Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
NAOMI
Iawoke this morning with a slight headache, but a few Advil fixed it. What I hadn’t expected was to be in bed with Mac, who was snoring. I’ll have to record her next time because she denies such an accusation.
I still can’t wrap my mind around what happened last night. I have to tell myself to stop touching my lips. I know I logically can’t feel him there today, but I do. Blaming it on the alcohol isn’t going to fly because I want more of his kisses. What’s worse is whatever this is, it’s growing.
A knock sounds on my bedroom door as I’m finishing getting ready. “Come in,” I call. Mac is lying on my bed on her stomach, kicking her feet in the air, swinging back and forth as she plays on her phone.
“I have everything set,” my dad says, standing in my bedroom doorway. “I would ask if you’re sure about this, but…” He trails off, knowing me well. There are things you have to see for yourself.
“I have to know before I agree to a marriage with this man.” I will not have things kept from me. Especially another woman. My hand tightens around the strap of my bag.
“If anyone understands, it’s me. I moved your mother here so that she would be safe behind these gates, away from any other men who might try to take her from me.”
“I’m not jealous.” I say it far too quickly. Mac snorts a laugh, and my dad’s brows rise. “Okay, I suppose I am. Lying to myself is not helpful,” I admit out loud.
I shove a few more things into my bag, ready to go. Mac slipped over to her parents’ house earlier to grab a few things. Before we take off, I want to address one issue.
“It’s good to know who you are. Like that I’m clearly the smart one around here,” Mac says.
“I think that—”
“Shut it.” Mac sits up. “You’re to agree with me.”
“Correct. Mac is the smart one,” I agree.
“Ahh, don’t make me get all bashful.” She literally rolls off my bed and then springs to her feet.
“You’re taking her with you?” Dad asks. Mac pretends to be offended.
“If I give her the slip, I’ll hear about it for months.”
“Years,” Mac corrects. God knows what she might do to my tech. It’s not worth the risk, and well, I kind of enjoy having her around. Her chatter can be oddly soothing.
“Try not to kill anyone. My reach only goes so far,” Dad warns. I know, and if shit goes left, then favors will have to be called in.
“Got it.” Mac hits him with a finger gun. He shakes his head before leaving.
“Come on.” I grab the light windbreaker to put on over my sports bra. I tossed on leggings and sneakers for the long plane ride.
My mom is on us the second I hit the bottom step.
I let her fawn over me for a minute before we head out.
I pull down the long driveway, pausing when we get past the gate.
Both Mac and I step out, and she pulls out one of her handy devices to see if she can detect a signal close by that isn’t linked back to the estate.
I follow her across the street to the tree line.
It’s all woods. It doesn’t take her long.
“It’s up there.” She points to one of the trees.
I slip off my jacket, handing it to her, and slide on gloves.
I pull my knife out from where I have it strapped to my back and put it between my teeth before taking the device from Mac.
“Don’t fall. I suck at catching.” Isn’t that the truth.
I brace my foot against a knot to push myself up and grab the lowest limb I can reach.
“I failed that part of gym class.” I remember because I was there, and she couldn’t do half a pull-up, but I can’t respond.
I keep climbing until there is a hit on the tracker and I see it.
A tiny lens. No way you’d find it without help. I clip it to the top of my pants and remove the knife from between my teeth. I stare into the lens, knowing Paxton is staring right back. This smooth motherfucker.
I should be pissed, but instead I’m impressed. I don’t know why I do it. I kiss it right before I jam my knife into it and then dig it out of the bark where it had been implanted.
“Did you just kiss that!”
“How the hell did you see that?” I quickly climb back down. Mac turns her phone around to show me the video.
“Once I found the signal.” She shrugs like it was as easy as tying your shoe.
“You’re terrifying,” I tell her, heading back toward my car.
“You must be rubbing off on me.”
“You climbed into my bed,” I remind her.
“I like to cuddle, what can I say?” Mac hops back into the car. It had been nice hanging out in bed last night. I woke up with dirt smudged on my cheek.
That was when we started pulling everything up on Paxton.
Mac found so much information, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything besides the female in the pictures.
All my focus was on that beautiful blonde.
The one Paxton seemed to be comfortable around.
The things I experience when I think about my maybe husband and this woman cause me irrational anger along with a barrage of other feelings I don’t understand.
It freaks me the fuck out, but I strangely don’t want it to stop. There is something thrilling about it all. Or maybe I have simply lost my mind.
The drive to the private airport isn’t far; the plane is already waiting for us.
“Listen.” Mac grabs my forearm before I can exit the car.
“That kissing the lens thing was funny and kind of adorable. So I’m going up these stairs first, and you follow behind me.
When you get to the top, turn around and blow a kiss and then enter the plane.
” I stare at her. Why would I do such a thing? “I’m serious.”
“I don’t blow kisses.”
“Did you kiss the camera lens before?”
“No.” She has a point. “Why?”
“Because we’re fucking with him.” Mac wiggles her brows.
Yes, he could still be watching. This could be payback for the wink.
I do love payback. “Now watch me.” I do as instructed, and Mac shows me how to blow a kiss as if I’ve never seen it done before.
I have to do it five times before she says we’re good to go. “Give your ass a little shake too.”
“I will do no such thing.”
“Fine, I had to try.” I follow her up the stairs and do as instructed. It feels strange, and one of the men on the tarmac pretends to catch it.
“Someone else stole my air kiss,” I tell Mac as I enter the plane and freeze.
“Who stole your kiss?” Bonte stands there, arms folded over her chest, a glare aimed at both Mac and me. Neither of us responds. “You bitches were going to go on a trip without me.”
“You have twins at home,” I remind her.
“Who do not have a deadbeat father.” Fair.
“Whoa, I’m lost here,” Mac says, appearing thoroughly confused. Not the norm for her.
“Kittens. I got kittens.”
“Oh!” Mac says very loud and dramatically. “Who’s out here having twins and not telling me?” Oh, yes. Mac has her there, so I simply nod. It’s often better to say nothing at all.
“Fine.” Bonte gives us one last glare before perking up. “So where are we off to?”
“Does he know you escaped?” I ask Bonte, and both she and Mac burst into laughter.
“When did she get jokes?” Bonte says through laughter.
“I don’t know. She got winked at, and now her brain has gone haywire.” They both keep laughing, and I can’t deny this, so instead I take a seat. I may act as though their antics are annoying, but if I’m being honest with myself, I love them.
My phone starts to go off, and I see it’s Paxton. I should have hidden my number when I called him before. I’d thought about it, but in the end I hadn’t. Is this why? Deep down I know it is. I wanted him to be able to reach out to me. I’ll never admit that out loud to anyone else.
“Naomi Marino,” I say when I answer the call. This gets the two hyenas to stop cackling.
“Sunshine—”
I cut him off before he can say more. “You’ve been watching me.”
“As often as I can.” I think I was expecting a denial, but no. He’s so casual about it too. I’m finding that I like that he watches me. Never would I have thought it would be something I craved, but here I am.
“What do you need?”
“I was only calling to tell you to have a safe flight.” Mac was right, he’s still watching. Which makes me wonder if he saw his kiss get stolen. Is he jealous? I won’t ask.
“I’m not the pilot, so I don’t have that control.”
Paxton chuckles. “You have a point. Be safe and stop blowing kisses at other men.”
“It wasn’t at—” I press my lips firmly together.
“I know it was for me, Sunshine.”
“Holy hell, I love their flirting,” Bonte says, and I smack her thigh; she yelps and slides out of her chair dramatically. The flight attendant Suzie steps over her.
“Try not to kill anyone.”
“I can’t promise that.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to.”
“Well, okay. Bye.” I end the call and look at the girls. That was off. “I ended that call wrong, didn’t I?”
“No.” Bonte gets off the floor, dropping down into the seat next to mine. Mac sits in the one across from us. “If he’s into you, then be yourself.”
“He’s into the protection and money our partnership could provide him.”
“I don’t know.” Mac takes the bottle of water from Suzie. “He seemed really into you last night. He was willing to get rid of a dead body for you. That’s the equivalent of taking out the trash as a married couple.”
Bonte snorts a laugh. “Okay, that was funny, but I need more details about last night.” She leans back in her chair. “And don’t leave anything out.”
I let Mac tell her everything, my thoughts elsewhere. This is all becoming too consuming, and I’m not sure how to handle that. I know how to handle everything; maybe this marriage isn’t the best idea, but the idea of him marrying the blonde pisses me off more than him ruling my every thought.