Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
She was freaking adorable.
If she did say so herself.
The Fox drew a couple of cards from his pocket. “These are for each of you. There’s unlimited spending. At the end you can use them to choose prizes.”
“They’re going to trust us to choose prizes? What stops us from just taking what we want?” Brody asked.
“Don’t worry, for the money I paid, it wouldn’t matter if we cleaned them out.”
Brody chewed at his lip and she grabbed his hand. “Come on Brody-bear, I’m gonna whip your butt.”
Brody snorted. “If anyone needs their butt whipped here, it’s you.”
“That’s so rude.” She grinned and raced off toward a corn hole toss game. Brody groaned, but after she swiped her card, he appeared right beside her.
“Oh, it is on, Tutu.”
“Come on, Papa! Come play with me!” Brody couldn’t believe any of this. He stared around in amazement.
The Fox had done this for him.
Sometimes it still felt like a dream that he had the two of them. That he had somewhere he belonged. He’d always felt so out-of-place, but with them he fit.
“Sure thing, my boy,” the Fox replied indulgently.
Tonight was the most relaxed he’d seen the Fox since everything went on with Galina and Pavel. Brody understood how hard it was for him to face his past, and that even though he had some closure sometimes that could bring up old demons.
So he was glad to see him having fun as well.
“I’m going to go get a drink!” Autumn said, racing toward the soda machine.
“No running!” the Fox called out.
“Right, sorry, Daddy!”
“And don’t drink too much.”
“Okie-dokie.”
She skipped off instead of running.
“Come on, Papa,” Brody said. “I saw this shooting game. I’m going to kick your ass.”
“Pup, do you remember who you’re talking to? Sorry, but I don’t think you have a chance of kicking my ass.”
Oh, his arrogant butt was about to be spanked.
Ten minutes later, Brody turned to look at the Fox, whose mouth was open in clear shock. He had to bite back a grin.
“You beat me.”
“Uh-huh.”
“How the hell did you beat me? I’m the assassin!”
“Aww, Papa. It’s okay.” Brody patted his back. “You can’t be good at everything!”
“But I am! And this is . . . this is . . . what is happening?”
Brody giggled. “You wanna play again?”
“Yes. It must have been a fluke.”
“Uh-huh. Sure it was, Papa.”
“Win me another one, Daddy! Another one!”
The Fox moved to the claw machine next to the one he’d just decimated. Time to win some more toys for his girl.
“Whoa. How many stuffies did you win?” Brody asked, coming over to gape at them.
There, he got it.
“A bunny! Yes! Yes!”
Brody stared down at Autumn as she crouched to retrieve the soft toy the Fox had just won her.
“The puppy dog next, Daddy.”
“The puppy it is.”
She put her hands up against the glass of the machine. “Hey, Mr. Puppy, dude. My Daddy is coming for you and you better watch out because he’s a badass motherfucker.”
Slap!
The Fox gave her a sharp smack on the ass. Turning, she gaped at him. “Daddy!”
“That’s badass Daddy to you.”
She grinned up at him. Then pointed at the puppy. “Get to it, Daddy.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. “What are the magic words?”
“Oh, sorry. Get to it, best Daddy in the world!” She sang the last words.
He loved how carefree she was right now.
“I’ve never seen this many stuffies in my entire life. Have you, Brody-bear?” she asked as the Fox managed to grab the puppy and she reached down to pull it out.
“Only in a toy shop,” Brody replied.
“Now I’ve got a puppy, a bunny, and a fox!” she crowed.
Brody leaned closer to the Fox. The Fox tore his eyes away from the game to look down at his Pup. What did he need? Was he feeling well? Too hot? Too cold? Did he need a cuddle?
People should come with a manual, it would be so much easier.
“Thanks for bringing us here, Papa.”
He smiled down at his boy.
For so long in his life, he’d been all about himself.
But it was different with these two. He wanted to see them smile, to make them happy.
Although he was still smarting slightly over his Pup beating him five times at the shooting game. Five times!
Unheard of.
The Fox glanced over as Autumn let out a small cry. Somehow, she’d managed to trip and was flying into her pile of soft toys. Both the Fox and Brody rushed toward her. She turned over with a giggle.
“Oh man! Did you see me fly?”
With his heart racing, he lifted her out of the pile and ran his hands over her. “Are you hurt? Where are you hurt?”
Tears streamed down her face. She had to be hurt. Only, it was confusing because she was laughing as well.
“Baby, where are you hurt?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’m not! That was so much fun!”