Page 9 of Cherished By the Sinners

“Ah,” Anna said, nodding.

“We don’t know...how to—” Mason began.

“Talk to her,” Magnus finished.

She stared at them for a long second.“Did you try it?”she asked.“Talking to her?”

Mason shifted his feet.“We don’t know what to say.”

“We don’t want to scare her,” Magnus added.

Anna sat back.“Ah.”She stared at the ceiling for a few seconds.“You’re right, despite how difficult her life has been, she’s still...innocent.”Anna’s lips twisted into a tight knot.“Though she might argue with me about that.She has an endless amount of forgiveness for others, but little for herself.”

Mason waited.

Magnus held himself still next to him.

“You need to be direct,” Anna said.“Tell her what you want, but,” she held up a hand, “if you don’t want a long term relationship of some kind, don’t bother her at all.She has been hurt enough.”

“Hurting her is the last thing we want to do.”

Anna smiled and sat back.“Start with telling her that.”She waved her hand at them as if to shoo them along.

Magnus silently walked back to the elevator.

Mason didn’t move.“What is Evan shopping for?”

Anna grinned and it was the expression she had on her face right before battle.A battle she was looking forward to.“Weapons,” she said in the same tone of voice other women used when shopping for diamonds.

“Are we going to war?”

“Let’s just say I want to be prepared.”

“How prepared?”

She sighed.“I don’t know anything specific, but our recent guests’ arrival has made me concerned.”She shook her head.“It’s nothing you have to worry about today.You have a date with Darlene.We can discuss our situation tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Mason joined his brother in the elevator and they went down to the main floor.

“I want to talk to Louise,” Mason said.“Make sure Darlene is finished at the normal time.”

“I will call the restaurant and tell them we’ll be coming down for dinner with Darlene,” Magnus said.He turned to go, but stopped and looked back at his brother.“What else?”

Mason nodded.“This is more than a date.”

“Which she knows nothing about,” Magnus said under his breath.

“Are words enough?”Mason asked.

“You want to give her diamonds?”Magnus asked.

“They’re what other men give their girlfriends.She needs something of ours.”

Magnus grinned, flashing his teeth, sharp as a blade.“We give her something that matters more to us than diamonds.”