Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
KINSLEY
When we first entered the kitchen, it was only the two of us. Now more and more people are popping up. People shuffling in and out. I have already met most of the family, except for Eros, who is Jax’s oldest brother.
I vaguely remember his face. I must have seen him at some point.
I do know that he didn’t go to Golden Prep.
I’m not sure why, but not all of the Marino kids go there.
That much I know. It’s a big city, and there are lots of fancy schools here and, hell, abroad for that matter, depending on how gifted you are.
“You’re here!” Nix squeals when she enters the kitchen and sees me.
I pause with the piece of bacon almost to my mouth.
“The coolest rumors are going around about you.” She does this little shake move.
“Two Marinos enter a house party, and someone dies, but no one clocks them as the killers. No, they go with you.” Nix laughs. “People are stupid.”
“Can’t argue with that.” I take a bite of my bacon. “But I’m not sure it’s cool that people think I killed someone.”
“You know what really sucks about it?” she asks but keeps going before anyone can answer. “Now they’ll never let me go to a school party if random blondes are just dying at them.”
“Nix, you are not random.” I laugh.
“Ahh.” She pulls her shoulders in, looking up, pretending to be shy. “But it’s still cool. No one will fuck with your man now, or those bitches will end up in ditches.” She singsongs the last part.
Nix is a lot, in the best of ways. She is very animated as she speaks, theatrical. I like it. Adds "pizzazz" to her words honestly.
“Who is she?” Jax pauses at the stove to turn at the sound of the girl's voice. We all do. Standing there eerily still is a delicate girl with the sharpest and brightest blue eyes I have ever seen in my life.
She has her dark brown hair pulled back tight in a bun, but somehow one single curl has broke free.
I get the sense she wouldn’t be happy about that single piece of hair.
Not when every other detail of her is very put together.
With a crisp, buttoned white shirt paired with slacks and boots.
It hits me who she must be. The girl appears to be almost an exact replica of her mother except for the cold eyes.
No, those belong to War Marino. She’s his oldest.
“Naomi,” Jax says, a hint of a warning in his tone. Her eyes snap from me to him.
“Hey!” Nix jumps back up from where she’d plopped herself down next to me. “We like her.” She stands in front of Naomi, blocking her view. “Gah, I hate when you do your hair this way. We’ve talked about this. Turn around.”
She doesn’t turn around. Nix merely gives another huff, walking around Naomi. I watch as Nix tugs at the hairband in the girl's hair, releasing all those wild curls that match her mother's.
Blair has her whole emo girl thing going, but she cracks jokes and so on.
Naomi here doesn't appear anything like a goth girl, but her vibe is dark, like Wednesday Addams. She doesn't rely solely on black. No, her clothes are more functional. Nothing more or less. She doesn’t need a certain look to get across her message.
“Are you good?” Jax asks her, and I’m not sure what is going on.
“She’s fine,” Nix answers for her. “Say you’re good.” She nudges Naomi.
“I’m good.” The words might be coming out of Naomi’s mouth, but I can tell they may not be sincere. She’s unsure of me, which is totally understandable.
“We like her,” Nix repeats. “There is a rumor going around that she killed a pretty little blonde from Golden Prep.” Nix wiggles her brows.
“Did you?” Naomi asks. Nix is trying hard to lighten the vibe that is simmering around Naomi, so I follow her lead.
“Maybe. I was pretty drunk. I mean, I did end up going home with him.” I nod toward Jax.
“Yes, I would have to be very drunk to go home with a man,” Naomi says, but there’s no emotion behind it.
“She’s not a lesbian; she’s nothing.” Nix makes a cutting gesture across her throat.
Interesting. But she is still kind of terrifying. Also intriguing.
“Are you done?” Naomi asks Nix.
“When have I ever been done in my whole freaking life?” Nix tugs on one of her curls. “I got a new—”
“You’re not playing with my hair today.”
“So tomorrow. Right.” Nix pops a kiss on her cheek and practically skips back over to sit down next to me. “She’s cool people, and that one…” She pauses to be dramatic, then points to her brother. “Is in love with her.”
I cough, choking on a bite of my bacon. We have not said the L word. It’s actually not a word I’m really used to. Probably why it’s caught me so off guard. Jax has already told me I’m his forever. I want to believe that with every part of my being.
"Be nice," I hear Jax say as he rounds the kitchen island toward me, his comment directed at Naomi. I wave him off, saying I'm okay, and take a sip of the coffee he made me. The wave does nothing because now he’s hovering over me, his hand going up and down my back.
"She didn't do anything," I scold Jax in Naomi's defense.
“No one even told me her name.” Naomi speaks, stepping more into the kitchen. The curls falling around her heart-shaped face appear more delicate.
“I’m Kinsley,” I introduce myself. Naomi gives me a curt nod.
“I don’t like when I’m not told about things.” Her eyes assess me. I know Jax may not like the way she’s acting toward me, but I get it. I’m a stranger that’s in her family's home. And it’s not like it’s just some regular family. They all have reasons not to trust outsiders.
“Trying not to overwhelm her,” Jax tells her, dropping a kiss on top of my head.
“So it’s generational then,” Naomi responds, and I don’t have a clue what she means.
“I can’t wait for it to happen to me.” Nix does a shimmy dance in her seat.
“I don’t know how to feel about this.” Naomi's brows furrow together.
“See, I told you that you feel things. No one listens to me.” Nix rolls her eyes.
"Can I ask what we're talking about?"
"The men in this family." Naomi starts to tell me.
"Nope, nope, nope." Nix shakes her head.
"It's the women, too." Nix glances at me.
"She's saying 'men' in the hopes she won't fall hopelessly in love one day.
That it's not only the men in this family but also the women.
I mean, you have to be head over heels in love to deal with the obsessiveness the husbands have over their wives.
And let's not forget Marks. She stalked Uncle Ro.
" I can tell from Naomi's expression that she hates every word coming out of Nix’s mouth.
"I mean, you're a Marino. If you get an inkling that you might be falling for someone, just kill them," I joke.
"I could do that." Naomi starts to nod.
"Oh God, don't give her ideas," Nix groans.
"It's not a terrible idea," Jax says.
"I like her." With that, Naomi turns and leaves the kitchen.
"She was…" I trail off.
"She's just Naomi. There aren't words for it." Nix takes a piece of bacon off my plate.
"Eat, Bunny; we need to speak to my uncles." He kisses my cheek before refilling my coffee.
"Wait, like I'm talking to them too?" A sudden sense of panic fills me. The reasonable side of me knows they aren’t going to do anything to me, especially with Jax here, but I can’t help but feel a bit intimidated.
They are, after all, three of the most powerful men in this city. Scratch that, more like on this coast.
"You don't want to be in on the conversation?" Jax asks.
"I mean, I do, but am I allowed?" Plus, why does having this conversation feel like the equivalent of meeting the family? I mean, I know I have met them, but this seems deeper.
"We need to tell them the story you told me about your mom's patient. I'm guessing Damon has informed them what he now knows about the warehouse and everything from last night."
"Oh, I'm a little surprised they didn't know about the warehouse already."
"Right, there is always more going on that I'm not told about." Nix gives another frantic eye roll.
"You're pushing fifteen," Jax reminds her.
"Don't even give me that. How old were you when you got to go down to the hole?" Nix tosses back at her brother.
"That's not how it works, and you know it. Don't make it about gender either. Naomi is proof enough of that."
"I don't know shit about what you all are talking about, so you know more than me," I try to offer.
"Nix, come on. You're different. We all are. The parents handle us each accordingly."
"I know." Nix lets out a small huff. "It sucks being the youngest of the bunch."
“Someone has to be, and you’re pretty good at it.” I give her a small nudge with my elbow. It makes her eyes light up.
“Oh God, I just realized we’ll be sisters! I have a sister!” She beams at me. It makes my chest grow tight. I’ve never admitted this out loud, but I always wished I had a sibling. Someone to keep me company since my parents were never around.
“Let’s not freak her out. The L word and marriage talk.” Jax shakes his head at his sister.
“Why? What is she going to do? Run?” Nix throws back her head, laughing harder than I’ve ever seen at her own joke. “Both Mom and Aunt Marks tried that, and we know how that ended up. Marino men are persistent.”
That should probably scare the crap out of me, but it doesn’t. It oddly brings me comfort. Maybe I’m a little weird, too.