Page 50 of Double the Redemption

She really didn’t want to, but Simba’s words echoed in her head again. Damn it. She sat stiffly across from him, her hands clasped in her lap. She’d listen, but that didn’t mean she’d make it easy for him.

He sighed but held her gaze. “I wanted to say I’m truly sorry for everything. The last twenty-four hours have been … eye-opening. I know you’re pissed at me, but I want to fix it. For you and Asher. What do you need me to do to prove it? If it’s about Kayla, she won’t be back. Ever.”

“So you broke up with her?”

Damn it, she’d planned to not speak.

“We were never a thing, Naomi.” His words were firm as he leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Look, I’m not a choir boy. I’ve fucked a lot. That’s what the club girls are here for, and they know the score. Right now, there aren’t many of us left who aren’t in a serious relationship, and it’s starting to make the girls think they have a shot with the single brothers they don’t. Well, not me or Ice. The others, I can’t speak for. I’ve never been interested in a relationship with Kayla. I slept with her to let off steam when I didn’t want to go into town and find someone else for the night.”

“So you’re a manwhore.” She was careful to keep her tone even.

He winced then shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. Was, anyway. I can’t apologize for what I’ve done in the past, Naomi, because I don’t regret it. It was fun and exciting, and I wasn’t looking for anything serious.”

“I don’t know why you’re trying to tell me this.” She let out a small huff. “Who you screw around with is your business and doesn’t involve me. The only reason it mattered this time was one of the women you slept with might bring the cartel to the front gate. Whether you broke it off with her, banned her, or whatever, doesn’t matter anymore.”

“So, can you honestly tell me you weren’t jealous or upset that she told you I was seeing her?”

No way in hell was she going to tell him the truth on that.

Holding his gaze, she lied smoothly. “Why would it? Just because you’ve hung out here a couple of times and helped me with Asher doesn’t mean I thought there was anything to it other than trying to be helpful. Or me just helping you avoid the IRS knocking on your shop door.”

His brow arched. “Is that so?”

“You and I are nothing, Ink. Is that what all this is about? You want me to soothe your ego by telling you I’m devastated you picked her and not me?” She scoffed. “You really do need someone to knock you down a couple of pegs.”

“You’re going to sit there and pretend you don’t know we have chemistry? That I haven’t seen the way you’ve looked at me? And you haven’t noticed the way I look at you?”

She stilled. Wait, what? He was really going to call her out like that? Her face got hot. Was she that obvious?

“Even if I did, that’s done now,” she stated.

He held her stare, almost like he wanted to call bullshit but was being too polite. Or he didn’t want her to kick him out again. Or bite him.

God, she needed this conversation to be over with. This was mortifying.

“Naomi, I know that you⁠—”

“Ink, stop. I don’t know why you’re bringing this up now. It’s over. Done. Even if I had a crush on you, it ended last night. I don’t trust you or your club. The only reason Asher and I are still here is Taz. And even with how crazy he is, he’s an extra layer that keeps anyone from getting to me.

“As for you and me, there is no you and me. I appreciate the time you spend with Asher, and I’m going to continue to do your business paperwork to keep you from making it a total mess of it again, but that’s where everything else stops.”

“I think it’s more than a crush, baby.”

“The twins were right—bikers have a hard time listening and the emotional intelligence of a monkey. Though, right now, that might be insulting to the monkey. Are you not listening to me? That was the only thing out of that entire statement you heard?”

“It’s the only part that matters right now. I can rebuild your trust in me and, by extension, in the club. I spend time with Asher because I like him, and I like kids. My interest in you is separate from my interest in your son. He’s a part of you, so that makes me want you more. And you doing the paperwork for my shop has nothing to do with my interest in you. Does it make my life easier? Hell yeah. But that has nothing to do with you and me.” He grins. “Maybe we should work out a payment plan, huh? For every mistake I make, I have to make it up to you. I can think of a few creative ways.”

She blinked. Was he seriously trying to seduce her? Or some weird flirting?

She might have a very high IQ, but this man was rendering it useless right now.

He let out a low chuckle, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and her belly clench. Why did that sound so sexy? “You might want to argue with me, Naomi, but you can’t hide that you want me. Your body betrays you every time. And that’s exactly why I’m going to do everything in my power to have you.”

20

INK

Maybe that came on a little strong, but he didn’t care. He had nothing to lose at that point. While he went to get the pizzas and make a plan, he’d realized a few things.