Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 34451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
“No one is allowed to get mad at you,” the Fox dictated. “Give the phone to me, sweet girl.”
Sunny shook her head. “Fox, I really think it’s best I talk to Duke. And Brody, he won’t get mad at you. I took his truck; it’s my responsibility.”
“Sunny!” Duke said sharply.
“Um. Yep?”
“Give the phone to the Fox.”
Her eyes widened. “That doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because you two butt heads.”
“Sunny, it’s snowing and you’ve lost the keys to my truck. You could be cold, scared, or sick, and I wouldn’t know because I can’t see you. So I want you to hand the phone to the one person there who can actually be relied on to look after the three of you. Especially since I can’t.”
Oh, crap.
Now she knew why he was so upset. Duke considered his number one job to be to protect and take care of her. She’d taken that away from him by lying.
Lord. She felt the tears drip down her face as she handed over the phone.
The Fox took it without a word. “You made my sweet girl cry!”
Shoot! The Fox’s voice had grown cold and quiet. He could often be irreverent, he loved to stir the pot. But he rarely sounded angry. Or at least showed that he was around her.
She spun to him, reaching out retrieve the phone, but he stepped back. Brody and Autumn each wrapped an arm around her.
“Don’t worry, Sunny. Daddy will sort it.”
She gaped at Autumn in shock. He would?
“And on the plus side, he’s miles away from Duke. He won’t abandon us to go kill him,” Brody added.
Holy. Crap.
“Right. Yes. I agree. That’s what I was going to do.” The Fox ended the call and Sunny gaped at him.
“Did you hang up on Duke?” she asked.
“I was finished talking to him.”
Dear Lord.
Her phone started ringing, but the Fox pocketed it.
“I need my phone.”
“You’ll get it back later. The three of you are in trouble. Duke isn’t happy.”
“I know, but he has reason to be upset with me,” Sunny said, hoping to assuage the Fox’s anger.
“He certainly does.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Um, uh, you agree? With Duke?”
“That all three of you are very naughty and need to be punished for lying and risking your health and safety? Yes. I do.”
“This moment is historic,” Sunny muttered.
“The moment the three of you get your butts spanked? I hardly think that’s historic. It happens all the time.”
“Fox,” Brody groaned.
She looked up to find him growing red.
“All of you are coming back with me.”
“But Duke’s truck . . .” Sunny said miserably.
“He’s going to come and get it tomorrow. Into my car. All of you. Now.”
18
DUKE AND SUNNY
By the time they were on the outskirts of Billings, both Autumn and Brody had fallen asleep.
The Fox had produced two blankets. Sunny was under one in the front seat while Brody and Autumn were cuddled up in the back.
The Fox had even produced a fox pacifier for Autumn.
That was so cute.
“Fox?” she asked.
“Yes, my sweet girl?”
“I really like Autumn and Brody.”
“That’s good. Because so do I.”
“Do you . . . do you ever think you’d want to get married?”
He tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “There are various reasons why I can’t do that, sweet girl.”
Hmm. Sunny guessed there would be when you were an assassin with multiple identities.
“You could still have the ceremony. Even if you don’t register your wedding.”
He shrugged. “All of that means very little to me.”
“But what about to them?”
He shot her a look. “You think they would want that?”
Sunny shrugged. “I don’t know. They’ve never said anything to me. But maybe.”
He hummed, pulling into her driveway.
Brody stirred in the backseat. “Are we there?”
“We’re at Sunny’s house. Pup, stay here with Bunny while I walk Sunny in.”
He didn’t really need to do that since Duke was already stalking out of the house. She wondered how he’d gotten home without his truck. Then she decided she didn’t want to know.
Her guilt was a huge knot in her tummy.
The Fox got out, but Duke opened her door before he even rounded the front of his vehicle.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey, baby girl. Are you all right?” He undid the belt and then lifted her into his arms.
“I’m fine, Daddy. I’m so sorry for worrying you.”
“Shh. We’ll talk about that later. Fox. I appreciate you bringing her home.”
Seriously. Was she in a different universe right now?
The Fox nodded. “We need to talk.”
They did?
“About what?” she asked.
“Later.” Duke nodded back before lifting Sunny higher in his arms and walking toward the house.
“Bye, Fox! Thanks for driving me home.”
“Anytime, sweet girl.”
Relief filled Duke as he sat on the sofa with Sunny in his lap, holding her tight.
“I’m so sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to worry you. I feel really awful.”
“I’m just glad you’re all right.”
Hatter jumped up on them, whining.