Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 29741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“Shit!” Baron shot up, looking more alert. “You think he’s coming after her?”
Ink sighed and sat, facing them. “I’ve got no evidence of that. Could be that he’s done a runner for some other reason. His wife was spotted leaving and her stuff is gone. Maybe she’s run from him and he’s gone after her.”
“Poor woman, hope she gets away,” Royal said with a frown.
Yes. Although what had she actually done to protect Zippy?
Well, it was hard to know since Zippy didn’t really want to tell them.
“But even though you don’t know where this guy has gone, you’re worried he could be coming for Zippy,” Royal said. “You’ve had someone keeping an eye on him?”
Ink nodded. “I have. And he’ll continue keeping an eye out. I’m probably being over-cautious, but . . .”
“Better that than be taken by surprise,” Royal said.
“What are you going to do?” Baron asked. “Keep Zippy and Ma under lock and key?”
“Zippy’s only seven. I know she seems older, but she’s still a child and I don’t want to worry her,” Ink told them.
The twins shared a look.
“Don’t know if that’s a good idea, Pops,” Baron warned.
Ink shot him a look. “Stop calling me Pops, I’m not your grandfather.”
Baron gave him a look and Ink groaned.
“No, but you look it. Doesn’t he, brother?” Baron asked.
“He certainly does,” Royal drawled. “Probably due to all those grays.”
“And the wrinkles. Don’t forget the wrinkles,” Baron added.
“His grouchy manner doesn’t help,” Royal said.
“Neither does the pot belly he’s growing.”
Fuck, he’d walked right into that one.
“I do not have a pot-fucking-belly,” he muttered. “We need to get back to this matter. It could be serious.”
Baron and Royal looked at each other and nodded. “All right. We’re in agreement.”
“Agreement about what?” Ink asked suspiciously. You could never be sure with these two.
“We’re going to stay home from now on and watch Ma and Zippy,” Baron said.
“Uh, no, you’re not.” How the hell had they reached that conclusion?
“Of course we are,” Royal said, his eyes narrowing. “We can hardly leave them unprotected now that we know there might be a threat.”
“Nope. Can’t do that,” Baron agreed. “We have to stay and take care of them.”
“They’re family,” Royal stated. “That’s what you do for family.”
Ink was getting a headache. “You guys do remember what I do for a living, right?”
“You mean how you sit around in an office and order people around?” Baron asked.
Ink glared at him.
“Don’t get us wrong,” Royal added. “We admire that.”
Baron nodded. “Royal has plans to be a dictator too. But on a bigger scale.”
“What every father needs to hear.”
They froze and stared at him.
“What?” Ink asked. “What is it?”
“It’s just the first time you’ve ever referred to yourself as our father,” Baron told him.
Ink cleared his throat. “Sorry if you don’t like that.”
They glanced at each other, then him.
“We don’t object,” Royal said as they heard the garage door open.
“Just so long as we don’t have to call you ‘Daddy,’” Baron said cheekily.
Dear Lord.
“Do not let Betsy know that you two know about that.” He’d suspected that they knew about his and Betsy’s relationship. They were smart, observant kids and he’d often noticed the way they shielded and protected Betsy.
He wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up being Doms.
Or dictators.
Dear. Lord.
“You aren’t staying home from college. Not happening. I have this under control. I’ll protect Zippy and Betsy,” he said urgently as he heard the girls’ voices. “Understand? Things have to be as normal as possible for Zippy.”
And for Betsy too.
“Plus, we don’t need you getting kicked out of college.”
“Hmm . . . about that . . .” Baron said.
“What did you do?” Ink asked with a groan.
“It was just a small fire,” Baron said hastily.
“What was a small fire?” Betsy asked as they both walked in, laden down with bags.
Ink instantly jumped to his feet and rushed over to relieve her of everything, while Baron and Royal grabbed Zippy’s bags. Bandit eagerly greeted the two of them, dancing around and barking happily.
“Baby, why didn’t you leave everything in the car for me to get?” he gently scolded.
“We could manage,” Zippy said. “We’ve got big guns, aye, Betsy?” The little girl held up her arms, curling the elbows.
“Oh, those are impressive,” Ink agreed. “However, just because you can doesn’t mean you have to when I’m here to do those things for you.”
Zippy looked a bit confused by that.
“Makes us feel useful,” Royal explained to her.
“Ahh.” Zippy nodded as though she understood that.
Maybe she did.
“Wow, what did you guys buy? Did you leave anything for everyone else?” Baron joked as he pretended to stumble under the weight of all the bags.
“Of course we did, silly,” Zippy told him. “There’s plenty left at the shops.”
“Do not go looking in those bags,” Betsy said to him as he set them down. “Now, what did you burn down?”