Page 45 of Legion
“You don’t normally make frequent appearances at their place of work and stare at them like you want to devour them.With Naomi, you did that even before you made your play—I heard all about it.And it tells me two things.One, you liked to watch her a whole lot.Two, you were ensuring that other men noticed your interest in her to deter them from making a play of their own.It made me curious.”
It really was frustrating how well Ella knew him.
“Harper and Khloë used a whole bunch of words to describe your siren.Spunky.Protective.Loyal.Sharp.Secretive.They also said that she’s like you—has a small circle of people around her who she lets close; others she holds at a distance.Also,againlike you, she apparently keeps her sexual associations short and shallow.”
“Hmm.”
Ella smiled.“You really don’t want to discuss her with me, do you?Why not?You’re evasive in general, but your bed buds aren’t usually off limits when we natter.”
Yes, well, he’d rather his anchor didn’t sense something she’d blow out of proportion —that he liked Naomi more than he’d expected.She possessed the very qualities that Harper and Khloë had listed, all of which appealed to him.Plus, with Naomi, there was no artifice, no practiced moves, no scripted lines.She talked to him.Listened to him.Her smiles were easy, her warmth was genuine, and her laughs were open.
As a rule, Luka never found himself wanting to know his bed partners beyond surface level, but she intrigued him.Honestly, he felt uneasy at the curiosity she roused in him.A curiosity he’d tried and failed to douse so far.It would surely flit away with time.
“You have a pretty active life,” he said to his anchor.“Why take time out of it to stick your nose into mine?”
“Same reason you’re all up in my business.You want what’s best for me in all areas of my life.Well, right back at you.”
“I appreciate your concern.”
“No you don’t.”
“No, I don’t.It’s fucking irritating.”
Ella’s shoulders shook with a silent laugh.“At least I’m not sitting here insisting that you drop Naomi the way you insisted I drop Viper.All I want is to hear you admit that you have more than a sexual interest in her.I mean, it’s not as if it isn’t clear as day for someone who knows you as well as I do.”
Luka gave her a flat stare.“When are you going home?”
Another quiet laugh made her shoulders shake.“I’m on the right track here, I know it.”
Darko snored so loudly he woke up both himselfandGhost.
Looking around, he double-blinked, sitting upright.“What was that noise?”
Luka shot him a frown.“It was you.Snoring.”
Darko’s gaze lowered to Lily.“And she stayed asleep.Seriously, man, you have to move to the compound.”
“Not happening,” Luka told him.
Ghost’s brow furrowed.“Don’t be selfish.”
“Not selfish, just not going to be a live-in babysitter,” said Luka.“I have too much shit to do anyway—I’d hardly ever be here.”
“He’s right on that,” Ella chipped in.
Darko’s shoulders sagged in defeat.“There’s no hope, is there?We’re gonna have to go without sleep for the rest of our lives.”
Ella rolled her eyes.“Don’t be dramatic.It’s not like you have her with you twenty-four/seven.Honestly, I’ve never known a bunch of grown-ass men to whine so damn much.”
“We’re sleep-deprived,” said Ghost, his voice rising slightly.“What do you expect?”
A snuffle came out of Lily as she stirred in Luka’s arms.Her eyelids fluttered open, and startling blue eyes met his.
Darko groaned and elbowed his brother.“Nowlook what you did.Idiot.”
“I am, I am a total idiot,” Ghost admitted, sad and defeated.
Luka peered down at Lily.“Hey, there.How was your nap?”
