Naomi (Dressed to Kill), page 10
“Yeah,” I sigh. “In a moment. We don’t want her thinking that her fears were accurate.”
“Because they’re not,” Cole says. “While I wish more than anything that none of that happened to her, it doesn’t make me think of any less of her. She’s strong, funny, sweet, and amazing.”
“I don’t want her to leave,” Nat says. “I’ve been so afraid to feel anything for anyone after Becca. But Naomi, she’s... she’s different.”
“So, you want her? As more than just a friend?” Reese asks Nat, his face blank, but I know he’s waiting to be disappointed.
“Yeah,” Nat sniffs. “But so do you.”
“What?” Reese balks. “No, I don’t. I mean, she's fun and I enjoy being around her, but I’m not looking for anything serious right now.”
“I’m not asking if you want to marry the woman,” Nat sighs. “Just stating that you like her too.”
“I don’t know her that well, but I’d like to get to know her better,” Cole pipes in.
Nat smiles, nodding her head. “I thought as much.” She turns to me. “What about you?”
I look at her, confused. “I mean, I’m okay with her staying here. I know I’ve come off as an asshole these past few weeks, and I was wrong, that much I can admit.”
“But do you want her?” Nat asks.
“I don’t even know her,” I reply. But, I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought of kissing her sinful lips, feeling her soft warm skin under my hands as she screams around my cock. I’m not blind, and I’ve had no luck with keeping my mind from wandering, but I don’t know Naomi enough to want her from anything other than something sexual. And that's not something I plan on acting on, seeing as Nat is head over heels for her. Cole will quickly be right where Nat is, and even though Reese is in denial, he wants something more with her too.
“Not yet. But you will get that chance to get to know her better, and you're gonna fall for her just as hard as we have.” Nat gives me a knowing look.
I frown, not sure if I agree with her. Could I fall for Naomi? It’s too soon to tell. “So you're okay with this? That they like Naomi too?” I ask my baby sister, searching her eyes. “After everything that happened with Becca, we don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“I know.” She smiles softly. “And I love you guys for caring so much. But this is different. Becca didn’t want me, not like she wanted you three. But Naomi... I think she could love all of us if we tried.”
“We are getting way ahead of ourselves,” Reese huffs out a breath. “Let’s just be on the same page first and go from there. So, we are okay with each other being with Naomi? In intimate ways?”
“I mean, I don’t wanna hear it or see it.” Nat’s face scrunches up.
“Says the woman who could be heard through the whole house. I didn’t think I’d ever know what my twin sister sounded like when she... you know. I could go the rest of my life without hearing it again, thank you.” Reese gags. Nat’s face turns bright red as she flips her twin off.
“Fuck off.”
I roll my eyes at the two of them. “We’ll keep things how they’ve been. But don’t forget, we have a bigger problem looming that we can’t pretend isn’t an issue.”
“Trust me,” Nat mutters. “If anyone knows that, it's me.”
“We’ll get him,” Reese says, placing a hand on Nat’s arm. “He’s not going to take you from us.”
I’ve been so focused on trying to find my father, trying to find ways to protect my sister, my work has been neglected. I’ve taken a big step back from my father's firm, however I’d like to take it over, make it a place of my own, and cut ties with any dirty people that have my father under their belt. But for now, we need to get rid of the main sources of the problem. I won’t stop until he’s six feet under and my family is safe.
I am, however, glad to have some help. Naomi is saving our asses, and I owe her a lot for that. I need to stop thinking of her as the bad guy and work with her.
Only thing is, I don’t know if I’ll be able to look at her without thinking about what my father did to her. Not because I’m disgusted by her or think of her in a lesser way, but because knowing what he did fills me with so much fucking anger. It makes me want to hunt him down and kill him with my own bare hands.
When Naomi takes his life, I hope she makes it hurt. I hope she gets every bit of revenge, relief, or whatever it is she's looking for at the end of all of this. If anyone in this world deserves to take his life, it’s her.
Chapter 11
Naomi
The past few days, there has been a heavy awkwardness in the air. My blow up at Ezra is something I’m still kicking my ass about. It’s not how I wanted them to find out, but how do you sit down and tell someone about something like that?
A part of me wonders if I would have even bothered telling them at all, when my plan is to leave and move on with my life as soon as I kill Ivan.
But the reality is, I’ve already grown attached to this family. How ironic that the children of the man who ruined my life are the people who I’ve felt more for than anyone else.
I hate it. Kind of. Not really. Nat came into my room that night, pulled me into her arms, and I allowed myself to cry in front of her. I’ve never let anyone see me break before, but there’s always going to be a point where you can only hold so much in before everything spills over.
Her being there for me, whispering sweet words as she rubbed my back, and kissing my temple made me realize that I don’t want to move on, to leave these people behind in search of my happily ever after. Maybe, just maybe, they can be that for me. Fuck, the more time I spend around them, the more I want that to be true. Well, maybe not Ezra. That man needs to get his head out of his ass before I even consider feeling anything other than loathing toward him. He’s lucky I didn’t have my knife on me, or I would have stabbed him in the fucking throat.
But I was proven wrong. I thought the moment they knew what Ivan did to me, they wouldn’t be able to look at me the same. From that point, their stares would be filled with disgust or pity, but that hasn’t been the case. They’ve gone out of their way to talk to me, to make sure I know they don’t see me as less than. And that just makes it worse when it comes to trying to hold myself together.
They care about me. I’m not sure if it’s in the same way I’m feeling for them, but they care enough to know they want me around. That my past isn’t a deal breaker for them. I’m not used to having people care this much about me. The only other person I’ve allowed myself to love, or be loved by, is my sister.
I slipped out of the house this morning in the early hours to do some digging. After getting in touch with some of my contacts, I found out that Manuel wasn’t too happy about my little stunt with his men and has been trying to find out who killed them.
So, how did I repay him? I killed three more of his men. Men who thought they could try to kill the guys I hired to protect Nat.
They didn’t get the chance to, though. On my way back, I saw them and took them out before anyone could fucking blink. Sadly, I wasn’t as lucky with these unplanned kills as I was with the last two, and I couldn’t leave my calling card this time. Oh well, their bodies are chilling in some flower bushes, so it’s close enough.
“Where have you been?” Ezra’s voice has me jumping as I close the door behind me.
Spinning around, I lock eyes with his hard ones. His brows jump in surprise when he sees the sight of me. “Take a fucking photo, it’ll last longer,” I mutter as I push past him.
“Are you... is that blood?” he asks.
“Not mine.” I head into the downstairs bathroom.
“Whose is it then?” he questions, and I shoot him a glare over my shoulder.
“Who do you think? Manuel sent more men,” I huff, turning the water as hot as I can stand it while I scrub the crimson from my hands. I don’t even care about DNA at this point. The cops won't get involved, Manuel will find their bodies first when he hasn’t heard from them in a while. This is the bloodiest I think I’ve ever been. Usually, I’m careful not to get too dirty, to leave my kills swift and easy. Only my emotions have been riding me harder than I’m used to. I’m losing my touch, and I don’t seem to give a fuck right now.
“Fuck,” Ezra curses. “He’s quickly becoming a problem.”
“Yeah. One I plan on getting rid of. He might be the son of a crime lord, but his father doesn’t give a shit about him. Manuel is just some sad man who is trying to gain Daddy's approval. He thinks by getting Nat for his dad that he will win some kind of brownie points. He's just sending his father's lackeys to die. And Jesús couldn’t care less because all the people who are worth his time and energy are with him on the other side of the fucking world, not here.”
“So you're going to kill Manuel?” Ezra asks, leaning against the doorway.
Grabbing a hand towel from the rack, I nod my head. “Yeah. When? I’m not too sure just yet. But I’ve already broken my own rules a few times now, so why not do it again and get rid of a bigger problem?”
He looks at me with a pinched brow, but I don’t explain myself. “Can we talk?” he asks after a few moments of silence.
“Why?” I counter. “You wanna tell me more about how I’m gonna mess with your siblings’ heads and then leave them high and dry? I don’t wanna hear it, okay?”
“No,” he says, his voice too soft for the Ezra I’ve become accustomed to. He steps into the bathroom, crowding me. My breath hitches in my chest when he cups my face, looking down at me with eyes full of regret. “I want to apologize. I was an asshole.”
“You think?” I meant for it to come out snippy, but I’m too caught off guard by the fact that his large hands are touching me in such a tender way that it comes out more breathy than I’d like.
He gives me a crooked smile that doesn’t help. “I’m sorry, Naomi. I was out of line, and I was too quick to judge you. I didn’t bother to get to know you before accusing you of things that weren’t a part of your intentions. Not to make excuses for myself, but I’ve been stressed with everything regarding my dad and sister. My siblings are my life, and one of them is in danger. Then some sexy, little redhead comes out of nowhere in the middle of all the chaos and threw me for a loop.”
“You think I’m sexy?” I ask, sounding way too dazed. Really, Naomi? What the hell is wrong with you?
He grins wider now, and I can’t help but enjoy this look on Ezra. He’s a good-looking man, but seeing him smile instead of having a stick up his ass is a nice change. “Naomi, you are stunning. You caught my attention from the moment I laid eyes on you. It’s partly why I’ve been so cold. You caught me off guard, something I’m not used to.”
“That makes two of us,” I admit on a sigh.
“Let me make things right. Let me make it up to you and show you I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know,” I say skeptically.
His chuckle does weird but wonderful things to my belly. “Please? And you don’t have to distance yourself from the others. I don’t want that. They wouldn’t want that. Can we just forget everything I so stupidly said the other day? You're good for them, Naomi. I know all of this is happening fast, and it’s not something any of us are used to, but I believe in fate.”
“You do?” I question. I’m not sure if I’m a big believer in fate, but I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason.
“You’ve changed them all in a good way. You're good for them. Please don’t leave.”
I bite my lower lip as I look up at him, sincerity shining brightly in his eyes. For a moment, I wonder if he’s going to kiss me. And if he did, would I pull away from him?
But I don’t get the chance to find out, because Reese interrupts us. “There you are,” Reese says. “I’m heading into work—” He cuts himself off when he sees me. “Oh. Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I say, slipping on a bright smile. “Work, huh? Mind if I tag along?” I’ve been stuck in this house again for far too long. I need to get out of here before I go crazy.
“Yeah.” His face lights up. “We're closed to the public, but we’re catering a big event in a few days. Not something we normally do, but it’s being put on by a foundation that Cole donates to, so I couldn’t turn them down when they asked.”
“That’s sweet of you.” I give Ezra a look, but he just smiles back softly.
“Go, have fun. You deserve it.” A part of me wants to sink into his big burly arms. But I shake myself out of that thought and follow after Reese.
I truly felt like Ezra meant his apology, and it’s nice to have gotten one from him, but was he serious about me staying? Was that referring to after I get rid of his father, or is he asking me not to leave now and risk ruining the plan?
Whatever it is, it’s nice not having him looking at me like I’m an inconvenience for once.
Reese
THIS WOMAN HAS THROWN me for a loop and I don’t know what to do about it. When I’m around her, I smile more, laugh more, and never want my time with her to end. When I’m at work, I’m wishing I’m with her, and I often find myself sad when she leaves to go to bed, or is hanging out with Nat.
I’ve been daydreaming often enough about her smile, her laugh, her fucking sexy as hell body that I’ve fucked up more than enough meals. So much so, my staff has been genuinely concerned about me.
Hearing what my sick fuck of a father did to her... I never felt so much rage in my life. More than when I found out what he had planned for Nat, because at least we got to save her. No one was there to save Naomi. And I hate it. I hate him. And I’ll stand there with a smile on my face when I watch him take his last breath by her hand.
I’ve been so worried about hurting Nat by having an interest in Naomi, I didn’t think to ask her, to talk about it and see what she thought. She’s made it clear that she’s willing to share.
It might be weird to others, the idea of sharing a lover with your siblings, but not for me. It’s kind of always been something we’ve had in the back of our minds. We are each other's worlds. Nothing means more to us than our relationship with one another.
It’s partly why I think none of us were quick to find a partner. We didn’t want someone to take up so much of our time or our lives, leaving less and less time to be there for family.
None of us want to move away and start a new life. So sharing a lover, it fixes all of that. Naomi, she could be that one for us. And the more I try to tell myself I don’t want her, the more I’m fooling myself.
“Stop looking at me like that,” Naomi mutters as she glares over at me, pausing with the icing bag in her hand.
“Like what?” I chuckle, smirking as I swipe a bit of the frosting from one of the cupcakes with my finger and wipe it on her nose.
She gapes at me, making me grin wider. “We’re supposed to be decorating the cupcakes, not each other.” She’s trying to look angry, and it’s fucking adorable. But I can see the smile she’s trying to hide.
“But why? This seems so much more fun,” I tease, my voice low and husky. I’ve spent the past few hours with her, baking our little hearts out to get ready for this event. We normally don’t do baked goods, but we’ve made an exception for this event. Only thing is, it turns out no one but Naomi and I know anything about baking.
So I’m more than grateful she came along with me today.
I’m not stupid, I know what she was doing. I saw the blood on her hands when she came into the house. At the time, I didn’t know it was because she took out more people threatening Nat’s safety. But I knew it wasn’t pointless. Naomi doesn’t seem like someone who kills for the fun of it, it has to have meaning; not that I think she doesn’t enjoy what she does.
Is it fucked up of me to think that it’s hot?
During the time we’ve spent together, I made sure to show her that I don’t pity her, that her past doesn’t change how I see her. What I think and even feel about her is still the same.
I’ve made her laugh and smile, and fuck if it didn’t make my chest swell with happiness each time she did.
There’s something about Naomi that sets her apart from all the other women from my past. She doesn’t want me for my money, power, or my body. She asks me questions, gets to know me, and actually seems interested in what I have to say. She’s too soft, but not too sweet, and has just enough sass and backbone. She’s perfect. The realization hits me hard; I’m falling for this little killer, and I’m not even mad about it.
“Reese.” I think she meant to say my name as a warning, but it comes out breathy when I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her in and pressing her body against mine.
“Tell me you don’t feel this.” Bringing my hand up, I brush the hair out of her face that fell from her bun of messy red locks. I smile at the flour on her cheeks. “I want you, Naomi.”
“You do?” she asks, sounding surprised by my words.
“I do.” I lean forward, brushing my lips against hers, loving the breath she sucks in and the way she leans into my touch.
“Kiss me,” she all but whimpers. So I do, removing the small gap between us while releasing a low rumble from deep in my chest. Our moans mingle, lips parting, and tongues dancing together.
She tastes like sunshine and fucking sin. She clutches at my shirt, trying to pull my body closer to hers.
Gripping her hips, I lift her up onto the counter. Her legs wrap around my waist, feet locking behind me. I growl, grinding my cock against her warm center. She’s wearing a dress, giving me easy access to her tempting body.
“Oh,” she gasps into my mouth as she starts to rock her core against me. I’m painfully hard, hissing with pleasure every time she presses down.
“I’m going to fuck you,” I pant out, looking down at her with feral eyes. “I’m going to lay you down, pull your panties aside and thrust my cock deep inside your tight, wet pussy.”
I don’t sound like myself; where is this even coming from? But fuck, she makes me crazy, makes me lose my fucking mind.
