Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 131888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
“You’re lying right now! He only texts when he’s forced to. He certainly doesn’t text you out of the blue.” Her old man preferred phone calls over typing. And emails? Forget it.
Technology was not Magnum’s friend.
“Should I go hide?” A grin flirted on Nox’s lips.
“Why bother? These two would just snitch on you.” Unfortunately, that was true.
She dropped the curtain and, ignoring her kids’ denial that they’d snitch, headed toward the door, hoping to head off her father before he came face-to-face with Nox.
Stepping out onto the front stoop, she groaned when she spotted Nox’s Harley parked in the driveway. It might as well have flashing arrows pointing at it.
Her father had just climbed off his own bike when he pointed at Nox’s. “What the fuck, Liyah? Whose sled’s that?”
The man knew exactly whose ride it was since Devyn already told him.
So much for her nice evening introducing Nox to the boys. “You don’t recognize it?”
His expression was scary when he took long strides toward the house. “He in there?”
“No, he ducked behind the bushes, Dad. Jeez.” She stepped in front of him, blocking his path to the front door. “We’re in the middle of watching a movie. I’ll talk to you another time.”
His head jerked back, and his eyes narrowed on her. Then without a word, he just about bowled her over, pushing past her and through the front door. Closely reminding her of a bull running the streets of Pamplona.
Liyah rushed to keep up as he beelined right toward the family room.
This wasn’t going to be good.
Not at all.
Between Keenan calling him a pig and her father busting in to probably do the same, she doubted she’d ever see Nox again after tonight.
“Dad!” she called as the big man disappeared around the corner. Liyah sprinted down the hallway after him. “Dad!”
She came to a sliding stop once she hit the room where the boys—all of them—were.
Suddenly, too much testosterone filled the room.
She was just in time to see her father fist bump each of her sons. “Devil. Keeper.”
Liyah rolled her eyes at those nicknames and pulled in a breath. “You never said why you’re here, Dad.”
“Can’t a man visit his damn family?”
“Yes, when he calls first.”
“Texted Devyn,” he grunted.
Likely story. “Are you sure he didn’t text you first?”
Dev and Magnum’s eyes met briefly.
“Umm hmm. I thought so,” she finished. She gave her oldest son a look of “I’ll deal with you later.”
“Was passin’ by and wanted to check on my family.”
Liyah held her breath when Magnum turned toward Nox. The cop looked completely unbothered by the man’s presence.
Good. She was pleased to see that he wasn’t easily intimidated by her biker father.
But when Nox slowly got to his feet, Liyah rushed to his side and placed a hand on his back. Just in case. “You remember Nox, right?”
Magnum grunted and stepped closer.
“Boys, why don’t you go play some video games in your room?” she suggested quickly. “Or something,” she added in a mutter.
“But—”
“Now!”
Both grumbled but they got up from the recliners… slowly.
“Go!” she shouted.
“I wanna visit with Grumpa!” Keenan whined.
“Another time.”
They might as well be dragging their feet on their way out of the family room. “Make sure you close your doors so I can’t hear your video games.”
And they couldn’t hear the conversation she assumed was about to occur.
Once the boys were gone, she turned to her father. “Okay, Dad, thanks for stopping by and checking on us. As you see, we’re perfectly fine and would like to finish the movie we started.”
Magnum didn’t look at her. He was too busy eyeing up Nox. More like sizing him up. Or trying to intimidate him with simply a look. “Pig, ain’t you?”
She sighed. Loudly. “Dad, we need to have a little conversation about that word. Keenan—”
“If you’re asking if I carry a badge, I do.”
Apparently, she was going to be ignored by both men. Wonderful.
“Thought I smelled bacon on you last time you were sniffin’ ‘round here.”
Technically the last time Nox was over, they were in her bedroom and Magnum was not. But she was keeping that tidbit to herself. Especially with Nox easily within thumping distance.
“You have a problem with bacon? I’m surprised, since it looks like you can eat a whole package of it in one sitting.”
Oh shit. “Okay, well…” she started, weakly. “Can we not do this?”
“Do what?” Magnum asked, still keeping his eyes glued to Nox.
Did she really have to explain? Damn pig-headed men! “Fling insults at each other.”
“Guess you’d rather she be spending time with one of your brothers,” Nox said next.
“Biker over a badge? Fuck yeah. Not even a goddamn question.”
“Then, good thing it’s not your decision.”
“Okay…” Liyah stepped away from Nox, latched onto her father’s tree trunk sized arm and tugged on it. “Can you come with me?”
His dark brown eyes finally landed on her.