Page 2 of Omega

“She’s horny, you mean?”

“Exactly. I merely pointed out that Harris was a possibility, and she just…shut down. Walked away. And apparently Harris overheard me and didn’t think much of the idea either.”

Roth laughed. “Harris is…extremely private.”

“What does that mean?”

He lifted his shoulder. “Just that he keeps his personal life private. He plays things very close to the vest.”

“But he’s not, like, married or anything?”

This earned me another laugh, this one sarcastic. “God no, babe. I don’t think that’s his style.”

“What, marriage?”

“No, monogamy. Commitment. Long-term relationships with women. That kind of thing.” Roth ran his huge hand through my hair, stroking my still-short hair with a special kind of tenderness. “I’ve always assumed he just…gets what he needs when he needs it, wherever he happens to be.”

“But you don’tknow?”

“For sure? No. I mean, he’s never introduced me to anyone. But when we make landfall, or when we’re restocking in some city or other, he’ll come back after a few hours away in a better mood. What he does and with whom, I know nothing about. Besides, it’s not my business.” He paused. “Anyway, as far as Layla is concerned, Harris would view her as a client, essentially, and he has very strict rules about fraternizing with clients. Rules that come from experience, I would think, but that’s just a guess.”

“Well, I meant it as more of a joke than a serious suggestion. But I guess I misjudged both of them—neither of them seem to have much of a sense of humor.” I looked up at him. “So. What are our plans?”

There was a long pause before he replied, which I knew meant only one thing—he was assessing how much to tell me. Roth doesn’t tell me everything, and I like it that way. I like letting him handle things. After recently becoming involved, unwittingly, in some seriously dangerous and scary things—almost losing my life in the process—I am only too happy to concentrate on the more mundane aspects of his business. When it comes to where we’re going, and why, and when, I leave that to him. I enjoy seeing the world, spending all day, every day with him. I don’t need every detail.

“We’ll be heading back up to the States after a few more days down here. I’ve got some things that do actually require my physical presence.”

I couldn’t help wondering if those things included a wedding, but I didn’t ask. We were technically engaged, but we hadn’t discussed actual marriage plans.

It would happen. When Roth was ready.

Yes, I admit I had my head in the clouds, and I was happy living in the protective little bubble around me. I liked pretending everything was fine, that we weren’t running from anyone, that we were just idle rich people roaming the world just for the fun of it.

But I knew the reality of our situation was almost too macabre and frightening to think about. I’d only recently stopped having nightmares, after all.

“I can feel you thinking.” His voice was a buzzing rumble in my ear.

I didn’t even shrug. I just rested my cheek against his chest and nuzzled closer. Inhaling his scent, I said, “It’s nothing.”

“Liar.”

“Okay. Then let me ask you…how long are we going to run, Valentine?”

“I can’t take him on directly, Kyrie. I just…don’t have the resources. Yet. The short answer is I don’t know. Okay? And that’s the truthful answer. I just don’t know.” He looked me in the eyes and added, “I know this isn’t the life you had in mind, and I’m sorry—”

I cut him off, fingers to his lips. “You’re taking care of me, and Layla. I get that. I do. And I love you for it. I just…I don’t know, Valentine. I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“You want something approaching normalcy. I’m working on it, okay? I can tell you that much. All right?”

“All right.”

“I’m working on creating a new normal for both of us, I think you could say. Streamlining, downsizing, looking into new business ventures that we can pursue from wherever we are.” He laughed. “It may not benormal, but it’s normal for us. That’s what I’m working on.”

“I’m guessing normal for us won’t include a two-story Colonial in the suburbs? A Corgi, two kids, and a minivan?”

Roth laughed heartily. “A minivan? Me in a minivan? Dream on, love.”

“But the Colonial and the Corgi and the kids are fine?”