Wolf with Benefits
Page 51
Ow! Dad!
Cut it out. Their fathers voice was calm, but then again, he rarely yelled at them anyway. He mostly left that to Toni.
Oriana lifted her head, her bowl of oatmealand Kyles vulnerable ribsforgotten. Her nose twitched. I think Tonis coming, she whispered to Kyle.
What do you mean you think?
Im still learning to separate smells. And give me that tone again, runt, and Ill bite your nose off.
Stop it, Troy snapped. Both of you. Now look cold and indifferent.
Kyle studied his brother. You always look cold and indifferent.
Then follow my lead.
They did. Kyle and Oriana sat up straightwell, Oriana had excellent posture so that part was mostly Kyleand looked across the room, away from the back door that led into the kitchen. Yes. Toni would notice right away that she was being ignored and it would burn.
The back door opened and Toni stomped in.
Hey, baby, their father said while he blatantly fed that flea-bitten mongrel their mother had brought home. What was their father doing with that dog? Didnt he have actual children of his own to care for?
The door slammed shut, and Kyle quickly saw that his big sister was angry. He immediately ran through anything hed done in the last twenty-four hours that could cause this response, but hed been home in his room plotting with Oriana and Troyand avoiding Aunt Irene.
My TV? Toni barked. Hes interested in my TV. Unbelievable! She started walking through the big kitchen. Damn wolves. I hate wolves!
I think your uncle Van will have a problem with that, their father told her as she stormed through, that mongrel pressing itself against his leg. Most likely out of fear.
Uncle Van can also go to hell. Toni stood by the swinging door that led into the dining room. In fact . . . everyone can go to hell! she suddenly screamed before she threw the door open and marched through it.
After a few moments of silence from a group that was never silent, Freddy asked, Arent you going to go talk to her, Daddy?
Oh, no, their father replied with that big smile he always had. What did he have to smile about? I know that rage. Im not about to get in front of that.
Youve seen it before? Oriana glanced around, then asked, From Toni?
No. Your mother. Of course, Im usually the one causing it. His smile kind of grew. But not this time. Not with Toni.
Then who is causing it?
Its not one of you, so dont worry about it. But you threetheir father said to Kyle, Oriana, and Troyif I were you, Id let that silent treatment plan lie for now.Just let it lie.
The three of them looked at each other, then at their father and nodded.
Because being brilliant also included knowing when not to risk life and limb by annoying their already raging big sister.
Brendon Shaw kissed the back of his sleeping mates neck and slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake her.
Now that Ronnie Lee was pregnant, she slept a lot more and got into fistfights a lot less. Not having to wipe her blood-covered knuckles and pay off some supermodel who got a little mouthy in a bar had been a growing pleasure of his.
Naked, Brendon walked out of his bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him, and cut through the living room of the presidential suite of his hotel, the Kingston Arms. Since shifters hadnt had one of their own in the White House since 1909, he used the suite for himself and his family.
Unfortunately for Brendon, his family had grown beyond what hed exactly been hoping for.
Stopping in the middle of his living room and, sighing greatly, he looked over at the kitchen bar where one of Ronnie Lees worthless brothers stood, eating yogurt and staring at him.
Mornin.
I thought I made it clear to you and your idiot brothers that you were not to just drop by.
Now, now, big kitty. Were all family. And family is family.
What the fuck does that even mean?
Instead of answering, the wolf held up his bowl. Yogurt?
I dont want yogurt. And I told the staff not to stock my refrigerator with that crap anymore.
Brendon had thought by not having the yogurt, hed have fewer visits from Ronnie Lees Pack and family.
You did ask them, the wolf replied. But we just talked to the wolves on staff and they made sure to set us up right. It was either that or we mock them with our howls at night.
The wolf gestured at Brendon. Guess youre going to have to start wearing some pants to bed, hoss, once that baby comes along.
Which brother was this again? Oh. Yeah. The middle one. Ricky. He was a little less irritating than Reece Lee and definitely not as uptight as Rory, but he was still a male canine in Brendons house.
Eat your food and get out.
As ya like.
Thinking about changing the locks again but knowing it would be a waste since wolves could pretty much unlock anything they wanted to, Brendon started off again. But hed barely walked ten paces when the front door opened, and a few seconds later, another one of Ronnie Lees wolf kin invaded his home.
There you are, Reece Lee said when he spotted his brother. He stepped into the sunken living room, briefly stopping by Brendon to note, Guess youll have to start wearing pants once Ronnies baby comes.
Cut it out. Their fathers voice was calm, but then again, he rarely yelled at them anyway. He mostly left that to Toni.
Oriana lifted her head, her bowl of oatmealand Kyles vulnerable ribsforgotten. Her nose twitched. I think Tonis coming, she whispered to Kyle.
What do you mean you think?
Im still learning to separate smells. And give me that tone again, runt, and Ill bite your nose off.
Stop it, Troy snapped. Both of you. Now look cold and indifferent.
Kyle studied his brother. You always look cold and indifferent.
Then follow my lead.
They did. Kyle and Oriana sat up straightwell, Oriana had excellent posture so that part was mostly Kyleand looked across the room, away from the back door that led into the kitchen. Yes. Toni would notice right away that she was being ignored and it would burn.
The back door opened and Toni stomped in.
Hey, baby, their father said while he blatantly fed that flea-bitten mongrel their mother had brought home. What was their father doing with that dog? Didnt he have actual children of his own to care for?
The door slammed shut, and Kyle quickly saw that his big sister was angry. He immediately ran through anything hed done in the last twenty-four hours that could cause this response, but hed been home in his room plotting with Oriana and Troyand avoiding Aunt Irene.
My TV? Toni barked. Hes interested in my TV. Unbelievable! She started walking through the big kitchen. Damn wolves. I hate wolves!
I think your uncle Van will have a problem with that, their father told her as she stormed through, that mongrel pressing itself against his leg. Most likely out of fear.
Uncle Van can also go to hell. Toni stood by the swinging door that led into the dining room. In fact . . . everyone can go to hell! she suddenly screamed before she threw the door open and marched through it.
After a few moments of silence from a group that was never silent, Freddy asked, Arent you going to go talk to her, Daddy?
Oh, no, their father replied with that big smile he always had. What did he have to smile about? I know that rage. Im not about to get in front of that.
Youve seen it before? Oriana glanced around, then asked, From Toni?
No. Your mother. Of course, Im usually the one causing it. His smile kind of grew. But not this time. Not with Toni.
Then who is causing it?
Its not one of you, so dont worry about it. But you threetheir father said to Kyle, Oriana, and Troyif I were you, Id let that silent treatment plan lie for now.Just let it lie.
The three of them looked at each other, then at their father and nodded.
Because being brilliant also included knowing when not to risk life and limb by annoying their already raging big sister.
Brendon Shaw kissed the back of his sleeping mates neck and slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake her.
Now that Ronnie Lee was pregnant, she slept a lot more and got into fistfights a lot less. Not having to wipe her blood-covered knuckles and pay off some supermodel who got a little mouthy in a bar had been a growing pleasure of his.
Naked, Brendon walked out of his bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him, and cut through the living room of the presidential suite of his hotel, the Kingston Arms. Since shifters hadnt had one of their own in the White House since 1909, he used the suite for himself and his family.
Unfortunately for Brendon, his family had grown beyond what hed exactly been hoping for.
Stopping in the middle of his living room and, sighing greatly, he looked over at the kitchen bar where one of Ronnie Lees worthless brothers stood, eating yogurt and staring at him.
Mornin.
I thought I made it clear to you and your idiot brothers that you were not to just drop by.
Now, now, big kitty. Were all family. And family is family.
What the fuck does that even mean?
Instead of answering, the wolf held up his bowl. Yogurt?
I dont want yogurt. And I told the staff not to stock my refrigerator with that crap anymore.
Brendon had thought by not having the yogurt, hed have fewer visits from Ronnie Lees Pack and family.
You did ask them, the wolf replied. But we just talked to the wolves on staff and they made sure to set us up right. It was either that or we mock them with our howls at night.
The wolf gestured at Brendon. Guess youre going to have to start wearing some pants to bed, hoss, once that baby comes along.
Which brother was this again? Oh. Yeah. The middle one. Ricky. He was a little less irritating than Reece Lee and definitely not as uptight as Rory, but he was still a male canine in Brendons house.
Eat your food and get out.
As ya like.
Thinking about changing the locks again but knowing it would be a waste since wolves could pretty much unlock anything they wanted to, Brendon started off again. But hed barely walked ten paces when the front door opened, and a few seconds later, another one of Ronnie Lees wolf kin invaded his home.
There you are, Reece Lee said when he spotted his brother. He stepped into the sunken living room, briefly stopping by Brendon to note, Guess youll have to start wearing pants once Ronnies baby comes.
