Wolf with Benefits
Page 131
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Right. Well, thanks, Reece.
Sure. You see, not everyone can take a hit like that to the head.
Thats because she has an exceptionally hard head.
Shut up, Kyle.
You shut up!
Both of you shut up, Cooper warned.
Have you thought about trying ice hockey?
Surprised, Oriana, and everyone else at the table, looked at the wolf.
No, Oriana finally admitted when he kept staring at her as if expecting a serious answer to that ridiculous question.
You should. I bet youd make a mean little forward.
I will . . . strange, burly man.
He grinned. Darlin, are you sweet on me?
Oriana gawked. No.
Dont get your hopes up, though; youre a little too young for me.
Before Oriana could process any of that, Dennis ran into the kitchen. Freddys home! he cheered. Freddys home!
The siblings all stared at each other for a long moment. Then, as one, they bolted away from the table and ran out to greet their brother and welcome him home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Toni reached into the refrigerator and pulled out one of the bottles of orange juice. Now that she was home, and Freddy was safe, she was exhausted. But she still had some things to take care of before she could get any rest so she was hoping a couple of glasses of orange juice would perk her up a bit.
With bottle in hand, she closed the refrigerator door and turned. Thats when she came face to face with Novikovs fiance.
Oh. Hi, Bland.
The fiances brown eyes narrowed. Its Blayne. And you cant drink that.
Toni glanced down at the orange juice. I cant? Because she was pretty sure she could.
Its been opened.
Yes. It has. Thats bound to happen when you have two thousand people in your house. Because it seemed everyone and their mother had come to Tonis house, including all the Carnivores, most of Ricky Lees Pack, and almost all of Llewellyn Securitys advanced protection team. Plus the wild dogs from across the street kept wandering in and out of their temporary home like they owned the . . . oh, wait. The wild dogs did own the place.
No worries! Blayne chirped. When Bo and I came over here I made him stop so I could pick up several bottles of orange juice for the entire family. She opened the refrigerator. This way theres no problem with
Blayne gasped and jumped back, making Tonis hackles rise.
Whats wrong? Toni asked, quite aware she sounded snappy.
Theyve all beenopened. Someone opened each bottle and drank a little bit out of each one.
Spinning around, Blayne glared at Livy.
Still recovering from her poisoning, Livy sat at the kitchen table, her elbow on the hard wood, the right cheek of her still pale and sweaty face resting on her raised fist.
What are you looking at me for? Livy asked blandly, her voice weaker than usual.
I know you did this, Blayne accused. This was you!
I dont know what youre talking about, Livy said. But when Blayne turned back to the refrigerator to stare at those bottles of juice, Livy looked up at Toni and mouthed, It was totally me.
Toni silently laughed but they both stopped what they were doing when Blayne spun back around, her accusing gaze bouncing back and forth between them.
Thankfully, before the wolfdog could snap her leash, Ricky Lee walked into the kitchen.
Hey, he said, smiling at Toni. My mommas here and Ronnie Lees with her. Thought you could come out to the living room and meet her.
Toni felt a bolt of panic shoot through her system that did manage to wake her up but also brought out her anxiety. What? Why? she demanded. Why do I need to meet your sister? No. No. Thats okay. Ill just stay in here and hide. Or maybe Ill chew on the table leg. It looks like it needs a good chewing.
In case youre not sure, Livy calmly told Ricky, she is about to blow.
Yeah, Ricky sighed. I can see that.
Ricky didnt know what the problem was. Toni had gone toe-to-toe with Novikov, Russian bears, Cella Malone. Hell, shed faced his mother and won her over. So why meeting Ronnie Lee would freak Toni out like this, he didnt know.
Come here, darlin, he coaxed.
She started to walk over to him but Blayne caught hold of the bottle of juice in Tonis hands and there was a briefand rather ridiculousskirmish between the pair. Blayne eventually won and she held that bottle of juice to her chest like it was the last bit of moisture on the planet.
Shaking her head, Toni walked over to Ricky. When she stood in front of him, he slipped both arms around her waist and pulled her in close.
All right, tell me whats wrong.
What if she doesnt like me?
How can she not like you? Youre so dang cute. Besides, you already won over my momma.
This is your sister, Ricky Lee.
So if Kyle didnt like me, youd kick me to the curb?
Of course not, she quickly told him. But if Coop didnt like you, youd be out on your ass.
Sure. You see, not everyone can take a hit like that to the head.
Thats because she has an exceptionally hard head.
Shut up, Kyle.
You shut up!
Both of you shut up, Cooper warned.
Have you thought about trying ice hockey?
Surprised, Oriana, and everyone else at the table, looked at the wolf.
No, Oriana finally admitted when he kept staring at her as if expecting a serious answer to that ridiculous question.
You should. I bet youd make a mean little forward.
I will . . . strange, burly man.
He grinned. Darlin, are you sweet on me?
Oriana gawked. No.
Dont get your hopes up, though; youre a little too young for me.
Before Oriana could process any of that, Dennis ran into the kitchen. Freddys home! he cheered. Freddys home!
The siblings all stared at each other for a long moment. Then, as one, they bolted away from the table and ran out to greet their brother and welcome him home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Toni reached into the refrigerator and pulled out one of the bottles of orange juice. Now that she was home, and Freddy was safe, she was exhausted. But she still had some things to take care of before she could get any rest so she was hoping a couple of glasses of orange juice would perk her up a bit.
With bottle in hand, she closed the refrigerator door and turned. Thats when she came face to face with Novikovs fiance.
Oh. Hi, Bland.
The fiances brown eyes narrowed. Its Blayne. And you cant drink that.
Toni glanced down at the orange juice. I cant? Because she was pretty sure she could.
Its been opened.
Yes. It has. Thats bound to happen when you have two thousand people in your house. Because it seemed everyone and their mother had come to Tonis house, including all the Carnivores, most of Ricky Lees Pack, and almost all of Llewellyn Securitys advanced protection team. Plus the wild dogs from across the street kept wandering in and out of their temporary home like they owned the . . . oh, wait. The wild dogs did own the place.
No worries! Blayne chirped. When Bo and I came over here I made him stop so I could pick up several bottles of orange juice for the entire family. She opened the refrigerator. This way theres no problem with
Blayne gasped and jumped back, making Tonis hackles rise.
Whats wrong? Toni asked, quite aware she sounded snappy.
Theyve all beenopened. Someone opened each bottle and drank a little bit out of each one.
Spinning around, Blayne glared at Livy.
Still recovering from her poisoning, Livy sat at the kitchen table, her elbow on the hard wood, the right cheek of her still pale and sweaty face resting on her raised fist.
What are you looking at me for? Livy asked blandly, her voice weaker than usual.
I know you did this, Blayne accused. This was you!
I dont know what youre talking about, Livy said. But when Blayne turned back to the refrigerator to stare at those bottles of juice, Livy looked up at Toni and mouthed, It was totally me.
Toni silently laughed but they both stopped what they were doing when Blayne spun back around, her accusing gaze bouncing back and forth between them.
Thankfully, before the wolfdog could snap her leash, Ricky Lee walked into the kitchen.
Hey, he said, smiling at Toni. My mommas here and Ronnie Lees with her. Thought you could come out to the living room and meet her.
Toni felt a bolt of panic shoot through her system that did manage to wake her up but also brought out her anxiety. What? Why? she demanded. Why do I need to meet your sister? No. No. Thats okay. Ill just stay in here and hide. Or maybe Ill chew on the table leg. It looks like it needs a good chewing.
In case youre not sure, Livy calmly told Ricky, she is about to blow.
Yeah, Ricky sighed. I can see that.
Ricky didnt know what the problem was. Toni had gone toe-to-toe with Novikov, Russian bears, Cella Malone. Hell, shed faced his mother and won her over. So why meeting Ronnie Lee would freak Toni out like this, he didnt know.
Come here, darlin, he coaxed.
She started to walk over to him but Blayne caught hold of the bottle of juice in Tonis hands and there was a briefand rather ridiculousskirmish between the pair. Blayne eventually won and she held that bottle of juice to her chest like it was the last bit of moisture on the planet.
Shaking her head, Toni walked over to Ricky. When she stood in front of him, he slipped both arms around her waist and pulled her in close.
All right, tell me whats wrong.
What if she doesnt like me?
How can she not like you? Youre so dang cute. Besides, you already won over my momma.
This is your sister, Ricky Lee.
So if Kyle didnt like me, youd kick me to the curb?
Of course not, she quickly told him. But if Coop didnt like you, youd be out on your ass.
