Naomi #2
“Do you want to sit up here bored out of your mind again?” His voice didn’t rise, but his words were sharp and pointed. “You don’t have to deal with us, but this will keep you from getting bored or from trying to murder Taz when he eventually pisses you off. I’ve reserved that right.”
“Like hell—he’s ours!” Glitch barked. “If anyone gets to kill him, it’s Karissa and me for all the shit he’s put us through over the years.”
“Excuse me, but I take exception to all of you wanting me dead,” Taz cried, offended. “Darlin’, don’t listen to them. I’m going to be wonderful to have around.”
“You’ll want to gag him and throw him in the closet by the second day,” Karissa predicted.
She really needed to figure out how this group was always changing the subject so quickly. It threw her off, and a part of her thought they were doing it on purpose.
Rogue’s stare was direct and unyielding, but with a flash of understanding. “Be pissed, but you’re too honorable to back out on your promises,” he said before turning and walking out the door.
Naomi stared after him. Did he really try to appeal to her sense of honor? What kind of twisted mind games were these guys playing?
“Alright, I think that’s enough for now,” Simba declared. “We have some things to go over with Naomi, and then we’ll be heading out. We have another job to work on.”
“I’m almost tempted to ask you to take me with you,” Savage muttered, but he nodded at her and walked out without looking back. No one else moved.
“Ink?” Simba asked, gaze pointed.
Ink said nothing, watching them all and then looking at her. His gaze was unreadable but intense. She didn’t know what to make of it, but she refused to play whatever game he was trying to draw her into. “I’ll be back in an hour.” Then he left as well.
She wanted to yell after him not to bother, but he wouldn’t listen anyway. The twins were right; the men around here were stubborn as hell.
“Alright, let’s get a few things sorted around here,” Simba ordered. “Glitch, I want cameras throughout the entire apartment. I had Tiger set up one at the gate and at the prospects’ station when we arrived. Those idiots didn’t question it or call Savage.” The disgust was clear.
“Tom’s the only decent one they have,” Jag agreed. “But they want him on other shit, so they have the idiots at the gate.” He shook his head and looked at Taz. “You’d better sort that out first.”
“All right, got a plan.” The wicked look in his eyes didn’t give Naomi a whole lot of confidence that it was going to be a safe plan.
“Karissa, you’re on the roof,” Simba ordered. “And no trying to shoot Taz as he walks by this time. Taz will relieve you when we leave.”
“Oh, please, I wasn’t trying to hit him. Just scare him a little.”
Taz rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, and Karissa left without another word.
Simba’s expression softened on Naomi. “Naomi, I know you’re scared and don’t trust right now.
You have every right to feel this way, but I need you to know we’re taking this seriously and that this is the right choice.
The Dragons fucked up, but they’re good men.
They’re going to fix this and make sure it never happens again. ”
“How can you be so sure?”
“We wouldn’t have brought you here if we didn’t truly think you’d be safe,” Jag answered.
“The Dragons have taken down some big players before, and they’ve handled their shit just as well as we’d expect them to.
Maybe not on our level, but they have a lot of skills that you need if things go south. ”
“And Fury’s woman is the daughter of a cartel boss. She knows shit that could be helpful if they do manage to find out about you,” Simba added.
“So you think I need to just suck it up, chalk it up to a mistake, and move on?” She didn’t try to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
“I think that if you want the next five months not to feel like years, you need to figure out a way to be happy enough here.” Simba’s voice was gentle and understanding.
“As hard as it might seem, this will soon be in the past, and everyone will be better for it. Asher will thrive here, and I know that’s all you want.
No one here will try to use him or take him from you.
He’s going to be a normal, happy kid and do all the normal, happy things kids are supposed to do. ”
“That’s all I want,” she whispered, the lump in her throat back and her eyes going wet.
“And that’s what will happen. You just have to take it a little at a time, every day. Taz, Karissa, and Glitch will be here to help you, and I’ll try to check in more often,” Simba promised. “And if shit goes sideways, you call, alright? We’ll always come.”
They’d already proven it, dropping everything to come and reassure her, leaving a few of them behind for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Simba smiled. “Don’t thank me just yet. Taz being here means there’s going to be a shit ton just from that. He’s going to do everything he can to piss off the rest of them, especially Rogue.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s the twins’ favorite pseudo-uncle and helps them with all their crazy plans and schemes, including pissing him off.”
“Don’t scare her off,” Taz whined. “Besides, I might need her big brain to help me out with a few things.” He gave her a saucy wink, and she began to get a sense of what Simba was hinting at.
It looked like things were about to get interesting around here. As long as she and her son were safe, she’d handle it. She wasn’t sure she could do what Simba suggested and move on. She’d spent most of her adult life always expecting the worst, and giving up that habit was hard.
Especially when it came to her son.