Page 134 of Swan

“You didn’t actually pee on him, though, right?” Maya asked.

We never knew with Julian. He’d try anything once.

“No. My poppet would be peeved if anyone else saw my privates. Instead, I walked up behind Mattie and slid my hands around his stomach and kissed his neck while glaring at that man.”

“That’ll do.” Maya smirked.

We laughed and Julian nodded. “He did back off quickly. Aeila also helped by calling out to her dads.”

“How’s she going at school now?” I asked.

Julian waved a hand around. “Fine. The bully backed off, but I think what helped was having her guards walk around with her one lunch.”

“Wait, before we get into this, let’s go sit in the living room. Bring the snacks,” Maya suggested.

We all grabbed something and placed them on the coffee table before we rested on the couch and chair.

“What do you mean by guards?” I asked as I tucked one leg up under my butt.

“You don’t know?” Julian asked.

I scrunched my nose. “No.”

“I suppose they didn’t get in trouble, so they probably didn’t share. Koda showed up one lunch to see your brother, and they walked around the school with Aeila. She said they made sure everyone they passed knew that Aeila was under their protection.”

My mouth dropped open.

“Wait, what?” Maya cried and laughed.

“But Koda lives in Melbourne with Dive and Mena,” I said, still confused.

“Dive came down to Ballarat that morning. He’d given Koda the day off school to come with him. Koda told Dive he was going to see Nickolas for lunch at his school.”

“Wow,” I muttered. “That’s really sweet. Why didn’t Nicky just warn them off himself?” He already went to the same school as Aeila.

“Most know him, and they don’t find him intimidating on his own. Add in Koda and people listened.”

I nodded. “That makes sense.” My brother did come off as a goof and nice guy. Koda had grown bigger and taller than Nicky. He was just as nice as my brother, but Koda could come across to someone who didn’t know him as gruff or scary.

“I’m glad they’re all close,” Maya said.

I nodded. “It’s from playing those video games together.”

Julian groaned. “Don’t get me started on those. If she’s not playing, she’s reading or hanging out with friends. I miss my little girl who loved doing everything with me.”

“She still loves you,” I tried.

He sighed. “I know. I’m too loveable not to love me.”

Maya and I laughed.

Julian clapped his hands. “How about we get down to some facials before we start the first movie?”

I nodded, and Maya stood. “I’ll grab the face masks.”

After hours of drinks, food, and two movies, I announced drunkenly, “I can’t drive home.”

Maya slipped off the couch to the floor on her butt in her rush to get over to me on her knees. “I agree! No driving. My brother will torture me if I let anything happen to you.”

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