Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
What would happen to Ryleigh, Kye, and Opal then?
She was supposed to look after them, but apparently, she couldn’t even look after herself.
Shit. What an idiot!
Lilac rubbed at her chest as her heartbeat raced.
“Tanner.” A low, commanding voice spoke from the doorway. She glanced over to see a large, intimidating-looking man standing there. He wore a faded checked shirt and jeans. And there was a scowl on his face.
Shit.
Who was he?
He was frowning at Tanner with disapproval. “Don’t speak to her like that. Not while she’s lying in a hospital bed. She’s fragile. She needs care and understanding. Not a scolding.”
Her mouth dropped open as she stared at the large man. Her heartrate slowed. “You’re my new favorite person.”
“Hey!” Tanner cried. “I should be your favorite person.”
A look of surprise entered the big man’s face. Then he grinned. Wow, he was even more gorgeous when he smiled. “I wouldn’t say that too loud. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe you deserve to be scolded and punished. Just once you’re feeling better.”
She frowned. “That’s not very nice. And no one said anything about punishment.”
“Oh, there’s gonna be punishment,” Tanner said darkly.
The other man stepped into the room and slapped his hand around Tanner’s head. “Don’t upset her.”
“What . . . who . . . why . . .” Tanner stared up at the man, flabbergasted.
“You forgot when and how,” she teased.
Surprise filled her as she realized she was actually having fun teasing Tanner. With this stranger.
Although she had a pretty goo idea of who he was.
“Alec, you’re the one that mentioned punishment,” Tanner grumbled.
So, she was right. This was Alec Malone.
“Yes, but she wasn’t upset when I said it. She knows I’m not the one who will be delivering it.” Alec winked at her.
“No one needs to deliver it.”
This man was the head of the Malone family. The person she really needed to find out more about because he made the decisions for the family.
Not all families work like yours.
Alec moved to stand at the end of the bed and stared down at her with a serious look on his face. His arms were crossed over his broad chest.
“You worried us.”
“Um. Sorry?” she said.
Shoot. Why was she apologizing? She didn’t even know this guy.
He nodded solemnly. “That will do. For a start.”
Yikes. For a start?
She gave Tanner a wide-eyed look, but he was glaring up at Alec while rubbing the back of his head. “You’ve got a hell of a slap on you.”
“You’re fine,” Alec said dismissively. “I can slap the other side, even it out.”
“And Lilac doesn’t like violence,” Tanner added. “You’ll upset her.”
Alec raised his eyebrows. “I don’t think she’s upset that I slapped your head. She’s worried about getting her butt slapped. Don’t worry, you’ll have a safeword, Lilac. And Tanner will discuss your limits first. I raised him to know better than to just shove you over his lap and smack your butt.”
“Did you teach him not to hit his friends?” she said.
Alec turned to look at Tanner, who sighed. “I punched Linc.”
“Oh, is that all?” Alec shrugged.
“Is that all?” she repeated dumbfounded.
“He was probably being a dick. Was he?” Alec asked Tanner.
“Yep.” Tanner was smiling now.
“You still shouldn’t have hit him.” She glared at Tanner. “He’s your friend.”
“Not really.” Tanner shrugged. “We’re friendly, but he’s a still a cop. Malones and cops don’t mix.”
Alarm filled her. “Why?”
“Malones don’t like to follow rules other than their own,” Alec told her. “And some of my brothers, well, let’s just say that they have impulse control issues.”
She snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”
Alec’s gaze moved over her. “You’re still too pale. Dehydrated?”
“Yep,” Tanner replied before she could. “They want to monitor her heart rate too. Apparently, it was too low.”
It was? Worry filled her.
Alec grunted. “Doctor been in?”
“No, I need to go tell them she’s awake.”
“I’ll do it in a moment.” Alec’s gaze landed on hers. “We’re going to take care of you, Lilac.”
She sucked in a breath. For some reason, she felt like crying.
“I don’t want to have my butt smacked.”
Holy. Crap.
Why had she said that?
Alec’s lips twitched. “Can’t help you with that one, sweetheart.”
“You could tell Tanner that he’s not allowed to do that. He’ll listen to you.”
“But he’s your guardian now. It’s in the job description. And if he didn’t smack your butt, then he’d have me to answer to.”
Yikes.
So, she was going to find no reprieve from him.
“Why’d you go running so early in the morning, sweetheart?” Alec asked.
“I . . . I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered. That was the simplest explanation, though not precisely the full one.
Alec just nodded. “Right. Well, you won’t be doing that again. Getting your butt spanked will help you remember. I’ll go find the doctor.”
28
A beat of silence followed after Alec left the room. Lilac peeked over at Tanner, whose jaw was clenched as he stared down at his hands.