Naomi
Ink’s words were a slap to the face. How could he say that? How could he think that?
No. He was wrong. He had to be wrong.
She wasn’t letting Diego have that power over her again.
Was she?
She wanted to yell at him, scream that he was wrong, but the cold water he’d doused her with seemed to clear some of the haze in her mind. The fog had kept her hyperfocused for the last couple of days.
The day she’d spent worrying about Diego.
Remembering the words he used to speak to her.
The threats. The way he used to watch her and talk about her.
Or the ways he’d tried to talk in code around her, but she finally understood.
She cracked it, though she’d been very careful not to let on that she had.
It was those conversations she’d been forcing herself to remember. Trying to figure out what was true and what was the usual bullshit he used to spew.
“I’m not saying that to be cruel, Naomi,” Ink murmured, dragging her out of her thoughts. “I’m saying that because this isn’t what I want for you. I want you to talk to me. Let me work through this with you. Let me be here to hold you up when the memories become too much.”
Her throat thickened with emotion. “I … I just want it to be over, Ink.”
“You have no idea how much I want that too, baby. I want to find him and kill him myself. For everything he’s done to you and Asher.
” He pressed his forehead to hers. She closed her eyes, breathing him in.
“I can’t do that if you shut me out and try to solve everything yourself.
I know I’m not as smart as you, but another perspective isn’t a bad thing, is it? ”
“No.” It came out in a whisper. “No. I’m sorry, Ink.
I … I sometimes do that. I hyperfocus, and it’s like I can’t shut my mind out.
It makes everything a puzzle that has to be solved.
Finding the links and strings that are just out of reach.
” She winced and pulled away. “Though, I don’t think I’ve ever gone this far off the deep end. ”
“You were panicking and trying to sort it out yourself. But you’re not alone anymore, baby girl. I’m here. All you need to do is call me or text me. I’m always going to answer for you. Because you are important to me. No, you are the most important thing to me. You and Asher.”
She blinked. “Even more than your club?” It felt wrong to ask, but she couldn’t regret it.
He stilled, staring at her. The emotions that crossed his face were fascinating—shock, uncertainty, longing making his mouth work and jaw clench—but finally, they settled on determination. Her heart pounded.
Was she scared of the answer? Probably, but she still needed it.
“I love my club, baby. It’s part of who I am, but when it comes down to what I need in my life and what I will kill for, it will always be you and Asher first. It has to be. My club is close behind, but if the club made me choose between them and you, it would be you. I’d always pick you.”
Her ears rang as she absorbed his words.
Them. He’d pick her and Asher over his club.
For bikers, the club was their whole world. Their identity. It was a life they chose and wanted. Walking away from that rarely happened. And never fully.
She wouldn’t ask that of him. She couldn’t. The cut over his wet black T-shirt and the patch over his heart meant something to him. He worked hard to get it, and she couldn’t picture him without it.
“I wouldn’t ask you to pick, Ink,” she said, needing him to understand.
“You may not, but if it came down to it, I’ll pick you, Naomi.” He gave a wry smile. “Never thought I’d ever say that, but living with you, being with you and Asher every night and as much as I can when I’m not at the shop, I realize this is what I’ve been missing. You. I’ve been missing.”
“Ink—”
“No, I need you to hear me, baby girl.” He cupped her cheeks, his gaze deep and intense.
“I get it, I have a past, and it’s probably not one that you ever want to know in depth, but even though I’ve had some fun in my life, it’s nothing compared to now.
It’s like it’s such a distant memory, the only thing my mind can wrap around is you and Asher.
Seeing you the first time, touching you the first time, and every time after.
I can recall them with perfect clarity. Like my brain has been rewired to only think of you.
“I’m utterly obsessed with you, Naomi. Not in the stalker kind of way, but in knowing every little thing about you.
Like how in the mornings, you’re so fucking cute when you wake up and act like a little zombie for the first five minutes until you get some coffee in you.
Or the way you go behind me and pick up because you can’t stand the clutter.
Which I’ll get better at, by the way.” Then he grinned and teased, “And now I know what to do when you lose your mind and look like a gremlin on a tear.”
“I’m not a gremlin,” she sputtered, laughing.
“Babe, look in a mirror, but you’re an adorable gremlin. Well, maybe not now that you’re dripping wet, but close enough.”
“Did I scare you when you came in?”
He let go of her face, hauling her tight against him. The wet fabric between them was slightly uncomfortable, but she pushed it aside, focusing solely on him.
“Babe, I thought I was going to have to get a priest and perform an exorcism. If you’d started climbing the damn walls with how hard you were staring at them, I’d have also probably bolted you inside.”
Now she did laugh. He was ridiculous. “Okay, I wasn’t that bad. I only twist my head three hundred and sixty degrees at most.”
She let out a yelp at the smack he gave her ass, but still laughed.
“Sassy brat. You start doing that shit and your ass is heading to the asylum. I’ll pick you up when they’ve done whatever they have to do. Asher and I will get some holy water in the meantime too.”
“Baby. You wouldn’t want to deal with me yourself?”
His bland stare was answer enough, and she laughed again.
“Alright, fair enough. But if you ever get possessed, you’re on your own too.”
He opened his mouth then snapped it shut. “Nope, that was too easy, and I don’t need you drowning me in here.”
She blinked, surprised. “What? What were you going to say?”
“Nope, not telling.” He leaned down to give her a quick, smacking kiss.
“Now, you get undressed, showered, and we’ll head over to the clubhouse to get some food before we go and get Asher from the twins.
I’d offer to shower with you, but since you nearly bit my head off the last time I suggested it, I’ll refrain and go after you’re done. ”
He stepped out of the shower, leaving her staring after him, eyes narrowed.
“You wanted to shower with me when you knew I was pissed at you for the whole paint thing,” she reminded him as he sat on the toilet to untie his boots.
“And when I told you I started my period, you told me that you’d paint the rest of yourself in red so we couldn’t tell.
Did you expect me to just jump for joy?”
He gave her a charming smile. “I was just offering to help you work through your emotions. Exercise the demons, you know.”
“Exercise the demons?” She glared at him, affronted, and it was in that moment she could see he knew he screwed up. “Is that why you didn’t make that joke? You were going to make a period joke about me already being possessed?”
“Of course not,” he crooned, clearly lying through his teeth as he jumped to his feet, boots in hand, and moved to the door. “I’m going to make that joke when I’m far away, and you can’t kill me in a shower.” He shut it on a wicked laugh as she let out a string of curses.
Asshole!
It took her a good twenty minutes to get showered, dressed, and back into a normal mindset, but once she was done, she felt normal again.
Mostly. She still wanted to smack Ink for being a dick, but that subsided when she came out and he’d cleaned up the apartment, putting all her papers in a neat pile on the kitchen counter.
And he’d changed out of his wet clothes into a pair of gym shorts, displaying all those gorgeous tattoos for her to appreciate.
Damn it, he did that on purpose.
When he sensed her, he glanced over his shoulder and gave her a knowing grin. “Feeling better, baby girl?”
“You’re still near water, Ink. And sharp objects; I wouldn’t tease me right now,” she warned him, feeling lighter. What was it about this man that made her feel this way? She was so confused, her mind swirling, but he calmed her. He made her thoughts go quiet.
Was it any wonder she’d fallen in love with him?
That jolted her. Her entire body froze as she stared at him.
No, wait. That couldn’t be right. No, it was too soon. She couldn’t be in love with him.
They’d only been living together for a short time. That was impossible.
Wasn’t it?
“Naomi? What’s wrong?” Ink dropped the dish back in the sink and rushed over. “Baby, what is it?” he demanded, cupping her cheek, checking her over. “Did what I said upset you? I’m sorry, I was being an ass. Talk to me.”
“I’m in love with you,” she breathed.
He stilled, eyes widening. “What?”
Maybe it was the hormones running through her body, or maybe it was the fact she’d already been on overload for the last three days, but his reaction incensed her.
“What do you mean what?” she hissed, yanking away from him. “I tell you I’m in love with you, and that’s what you do? You look at me like I’ve punched you in the gut and ask what? You know what, forget it.”
She turned on her heel, heading for the door. She needed space. She needed to be away from him. From everyone.
He was on her before her hand touched the knob. She hissed a warning, but it was muffled by his mouth on hers. She struggled for a moment, but he lifted her into his arms, devouring her. Like he couldn’t get enough of her.
She sank into him, cupping his face and kissing him back. Damn it, he tasted so good.
The swirl of emotions quieted once more. There he went again.
When he withdrew his mouth from hers, he rasped, “Damn it, woman, you’re giving me a complex. You can’t tell a man you love him and for him not to act like he just got hit over the head with a battering ram. Or let him say anything back.”
Shame hit her. She needed to get herself under control. This was not her. “I’m sorry, Ink, and I know it’s probably too soon. I don’t expect you to say it back or anything. We can forget—”
“I’m not going to forget this, ever, Naomi. Not when I want to tell you the same thing.”
She stilled. “What?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, see, that right there is what I felt. Like my brain couldn’t process what you said.
Baby girl, how could you not know I’m so in love with you.
You are it for me. The only other woman I’ve said I love you to was my mother.
I don’t say it lightly. I have to mean it.
I have to feel it. And with you, I do. I mean every fucking word, Naomi. When I say it, it feels bone deep.”
“Isn’t it too soon, Ink? I mean, we’ve only been officially together for two weeks.”
“Two weeks is far longer than some of the others around here, baby, but we’re on our own timeline.
I’m a firm believer that sometimes you just know.
You find your person and there’s no question.
You’re mine, baby. You and Asher, because I love him too.
He’s a fantastic kid. Even when he’s having the mother of all tantrums and losing his shit. ”
She chuckled. Ink had been flabbergasted the day after he moved in when Asher had an epic meltdown.
The change in his routine and Ink gently correcting him when he tried to throw things at the wall, was too much.
It ended with Ink getting on the floor with him and the two of them having a “man-to-man” talk, but there were a few touch-and-go moments she’d been sure would be the end.
She’d half expected him to tell her he was out then leave, but as always, he surprised her.
He simply took a deep breath and tried again.
Firm, direct, but fair. That was Ink, and, eventually, Asher had calmed down, apologized, and gotten a couple hugs from Ink and her before he went down for a much-needed nap.
“You starting to put the pieces together of today and then?” she teased.
He chuckled. “I’m starting to realize that I’m going to be on my toes with the two of you.” He pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. “And I’ll be sure to hide all sharp objects now that I know you two like to throw things.”
She laughed, pressing a kiss of her own to his mouth. “Smart. You’ll learn.” She rested her forehead against his. “I love you, Ink. I’m going to screw it up because I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I’ll try.”
“We’ll both screw up, baby girl, but we’ll talk it through. You and me, we’re going to figure it out.”
She believed him. As she sank into him again, needing one more kiss, she couldn’t ignore the niggling in the back of her mind.
They never mentioned her leaving. Or what would happen after the trial? Was that the true test of what they could survive?
She didn’t know, but it wasn’t a worry for today. It was time for her to live in the moment with the man who loved her.