Tap Out (Reaper's Den Book One) - Nikki Mays Page 0,21
the big leather recliner that she’s sprawled out in. She gives me a smirk that doesn’t bode well for me. “And how are you going to keep them away? Shoo them away with your good arm?” The three start cackling like the teenage hyenas that they are.
“There goes you being my favorite child.” I sniff.
“Please, that changes more often than a prepubescent boy changes his boxers.” She drawls making me choke on my own spit.
“What the fuck Paige?” I cough out.
She blinks at me innocently while the other two snicker. “What?”
“Nope, never again are you to mention anything like that in my presence, do you understand me? I am going to pretend like you all have no idea about the opposite sex or what happens to their bodies.”
“You know,” Becca starts, “most parents take a proactive approach in their children’s lives. They don’t try to bury their heads in the sand.”
“When it comes you three and sex, consider me a damn ostrich.” I huff and only slightly shutter when I say the word sex in any sort of reference to them.
Missy gives me a confused look. “Dad, we’re talking about you not wanting to talk about things. Not about being a weird bird. Seriously, they have nothing to do with each other.” She states like I’m a moron.
The three of us look at her with matching grimaces. I just give her a small smile and shake my head. “You sure that you want to go to college honey? There’s a lot of other stuff that you can do.” You know, instead of wasting a shit ton of money for no damn reason.
She nods her head slowly, making some of her hair fall out of her ponytail. “Yeah, I’m sure. Why?”
I purse my lips. “No reason.”
She gives me a dubious look but doesn’t say anything else, thankfully.
Mercifully there’s a knock on the front door. Whoever it is just won my undying devotion.
I stare at the three lazy asses sitting around my living room when there’s a second knock and no one has gotten up. “I’m the injured one here. One of you get up and get the damn door.”
“Ahh, fine.” Becca grumbles as she gets up.
I look at the other two and shake my head. “How exactly were you guys planning on taking care of me?”
They look at each other and then back at me. “We told you earlier.” Paige starts before Missy finishes. “With a borrowed gun and a good alibi.”
A deep chuckle brings me out of my thoughts of disowning them. I see Edge step into my living room with a shit eating grin on his face.
I shake my head. “Not a word man.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “I wasn’t gonna say anything.” He lies.
I look at the girls. “Alright you three. Time for you to leave. I’m sure that you’ve earned your money by pissing me off thoroughly.”
“How did you know that’s what Sage paid us for?” Paige asks in shock.
I give her a wry grin. “I didn’t but I do now. All three of you go back to her and let her know that payback is a bitch.”
“Whatever you say Captain Hook.” Becca says as she picks up her suitcase she calls a purse. “But don’t come crying to us if you fall and can’t get up.”
“If you don’t leave without saying another word, I’m going to start a rumor around the gym that the three of you constantly fart, especially around guys.” I growl without hesitation. And I would do it too. They know damn well that I would have absolutely no problem with making sure that every man at the gym treats them like they have the plague.
That seems to do the trick though and they leave without another word.
Edge sits in the recliner the Paige just vacated across from me. “Tough crowd man.” He chuckles and shakes his head ruefully. “Aren’t girls supposed to be sweet to their daddies?”
“Sure,” I nod my head, “as long as they aren’t evil like mine.”
He smirks and opens up one of the beers that he brought and hands it to me. “Here, I figured that you could use this. Word is that you haven’t been in a good mood as of late.” He opens his own and takes a pull.
I take a long swig and sigh at the crisp taste. “Who told you that?”
“Come on now man, you know that I can’t snitch. That would be bad for my rep.”
I tilt my head to the side.