Page 115 of Double the Redemption

“Hang you up by your ankles in the middle of the clubhouse and leave you to be eaten alive by some kind of snake or rodent of their choosing. Though, knowing them, it would be something gruesome. Those ladies are bloodthirsty.”

Ink shuddered, but he could see it. “Probably. Naomi and I just fit. She calls me on my shit, and now that she’s not afraid of everything and everyone, she’s really coming out of her shell. She’s funny and easy to talk to.” He glanced over to where Asher played in the grass, picking some flowers—more weeds than anything, but it was the thought that counted—to bring back to Naomi. “And I really didn’t think I would ever date a woman with a kid, but Asher’s great. You know, when he’s not throwing a giant tantrum.”

Ice chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve heard him screaming a few times. Kid’s got a pair of lungs on him. But he’s a good kid. I think you’re going to be a good influence on him. Not that Naomi isn’t, but a boy needs a strong man in his life to guide him too.”

Ink smiled. “Yeah, I agree. Though, it’ll be Naomi keeping up with him the older and smarter he gets. Kid’s going to run circles around me before he’s ten.”

“Yeah, but boys are all the same deep down. You can handle the simple shit, and she’ll handle the big stuff.” He stayed quiet for a moment. “Are you sure that she’s going to want to stay after the trial is finished?”

That was the looming question, wasn’t it?

“I want to say yes, especially with how well things are going, but it’s too soon, and the logical part of my brain knows that. It doesn’t like it, but the rest of me is riding me hard to cement her agreement. I also know that she wants to have a normal life again. The life that she didn’t get to have. Maybe go back to school or something. I mean, I don’t know what school she’d go to that she wouldn’t outsmart them all, but she’d probably find it.”

“Were you serious in Church when you said you’d go Nomad for her?”

“Yeah, I was.” He said it without hesitation. “I’d do anything for her, man. Fucks with my head sometimes that she has that kind of power over me, but then she smiles at me and I don’t give a damn.” He shook his head. “And I know I sound like a lovesick fool.”

“You do, but it’s nice, especially with how you used to tease everyone else. And I get the smile thing. Men have fallen for less.”

“Speaking from experience?”

Ice gave him a cool stare. “Are you going to be as bad as the women now that you’re all loved up too?”

He laughed. “Nah. I know how it goes, but I hope at some point you find someone yourself.”

“I’m happy where I am.”

Ink wasn’t so sure about that, but he let it drop. Ice would tell him when he was ready.

The sudden scream from Asher had him whipping around and running, and what he saw made his blood run cold. A woman had Asher in her arms, gun pressed tight to his temple, but behind her from the shadows skulked a man, who aimed and fired a gun at them.

Terror gripped Ink like never before. Asher. He had to get to Asher.

Behind him, Ice was already firing. “Get Asher!” he screamed.

Ink weaved and dodged bullets skimming by him, the heat searing his arms, but he didn’t care. Asher was his only goal.

“Ink!” the terrified toddler screamed, tears streaming down his face as he hit and kicked, trying to get free.

“Cut it out, you little bastard,” the woman screamed at him, trying to hold on as she lifted the gun to fire at Ink again and rush back for the woods.

“Ink, down!” Ice screamed, and he hit the dirt, belly crawling, and more bullets flew by overhead. He shouldn’t have left his fucking gun in his bag. Fuck.

Ice was firing back, but Ink could just make out that the man had ducked back behind the trees, not giving him an easy target. Whoever he was, he was experienced enough to keep from dying right away.

But that didn’t mean anything to him. They were going to die today for daring to touch Asher.

“Go!” the man screamed from behind the trees to the woman, hauling Asher away. “Get him out of here. I’ll find the bitch once I’m done with these two.”

Like hell was that happening. If she got into the trees, he wouldn’t be able to catch her in time.

He pushed to his feet, sprinting for her, ducking when she fired another wild shot at him, but it didn’t slow him down.

Only a few feet and he’d reach her.

He hadn’t planned for Asher to lash out and hit her in the face, startling her. She jerked back with a screech, but the movement had Asher throwing himself away from her and landing on the ground with a thud.

“Asher!”