Naomi
With a room full of people, she was fighting the urge to run back to the apartment. She promised herself she would try to act normally today. Last night proved she could, with Ink in her space. Even Asher seemed lighter today. He skipped beside her, head on a swivel, taking everything in.
The heavy door of the clubhouse swung inward, drawing everyone’s attention. She squeezed Asher’s hand a little tighter and tried to smile, stomach twisting with nerves.
Asher looked up at her with wide eyes, then his gaze shifted to Wren. “Twins?”
“Pretty,” Asher said, stepping closer to her and gripping her pant leg.
“They are pretty, aren’t they?” Naomi agreed with a soft smile. The girls shared a grin.
“Would you like to come and play with us, Asher?” Wren asked, crouching down and extending a hand. “I heard from Ink and Ice that you love to play hide-and-seek.”
“Hide-and-seek?” Asher asked, perking up. “Play?”
“Yeah, we’ll go play. And Ronin and Gabe want to join us too.” She smiled at Naomi. “We’ll be staying in this room or the kitchen, so we won’t be far.”
Naomi swallowed hard, fighting her nerves. “Are you sure he’ll be okay?”
“Promise. It’s the weekend, so we’re off, and we have a few hours before we’re supposed to go to a birthday party at one of our friend’s places. Which means we have lots of time to play with them and wear them out.” She winked, and Naomi nodded.
“If you’re sure, then, okay. He’s not always great at the counting part before looking, so you might have to help him.”
“That’s fine. We taught Ronin, so we’re well-versed in it. Asher, do you want to come with us?” She crooked her fingers, and Asher slowly reached out to take them.
Naomi held her breath when he looked back at her, so she nodded, forcing her face to relax. Wanting him to have friends, she had to let him get used to everyone. He turned back and eagerly followed Wren and Win over to where the other kids were hanging out by the back sofas.
“He’ll be fine,” someone murmured behind her, making her jump. She turned to see Ink standing there, Ice behind him, and Rogue bringing up the rear.
“Looks like you already got someone interested in your girls, brother,” Ink joked, grinning at Rogue over his shoulder.
Naomi’s eyes widened at the murderous look that crossed Rogue’s face. “Who?” His tone was low and dangerous.
“Little guy, about this tall, baby-blue eyes,” Ink said, unfazed, holding his hand out to indicate his height.
Rogue’s expression cleared, and his gaze moved to where Asher and the girls were bringing Ronin and Gabe into their small group.
He grunted and nodded. “I’ll wait until he’s at least five before I start warning him off.
” He gave Naomi a bland stare, then led them toward a table where Scarlett and Esme were talking.
“Well, would you look at that? He made a joke.” Ink chuckled. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Yeah, while scaring Naomi,” Ice muttered. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, Rogue’s harmless when it comes to the kids and women around here. The rest of us, he’ll beat to a pulp if we really push him too far.”
“Oh, yeah, because that’s so much better.” Ink scoffed.
Naomi told herself she knew they were joking, but the look on Rogue’s face reminded her of the looks Diego and her father used to give her before they threatened her. Or beat her, in a few instances. She desperately wanted to grab Asher and run.
This was a mistake. All of it was a mistake.
“Your paperwork, it’s all done,” she rushed out, shoving it at Ink and stepping back. “I need to get Asher and go.” She didn’t want to disappoint him, but they weren’t safe here. She’d been wrong. So very wrong.
“Babe, it’s okay,” Ink murmured, but her anxiety was too high.
Her head was already moving, calculating how long it would take before she could get to Asher and get out of here. How many men did she have to get around; who might try to stop her?
“Shit. Ice, watch Asher.” Ink took her hand and urged her outside, then wrapped his arm around her before she could struggle.
“Shhhh, Naomi, it’s okay.” He soothed her, guiding her to the edge of the porch and easing her back against the side of the building.
“It’s alright, baby. Take some deep breaths for me. ”
“Asher. I need to get to Asher, Ink. He’s not safe.” Her heart roared in her ears, her breathing growing more and more shallow by the second.
She had to get to her son. Make sure he was safe. No one could hurt him. Not again. She would burn this place to the ground if necessary.
Ink lifted her clenched fist and pressed it over his heart until it lay flat.
“Naomi, do you feel that? Feel my heartbeat, sweetheart. Do you feel the steady beats? Feel how consistent and even my breaths are? I need you to do the same, okay? We have to get your breathing under control before you pass out, all right? We’ll do this together, yes?”
His words were low, slow, and almost hypnotic. She stared into his eyes, trying to make sense of what he was saying, but then she focused on the steady rise and fall of his chest. The feel of his heart thumping under her fingers. The heat of his skin through his shirt.
It was enough to yank her out of her spiral, but it did nothing to lower her anxiety.
“That’s it,” he praised. He repeated the mantra slowly.
“In through your nose. Out through your mouth.”
Slowly, very slowly, the anxiety subsided, until she could finally draw a calm, steady breath and her heart rate returned to mostly normal.
Then, of course, embarrassment took place of the anxiety. Her face flamed, and she tried to ease away from Ink, but he held her steady.
“Shhh, it’s alright, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Just take another minute.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, wishing the porch would open up and swallow her.
“No need for that. You’ve had a very rough couple of days. It’s only natural that something would catch you off guard. I’m sorry. It was because of my stupid joke.”
She blinked, unsure if she heard him right. “Wait, why are you apologizing? I’m the one who made a fool of herself.”
“I’m the one who made the joke about Asher being interested in the girls, knowing full well that it would rile up Rogue. We like to tease him, but I never thought it would upset you. I do that more than I’d like to admit.”
“Upset me? You don’t upset me.”
He chuckled. “No, speak before I think. I like to think I’m working on it, but around here, it’s too easy to get under people’s skin and piss them off. I’ll try to be more conscious of that in the future, especially if Asher is around. The other kids are used to me and my antics.”
“Favorite uncle?”
He smiled, his eyes gleaming. “Exactly.” He gave the hand against his chest a gentle squeeze. “You good?”
She nodded. “I’m good. I … I’m really sorry, Ink. I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. It’s just …”
“It triggered something. If you feel comfortable enough to share with me, then we can try to avoid it in the future. Or at least until you feel more comfortable with us.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” The question blurted out of her, and she instantly wanted to take it back.
Great job, Naomi. Insult the man just trying to help you.
Instead of seeming offended, his smile gentled.
“Because I, and well, everyone else here, want you to feel safe. We want you to know that we’re here for you while you’re under our charge.
Our club has a habit of protecting women and children from some of the worst out there, and we do it willingly and happily.
Because, despite what people might think, we’re not terrible people.
We live our lives on the fringes of the law, but that means we have ways of handling things that society doesn’t always deem acceptable or agree with. ”
“Like how you rescued the twins?”
“Exactly. The same when we went against the cartel to protect Esme and Gabe from her father and ex-husband, both of whom were leaders of one of the cartels on the other side of the border.”
She blinked. “The Ramirez stuff that happened a while ago? That was you guys?”
He nodded.
“I heard about it, but I wasn’t told anything else, and even the men around me who were my guards were mum about it. Someone else stepped in, and it didn’t involve me, so I wasn’t told much.”
“We don’t brag about it, but yes, that was us.
They wanted to take Gabe back and kill Esme.
We weren’t going to let that happen. Ever.
The same way we’ll protect you and Asher.
That’s why the Devil’s Predators brought you two here.
They know our reputation and have worked with us enough to know what we’re capable of.
Eventually, I hope you’ll be able to see that. ”
“I’m starting to.” She closed her eyes and rested her head against the building.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we’re free, and everything around me is so new and scary.
I’m trying to put on a brave face for Asher.
I want him to have a normal life—which starts with me not freaking out over stuff all the time. ”
“Babe, you need to give yourself some credit. You’ve been through a lot, and now you’ve been thrust into a whole different world. Adjustments take time. You’ll get there.”
Opening her eyes, she regarded him carefully. He was telling the truth, but what her head knew versus her heart were two very different things.
“Thank you, Ink.” She gave him a wry smile. “You seem to be helping me out quite a bit over the last couple of days.”
He grinned. “Babe, you’re helping me out with the paperwork, so it’s the least I can do.”
She withdrew her hand, and he let her, but she dug her curled fingers into her palm, wanting to hold onto the warmth of his skin a little longer. He grounded her.
“It wasn’t that bad. Once I got going, it all fell into place pretty easily. I like numbers.”
“Thank God someone does, because I certainly don’t. Let’s go back in, and we can go over things.”
She fought back a groan, knowing she would have to face the stares and questions, but she had no choice if she wanted to check on Asher. God, she hoped he didn’t see her freak out. That would just top it.
When they walked back in, the only ones who looked her way were Ice, Scarlett, Rogue, and Esme.
Everyone else was engrossed in their conversations, and the kids were laughing and screeching as they ran to hide.
She sought out Asher and smiled when she saw him hiding under one of the tables with a little boy who looked only a few years older than him.
Both were giggling, not realizing the point of being quiet so they wouldn’t be found.
Her heart clenched with pleasure. He hadn’t even noticed her being gone. Her gaze moved to Ice, who nodded at her when she gave him a grateful look.
“Come on over here, darlin’,” Ink urged, heading toward the table where she still had a good sightline of Asher playing.
She sank into the chair, and he winked, making her flush.
“Alright, let’s go over it all, and we’re going to pretend I know what the hell you’re talking about and that my brain isn’t leaking out of my ears. ”
She chuckled. She could do that.