He rushed toward my bedroom door. “I have to talk with him about her fiancee’s profession. Make sure he knows. I feel like he knows, but--.”
“Trooper.”
He peeked over at me. “What?”
I nodded. “Deep breaths. Get your voice back first.”
His nostrils flared with what I knew was anger. “Yeah. Yeah, yeah. You’re right.”
I walked up to him and patted his shoulder. “In the meantime, do you know where Naomi is?”
“You’re going to tell her?”
“No, but I am going to get her perspective on something. Now, do you know where she is?”
He shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
I reached down and opened the door. “Don’t wait up. I’ll be back when I’m satisfied.”
With my two best friends holstered on my person, I charged through the hallway. I didn’t know where Ranger had gotten off to, and I honestly didn’t care. I had a question I wanted to ask Naomi. I needed to read her face. Hear her voice. See her reaction in order for me to make my decision.
She was just upstairs on the balcony. About to jump. The whole nine.
“Let’s see if someone still likes the view,” I murmured to myself.
I pivoted on my heels and started in toward the kitchen. The wrap-around porch had been Troop’s idea. He was always a sucker for a pretty sunset. However, I enjoyed gazing out at the water for a slightly different purpose.
And something told me Naomi felt the same way.
As I slipped through the cracked side door that sat just off to the left of the kitchen, I heard sniffles coming from the back deck. I silenced my footsteps, my hands clasped behind my back as I formatted the conversation in my head. Did I ask her outright? Would she like a conversation first?
Jesus, I’m shit at conversation.
As I turned the corner and found her leaning against the deck railing, a gust of wind kicked up. Her brown hair seemed to sparkle with little bits of shining colors that reminded me of the honey my foster mother used to gather out back. I tilted my head, watching as the soft blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders fluttered about helplessly, revealing the soft and subtle curves she possessed beneath.
It almost made me want to reach out and--.
“Ah! Dutch!”
Her exclamation jerked me out of my trance as her hand gripped her heart.
“Jesus Christ, do you ever make any noise when you walk? I didn’t even know you were there!”
I nodded. “That’s usually the point.”
Naomi scoffed as her gaze fell to the knives on my belt. “Are you here to kill me or something?”
I shook my head. “That’s not the point of this encounter, no.”
“What’s the point, then, Your Highness?”
I furrowed my brow, but I didn’t hesitate to walk up to her. The heat of her body reached out to me. Even as she pressed herself against the railing, I locked my gaze with her wide green stare as I searched her soul for the answer I sought.
She was a locked vault, though. So, I cleared my throat.
“Troop is under the impression that your fiancée rapes you.”
Naomi blinked. “Oh.”
