Page 48 of Double the Redemption

“Tom’s the only decent one they have,” Jag agreed. “But they want him on other shit, so they have the idiots at the gate.” He shook his head and looked at Taz. “You’d better sort that out first.”

“All right, got a plan.” The wicked look in his eyes didn’t give Naomi a whole lot of confidence that it was going to be a safe plan.

“Karissa, you’re on the roof,” Simba ordered. “And no trying to shoot Taz as he walks by this time. Taz will relieve you when we leave.”

“Oh, please, I wasn’t trying to hit him. Just scare him a little.”

Taz rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, and Karissa left without another word.

Simba’s expression softened on Naomi. “Naomi, I know you’re scared and don’t trust right now. You have every right to feel this way, but I need you to know we’re taking this seriously and that this is the right choice. The Dragons fucked up, but they’re good men. They’re going to fix this and make sure it never happens again.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“We wouldn’t have brought you here if we didn’t truly think you’d be safe,” Jag answered. “The Dragons have taken down some big players before, and they’ve handled their shit just as well as we’d expect them to. Maybe not on our level, but they have a lot of skills that you need if things go south.”

“And Fury’s woman is the daughter of a cartel boss. She knows shit that could be helpful if they do manage to find out about you,” Simba added.

“So you think I need to just suck it up, chalk it up to a mistake, and move on?” She didn’t try to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

“I think that if you want the next five months not to feel like years, you need to figure out a way to be happy enough here.” Simba’s voice was gentle and understanding. “As hard as it might seem, this will soon be in the past, and everyone will be better for it. Asher will thrive here, and I know that’s all you want. No one here will try to use him or take him from you. He’s going to be a normal, happy kid and do all the normal, happy things kids are supposed to do.”

“That’s all I want,” she whispered, the lump in her throat back and her eyes going wet.

“And that’s what will happen. You just have to take it a little at a time, every day. Taz, Karissa, and Glitch will be here to help you, and I’ll try to check in more often,” Simba promised. “And if shit goes sideways, you call, alright? We’ll always come.”

They’d already proven it, dropping everything to come and reassure her, leaving a few of them behind for her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Simba smiled. “Don’t thank me just yet. Taz being here means there’s going to be a shit ton just from that. He’s going to do everything he can to piss off the rest of them, especially Rogue.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the twins’ favorite pseudo-uncle and helps them with all their crazy plans and schemes, including pissing him off.”

“Don’t scare her off,” Taz whined. “Besides, I might need her big brain to help me out with a few things.” He gave her a saucy wink, and she began to get a sense of what Simba was hinting at.

It looked like things were about to get interesting around here. As long as she and her son were safe, she’d handle it. She wasn’t sure she could do what Simba suggested and move on. She’d spent most of her adult life always expecting the worst, and giving up that habit was hard.

Especially when it came to her son.

19

NAOMI

She saw why everyone had warned her about Taz, Karissa, and Glitch being around each other. The Devil’s Predators had left almost two hours ago, and the three of them were already arguing. Glitch tried to stab him, but Taz laughed, seemingly unworried for his life.

At least they were doing this outside the apartment, where Asher couldn’t see. That was the last thing she needed him to learn.

Asher woke up unfazed, as if his epic meltdown had never happened, and demanded food. She was too tired to argue and got him a snack before plunking him down in front of a puzzle the twins and Scarlett had brought for him a few days earlier. It was a bit more advanced, but he was already almost halfway through figuring it out, his little lip pursed as he stared at it.

“Motherfucker!”

Naomi rushed to the window and gaped at the sight in front of her. Karissa was strung upside down, her feet wrapped in a long bungee-type cord, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t free them. From this angle, Naomi couldn’t see what it was attached to, but she figured it was on the warehouse roof, given the length and Karissa’s height from the ground.

From above her, came maniacal laughter. “Looks like we know it works, huh?” Taz shouted.

“I’m going to kill you,” Karissa screamed. “If I drop and crack open my skull on the steps, I’m going to make it slow and very painful, starting with that ugly cock of yours since you prize it above everything else.”