Big Bad Beast
Page 89
Although Dee knew that wouldnt be easy. Not with Blayne there. But they had to move quickly because Blayne and two untrained sub-adults could only do so much.
Ric, whod still been on the phone when theyd discovered what was going on was already heading over to Llewellyns Brooklyn home with Mace, Sissy Mae, Mitch, and Lock. Bobby Ray and Rory were heading over from a job in the Bronx. But Dee had a feeling that none of them would get there any faster than herself. Not the way she was driving. Even the teams converging together from the Group, KZS, and NYPD wouldnt beat her because she had the boys mother sitting next to her. Deadly quiet and ready to kill anyone who tried to harm her child.
Hannah, unable to help herself, smiled at the little boy. He had such an infectious grin that she couldnt imagine anyone not smiling back at him. And his smile managed to do the impossible. Make her feel relatively comfortable. The last thing shed wanted to do was leave the safety and quiet of the Groups head-quartersespecially since she was still recovering from that long weekend with all those peoplebut Blayne had begged and pleaded with some whining thrown in to really test Hannahs nerves.
Eventually, Hannah had agreed. So here she was in Brooklyn, in a strangers home, with two annoying caninesBlayne and Abbyand the cutest little kid shed ever seen in her entire life. Then again, if the kid grew up looking anything like his father, then hed probably end up the cutest adult, too.
Blayne charged down the stairs and stopped. I cant find Abby anywhere. Hannah looked away from the kid and pointed at the dining table. Blayne crouched down and gazed under the table.
Whats she doing under there?
Why does everyone seem to think I can read her mind?
Because youre friends. I can totally read Gwenies mind. I know when shes about to House Cat somebody or when shes about to go Irish on their ass.
Nope. Hannah would not be suckered into asking what House Catting someone entailed. She honestly didnt want to know.
Come here, Abby. Come here, girl. When Abby refused to come out, Blayne stood. Dez has to have Milk Bones or something around here.
Wait. Youre actually going to try and coax her out from under that table with Milk Bones?
You think I should use peanut butter?
And thats what Hannah got for being suckered in. Again!
Or maybe some steak, Blayne went on. Dez is living with a lion male so she has to have some meat around here, dontcha think? And my God what is that noise?
Your phone.
My phones been ringing? Why didnt you get it?
Im not going in your bag.
You couldnt call me and tell me that my phone was ringing?
Hows that my job?
How can I help you, Hannah, if you wont help me?
Help you by fetching your phone? Im only half dog, Blayne.
I didnt mean . . . Blayne frowned, thinking. Wait a minute. Im half dog! Blayne stomped her foot. It was easier talking to you when you didnt respond. She picked up her backpack from the floor and placed it on a chair. She began digging through it while demanding to know And what is that noise?
The house phone.
Her head snapped up. You didnt answer the house phone?
Hannah shrugged. Its not my house.
Goddamnit, Hannah! Thats probably Dez and shes going to flip the fuck out because I didnt answer the phone . . . again. And this is what Im talking about! How can you hope to make any friends if youre always so bitchy? I mean, maybe if you were feline you could get away with it, but they never take bitchy from canines or bears. Our feet and shoulders are just too big for that. Although not mine. I have cute, dainty feet. And something else, she went on while digging deep for the stupid phone. Abby pressed up against Hannahs leg, and thats when Blayne suddenly stopped talking. Since she never stopped talking of her own volition, Hannah immediately knew something was wrong.
Hannah stood. What
She didnt get to finish her question, Blayne silencing her with a raised hand. Then she pointed at Marcus.
Hannah was just reaching for him when they kicked in the front door.
Run, Marcus! Blayne yelled and the kid took off running, heading for the back of the house, Hannah and Abby right behind him.
It was Abbys first instinct to run away and never look back. As long as she could remember, shed always made sure to look out for herself and only herself. But as she watched Hannahunfriendly, could-care-less-about-anyone Hannahgo after little Marcus like he was her own and Blayne taking the knife she kept on her all the time these days to the first guy who came through the door, cutting his throat, and immediately going to work on the others many othersAbby knew she couldnt run for it. She couldnt leave them.
Instead, she ran after Hannah and Marcus. Hannah swept the boy up into her arms and hard charged for the back door in the kitchen. But before she reached it, they kicked that door in, too, the dogs that Mace and Dez had kindly put in their kennels losing their minds as they tried to get out and protect Marcus, but no one pulled their weapons.
Ric, whod still been on the phone when theyd discovered what was going on was already heading over to Llewellyns Brooklyn home with Mace, Sissy Mae, Mitch, and Lock. Bobby Ray and Rory were heading over from a job in the Bronx. But Dee had a feeling that none of them would get there any faster than herself. Not the way she was driving. Even the teams converging together from the Group, KZS, and NYPD wouldnt beat her because she had the boys mother sitting next to her. Deadly quiet and ready to kill anyone who tried to harm her child.
Hannah, unable to help herself, smiled at the little boy. He had such an infectious grin that she couldnt imagine anyone not smiling back at him. And his smile managed to do the impossible. Make her feel relatively comfortable. The last thing shed wanted to do was leave the safety and quiet of the Groups head-quartersespecially since she was still recovering from that long weekend with all those peoplebut Blayne had begged and pleaded with some whining thrown in to really test Hannahs nerves.
Eventually, Hannah had agreed. So here she was in Brooklyn, in a strangers home, with two annoying caninesBlayne and Abbyand the cutest little kid shed ever seen in her entire life. Then again, if the kid grew up looking anything like his father, then hed probably end up the cutest adult, too.
Blayne charged down the stairs and stopped. I cant find Abby anywhere. Hannah looked away from the kid and pointed at the dining table. Blayne crouched down and gazed under the table.
Whats she doing under there?
Why does everyone seem to think I can read her mind?
Because youre friends. I can totally read Gwenies mind. I know when shes about to House Cat somebody or when shes about to go Irish on their ass.
Nope. Hannah would not be suckered into asking what House Catting someone entailed. She honestly didnt want to know.
Come here, Abby. Come here, girl. When Abby refused to come out, Blayne stood. Dez has to have Milk Bones or something around here.
Wait. Youre actually going to try and coax her out from under that table with Milk Bones?
You think I should use peanut butter?
And thats what Hannah got for being suckered in. Again!
Or maybe some steak, Blayne went on. Dez is living with a lion male so she has to have some meat around here, dontcha think? And my God what is that noise?
Your phone.
My phones been ringing? Why didnt you get it?
Im not going in your bag.
You couldnt call me and tell me that my phone was ringing?
Hows that my job?
How can I help you, Hannah, if you wont help me?
Help you by fetching your phone? Im only half dog, Blayne.
I didnt mean . . . Blayne frowned, thinking. Wait a minute. Im half dog! Blayne stomped her foot. It was easier talking to you when you didnt respond. She picked up her backpack from the floor and placed it on a chair. She began digging through it while demanding to know And what is that noise?
The house phone.
Her head snapped up. You didnt answer the house phone?
Hannah shrugged. Its not my house.
Goddamnit, Hannah! Thats probably Dez and shes going to flip the fuck out because I didnt answer the phone . . . again. And this is what Im talking about! How can you hope to make any friends if youre always so bitchy? I mean, maybe if you were feline you could get away with it, but they never take bitchy from canines or bears. Our feet and shoulders are just too big for that. Although not mine. I have cute, dainty feet. And something else, she went on while digging deep for the stupid phone. Abby pressed up against Hannahs leg, and thats when Blayne suddenly stopped talking. Since she never stopped talking of her own volition, Hannah immediately knew something was wrong.
Hannah stood. What
She didnt get to finish her question, Blayne silencing her with a raised hand. Then she pointed at Marcus.
Hannah was just reaching for him when they kicked in the front door.
Run, Marcus! Blayne yelled and the kid took off running, heading for the back of the house, Hannah and Abby right behind him.
It was Abbys first instinct to run away and never look back. As long as she could remember, shed always made sure to look out for herself and only herself. But as she watched Hannahunfriendly, could-care-less-about-anyone Hannahgo after little Marcus like he was her own and Blayne taking the knife she kept on her all the time these days to the first guy who came through the door, cutting his throat, and immediately going to work on the others many othersAbby knew she couldnt run for it. She couldnt leave them.
Instead, she ran after Hannah and Marcus. Hannah swept the boy up into her arms and hard charged for the back door in the kitchen. But before she reached it, they kicked that door in, too, the dogs that Mace and Dez had kindly put in their kennels losing their minds as they tried to get out and protect Marcus, but no one pulled their weapons.
