Page 89 of Mr. Dangerous

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Rob

Naomi curledinto my side as we lay in bed, watching the flickering screen of the TV cast its blue light on the dark walls. I slipped my arm around her because that seemed to be what she wanted. I felt unsettled by the happenings of the last few days, and that made me feel restless, like I needed to be ready for a fight at a moment's notice. It did not make me feel likecuddling.

My phone buzzed on the bedside table. Joe:Rook & Castell1hour

I'd asked Joe to set up a meeting with the private security team that was guarding Mitch. I planned to go forward with the gala, despite my worries, because I didn't want to disappoint Naomi. This all might be random coincidence, as much as I doubted it. But I was going to bring in security. I had also asked them to investigate my father's history, even though it made me anxious. God only knows what else there was todigup.

"What's up?" Naomi asked, tilting her head to look upatme.

I tossed the phone back on the nightstand. "Nothing."

She raised her eyebrow. It was adorable, and I leaned forward to press my lips against hers. Her mouth felt soft and tender, and I let my eyes drift shut, losing myself— just for a minute—in her warmth. "I'm glad you decided to sleep inmybed."

"I think the secret's out,"shesaid.

"It doesn't have to be a secret,"Isaid.

"Mm." She glanced towards the nightstand, but I knew she wouldn't push it now; I'd successfully changed the subject. After all, it could just be one of my brothers with their travelplans.

I reached for the remote. "Do you really want to know who getstherose?"

"I know. I've seen this episodebefore."

"Oh."

"I wanted to introduce you to the drama andgoodness."

I smiled despite myself. "I have both all the drama and all the goodness I need in my liferightnow."

"WhichamI?"

I dropped a kiss in her hair. "You know damn well. You'refishing."

“I’m not so sure which you are sometimes,” shemurmured.

I knew I should ask what was worrying her, but I didn’t have it in me to fight any new battles. Not tonight. Feeling guilty, I clicked the television off and turned into her, wrapping my arms around her. "Good night, Naomi AnnePapadopolous."

"Good night, Robert JosephDelaney."

I couldn't let myself fall asleep, but lying there with her vanilla-scented hair against my shoulder made me feel rested anyway. I listened to her breathing slow as she dropped away to sleep. Even with the scary happenings of late, she seemed to fall asleep easily in my arms, and that made me feel something. Naomi felt safewithme.

When she was deeply asleep, I slid my arm out from beneath her head and eased out of bed. I felt the mattress move under my weight and hoped she wouldn't wake. She stirred, nuzzling her head into her pillow, and then laystill.

I picked up my jeans from the floor and a fresh t-shirt from my bag, and carried my clothes into the hallway so I wouldn't wake her. Wincing at the brightness in the hall, I eased the door shut behind me. I was grateful to see her quiet form still resting before the doorlatchedshut.

I wanted to have this conversation without her. I had to be bluntly honest about Delaney drama and about what I was willing to do to my family's enemies. If she were in the room, I would worry about what she thought. I couldn’t afford to worry about Naomi’s feelings when I needed to keephersafe.

I had stepped into my jeans and was buckling my belt when Alice stepped into the hallway, closing her own door furtively behind her. She turned towards me and then startled, raising a hand to her chest, before her expression changed. Her eyes drank me in for a second, roaming my shirtless chest and shoulders, before she jerked hereyesaway.

"Why are you half naked in the hallway?" she asked in a stagewhisper.

"Why are you in the hallway instead of sleeping?" I teased her. I had the funny feeling she was heading down the hall to Liam's childhood bedroom. Perhaps to reminisce about how they used to watch TV together. Orperhapsnot.

"I couldn't sleep. I was going to make myself some tea." She crossed her arms over her chest. When her chin rose sharply at me, I was reminded of Naomi. "Would youlikesome?"

Never had an offer of Earl Grey sounded so much like achallenge.

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