Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 37828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
“I love our little family,” Autumn told them. “I don’t need anyone but the two of you.”
He liked the sentiment. He never wanted his Bunny or Pup to be harmed and being around others meant there were factors that he couldn’t account for.
She leaned back, looking up at him, then behind to Brody. “But Brody-bear needs to spend time with his family.”
He did. As much as his Pup might complain about his sisters, the Fox knew he loved them.
“I really don’t,” Brody told them. “Only, if I don’t turn up they’ll probably call the cops. Or hound me endlessly until my dying days.”
Poor, dramatic Pup.
“So we’ll go to Pup’s family for Thanksgiving,” he said decisively. “They’re family. It’s only right.”
He caught the relief on Brody’s face. Had he been worried that he’d keep him away from them? All right, maybe that had occurred to him. He didn’t always like the sound of these sisters. But he’d be there to keep them in their place. Wouldn’t be hard. Six women, seven, if he counted Pup’s mother. They’d be easy to tame and intimidate into behaving.
“But you have family too, Daddy,” Autumn said softly.
What? Who?
Oh.
“You mean my sweet girl. Yes, we really should turn up there. Perhaps we can go there after we go to Pup’s family? How long do we need to spend with your family, Pup? Like an hour?”
“Um, well, probably half the day.”
He didn’t like that idea.
“But we could likely arrive just before lunch, then eat and clean up. So maybe two, three hours max?”
“I don’t like staying in one place that long with you both. But I have made your mother’s house as safe as I can, so I suppose it should be all right. Two hours max, though.”
“Wait, what?” Brody leaned back to look up at him in confusion. What was so hard to understand? “How did you make Momma’s house safe?”
“Oh, I put in external cameras, and I have a warning alarm that goes off on my phone if anyone enters the property after a certain time of night. But I can change the time perimeters on that. She already had the security system that you put in. I just upgraded it a bit.”
“You did that? For me?”
“Of course. She’s your mother and you seem to care for her.”
“I do. I love her. Thank you, Papa.”
He reached out and cupped the side of his Pup’s face. “You’re welcome. I also put cameras up outside your sisters’ houses.”
“That’s a lot of cameras,” Brody joked. “You should have told me.”
“I should have?” Hmm. That hadn’t actually occurred to him. “You object?”
“No, I just. I would have thanked you properly.”
“Interesting. With your mouth on my dick?”
“Daddy!” Autumn protested, but she was grinning. “I’m sure you can still do that, Brody-bear.”
His Pup had grown red. He liked that he could still get embarrassed despite everything they’d done together.
“All right, Thanksgiving lunch at Brody’s mother’s. Dinner at my sweet girl’s place. Sorted.”
“Ah, does Sunny know that you’re planning on us turning up?” Brody asked worriedly.
“Pfft. It’s an open invitation. We can go for Christmas lunch too. As I said, they’d be grateful if I turned up. I’ll even promise not to kill Duke.”
“Magnanimous of you,” Brody told him.
“I thought so.”
“When I was talking about your family, Daddy, I wasn’t meaning Sunny,” Autumn told him.
He raised his eyebrows. “No?”
“We know Markovich asked you to his place for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Brody added.
“And just how would you know that?” he asked in a low, dangerous voice. “Have the two of you been snooping?”
“Just a little bit, Daddy.”
“I maybe saw a text message on your phone,” Brody explained.
Fuck it.
“I knew I should have blocked his number.” He didn’t know why he hadn’t. He had no ties to the man.
“Aren’t you going to at least think about going?” Autumn asked.
“Why should I? Blood doesn’t make a family. I have no ties to him.” Except he had worked with him a long time. There was a connection there. It just wasn’t one he was certain that he wanted to cultivate.
“Are you sure, Papa? He seems to want to make one.”
“Yes, he’s quite desperate.” The Fox sighed. “I feel sorry for him, really. I mean . . . I get it, who wouldn’t want me as their family?” He pushed aside the thought of Markovich’s brother, Pavel, who not only hadn’t wanted to claim him but had been happy to see him beaten and left for dead.
“Exactly, Daddy. So shouldn’t you try? Since he is. It’s not . . . you are lucky to have some family who wants you.”
He heard the note of pain in his Bunny’s voice. Nope, that wouldn’t do. He glanced over at Brody who was frowning.
“Bunny? Are you lonely here?”
“What?” she asked, staring up at him in surprise. “What do you mean? I have you and Brody-bear.”