Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“It had better be,” he growled playfully. “I meant what I said—I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”
“And my demon meant what it said—it will kill you if you hurt me, mate or not.”
His lips bowed up. “Having seen what it can do, I now understand why it’s so certain it can live up to that threat.”
“You don’t seem bothered,” she observed, surprised.
“I’m not. Neither are my demons. In fact, it turns Belial on in a major way.”
She did a slow blink. “I don’t really know what to say to that.”
Luka only smiled.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Naomi smiled down at the baby girl she held in her arms. “You really are super cute.”
Cooing, Lilibeth grabbed at Naomi’s hand, her incredible blue eyes locked on the ring there.
“She likes you,” said Ella, sitting beside her on the leather sofa.
Naomi cast the redhead a quick smile. “She likes my ring.”
“Oh, that too,” Ella chuckled. “She took to you very quickly, though. It’s unusual for her. Maybe it’s because you’re mated to her favorite uncle.”
“He’s her only uncle,” said Viper from an armchair, a teasing note in his tone as his vivid blue eyes slid to where Luka stood a few feet away.
“And what am I, chopped liver?” burst out Lou in pure offense.
“Well you’re not her uncle, so . . .” Viper shrugged his compact shoulders.
Naomi felt her lips twitch.
It was the first time she’d been to the Black Saints’ compound. Several of the bikers were hanging around in the main area of their clubhouse—some leaning against the reddish-brown brick walls, others settled on the mahogany furnishings. Their focus was mostly on Lou. All seemed ready to rip out his throat if he made any overt moves toward Lilibeth.
Of course, Lou hadn’t spoken to Naomi much since randomly showing up at the clubhouse—something he was prone to do, to the bikers’ extreme annoyance. He rarely talked to her in front of people who didn’t know that he was her father, though he would chat with her telepathically. No one here would ever suspect that they were more than merely familiar with each other, let alone that they were related.
Feeling little fingers slide over her ring again, Naomi peered down at the baby. “Sorry, you can’t have it. I don’t blame you for wanting it, though—it’s beautiful.” It was also a black diamond. A symbol of the ultimate commitment from Luka.
Feeling her lips curve, she met his eyes, finding them fixed on her. She had woken a week ago to find that he had slipped the ring on her finger while she slept. She’d tried returning the favor the next night, but he’d stirred on feeling her try to slide one onto his finger. He’d also fucked her stupid, smug as a motherfucker that she’d claimed him so irrevocably.
He hadn’t been at all impressed when Jolene’s granddaughter Heidi had tried to steal Naomi’s ring. To the little girl’s credit, she hadn’t wilted under the weight of his radiating disapproval. She’d only given him an angelic smile.
“Imps,” he’d merely grumbled.
“You’re hogging the baby,” Lou groused now, crossing to the sofa and blocking Naomi’s view of Luka. “It’s my turn to—”
“Told you before, Lou; sick of saying it—you do not get to hold Lilibeth,” Viper stated.
Lou’s voice turned whiny. “But why? You know I won’t hurt her. And it’s not like I’m a stranger. We’re practically brothers.”
Viper’s brow furrowed. “No. No we’re not.”
“Uh, incorrect.” Lou jerked his thumb toward Jester. “You consider this guy your bro. He’s my bro. That makes you and me—”
“Totally unrelated,” Viper finished.
“Wish I could say the same,” grumbled Jester. Long, lean, and bronze-skinned, he appeared to have a permanent scowl.
Lou scoffed at him, a fond smile plucking at his mouth. “No you don’t. You adore and look up to me. Always did.”
Jester’s brows snapped together. “I tried to kill you. Twice.”
“I never took it to heart.”
“You should’ve.”
“You’re not fooling anybody, bro. It’s perfectly obvious that you’ve missed me all these years. Anyone would miss me. I touch the lives of everyone I meet.”
“And they all wish you hadn’t,” Jester sniped.
Grinning, Lou glanced at Naomi and Ella. “Isn’t he just the bestest? So hateful and grumpy and asocial. And how could he not be, when he had the perfect role model in me?”
“It makes you proud that he’s so rude and mean to you?” asked Razor, a bulky, dark-skinned male who seemed almost as irritable as Jester.
Lou lifted his shoulders. “Why wouldn’t it?”
Razor’s brows lifted, then he just shook his head.
Lilibeth made a fussy noise, drawing everyone’s attention.
Ella hummed. “Seems that someone is hungry.” She carefully took the little girl from Naomi.
“But not sleepy,” mumbled Ghost. “Never, ever sleepy.” He released a tired sigh. “The bags under my eyes are so big they have pockets.”
Lou gifted him a condescending look. “You’re so dramatic.”
“You’d know all about that,” Luka quipped.