
In the Five Points, lying merely had someone above you in the ranks coming at you with a knife to slice out your tongue.
Aidan hated liars.
“Lying is a serious offense in the Five Points,” I told her gruffly, not sure why I was explaining but explaining nonetheless.
From the way her gaze was glued to the side of my face, I figured she was surprised, too.
“It is?”
“You know our reputation. Aidan O'Donnelly is a Catholic. Lying is a sin.”
A shaky breath soughed from her lungs. “I’m not him, though. You don’t have to tell me the truth.”
I snorted at that. “You’d be surprised how much easier life is when you don’t bullshit and you don’t lie. I tell you true—I will not lie to you.
“Last night, Aidan’s clean-up crew came and cleansed the place. It’s spic and span again.”
She didn’t reply, but I could sense she was curious now—not that she answered its call. She remained silent as I guided her into the kitchen. A small gasp escaped her when we entered the room.
“My God, it’s beautiful,” she whispered, and I was reminded that she was the baker who had powered her small tea room from a run-of-the-mill cafe to something people spoke about on social media.
Did I feel guilty about taking away her business and the rep she’d worked so hard to grow?
Yesterday? No. I could say that you’d win some and you’d lose some. Today? Yeah. I felt bad.
Because of that, I wriggled my shoulders as she took in the expansive room.
I didn’t cook. Ever. It just wasn’t something I’d ever been encouraged to do. I’d been raised in a male dominant household, and even though my old man had been a cunt, his teachings had continued when I’d moved in with Aidan and his sons.
Magdalena cooked.
If Aidan entered her domain, her kitchen, she’d have whipped his butt with a towel and told him to get out of there. Even if he’dwantedto cook, which he wouldn’t, ever, she’d never have allowed him to.
Because I didn’t cook, the kitchen shouldn’t have been important to me, but I had good memories of watching Lena cook, of even watching my bitch mother prepare evening meals while I did my homework.
It might sound like bullshit coming from a man like me, but the kitchen was the heart of every home. How appropriate was it that I was bringing someone into that very heart, someone who loved cooking.
“Seriously, this is absolutely stunning,” she whispered, spinning around like some women might if I’d taken them to Harry Winston’s or Tiffany’s. I could almost see the drool longing to fall from the corners of her mouth.
The kitchen had a central island that was the size of a large dining table. Down the back side of it, there were red leather counter seats, and I released her hand to take my place there. She ran her hand down the length of the gleaming black marble, took in the central stove and sink that was in the island, then looked around the rest of the counters that were empty of gadgets. Cream cupboards lined the upper and lower walls on two sides, hiding some of the appliances from view. A large, humming fridge purred at one side, and she moved over to it, running a hand down to the handle like she’d touched my cock last night—reverently.
My lips twitched at that comparison, and I murmured, “If you don’t mind cooking . . . you can make whatever you want for breakfast, or I can call in for some take out.”
