Page 117 of Double the Redemption

Jag. Jag was here, and behind him were Steel and Rogue, their expressions hard.

“You’re not taking him or Naomi, you bastard,” Ink called out, eyes connecting with Jag, who motioned for him to get down and cover Asher. He nodded, sinking to his knees and turning into the tree. “Cover your ears, Asher,” he breathed, and Asher looked up at him, so trusting, and nodded.

“Fine,” Naomi’s father said. “Kill him and bring me the boy unharmed.”

Everything happened at once, but Ink only cared that Asher was all right. Bullets flew and screams and shouts rang out around them until it finally stopped.

“All clear, Ink,” Steel called out. “Get him out of here.”

Ink didn’t need to be told twice. He scooped Asher up, careful to keep his head covered, and ran down the fenceline to the end then turned and ran toward the clubhouse.

He barely crested the small hill when he heard Naomi screaming, “Asher! Ink! Oh, thank God.”

His gaze zeroed in on her, and relief washed over him when he saw that she was all right. Her face was pale and streaked with tears, but she was all right.

“Mama!” Asher screamed, sobbing again as he wrenched out of Ink’s arms, reaching for her.

“I have you, baby, I have you,” Naomi sobbed, clasping him tight, rocking him. She looked over Asher’s head at him. “Thank you.”

Unable to hold himself back, he wrapped his arms around them and hugged them tight. “It’s over, baby,” he panted out, kissing the top of her head. “It’s over.”

No one would ever hurt them again.

43

NAOMI

“Baby girl, he’s all right,” Ink coaxed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She knew he was right, but …

“What if he has a nightmare and I’m not here when he wakes up?” she rasped, her heart squeezing. It took them hours to get him calmed down, which wasn’t helped when the club’s medic, Doc, poked and prodded at him to make sure he didn’t have a concussion or something worse after his fall.

Thankfully, he’d only ended up with a small bump and cut that stopped bleeding quickly, but she still feared he was hurt worse than any of them thought.

“We have the baby monitor that Royal brought over,” Ink reminded her. “We’ll be able to hear and see him, and we’re only going to be on the other side of the door. We can leave the door open, too, so we’ll hear him before the monitor.”

She couldn’t move, still staring at her son. “I’m terrified that if I walk away he’ll be gone when I come back,” she whispered. Her father and sister were dead, as were the men they brought with them, but that didn’t mean more wouldn’t come.

What if Diego sent someone to finish what her father had started.

“The guys are stationed all over the property, and the Devil’s Predators just arrived to help as well. No one is getting in or out without them knowing, I promise. Savage, Rogue, Ice, Glitch, Simba, and Jag need to talk to us.”

She knew that, but telling her mind wasn’t working. They could wait. Her son needed her. Didn’t he?

Asher took that moment to let out a soft snore.

“Come on, baby,” Ink urged her away from the small bed, and while her feet dragged, she didn’t fight too hard. She knew he was right, but it still felt too soon. When he handed her the baby monitor that sat on the dresser by the door, she clutched it to her chest.

He led her out into the kitchen and living room, where everyone was waiting for them. None of them talked, but the tension in the room was palpable.

Her eyes landed on Jag, and she pushed away from Ink and threw her arms around him. “T-thank you,” she breathed out, and he jolted. “Thank you for saving Asher and Ink.” Then she did the same to Ice, who also jolted.

Both men hugged her back, but neither replied. She stepped back to Ink and looked at the others. “Thank you all too. I … I don’t know what I would have done if none of you were here.”

“No thanks necessary,” Savage assured her. “We have a few things we need to talk to you about. You up for it?”

“Uh, yeah, but I might need to go if Asher needs me.” Ink led her over to the recliner and drew her into his lap. She relaxed into him, appreciating his silent comfort and support.