29. Naomi
NAOMI
It surprised her how much freer she felt. Lighter. Telling him, seeing the horror, and feeling him hold her so carefully eased some of the pain in her chest. Soothing the deep wounds she carried.
She thought she was making a mistake coming here, but now, she wasn’t so sure. It may have been the best choice.
Even if nothing came of it tonight, that was okay. When she told Ink, he didn’t look at her with disgust. She could start to replace terrible memories with good ones.
And she’d finally get to see that hot body of his.
That may be shallow, but it was honest.
He inched his forehead away from hers and looked at her, his gaze searching.
“I need you to be sure this is what you want, Naomi. No, listen,” he ordered when she opened her mouth to tell him this was exactly what she wanted.
She snapped her mouth shut. “I need you to be certain, baby. Once I take you to bed, I’m not going to let you out again.
I know enough about myself. With any woman in my past, I didn’t want them the way I want you.
I couldn’t wait to kick them out. You, you’re not going anywhere.
I’ll be in your bed every night or you’ll be in mine. ”
“It’ll be a crowded bed with Asher with us,” she joked.
“I’ll come up with a solution so that Asher has his own bed.”
“He’s never slept away from me.” Anxiety built at the thought of Asher being away from her.
“Then we’ll slowly work up to that, but make no mistake, Naomi, I’ll have you in every other place I can.
Shower, floor, couch, counter, table. I don’t care.
And I’ll rope in some of the girls, including the twins, to watch him so I can have my time alone with you.
Because with you, there is no one and done.
There is you and only you. I don’t share, I don’t walk away, and I’ll give you every drop of pleasure I can. That’s what I want to give you.”
Heat flushed through her. Was he expecting her to argue? That was so hot. She’d read of men doing things like this in some of the romance novels she’d been allowed, but she’d never known it to be anything other than controlling or toxic.
The way Ink did it, it didn’t feel like that. It felt natural. Normal. Exciting.
Still, common sense prevailed. “But when this is all over, Ink? When I need to leave to testify?”
His eyes bored into hers. “Are you already planning your exit?”
“I’m just trying to be realistic. There’s no way I won’t fall for you, Ink.” She’d already accepted that about herself. Letting a man into her life, into her bed, and into her son’s life, she couldn’t be expected to keep things casual.
Well, that, and Taz wouldn’t shut up about it. She was starting to see why Karissa and Glitch were always threatening his life. It came close a couple of times for her too.
He seemed to weigh that. “And falling for me would be a bad thing?”
“Falling means risking not only my heart but Asher’s as well.
He’s only two, and he’s not going to understand why we stop seeing you every day or why you’re not around.
He’s not going to understand that adults don’t always stay around forever.
And he’s so attached to you already, Ink. I don’t know how to navigate it.”
“I’m already attached to him too.” His lips quirked slightly. “He’s so fucking smart, and he’s going to be hell on wheels, staying one step ahead.”
“Tell me about it. That’s why, as a teenager, I never got caught for anything. I figured stuff out so fast that I could do what I wanted, and no one was the wiser.
“But that’s just it, Ink. You’re talking like there’s going to be more than a few months.
We have no idea what will happen in a few months.
I have to testify, and the cartel is not going to take that lying down.
It won’t matter what the Feds do. I’ll have to sit in that room and hope no one takes a shot at me.
The Devil’s Predators are good, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to best the cartel. ”
“I have no intention of this being over when you’re done testifying, Naomi.
And that includes the Devil’s Predators and me being there to make sure nothing bad happens.
You’re not dying on anyone, Naomi. And when it’s all over, I intend to bring you and Asher back here.
All you have to do is give me the chance. ”
“I don’t know if this is what I want, Ink.” It hurt to say it, but she had to be honest. “I’m finally getting my freedom, and there are so many things I want to see and do with Asher.”
“And you think I won’t do that?” There wasn’t any hurt in his tone, but she sensed the trepidation.
“You have a life here. A shop and clients who need you. A club where you’re happy. You won’t leave that.”
“Not fully, but I can go Nomad as far as the club is concerned. And I can leave the shop in someone else’s hands if I need to. Tom is coming along, and he’ll be doing full-fledged tattooing within the next few months at the rate he’s going.
“There’s nothing we can’t figure out if we put our minds to it, Naomi.
I don’t want to hold you back, but the idea of walking away from you just isn’t possible.
And maybe you’re right; if we realize in a few months it’s not working, that doesn’t mean I’m going to walk away and leave you and Asher to fend for yourselves. ”
“You say that now, but we both know that if it doesn’t work out, you’ll be back to finding other women to spend your time with. And I won’t be able to stomach it.”
“I can see why you might think that, but I promise I will never do that to you, Naomi. The girls will kick my ass, and Taz will probably help. That crazy asshole likes to joke, but he’s just insane enough that I don’t actually want to cross him.”
They were silent for a long moment, neither looking away from the other. “Well, this wasn’t what I planned when I came up here,” she joked, needing to lighten the mood.
His lips quirked. “What did you have planned?”
The flush worked its way back up her cheeks.
“Ah, well, I was kind of hoping I could talk you into bed, see if it was worth giving you the—Ink!” she screeched as he twisted and rolled, leaving her flat on her back on the bed, him hovering over her.
Her eyes widened when he nudged her legs open so he could fit snugly between them.
She brought her knees up around his hips, the intimate position not lost on her.
Neither was the feel of his hard cock against her core.
Wow. He was certainly bigger than her high school boyfriend. Her panties dampened with arousal.
His lips curled into a wicked smile, eyes flashing. “You just love to prick at my ego, don’t you, baby girl?” he purred. “You wanted to try me out before you made a decision, huh? Just a little test drive?”
She wasn’t sure why she felt brave, but her lips curved, and she gave a slight shrug. “What if you’re terrible in bed? I mean, maybe all those years of manwhoring around were just you trying to improve your skills, but the women all lied to you? Like you said, you have an ego …”
His eyes narrowed, but his lips twitched. “Baby girl, you’re playing with fire.” He pressed closer to her. Her breath hitched as pressure and friction mounted. It was so good. It was like reliving everything she wanted, everything she needed, everything she liked.
“Are you going to prove me wrong?”
He groaned, eyes slamming shut. But when they opened, the fire in them had her breath catching and her heart pounding. He swooped down to take her mouth, and she vaguely wondered if she’d just made the best decision ever or the biggest mistake.
Given the way he tasted, her body was definitely screaming the first one.
The kiss wasn’t gentle or searching like the ones he’d given her before.
This was passionate, claiming, and possessive.
He devoured her mouth, his tongue sweeping inside and taking control.
She trembled from the force of it, not from fear, but from the storm of need building and the desperation for more.
Her fingers wove through his hair, yanking the strands, making him grunt and grind harder against her, so she opened wider for him.
When he drew his mouth from hers, she whimpered, chasing him. He groaned, taking her mouth again, giving her exactly what she needed before wrenching away once more.
“Fuck, baby, you’re going to kill me,” he rasped, panting. “You taste so fucking good.”
“Then why’d you stop?”
“Because if I don’t, this will be over before it starts.” The rueful smile he gave sent a surge of pleasure through her. “And tonight, I’m not going to fuck you.
“Uh-uh, hold on before that big brain of yours goes into overdrive,” he rushed out as she stiffened, and the rejection hit her square in the chest. “You need to think and make sure this is what you want, because you still don’t sound one hundred percent sure about you and me.
But I’m not going to leave you hanging either.
I’m going to make you feel good, and then you’re going to get Asher and think of me tonight.
Then you let me know when you’re ready for more. ”
That didn’t mollify her. Dread settled like a stone in her gut.
“Is this because of what I told you?” Did he see her as undesirable now? Damn it, she should have kept it all to herself.
“No, baby, never.” He lowered himself over her, settling his full weight on her as he stared into her eyes.
“There is not a fucking thing wrong with you, and I’m glad you shared that with me.
Nothing that happened to you was your fault, and it doesn’t change how much I want you.
But I’m not going to be the douche who seduces you into sex when you’re not sure. ”
“But I am sure. I came up here to seduce you.” Why was she protesting? He clearly didn’t want her, so why was she pushing it? She could handle a little rejection. She wasn’t a child.
Still, it fucking hurt.
“Oh, you definitely seduced me, all right, but we need to step back a bit. And I don’t want you to leave yet.”
She scowled. Was he really trying to prolong her humiliation?
He leaned down and nibbled her lower lip. The sting and the soothing lick of his tongue distracted her. What was he doing?
“Do you know what I want to do to you, Naomi? I want to explore every inch of you.” He eased up enough to move his hands down her side, his thumbs brushing along the undersides of her breasts, making her gasp.
His eyes never left hers as he slid his right hand up, cupping her.
“I want to suck on these pretty tits, see just what kind of pressure you need to make you squirm and drenched for me. Then, when I’ve gotten my fill, I’m going to move my way down.
” His hand lowered, moving along her side, to her hip.
“And then I want to spread your thighs and feast on you. I want to taste every drop of desire from you. I want to make you come on my fingers and mouth, give you a taste of what I’m going to give you every time I get to have you.
But I’m not going to stop at one. I’m going to go until you can’t take anymore. ”
Was it weird to want to scream yes and demand he get started right now? She wasn’t sure, but she was surely tempted to try it and see what happened. Instead, all she could do was lie there and tremble, hoping her eyes told him how much she favored that plan.
“Is that what you want, Naomi? You want me to give you all of that and make you feel good?”
He nipped at her lip again, soothing the sting with his tongue, grip tight on her hips as he rubbed against her.
Was it possible for a clit to combust? Seriously, the man was doing wicked things to her, and he’d barely touched her.
Maybe pricking his ego was the right way to go after all …
“I need to hear you say it, baby, or I’m not going any further. This is completely your choice.”
“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I need more, Ink.”
A part of her brain screamed at her to remember what he said, but that didn’t matter to her now.
He paused for another few seconds, like he was sure she was going to change her mind, but she dispelled that notion by cupping the back of his head and yanking him down to her mouth.
She was done waiting.