Page 36 of Legion
He frowned.“So you support this?You usually don’t like other Primes poking their nose in or trying to handle shit for any of your demons.”
“I’m the one who requested that he involve himself in the first place,” Jolene reminded him.“I could ask that he drop his intention to put a guard on Naomi, but what would that achieve?He isn’t going to step aside if he’s involved with her—she’ll be classed as having protected status.If he and I are at odds, it’ll create a hole in her security.I won’t have that.It’s best I work with him.Besides, if he says she’s under his protection, he should damn well back it up—especially when her current problem is one ofhisdemons.”
Tobe turned to Tia and Alfie, clearly intending to ignore Jolene’s comments because they didn’t suit him.“You two have to be opposed to this.”
“Not really,” said Tia.“Naomi being with Luka gives him more incentive to keep her safe.As she herself said, no rumors about him have ever implied that he’s violent toward women.So I don’t consider him a danger to her.And I appreciate that he’s had her back—not all Primes would care how Iain’s behavior impacts her; many would lie for him and take his side.”
Alfie rubbed at his nape.“I’m not crazy about Naomi having Belinsky around.He can be cold and cruel and a whole bunch of other unpleasant things.Buthe clearly isn’t someone who would overlook women being preyed on, which says he does have some scruples.That is more than can be said for Iain—a person you yourself thought would be good for her in the beginning, Tobe.None of us anticipated what would happen.One thing I think we can be certain of is that Belinsky won’t ever fall victim to a siren song.”
Apparently still unwilling to drop his concerns, Tobe looked at Lachlan.“You’ll back me up, right?”
Blowing out a breath, Lachlan lifted his shoulders.“Naomi’s a grown woman who has the right to make her own choices.Expecting her to defend or change them won’t get you far.If there’s one thing I’ve learned from raising a strong-willed daughter, it’s that the more you object to what she’s doing, the more determined she’ll be to do it.”
Tobe gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring.“I just want you to be safe and be with someone who deserves you,” he said to Naomi.
“And I adore you for that,” she told him.“You’ll just have to trust my judgment when I say that I don’t feel I’m in danger with him.If that changes, I’ll walk away.Now can we get back to the subject of Iain and how I’d really prefer it if you let Luka handle him?”
“We can, but it doesn’t mean I’ll agree to what you’re asking,” said Tobe.“You wouldn’t overlook a woman behaving toward me the way Iain is toward you.”
Naomi heaved a deep sigh.She really couldn’t deny that.
“Which is all the more reason why Iain needs to be handled subtly,” Lachlan chipped in.
Naomi rolled her eyes.“An example.Give me one example of how you might subtly handle him.”
Lachlan looked off into the distance, twisting his mouth.
“Andhe’s got nothing,” said Naomi.
He frowned.“I was thinking.You didn’t give me a chance to answer.”
“You don’thavean answer.”
“I don’t see the problem in making our statement in a very definitive way.In the name of the sanctity of retaliation—”
“Don’t,” interrupted Naomi, throwing up a hand.“Just don’t.I honestlycan’twith you.”
“You sound like my daughter,” he complained.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.Raini’s awesome.Now I really should get back to work.”Naomi rose to her feet.“Tobe ...”
He exhaled heavily.“I’ll do as you ask and not retaliate.”
“That was a lie,” she accused.
“Of course it was.We tried things your way.It didn’t work.We let Belinsky try things his way.That didn’t work either.Now it’s time to step things up, and nothing you say will talk me out of it.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Once Tobe and the others had left, Naomi returned to her position at the hostess station.It was hard to be her usual gracious self when frustration simmered in her blood.Frustration at Iain, at Tobe, at her inability to convince her anchor to hang back.So her every smile was stiff, her every “Enjoy your meal” empty.As such, it was a relief when the end of her shift rolled around.
Hooking the strap of her purse over her shoulder, she said her goodbyes and left the restaurant.Her skin prickled as the cool evening breeze whispered over her.Damn, she should have brought a jacket.
No less annoyed than she had been earlier, her pace was faster than usual.Strident, even.But it faltered when she felt someone watching her.Again.
She couldn’t help but frown.Unless Luka had released Iain, it couldn’t be him.It didn’t seem likely that the legion would have let him go so soon.As such, there’d be no reason why Luka would have put a tail on her already.
Whoever was following her had to be the person who’d followed her all the way to the pizzeria.She’d thought it was Iain.But now?Well, it could be the PI.She doubted it was clerics—if there were more, surely they would have attacked before now.
