Free Damaged and the Cobra by Bijou Hunter Page B

in a circle. A moment passed when I thought the old man
would treat Bailey the way he treated all women. Put her in her place, remind
her how he was the man, and she was lucky to breathe the same air as him.
    I saw in his fair eyes how he planned to grab
Bailey who was still yelling, “No!” Realization flickered as he remembered why
Bailey Fucking Johansson could walk into an upstanding member of the
community’s house, stand on a coffee table, and scream like a child in the
throes of a tantrum.
    “You’ll stay at Miss Johansson’s house. No
wandering off to see any boys.”
    “Okay,” I said quickly then took Bailey’s hand so
her yelling would stop.
    “Did we win?” she asked.
    “We won.”
    Larry grunted at this comment then gave Bailey
another fake smile. “It was nice meeting you.”
    “Sure, old timer. I’m out of here. I’ll be back to
pick up Lark on Friday evening. Don’t make me scream at you again or I’m
pulling my gun next time.”
    Done with her threats, Bailey strutted to the front
door while wearing her duckface. I followed her outside then hugged her.
    “Thank you.”
    “You give great hugs,” Bailey said, softening in my
embrace. “My mom gives great hugs too.”
    “You’re awesomesauce and I’ll make this up to you
one day.”
    “No worries,” Bailey said, smiling softly after the
hug ended. “I like helping people. It’s fun. I also like screaming. With that
fuckwad, I got to do both. It’s been a good day.”
    Hugging her again, I didn’t care if Larry was rude
the rest of the night or if Margo gave me a lecture. All I knew was I had a
weekend to see Aaron. I just hoped he really meant he would wait.

Chapter Eighteen - Aaron
    Cooper had decked out the basement of his suburban
house as a teenage boy’s dream. Home theater at one end and videogames at the
other with a pool table in the middle. Farah was the one who seemed to enjoy
the table the most and she hit a ball into the corner pocket.
    Cooper slid up behind her and rubbed his groin
against her butt.
    “When we have kids, you’re teaching them to play
pool,” he said in her ear. “I want them sending assholes into tears by beating
them so badly.”
    “You made less sense when you’re horny.”
    “I’d feel sorry for you, if you weren’t the one
wearing these shorts. Damn.”
    For a minute, I thought they might fuck on the
table with me standing awkwardly nearby. Fortunately, they remembered I existed
and smiled at me in unison. Great, they really were sharing a brain now.
    “Domestication isn’t always pretty,” I muttered,
sitting in a chair and watching Farah take another shot.
    “Dude, forgot to mention…” Cooper said, losing his
train of thought as Farah bent over.
    Farah finished for him, again proving they shared a
brain. “Lark told her jerk stepdad that she’s spending the weekend with Bailey.
She’d like to sneak over and spend it with you instead.”
    Bolting to my feet, I nearly came out of my skin.
“I’ve been here for a fucking hour and you never mentioned this?”
    Farah frowned at me. “Coop wanted to be the one to
tell you. Don’t blame me for his short attention span. And don’t yell at me
either.”
    “Want me to smack him, baby?” Cooper asked,
nuzzling his groin against her waist. “I’ll do it for a small fee.”
    “He yelled at your woman. Kick his ass for free,
Coop.”
    Awaking from his horniness, Cooper glared at me.
“Apologize or I crush your face.”
    “Fuck off. You should have told me about Lark as
soon as I got here.”
    “I’m not one to gossip,” Cooper said, eyeing
Farah’s ass as she bent over.
    “Twenty minutes ago, you told me about Bailey’s
date with a stoner. Before that, you told me about the rumor that some chick I
don’t even know is doing a professor.”
    “Instructor,” Cooper clarified. “You know we don’t
let them call themselves professors. Can’t let those fuckers get too uppity.”
    “Whatever, man. You fucking gossip, but