Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
So much for being on our side.
Alexa rolls her eyes at me. “Saw that coming. My mom’s in on this too. I overheard her talking to Dad about it.” She slides a stink eye at her mom. “Otherwise he wasn’t going to let me go.”
“There’s still time to change our minds,” Aunt Heidi says.
“Great,” I grumble. “Glad everyone finds this so amusing.”
Heidi nudges her oldest daughter. “Go home and finish packing, smart-ass.”
“Toodles!” Alexa waves at us over her shoulder as she hurries out the front door.
Aunt Trinity’s been sipping coffee in our kitchen, where she could quietly watch the drama but not be part of it. Now, she sets her mug down with a hard thump. “I am outraged on your behalf, Grace,” she says. “Absolutely outraged.”
She’s also not trying hard to hide her giggles.
“No you’re not,” I grouch, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Aw, come here.” She pulls me in for a hug. “You’re going to have a great time.”
I hug her tight and rest my head on her shoulder. “We’re not babies.”
“I know,” she says in a soothing voice. “You’re a big girl. About to go out into the big bad world.”
Sheesh, no respect from anyone.
“All right.” I push her away.
“Rock, you sure this is a good idea?” Trinity asks.
“I’m having second thoughts every minute, Trinny,” he answers.
“You guys are the worst,” I mutter.
Someone knocks on our front door and pushes it open without waiting for an answer. My big brother strides into the living room and I rush toward him. “Marcel, please be the voice of reason.”
He takes one look at all the assembled members of our family. “What’s wrong?”
“Grace thinks I give a crap about whatever dumb stuff she and Alexa want to do while we’re on tour,” Chance answers.
“Watch your mouth. Your permission can be revoked at any time too,” Z warns his son.
Chance shoots a crap-laced grin at his dad. “No, it can’t.”
“See! I knew it!” I explode, throwing my arms in the air.
“Where are Charlotte and the kids?” my dad asks Marcel.
“Charlotte and Ivy are still at the house. Ivan stopped at the clubhouse to talk to Lincoln.”
“When’d Grinder get up here?” Dad stands.
“How should I know?” Marcel shrugs.
Dad mutters something at my brother that isn’t kid appropriate.
“Come here, kid.” Marcel wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me outside onto the deck.
“Marcel, it’s not fair.” I hurry to explain my side of the story. “Alexa and I are the ones who came up with the plan to work for Aunt Shelby and—”
“If you think there’s any way you two are going on this tour without someone else looking out for you, you’re out of your mind.”
“But Uncle Jiggy will be there and—”
“Doesn’t matter. Be thankful we’re all not riding along.”
Oh, yikes. That would be worse. “Grrr.”
“Quit being a brat.” Geez, he sounds just like Dad when he uses that tone.
This is the problem with having a much older brother. He sides with my parents way too often.
I blow out an exasperated breath.
Shaking his head, he pulls an envelope out of his cut. “Take this.”
I peek inside. “What’s that?”
“Cash. People used that in the olden days to buy things,” he explains in a slow, mocking tone.
I roll my eyes at him. “I know that. Dad already gave me some.”
“Good. Hide that in a different place so in case you lose it, you won’t be stuck.”
I give him a quick hug. “Thank you.”
“You’re going to listen to everything Rooster and Shelby tell you to do, right?”
I heave out a long, dramatic sigh. “Yes, Marcel.”
“You’re going to be careful. Pay attention to your surroundings, and not go off with anyone for any reason, right? Don’t trust anyone.”
“Oh my God! How dumb do you think I am?”
He drills me with his blue-green eyes until I relent. “Okay fine. You know Dad, Uncle Murphy, and Uncle Wrath already gave me this speech, right?”
“You, Alexa, and Chance stick together,” he continues, ignoring my protest. “Don’t let her sneaky ass out of your sight.”
I smother my laughter with a hand over my mouth.
“I’m serious. If either of you get so much as a scratch, you know Chance will get his ass kicked. Is that what you want?”
As much as Chance annoys the ever-loving cupcakes out of me, no, I don’t want him to get in trouble. I still think the club’s archaic “protect the women” stuff is stupid, though.
“What about us? Will we get in trouble if something happens to Chance?”
He snort-laughs and stares at the ground for a second or two. “Yeah,” he finally answers. “You will.”
“Well, at least that’s fair.”
Because he has radar for anyone talking about him, Chance sneaks up behind me and wraps his arm around my neck, rubbing his knuckles over the top of my head. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Princess.”
“Get off me!” I elbow him in the ribs until he lets go.