Page 68 of Healed

“New girl is demanding,” Rachel muttered. But it wasn’t malicious, she was smiling, talking to Gabriella like she was an old friend.

I caught Gabriella’s eye from across the table and shot her a small wink, ignoring the way my dick tightened as a blush spread across her cheeks.

“You both had no pants on?” Steph asked, her words muffled and mumbled.

“Of course that’s what you focus on,” Rachel laughed.

“I’m consistent,” Steph said, and then wrapped her arms around her head even tighter.

“What on earth possessed you to taser him, though?” Imogen laughed, coming into the room. “Jade rang me and told me all about it.”

Steph didn’t utter a word. She simply raised her hand in the air, dropped her wrist and pointed in the vague direction of Rachel.

“Oh, that’s nice, isn’t it? Blame me. It’s your taser, Steph!”

“Monster’s,” she mumbled.

“Sorry, pardon, what was that?” Rachel muttered.

“It’s Monster’s,” Steph snapped, raising her head for a split second before face-planting the table again.

“What’s Monster got a taser for?” Ant asked, bouncing a grouchy Axel on his shoulders.

“I don’t see how any of this is important,” I said. “What’s important is that Rachel was the one to do the actual tasering.” I approached her chair, gripping the back of it.

Grabbing a wooden spoon, I quickly bent low, twisted my head and put my face right up to hers. “What is your defence?” I asked, using the spoon as a microphone.

“Vienna,” she spluttered, batting me away with her hands. “Vienna, I can’t breathe through this stupid beard. Get it out of my fucking face.”

“Shan’t,” I replied, picking up my braided beard and hitting her in the face with it.

She stabbed me in the leg with a butter knife.

“Fucking hell,” I gasped, hopping back. “Are you forgetting I am on death’s door? The only thing keeping me upright is morphine and—”

“Doc gave you two paracetamol and told you to get over it,” Gabriella said.

“Talk about betrayal,” I gasped. “After I rescued you and everything.”

“Technically, she rescued herself,” Ant said.

“Is there not a rule that only residents of the house can be here for breakfast?” I asked, ignoring Ant.

“I’m resident babysitter for the morning. Heather is taking Bee to school.”

“Isn’t that a job for her mother?” I replied.

“Should be,” Ant said, placing Axel in his highchair. “If said mother wasn’t banned from the school.”

“You’re banned, Rachel? Why?” Gabriella asked.

“She’s psychotic,” Dante said simply.

“Hear, hear,” I said, raising my cup in salute.

“I’m not psychotic. Excuse me for trying to inject a little humour into this place.”

“Since when were you funny?” Dante asked.