Page 53 of Double the Redemption

The rejection stung, but the last part of that was enough to give him hope. “Then I’ll give you some space, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying, Naomi. Now that I know what I want, I’m going to be like a dog with a bone. I won’t push too hard, and I won’t pressure you, but can you at least give me the chance?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then I’ll go slow, starting with leaving you for the night and letting you stew on what I said.”

“You’re far too cocky with yourself to consider that I might sit and think about you all night.”

His grin was quick. “Baby, the ladies always think about me after I’m gone. You’re only getting a small part of my charm. You’d be a puddle if I really turned it all the way up.”

She scoffed. “Cocky and delusional. If you want some of the pizza that’s left, go ahead and take it. I’m going to get Asher in a bath and ready for bed. Oh, wait, actually, take Taz some pizza. He’s probably hungry up there.”

He wanted to say fuck that, but he nodded. If it would make her happy, then he’d do it. “Alright. I’ll be done at the shop by five tomorrow. Want me to pick something up on the way? Anything you’ve been craving?” She gave him a bland stare. His grin widened. “You still have to eat. That’s not pressure. That’s making your life easier after a tiring day.”

“Good night, Ink.” She walked over and turned off the TV. Asher protested, but he didn’t fight as she picked him up and headed down the hall.

He stayed where he was, watching her. A part of him wondered if he fucked everything up, but then she turned and gave him a soft smile over her shoulder before shutting the bathroom door.

It was enough, and he left the apartment feeling far more hopeful than when he went in.

Instead of getting pissed at Taz for hitting him in the back with a rock from up on the roof, demanding to know where his pizza was, he just flipped him off and kept on walking. Like fuck he was giving another man pizza he bought for the woman he wanted to make his.

21

NAOMI

A FEW DAYS LATER

The knocking on the door was sharp, and Karissa sighed before rolling her eyes. “I held her off this long, but that’s done.”

Before Naomi could ask who the hell she was talking about, the door opened and Esme strode in, baby in her arms, wearing an expression Naomi couldn’t quite name.

Behind her were all the other women and the twins.

Bringing up the rear was Taz, who looked downright gleeful. How, she didn’t know, considering the late night he’d had and that it was barely noon. Well, that and the fact that when he went to bed, Karissa and Glitch set up a trap, a heavy net meant to fall over him in his bed, pinning him there.

When she arrived for her turn at guard duty, Karissa took great delight in telling her he had been screaming his head off because some of it had gotten caught in his hair and taken a small chunk out. He was far more upset about that than the net.

Naomi was still getting used to these three pulling pranks on each other, or that they managed to one-up each other so much.

Now, however, she got the feeling Taz had helped set this entire thing up, judging by the look in his eyes. Karissa pinned him with a sharp glare, but he ignored it. Instead, he shouted, “Ladies, talk loudly so I can hear from up in my perch, alright? I need something to entertain me while I’m working. And, of course, don’t forget to talk about how wonderful I am.” With a beaming grin, he spread his arms wide.

“Scram,” Glitch admonished, waving him toward the door.

Naomi stared at everyone as they made themselves comfortable. The twins swooped in on Asher, who was watching everyone carefully from his place on the floor, surrounded by his toys. His expression brightened when he saw the girls.

Okay, maybe this would be all right.

“Here, you hold him,” Esme ordered, thrusting her son into Naomi’s arms, yanking her from her thoughts. She sank into the recliner with a groan. “Fuck, my bits are still killing me. And I’m itching from the stitches.”

“Ewww,” Wren said, face twisting.

Naomi turned Jett to cradle him in her arms, smiling down at the sleeping baby. Even now, she could see he was going to look an awful lot like his father. His face was the same shape, his hair dark, and he had that signature frown she’d come to associate him with. Her heart melted a little. She missed when Asher was this small. Maybe not the long nights spent trying to keep him quiet because Diego would get pissed off if he woke him up from down the hall, but how innocent and precious he was.

“He’s adorable,” she murmured, swaying slightly.

“He is,” Esme agreed, grinning. “And so far, he’s a good eater and good sleeper. Fury gets up with him in the middle of the night for diaper changes, but the rest is me.” Her expression turned apologetic. “I finally heard what happened, Naomi. And I’ve already read the riot act to every man who’s been over. Including Ink. The idiots, they only think with their cocks.”

“Cock!” Asher shouted, smiling at his mother for learning a new word.