Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 72427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72427 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“Your dad literally just said that if he heard us doing anything in here, he’d shoot my dick off.” I paused. “And I really do believe him.”
She snickered. “He probably wasn’t joking.”
No. No, he wasn’t.
Chapter 16
The only thing keeping me from smashing my alarm is the fact that it’s my cell phone.
-Saylor’s secret thoughts
Saylor
The next morning nothing, and I do mean nothing, could ruin my mood.
I was smiling so big when I walked out, leaving Lock still sleeping in my childhood bed, that not even my dad’s glower could put a damper on it.
“Did he ask?” Mom asked as she sipped her coffee.
I held my hand out for her to look at the evidence of his proposal.
“He did,” I confirmed. “He also told me that Dad threatened to shoot his dick off last night.”
I looked at my father whose lips were twitching as he sat in the corner of the room reading his newspaper.
He was dressed for a workout and all of his tattoos were on display.
He had a new one that I hadn’t seen right above his elbow, making my eyes squint for a second.
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing.
Mom snorted. “Told you she would see it.”
“What is it?” I asked as I moved closer.
The closer I moved, the clearer it became.
“Is that…is that a cat’s butthole?” I asked, confused.
It was a tattoo of a cat’s backside, and there was a very prominent butthole on display, as well as a set of testicles.
“Yes,” Mom said as she set a cup of orange juice on the table next to where I was standing. “Your father got it because he lost a bet with Trance and Dixie.”
I burst out laughing. “It’s…lovely.”
I shook my head and took a seat. It didn’t matter how old the men were.
They still did stupid stuff.
Lock’s phone rang in the bedroom, and a couple of minutes later he came out looking grim.
I frowned, standing up slowly from the table.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, worried.
“Got a call from work,” he said. “Logan was in an accident. With a 1999 Civic with green wheels.”
I gasped.
“Oh, no,” I said softly. “What happened?”
“The Civic aimed right at him while he was stopped on the side of the road writing a ticket,” he said. “Luckily, Logan’s okay. Has a few scrapes and bruises. The bike’s totaled.”
“Did they catch him?” Dad rumbled.
“Yes.” Relief poured through me at his words, quickly followed by anger. “And no.”
“How does that work?” Mom asked, pouring Lock a cup of coffee.
Dad didn’t even make mention of Lock’s half-naked state.
He was in shorts and nothing else. His hair still a mess.
Still just as beautiful as ever.
“He was arrested and taken to the hospital to receive medical treatment. Thank you,” he said when my mom handed him the coffee. “He managed to slip out of triage while his nurses and doctors were busy.”
“They didn’t have a cop on him?” Dad asked, sounding pissed.
“They did,” Lock answered, sounding pissed off himself. “But there was a commotion out in the hallway. Two rival gangs firing shots in the waiting room. The cop left the man thinking that he was being watched…and he got away. He’s still handcuffed. Arms and legs, though. So at least he won’t be able to move easily. Or hide well.”
Dad grumbled something underneath his breath, and Lock rubbed his eyes.
“Now what?” I asked.
“Now we wait, I guess,” he said. “We have the party. I go home. You stay here until he’s found.”
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
“You’re shitting me, right?” I asked, sounding calm but feeling riled.
“Saylor…”
“How about y’all go get some ice,” Dad suggested to me and Mom. “I have some…”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I snapped. “I’m going to talk about how y’all think it would be okay for me to be hidden and put on a shelf for protection when I can handle my own damn self.”
“Saylor…” Lock tried again.
But I held up my hand and narrowed my eyes.
“Talk to the hand, Lock,” I snapped. “Fuck off.”
Dad snorted.
“I’ll go get ice,” Mom said. “And I have to pick up my groceries anyway. Saylor, do you…”
“Negative, Nancy,” I said, crossing my hands over my chest. “I have some blockheads to knock some sense into.”
Mom sighed and gathered her purse. “I’ll bring donuts back.”
With that, she left.
“I gotta go run,” Dad said as he too stood up. “I’ll talk about this later. If I don’t go now, it’s going to be too hot and I’ll die.”
“Amen to that,” Lock said. “I made that mistake of being a little late yesterday.” His eyes caught and held mine. “It was miserable.”
I felt my belly flutter.
I was the reason he was a little late.
Lock winked.
Worth it, he mouthed.
I would not be charmed. I would not be charmed.
The moment I heard the door close behind my dad, I stomped to my old bedroom.
I’d intended on throwing myself into my room and locking the door.