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“Thank you.”
I faced Fred again just before the door opened. I went to speak but was suddenly hauled out of the SUV and slammed against the side of it.
“You don’t ever do that to me!” Aiden roared in my face.
“Oh, you silly boy, you’ve just made a huge mistake.”
In the blink of an eye he gasped, went limp, and collapsed on the driveway.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Fred
Holy shit! I rushed out of the SUV and raced over to Aiden, who was out cold on the pavement.
“What did you do?” I glared up at Vincenzo. Just moments ago, I’d been beginning to feel like we were connecting on a peaceful level.
“He’s not dead. He’s tranquilized…though he’ll have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.”
“Why’d you do that?”
He motioned to Thomas and Eden. “Please carry him inside. Fred, walk with me, please.”
“I’m not leaving him with any of you.”
“Please.” He spoke sternly.
I stood, my gaze going from Vincenzo to Aiden and then landing on Vincenzo again. “Five minutes.”
He slowly made his way toward the back of the house—to the garden, I assumed. Once I was in step with him, he began.
“My exercitus are trained to kill anyone who dare lay a hand on me. The fact that Aiden is alive shows that I hold you and those you care about to a higher standard. But in no way can I allow what he did to go unpunished.” He stopped at a bench and sat. “No more than you can dismiss any disrespect you are given.”
“Aiden is off-limits, Vincenzo. No tranquilizing, killing, none of that.” I was standing my ground on this.
He huffed. “No, I can’t agree to that.”
“Excuse me.” I crossed my arms and quirked a brow. The fuck did he say?
“I am the praeses of Lex Talionis. Fred, I’ve already rearranged a lot for you. Just being here is unheard of. I won’t let your driver push me around, or any of my people. I won’t budge.”
“I’ll speak with Aiden about any physical contact with you, but I don’t want you zapping him or whatever you do whenever he says something you don’t like.” I understood what Vincenzo was saying, but I needed to make sure Aiden stayed alive.
Vincenzo snorted. “He’s said many things I find disrespectful, and I never once hurt him.” He held up a finger when I opened my mouth. “That’s the only compromise.”
I relaxed my stance and sighed. All the energy I’d stored left my body, and damn I was exhausted. I looked out over the garden. “My life is a mess, Vincenzo. Aiden is important to me.”
“I understand.”
“I hope you do.” I plopped onto the bench beside him. “I’ve shown a lot of trust in you, Vincenzo. I’m still in this house. I’ve agreed to so much. Like I said, I will speak with Aiden.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, before he wakes up, we should talk about arranging this meeting with the head of the Bleeding Angels. I don’t agree with Aiden that it’s foolish. Risky, yes, but I think there’s something to it.”
“I agree.”
Axel was watching Aiden so Zion, Vincenzo, and I met up in the library to discuss how this would be set up.
