Page 49 of Been There Dragon That
He almost said yes. Immediately. No hesitation, but he wasn’t sure what he’d be walking into. These thieves continued to escalate. Continued to evade everything he and Aarav had tried to do to locate them.
And if he was focused on them, he couldn’t hunt the men threatening her at the same time. “You’ll be safer with Naomi until I get back. I’ll come back for you as soon as I finish.” He reached out and brushed his knuckles across the softness of her cheek. “I give you my word.”
ChapterFifteen
Rylee
She watched until he drove away, then turned back to the warm and cozy, but very large cabin. It was at least twice as large as Wrath’s home, but beautifully pulled together with fantastic, framed photographs from all around the world. The furniture was soft and colorful, a stunning contrast against the neutral honey-colored log walls and ceiling.
Naomi’s husband had left with Wrath. She was left behind with Naomi andthreebabies. They gurgled and squealed and squirmed in the large playpen near the back windows.
“Come look, Wrath said I should show you some furniture options.” Naomi held up a laptop and wiggled it, like the sight of the computer would lure her away from the window. She flashed Rylee a wide grin that spoke to mischief and mayhem and reminded her of her best friend Ayla.
Shit.How had she forgotten she needed to call her parents. Her phone had been off. She hadn’t been able to check messages. Ayla was probably flipping out, too.
“Can I borrow your cell phone?” Rylee glanced out the window one more time. Snow covered everything as far as she could see. The storm was over, but it’d coated the country in a beautiful but unfamiliar blanket. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen snow before. But she was a Texan, and unless she traveled in the winter, snow wasn’t really a thing.
“Of course.” Naomi patted the couch. “Come sit.”
Rylee left the front window of the cabin and went to sit next to Naomi. She sank into the cushion with a heavy sigh.
It was warm on the couch. Warm and cozy like sitting next to a campfire. It reminded her of Wrath’s warmth when he was near.
“Here, hon.” Naomi pulled a cellphone from her sweatpants pocket. “Everything, okay?”
“Yeah, I really need to check in with my parents and my best friend. I dropped my phone when Wrath grabbed me during the storm. And then it got trashed by—”
“The thieves wreaking havoc all over town? Or the guys stalking you?” Naomi got up and grabbed one of her babies from the playpen. She settled back on the couch, lifted her shirt and put the very excited baby on her breast. “I heard about the incident at the Jenkin’s store.”
Rylee sagged, mostly relieved that she didn’t have to continue to keep face like everything was fine, butdamn, this little group passed information fast. “My ex. He tried to have me killed back in Texas. He’s followed me here. Or at least sent the same guy that hit me with a car back in Dallas.”
“The wound? The bruises?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s your back feeling?”
“A lot better. Everything still hurts, but it’s much more tolerable than it used to be. I haven’t had any more bleeding, even with—” She stopped before she spilled the beans on sleeping with Wrath. Although, what they’d done didn’t really qualify assleepingper say.
“Even with Wrath doing his very best to sweep you completely off your feet, you mean? How’s that one-bed situation working out?” Naomi chuckled and stroked her nursing baby’s face.
Rylee felt her face heat. “He’s quite intense.”
“But in a good way?” Naomi’s expression hinted at worry.
“Yes, in a good way. I feel safe with him in a way I’ve never felt before. It’s strange, actually. Like my whole body relaxes whenever he’s around.”
“Good. Good.” Naomi’s baby slipped off the breast, dozing contentedly in her arms. “I’m going to run this little guy up to his crib.”
“Of course, but that was like a minute. Did he get enough?”
“I know, right? They all three nurse really fast. My mom says I must have a lot of fat in my milk.” She got up and headed across the room.
“I’m going to call really quickly and check in with my mom.”
“Of course. Be right back.” Naomi went up the stairs and Rylee glanced at the other two babies squirming and rolling around in the playpen. Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation she’d had this morning with Wrath about her birth control.
He’d said he wanted babies. With her. She’d never met a man who talked about having a family with such assurance before. It was always about their career or some other accomplishments.
