Page 58 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

“You a man? You got balls?”

Nox shouldn’t be surprised the man said whatever crossed his mind. “Last I checked.”

“Then you fuckin’ answer, ‘less you always let a woman speak for you. If you do, you definitely ain’t got any fuckin’ balls.”

“Dad!” Aaliyah hissed. “Stop it.”

Magnum kept their eyes locked, trying to make Nox look away. He didn’t.

He wasn’t one to scare easily.

Magnum jerked his chin up at Nox. “How d’you know Liyah?”

“I—“

“He’s a member of my group,” Aaliyah said before he could.

Nox grimaced since a woman answered for him.

For fuck’s sake.

Even though Magnum turned his head enough to scowl at his daughter, he still kept his eyes turned toward Nox. “What group?”

She sighed. Loudly. “The grief group.”

The man’s thick brow furrowed, and he finally looked at his daughter. “You ain’t sad.”

“I know I’m not sad. Jesus. You don’t have to be sad to join the group.”

“Ain’t grief sad?”

“Grief is a whole bunch of things, Dad… I,” she shook her head, “I’m not explaining it to you again. You should’ve paid attention the first dozen times I told you why people attend that kind of group.”

“You fuckin’ moved on.”

“Yes, I moved on,” she agreed.

“No reason for you to be in that kinda fuckin’ group.”

“I’m notinthe group. Irunit. Remember?”

“If you need scratch…”

“I don’t need money. I don’t get paid to run it. I volunteer.” She didn’t hide her impatience in her voice.

“Why the fuck wouldya wanna do that?” he bellowed.

Aaliyah glanced at Nox and bugged out her eyes.

He kept his expression neutral since he should stay out of it.

“Because I like helping people?”

“You can do that and make plenty of fuckin’ scratch like with your house sellin’ gig.”

“I do more than sell houses. I’ve also explained that to you at least a dozen times.” Instead of bugging her eyes out this time, she rolled them.

“What’s he do?”

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