Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“She’s fine,” Nix answers for her. “Say you’re good.” She nudges Naomi.
“I’m good.” The words might be coming out of Naomi’s mouth, but I can tell they may not be sincere. She’s unsure of me, which is totally understandable.
“We like her,” Nix repeats. “There is a rumor going around that she killed a pretty little blonde from Golden Prep.” Nix wiggles her brows.
“Did you?” Naomi asks. Nix is trying hard to lighten the vibe that is simmering around Naomi, so I follow her lead.
“Maybe. I was pretty drunk. I mean, I did end up going home with him.” I nod toward Jax.
“Yes, I would have to be very drunk to go home with a man,” Naomi says, but there’s no emotion behind it.
“She’s not a lesbian; she’s nothing.” Nix makes a cutting gesture across her throat.
Interesting. But she is still kind of terrifying. Also intriguing.
“Are you done?” Naomi asks Nix.
“When have I ever been done in my whole freaking life?” Nix tugs on one of her curls. “I got a new—”
“You’re not playing with my hair today.”
“So tomorrow. Right.” Nix pops a kiss on her cheek and practically skips back over to sit down next to me. “She’s cool people, and that one…” She pauses to be dramatic, then points to her brother. “Is in love with her.”
I cough, choking on a bite of my bacon. We have not said the L word. It’s actually not a word I’m really used to. Probably why it’s caught me so off guard. Jax has already told me I’m his forever. I want to believe that with every part of my being.
"Be nice," I hear Jax say as he rounds the kitchen island toward me, his comment directed at Naomi. I wave him off, saying I'm okay, and take a sip of the coffee he made me. The wave does nothing because now he’s hovering over me, his hand going up and down my back.
"She didn't do anything," I scold Jax in Naomi's defense.
“No one even told me her name.” Naomi speaks, stepping more into the kitchen. The curls falling around her heart-shaped face appear more delicate.
“I’m Kinsley,” I introduce myself. Naomi gives me a curt nod.
“I don’t like when I’m not told about things.” Her eyes assess me. I know Jax may not like the way she’s acting toward me, but I get it. I’m a stranger that’s in her family's home. And it’s not like it’s just some regular family. They all have reasons not to trust outsiders.
“Trying not to overwhelm her,” Jax tells her, dropping a kiss on top of my head.
“So it’s generational then,” Naomi responds, and I don’t have a clue what she means.
“I can’t wait for it to happen to me.” Nix does a shimmy dance in her seat.
“I don’t know how to feel about this.” Naomi's brows furrow together.
“See, I told you that you feel things. No one listens to me.” Nix rolls her eyes.
"Can I ask what we're talking about?"
"The men in this family." Naomi starts to tell me.
"Nope, nope, nope." Nix shakes her head. "It's the women, too." Nix glances at me. "She's saying 'men' in the hopes she won't fall hopelessly in love one day. That it's not only the men in this family but also the women. I mean, you have to be head over heels in love to deal with the obsessiveness the husbands have over their wives. And let's not forget Marks. She stalked Uncle Ro." I can tell from Naomi's expression that she hates every word coming out of Nix’s mouth.
"I mean, you're a Marino. If you get an inkling that you might be falling for someone, just kill them," I joke.
"I could do that." Naomi starts to nod.
"Oh God, don't give her ideas," Nix groans.
"It's not a terrible idea," Jax says.
"I like her." With that, Naomi turns and leaves the kitchen.
"She was…" I trail off.
"She's just Naomi. There aren't words for it." Nix takes a piece of bacon off my plate.
"Eat, Bunny; we need to speak to my uncles." He kisses my cheek before refilling my coffee.
"Wait, like I'm talking to them too?" A sudden sense of panic fills me. The reasonable side of me knows they aren’t going to do anything to me, especially with Jax here, but I can’t help but feel a bit intimidated. They are, after all, three of the most powerful men in this city. Scratch that, more like on this coast.
"You don't want to be in on the conversation?" Jax asks.
"I mean, I do, but am I allowed?" Plus, why does having this conversation feel like the equivalent of meeting the family? I mean, I know I have met them, but this seems deeper.
"We need to tell them the story you told me about your mom's patient. I'm guessing Damon has informed them what he now knows about the warehouse and everything from last night."