Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Bracken nodded, his playful eyes twinkling. “She’s freakishly good. Plays like a guy.”
“Fights like a guy too,” chuckled Eli. Although he wasn’t as broad or tall as Nick, her little brother was still powerfully built. He was also totally ruthless.
“You should know, since all you two ever do is use each other as punching bags,” muttered Kathy.
Eliza snorted in disgust. “Maybe she should have been a guy.”
“She’s always been a tomboy,” Kathy told Marcus. “Hated pink, dolls, and ballet. She liked blue, cars, and playing football with the boys. And she’s always been so competitive, hates to lose.”
Nick pushed his empty plate aside. “Dad taught us that second best didn’t count.”
“Yes, and he was very proud that his little girl was so ‘tough.’ Had he been alive at the time, I’m sure he would have laughed when the school called me in because she’d beat up an older boy who’d tried picking on Eli—that was when she was nine.” Kathy shook her head. “To add to that, Eli had then beat up the kid’s friend when he moved to intervene. And that wasn’t the last incident of that nature.”
Eli shared a conspiratorial smile with his sister. “Ah, the good old days.”
“They both fought all the time,” continued Kathy. “And I don’t just mean physically. Always played pranks on each other merely for their own entertainment. But Roni would never let anyone else hurt him, just as Eli would never let anyone else give her trouble. I’d like to say they’re much more mature nowadays, but the fights and the pranks are still ongoing.”
“Yeah, we do find unbelievable joy in irritating each other,” admitted Eli with a grin.
Kathy glanced briefly at Roni. “I know she doesn’t look it, Marcus, but she’s so intelligent it’s intimidating.” Yet another backhanded compliment—her mother was on a roll. “She never cared that she was smart, though. She was never interested in anything academic. She wanted to play sports, learn combat, and speed around town in cars that didn’t belong to her.”
“Okay, can we stop talking about me now?” Roni really didn’t need to be reminded that she wasn’t the daughter her mother had ordered. So she liked physical activities and could be competitive, so what? Roni thought it was unfair that smart people were stereotyped as nerdy, obsessive, socially awkward people—although, to be honest, she did have the socially awkward thing down.
Eliza seemed pleased by Roni’s discomfort. “You sure you’re not a guy trapped in a female body?”
Roni cocked her head. “Did you know that an ingredient of many lipsticks is crushed parasitic beetles?” At once, Eliza and Janice brought their fingers to their lipstick-covered mouths, looking queasy. What fun. Noticing that Marcus’s gaze was intensely focused on her, she frowned. “What?”
Marcus shrugged. “I like looking at you.”
Roni knew her cheeks were burning. “Eat shit, Fuller.” He actually chuckled. Nick, however, went ramrod straight in his seat and growled warningly, clearly intent on protecting his sister’s virtue—not that Roni had any virtue to protect. A dark look from Shaya made him return his attention to his breakfast.
Satisfied that he’d knocked Roni off balance, Marcus smiled inwardly. He liked seeing her flustered, just as he liked learning more about her. She interested him with the many different facets of her personality. What he didn’t like was that Kathy, Janice, and Eliza seemed to enjoy putting her down.
Rather amusingly, she did her best to ignore him as they continued eating. But Marcus knew just how to get her attention. “Since we’re teamed up for the hunting party, you might as well ride to my territory with me.”
That made Roni pause with her mug halfway to her mouth. “Ride with you?” Be alone with the guy who had fucked her within an inch of her life during her dream last night? Nah.
Marcus barely refrained from laughing at the panic on her face. She could deny it all she wanted, but he made her nervous. “Yeah, ride with me.”
Again Nick went rigid. But then he jerked, wincing. “Ow! What was that for?” he growled at Shaya.
She sniffed. “I’m hormonal, I don’t need a reason.”
“There’s really no need,” Roni assured Marcus. “I can ride with Nick and Derren.”
Marcus cocked his head. “You could, but it makes sense for us to ride together.” He arched a brow. “Unless, of course, you don’t think you can work with a partner after all . . . ?”
Well, he had her there, didn’t he? She was determined to prove her brother’s “Roni can’t work with anyone” theory wrong. She didn’t like to lose or to lack at anything.
“Think of it as spending the day with an insanely hot wolf.” Kent was eyeing Marcus appreciatively. Caleb gave his boyfriend a mock scowl and then flicked scrambled egg at him. Kent wiped it away, sending him a look that promised retribution.