“Ha, ha, ha,” she grumbled, brushing past him as she entered the storefront once more, with Parker right on her heels “Back alrea—”
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Cyn paused in mid-step and looked into the knowing eyes of Franny, flanked by the twins on either side of her. “Tell me, Cynthia dear, whatever were the two of you doing back there?”
Well, fuck!
From the look on Cyn’s face, Parker surmised their visitors weren’t welcome ones.
He hadn’t relished being caught by her father making love in the back room, but he was willing to bet Cyn would have rather dealt with her dad than the people smirking at her now.
He could tell from the tense set of her shoulders something was up. Her ire sent his protective gene into overdrive, forcing him to step up from behind her to stand next to her 94
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and show a united front. “I thought you locked the door,” he said softly out the side of his mouth.
“I did.”
Which could only mean one thing. These was Cyn’s wicked almost step-mother and her evil daughters. From the way she’d described them, Parker half expected the older one to have a slightly green complexion with a furry wart on her chin, and the two younger ones to sprout horns, but they didn’t. In fact, the three ladies were very attractive, despite the snarky grins they wore like press-on nails.
“What are you guys doing here?” Cyn crossed her arms over chest and stared at the three women, unyielding. He could tell from her stance she wasn’t going to allow them to intimidate her and it made him smile. His woman was a feisty little thing and he wouldn’t have her any other way.
“I think the question is what were you guys doing?” The question came from the mother.
“Whatever I want. At last check, I’m grown.”
“And at work,” the woman fired back.
Cyn lifted her chin, meeting the icy woman’s gaze straight on. “Funny, I didn’t think you knew what the word work meant.”
“I’ll have to see if your father finds this situation as amusing as you obviously do.”
“You’re going to tattle to my dad.” Cyn’s smirk fed into the other lady’s wrath.
“You’re such a smart ass.”
“Do you really want to resort to name calling, because I can think of a few choice words to sling your way.”
“Hey, you better not insult Mama.” One of the younger ones piped up. Of course she blanched when Cyn turned her attention toward the girl. Parker felt as if he was in the middle of a ping pong match. There was no doubt in his mind who was going to win though. Cyn was more than holding her own.
“Excuse me. One, you don’t tell me what to do because I don’t answer to you. Two, isn’t your mother old enough to defend herself?” This comment elicited a gasp from all www.samhainpublishing.com 95
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three women. “And three, you shouldn’t have brought attention to yourself, because I can find insults for you as well, if you think you can take them.”
Parker had to control the laughter threatening to bubble up at Cyn’s words. His woman obviously didn’t need anyone to defend her. She was a force to be reckoned with.
The other sister, obviously too stupid for words to learn the lesson Cyn just imparted, jumped into the fray.
“You think you’re so smart. But you’re not.”
Cyn leaned forward as if waiting for more, but then laughed. “Is that it? Damn, Drew, you can’t insult someone to save your life.”
“Listen here, young lady, when your father hears about this he won’t be happy. In fact, I look forward to seeing him taking you down a peg or two. You are too spoiled for words. And don’t think you’re just going to get away with kicking my girls out.”
“There’s nothing to get away with. It’s already done. And you can tell my father whatever you want. I have nothing to hide. Just make sure it’s the truth.” She stared pointedly at the two younger girls and they actually had the audacity to blink their eyes in confusion, as if they had no idea to what she was referring to. If he hadn’t been aware of their duplicitous nature, he might have bought into the innocent act. But, unfortunately, Parker had been a victim of one of their schemes and he was more than happy to see them get their comeuppance.
Cyn shook her head in disgust as she turned toward him, obviously dismissing them from her thoughts. “Just ignore the—”
Her words were interrupted by the arrival of her father bearing an oversized white box.
The three Cruellas immediately turned toward him and all began speaking at once.
Although speaking was a relative term. To Parker it sounded as if they were squawking.
Their complaints were varied, but all came down to one common factor, Cyn.
Much to his surprise though, while they bitched and moaned about her, Cyn didn’t utter a word in her defense. It wasn’t what he’d come to expect of his little hellion and it took him aback.
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“Enough,” Walt said sharply. When the noise continued he roared it. “Enough.”
As quickly as the braying had began, it ending, coming to a stuttering stop at Walt’s harsh command. The room grew so hushed Parker could hear the clock ticking in the background.
In the wake of the silence, Walt set the parcel he’d been carrying on the counter and turned back around, crossing his arms over his massive chest. The easy going man Parker had been introduced to less than an hour ago was gone, and in his place was this formidable giant. “I can’t leave you all together for five minutes without War World War Three starting. Without yelling will someone tell me what the hell is going on here? Cyn?
Franny?”
Cyn opened her mouth to speak but was drowned out by Franny who barreled on full steam ahead. “This is about your daughter disrespecting me for
