Page 61 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

“He can see you staring at him.”

“Yeah,” Magnum grunted.

“You have no shame.”

“Don’t give a fuck. If he’s interested in my baby girl, I’m interested in him.”

“Asia’s your baby girl. I’m far from a baby.”

“Know what I mean. Always gonna be my baby. Always gonna look out for you. Always wanna know who’s sniffin’ around my girl.”

“Like I said, he’s only dropping off the container.”

“Container’s in your hand and he’s still standin’ out there. He’s sniffin’. So you’re either lyin’ to your old man or he’s lyin’ to you.” Magnum finally dropped the curtain and turned toward her. “He a pig?”

Holy shit, her father had the scary sixth sense of picking out cops.

She carefully schooled her expression since he purposely asked that question when he could watch her face. The man was far from dumb.

In fact, he was a hell of a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for.

“He’s a man,” she answered. “You think anyone who’s buff and has short hair is a cop. He could be military. Army reserves or something.”

“You don’t know, and you plan on havin’ him in your fuckin’ house when you’re alone?”

She rolled her eyes. “I know you missed out on most of my childhood, but please remember, I’m now thirty-nine and have two children of my own.”

“That you’re raisin’ by yourself.”

“And?” she asked sharply. They weren’t having that conversation again. Jason might have been a mistake, but Mark was not.

And no matter what, both her sons weren’t, either. They were both loved and wanted. Even when they were talking back and being difficult and she threatened to put them both up for adoption.

“Gimme his name. Gonna have one of Diesel’s Shadows run him. Don’t want you hangin’ ‘round someone you don’t know fuck about.”

“Maybe I do know ‘fuck’ about him. Anyway, I know who he is, and I know where he works. I don’t need you being Sherlock Homie.”

His head jerked back. “Think you’re fuckin’ funny. I take your goddamn safety serious. After that last one…”

She sighed. “Jesus. We all make mistakes,right?You’ve certainly made your share of them.”

A muscle ticked in her father’s cheek.

“Boys, your Grumpa is waiting!” she yelled. Where the hell were they? She was afraid if it took too long to get her father out of her house, Nox would leave.

“He ain’t gonna fuckin’ be here when I bring them back on Sunday, right?”

She wasn’t going to explain yet again about the damn container. Magnum obviously didn’t believe that excuse. Again, the man wasn’t dumb.

“I didn’t realize I had to get approval from my father for my sleepovers.” When she saw Magnum gearing up to roar about what she just said, she quickly raised her palm to stop him. “He won’t be here on Sunday. He’s still grieving.”

“Maybe the fucker’s here for you to comfort him, if you get what I’m sayin’.”

“Could be.”

Her father shot her a look.

“But that doesn’t need to take all weekend.” She smothered her grin. Shelovedto get her father going. Mostly because it was so easy to do.

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