Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
NAOMI
“Don’t judge me!” Bonte says, finishing off her glass of champagne before Suzie can take it for her. We’re about to land. “Y’all went partying last night without me.”
She only had a few glasses, and Mac had one. I need a clear head, so I’m not having anything today. Though I did enjoy the fact that after a few glasses last night, I was able to relax. I’m not sure if I would have kissed Paxton without them. I’m still surprised how much I enjoyed it.
“You were busy,” I remind her. Bonte’s cheeks start to flush.
“Eww.” Mac agrees with my sentiment on that. I don’t need to hear about Eros’ sex life.
“I only had one glass to help with my slight hangover.” Mac slips her sneakers back on. “This one was spry this morning. Climbing a tree like a spider monkey.”
“I miss everything.” I don’t think she wants to see a lot of it. Bonte’s father might be a serial killer, or was. He’s not dead but more retired. She isn’t a fan of all the blood and death. To hear the story is one thing; it’s another to witness it. “Did you know you made the paper?”
“What!” I snap. How did she not lead with that? We have been on this flight for hours.
“It’s fine.” Mac waves it off. She must have seen it already. If it was an issue, she would have said something.
“It was about the club and a few other places losing power.” Bonte eyes Mac.
“It was her fault anyways.” Mac points a thumb at me. “I was left with no choice. Shit, I chipped my nail polish.” She inspects her nails.
I killed a person last night, and mine are still fine. I don’t know what Nix uses when she holds me down to do them, but they never chip. I keep them pretty short but not short enough that you can’t claw a person if need be.
Mac is right. I was only going to rough him up, but not everything can go according to plan.
You must adapt. There wasn’t much of a choice.
Sure, you could try to go back in and delete footage from the surveillance, but you never know who could have been watching and already snagged it. It’s safer that way.
“When you attack a person, you risk death. Every human knows this.” I will not feel guilty for ridding the world of that man. There is nothing that pisses me off more than a man trying to overpower you because he can.
It’s something we women constantly have in the back of our mind when we are walking down the street, alone in an elevator or stairwell, and a man is present. It’s a natural instinct for us to be on guard. Believe me. I speak from experience.
“I think any man being near you risks death,” Mac says.
“They do.” My tolerance for arrogant men who think they can simply take is zero.
When the plane lands, I check my phone to see there is an issue with the vehicle I had requested getting through the private gate at the airport.
“I’m trying to see what’s up,” Mac mutters.
I grab my bag as the door opens. Mac keeps clicking away on her phone. As we step out to go down the stairs, I spot a Cadillac CT5-V. For a sedan with four doors, it’s wicked fast.
A man dressed in an all-black suit stands beside it, clearly waiting for us. “That’s not ours,” Mac says, confused, and starts clicking faster on her phone.
Oh, but I think it very much is.
“Naomi Marino.” He says my name, but it’s not a question. He steps forward, holding out his hand with the keys in it. I don’t take them, nor do I speak. I let the silence hang in the air and grow thick. The man shifts on his feet. “Mr. Monroe sent me to deliver the vehicle.”
I want to ask why, and is Paxton also the reason that my own vehicle can’t get through the gate? This man won’t have those answers.
“How the hell?” Mac mutters from behind me. Yes, how the hell did he know where we were going to land? Because he has pull here. It didn’t matter what airport we touched down at; he’d know.
I take the keys from his hand. “Thank you,” Bonte tells the man over my shoulder. He nods before scurrying away. “You being able to freak out grown men twice your size is a skill set I dream of having.”
“You just—”
“No.” Bonte cuts me off. “It’s a vibe, and one you were born with.”
I want to agree, but I’m not so sure how much really is me or how much I have thought this is who I should be. I didn’t have these questions before Paxton. He is messing with my head, and there isn’t much I can do about that.
Mac drops to her haunches and goes through the back before coming out with a scanner. “I’ll check it over, but should we even take the car?”
I weigh this. There is no upside to Paxton hurting me. That would only ensure his own death. Paxton might have power in many places, but he doesn’t have enough to take on the wrath of the Marino family, nor the other four families.
We might not get along with everyone at our table or even like them, but only we can fuck with each other. That is why Paxton knows marrying me would be the only way to have that full protection. It’s smart.
“We’ll take it.” My phone goes off in my hand, a message from Paxton coming through.
Paxton: It’s clean.
Me: Better be
Paxton: Only for you
Then he sends a winking emoji. A small growl unexpectedly leaves me.
“I have to see what’s making you growl.” Bonte tries to peek at my phone, but I quickly slip it into my side pocket. I have a protectiveness over the messages. They only belong to me. I shouldn’t give a shit, but clearly, I do. I shielded the phone without so much of a thought.
“It’s clean,” Mac tells me. “What’s the plan?”
“Let’s get checked into our room, and then we’ll go from there.” I toss my bag into the back and slide into the driver’s seat.
We’re quiet for most of the drive. Mac might have scanned the vehicle, but you can never be too sure. I don’t want Paxton to know what I’m up to. He could hide the woman before I get to her. Then I might have to kill them both.
“Calm down, killer,” Mac says with a smirk. I relax my hold on the steering wheel.
It doesn’t take us long to get checked into our suite.
It takes Mac and me longer to secure our room and double-check it.
I always want to see the exits for myself and fully take in the floor plan.
I know others would think it’s overkill, but you can never be too safe.
I can’t allow myself to be caught at a disadvantage.
“I don’t know what you have in mind, but you’re not doing it alone.” Mac drops down on the couch, kicking her feet up on the table.
“I’m going to the hospital.” That’s where this woman spends most of her time. She also has a very nice condo. Too nice for a resident doctor. It’s in her name and paid off. I have no doubt that it was a present from Paxton. Does he think he’s going to marry me and keep this woman hidden away there?
“Are you going to just bust into an ER?”
“I’ll be a patient.” I pull out my knife.
“All right, I think I should take that.” Bonte tries to grab it from me. “How are you so quick?”
“You should see Aunt Cosima with a knife,” Mac tells her. Aunt Cosima is rather impressive, and so is Nix. Nix is almost better than I am with one and in time, will be.
“I was only going to cut my palm.” I open my hand, but that might not be the best idea. What if I have another altercation? It is also not easy to climb with an injured hand. It’s not impossible but merely harder. But it would still put me at a disadvantage, and that’s not smart.
“You’re not cutting yourself.” Bonte issues the order; her tone is snappy as she tries to thrust authority into it.
I stare at her, slightly amused. “Fine, but I’ll have you know—”
She lunges for me. I drop the knife to ensure she isn’t cut. That wouldn’t end well for Eros or me. I let her pin me down on the couch. “It worked!”
“You could have been hurt.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.” She leans down and kisses the tip of my nose before sitting back up. Mac spins the knife on the table like a bottle.
“We need another plan.”
“If you won’t allow me to cut myself, I’ll have to find someone else.”
“Or you can come up with a reason to go to the hospital that could be internal,” Mac suggests.
“I’ll find someone.” I stand. No better time than the present.
“We’re going now?” Bonte hops up.
“Maybe you should stay.”
“Hey, I can do this too.” Her lips turn downwards in a frown, and that bothers me.
“Fine,” I agree. She and Mac high-five, and I swipe my knife back off the table, returning it to the clip on my back and righting my windbreaker to make sure it’s well hidden.
“So, the plan?” Mac asks as we exit the Four Seasons, heading in the direction of the hospital on foot. It’s not far, and it’s part of why I chose this hotel. The other is because when you put yourself in the heart of a city, it’s easier to blend and get out.
You can cause chaos or slip into the shadows. It always depends on the situation for which you should choose. This one would be easy to slip from with all its exits, two even into large garages. It would be hard for someone to corner you. I think we caused enough chaos the other night at the club.
I stop walking when we’re a block out, my eyes running up and down the street. A man passes by.
“Sir, do you have the time?” I ask. He gives it and keeps walking. I scan farther down, searching out the right male. I see one sitting on a bench sucking on a vape. I soften my face and lock eyes with him for a brief moment before letting them fall away, uncertain and meek.
“What’s happening?” Bonte whispers to Mac.
“Not a fucking clue.”
I turn around to face them. “You.” I point to Bonte. “Get me a wheelchair.” Then over to Mac, “I need these cameras down.” I motion to the one along the side of the building.
“There is one there too,” Mac points out. “But I got you.” She adjusts the strap on her bag.
“Like now?” Bonte asks.
“Yes, now.”
“Come on.” Mac loops her arm into Bonte’s.
“I’m not sure we should leave her alone.”
“Nah, that’s essentially what we’re going to do.” I watch them go, keeping a dejected expression on my face before turning and slipping into the alley. It doesn’t take long for my new boyfriend to follow after me.
Men, so predictable. Except the one that is actually mine. I can’t predict him at all.