Chapter 2
Chapter Two
NAOMI
“Naomi.” The firmness in my father’s tone has my head snapping up. “I said your name three times. Are you in deep thought about this or is there another issue on your mind?”
“I am in thought.” But I didn’t hear what he said.
I should have been listening, but strangely, all I can think about is Paxton winking at me.
Why did he do it? Was it to be cocky, knowing I hadn’t been allowed into such a big meeting because of him or was he flirting with me? It has to be the cocky choice.
Does he wink at other people? Why does that thought irritate me? Uncle Ronan has cut a few eyes out in his life. Maybe I’ll have to ask him for some tips if Paxton was doing it to be cocky.
I need to find out what Paxton’s intention was or else it’s going to drive me insane. I have an issue with getting tunnel vision with certain things. I never know what will trigger it.
Either way, I don’t think Mac, my cousin, could help with this issue. You can’t hack into a person’s body—though maybe one day.
“Then, you are considering this?” Shit, at least I heard that question. Paxton must be messing with my head. What if that is the plan?
“Does this surprise you?”
“With you, nothing surprises me.”
“I don’t know whether that is a good thing or not.”
“Me neither.” He gives me an endearing smirk.
“We know that I will not marry for love, and this deal has a lot of things riding on it. Including what the future for our family will be.”
“The same could have been said about me.” His love for Mom is what most seek out in a marriage.
Many have commented that I am just like my father. I don’t know if that’s true or if I really am because I have been hearing that my whole life.
Did I simply start mirroring him? I’m not sure, but I never get it when it comes to emotions. Some say I don’t have them, but I do not agree. I’m just more reserved in showing mine. I don’t see the need to outwardly express every single one of them.
“But you’re a man. Men need a good wife to survive.” This is a fact. Men who are married live longer.
“I won’t argue with the fact that I would not survive without your mother.”
“Speaking of Mom, she will not be in favor of this.”
“Then I suggest we don’t tell her until you make a decision.” My mom keeps out of the family dealings. She doesn’t shy away from hearing things, but she also doesn’t seek them out. I have no clue how she manages to do this.
Knowledge is power, and I need to know everything. That way I can dissect it and plan accordingly. I don’t like the element of surprise unless it’s me or my family enacting it.
“You know our agreement on that.” If my mom asks me a question or I feel the need to tell her something, I will, and I have always made that very clear. She is the one person I cannot deny. My bond with her is different. It’s why I know that I can feel.
I just don’t offer reactions, or maybe it takes me longer to grow a bond.
I’m not fully sure. I have always stuck to my family, although recently I made a friend, but she is married to my cousin.
That might count as family, I suppose, but even before they were married, I would have been upset if she died.
That’s how I measure most relationships.
“I agree, but there are additional options to consider here. I think we could add to the prenup he suggested.” Yes, that was interesting too.
My mind has been racing trying to figure out why he would offer such a thing. What is his angle? I know how men can be with their needs. It’s a weakness you can often exploit.
“In death, everything becomes mine as well.”
“Yes.” He would be so lucky for me to kill him. I might do just that so I stop with all the weird winking thoughts.
“You should think this over.”
“I will, but I believe I will agree in the end. We’ll need to fine-tune the details, that is all.”
My dad’s face softens. “All right, I’ll reach out and invite him back. A dinner?”
“That works for me.” I stand. “Is there anything further we need to discuss?”
“Not for now.” I’m thankful for that today. Normally, I enjoy keeping busy, but my mind is elsewhere. It’s annoying.
“I’ll see you later.” I turn to leave his office.
“Love you,” he calls after me.
“Love you too.” They tease me that I never say it first. I forget. I do love them. I don’t understand why I have to keep saying it. I’ll let them know if it changes. In an email.
Mom catches me the second I step out of Dad’s office. “Hey, honey.” She kisses my cheek. “Are you okay?” I don’t know how she does that. I swear she has some sort of super power.
“I’m okay.” I think.
“All right. Don’t forget we have family dinner.” I nod. We do it weekly. She gives me another kiss before entering my father’s office. I pull out my phone and call Bonte.
“Yellow,” she says, answering.
“What are you doing?”
“I got twins!”
“We do not dabble in human trafficking.” It’s actually one of the reasons we want to control the docks. We make sure it’s not happening, and those government officials are happy. Their streets are clean. It’s twofold.
“I did take them from their mama.” I hear multiple meows in the background, and I know those aren’t from Binx.
“You got kittens. How does Binx feel about this?” I rather enjoy cats, and at the moment, Binx is my favorite. If I had to pick. They are prickly. I can relate.
“I did, and before you get mad that I didn’t tell you, I was about to call you and invite you over for the baptism.”
“I will come. I didn’t know you were religious.” Bonte snorts a laugh. “I’ll be there shortly.”
“Wait, why did you call? I mean, besides missing the sound of my voice.” I think that might be true.
“I had a question about winking.”
“God, I love you. Now get over here.” Bonte hangs up, not expecting me to say “I love you” back. She knows I do.
It doesn’t take me long to make it into the city. The gate to enter the warehouse is partially open, and I go through and down past the docks. The large warehouse door opens, and I pull right in to park.
My cousin Eros had it redone years ago. We have converted many warehouses. There is one where we all hang out. I will stay there from time to time, but normally I always make my way back home.
I jog up the stairs, and Bonte opens the door before I can reach her, two orange kittens in hand. They are wiggling all around, and I fear she might drop one.
“Here.” I offer to take one from her. “They’re going to fall.”
“Shut up; you know you just want to hold the kitten. You can admit it in front of me. No one else is here to overhear you.” She hands it over.
“He is cute.” I tuck him close to my chest and pet him under his chin. He’s so tiny and vulnerable. When Bonte doesn’t respond, I lift my head as she snaps a picture.
“Are you sure you should baptize them? I don’t think cats care for water.”
Bonte bursts into laughter. “I was messing with you. I’m not going to baptize my cats.”
“This family does strange things. You never know.”
“This is true, but I love that you were still down to do it with me.”
“Well, next time I might need to make a request, then I won’t be judged for the strangeness of it.”
“I cannot bury a body.” She lifts her arm. “I don’t have the strength for it, and have you ever tried to actually dig a hole?”
“Yes.”
“Right, stupid question.” She nods for me to follow her into the living room. I like how they kept the space open except for the bedroom and bathroom. Where would I live if I got married? Not here, I suppose.
“So winking,” she prompts.
“Why do people do it?”
“Don’t ask Eros to do it. He’s terrible at it. Actually, ask him so we can both get a good laugh.”
“Why was he winking?”
“He was being flirty and teasing me.”
“Why else would a person wink?”
“Who’s winking at you?”
“A man.”
“Okay, that takes out half the population of planet Earth. You want to be a little more specific?”
“Actually, it’s a little less than half. The male population has grown. It’s unfortunate but true. A hundred and two males to every hundred females.” I sidestep her other question for the time being.
“Great, now I’m not even down to half, and I have to live with the fact our numbers are decreasing and us women won’t be achieving world domination.” This is true.
“He was having a meeting with my father, and when he left, I passed him, and he winked at me.”
“That sounds like he was flirting with you.”
“So it’s not terrible, but he could wink at lots of girls.”
“Was that one of your first thoughts? That he might wink at other girls?”
“Yes.”
“And what do you think about this man winking at other girls?”
“That a person with one eye can no longer wink.” Bonte almost falls over the couch in a fit of laughter. I can’t stop a tiny smile.
I always enjoy spending time with her. We bonded over her father being a serial killer. She also has a sense of fashion that I rather like. It’s dark and quirky. Basically, the opposite of how I dress. I always wear slacks and a simple buttoned-up shirt. I find it very functional.
“How hot was he? I need every single detail of what this man looks like. I’ve got to know your type.”
“I don’t have a type.” Even though I say the words, I don’t believe them. I would have before the wink, but post-wink it seems I very much have a type. One that is soon to be my husband, but I don’t need to get into any of those details yet.
“Sure,” she says sarcastically. “You got pissy about him winking at other girls.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her he shouldn’t be if he plans to marry me.
He came with the intent to marry me. He made it clear it was only to be me. I am my father’s only daughter but not the only female in our tight-knit Marino family. There is also Mac, who is my age, and Nix, but she is still in high school, so she’s out.
“He was very handsome. Too handsome.”
“Too handsome?”