Page 5 of The New York Nighthawks: Vol 1

PRENTICE

When we arrived at The End Zone, the line to get in stretched around the block. But when Racer, the bouncer on duty, saw me, he grinned and waved us over.

“Great game tonight!” We shook hands, and he detached the velvet rope, gesturing for us to enter.

The other players and their girls entered first, with Nixon and Naomi behind them, and me taking up the rear. I wanted to make sure that Naomi was as protected as possible.

“And who’s this sexy pussy?” a man to my right asked, eyeing Naomi in a way that made me want to smash his face in.

“I can make you purr all night.”

“Hey, baby,” another man leered. “Why don’t you show me your moves on the dance floor?”

Naomi glanced back at me, and when she saw my face, worry filled her pretty blue eyes.

Concerned that she was afraid of me, I closed the gap between us, anxious to reassure her that she was safe with me. “You know I’d never hurt you, right?”

Naomi snorted and rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

Her immediate response filled me with relief and warmth.

“I’m worried you’re going to hurt them and get yourself into trouble,” she added.

I chuckled and put my arm around her, pulling her close against my side. “Nah, I have enough connections around here to keep me out of trouble. Especially if I kicked their ass for disrespecting a woman.”

Nixon had slowed his pace at the slimy comments from the drunk patrons. When he turned slightly to check on his sister, I imagined that his expression was similar to the one Naomi had seen on mine.

“Take it easy, rookie,” I said, just loud enough for him to hear me.

He pressed his lips into a straight line, but as his eyes swept around again, he noticed how the men were now avoiding Naomi.

No one who came to this club would mess with my woman. I wasn’t quick to lose my temper, and I rarely resorted to physical violence, but I was still a big, scary motherfucker.

The tension in Nixon’s shoulders eased, and he tossed me a grateful smile before looking at Naomi. “You good, Mims?”

She nodded, and he turned around, continuing his path to the VIP area.

When we entered the much quieter space, he gave me a chin lift and murmured, “Thanks,” before heading toward the other guys congregating at the bar.

I led my girl over to a corner where there were intimate seating areas, claiming one of the half-moon couches with a small table in the middle. Naomi sat near the center, and I dropped down beside her, close enough that our thighs touched when I relaxed back into my seat. Then I put my arm behind her and leaned in as though it were too loud to hear each other without our heads being close together.

“Tell me about yourself,” I encouraged.

Naomi shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. Nixon and I grew up in a small town in Connecticut. My brother was the golden boy, but he never let it go to his head. He’s a really great big brother, even though I’m the mature one between us.”

She giggled and shook her head, moving her silky hair under the lights so it shimmered a golden brown. “I didn’t want to go to college yet, but my best friend is attending NYU, and Nixon suggested I come stay with him while I figure things out.”

“You didn’t want to stay in your hometown?”

Naomi gestured toward the rowdy boys near the bar. “Not especially. But my brother was the one who wanted to leave and see the world, to be a star.”

“And what did you want?”

She blushed adorably and looked away. “I like the idea of traveling. And I had no problem leaving our small town. But I…um…”

Even in the darkness of the club, I could see her cheeks darken to crimson.

“You can be honest with me, Naomi. I want you to be able to tell me anything.”

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