Page 36 of Harley

“What’s up?” I asked Oakley as she wheeled to a stop.

“Eddie. Shotgun!” Oakley cried, panting.

“What?”

“Shotgun!” Oakley screeched.

A loud boom echoed from the front of the Hall.

I froze.

Fuck, that was a shotgun!

“Eddie!” I bellowed, taking to my heels and racing through the house. Oakley raced along behind me.

“Aunt Carly’s in trouble! The Big Foot is gonna eat her!” Davy screamed.

There was a second bang and a thump, and I belted into the entrance hall. Adults and kids appeared from all over the Hall.

Eddie lay on her back just inside the door, holding a shotgun.

“He is going to eat Aunt Carly!” Amelia shrieked. “Get him! He’s a Big Foot! Daddy! You gotta help Aunt Carly!”

Eddie dropped the shotgun and scrambled to her feet. “Charge!” Eddie yelled. “Save Aunt Carly!”

Save Carly from what? I wondered as we all moved forward again.

Dad raced past me, grabbing the gun from the floor before anyone else got a bright idea. Oakley and I hit the entrance and witnessed Davy, Amelia, Bethany, Harper, and Eddie tackle a snow-covered figure.

Oakley gasped out loud as the five girls began beating the downed target while Carly tried to haul them off. I winced in sympathy as Harper smashed Rock’s head—I was pretty sure it was Rock as Carly was trying to save him against the ground.

“Holy shit!” Oakley breathed.

Dad and Klutz reached Rock and checked him over. Well, Dad checked he was alive and then began bellowing at Eddie, who answered indignantly.

Rock looked shocked as Klutz assessed him for injuries. I snorted as Eddie neatly turned the tables back on Dad.

Oakley sat beside me in shock. “A shotgun. A damned kid with a fucking gun. That’s not normal,” Oakley muttered.

“Babe, nothing is normal about this family,” I said.

“No shit, Harley!” Oakley cried.

“Dante, you little fucker!” Gunner roared from behind me.

Oakley nearly came out of her wheelchair. In his arms, he carried Aria, who was sniffing. Dad looked cornered and grabbed Dante before heading into the trees.

“Good luck keeping him alive, Dad,” I muttered.

“You all need locking up!” Oakley hissed at me.

“Yeah. But for now, babe, you’re stuck with us,” I retorted.

Oakley was horrified.

???

Dad had somehow, in his infinite wisdom, got hold of real-life reindeers. What the fuck?

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