Page 61 of One of Six

"Be careful what you say in front of David," I warn him.

We all enter the hotel without passing anyone in the corridors. Carter has a large room—luckily—with a view of the ocean. Well, it would if it wasn't the middle of the night.

Carter stumbles into the bathroom while we spread out in the room. Galen and Violet take the two chairs, and Essex and I take the sofa.

David looks between us and smiles wearily. "I know about you and Essex, Bea." He turns to Essex. "No more sneaking into the house. It's a pain in the ass to change the security feed."

"What?!"

"Your... Richard had security cameras installed around the perimeter of the house." He shrugs. "Lucky for you, I hooked them up to an app on my phone."

I look at Essex and then back at David. "You're confusing me."

"I know I am." He lets out a heavy breath and motions for Carter to sit on the bed. "Sit... You'll be good after I put a butterfly bandage on your head."

He goes on to me, "I'm not the bastard you think I am." He winces. "The cruiser; I knew the Redds were in town. I left the car unlocked on purpose, Bea. I knew you'd be out within minutes. Just in case I was wrong, I watched the camera I'd parked underneath to make sure you got out. You wouldn’t have spent more than five minutes in there, even if I had to make up an excuse for a deputy to go out to the car."

"Why do all this?" Essex asks, pulling me closer until I'm in his lap.

"Because Richard and Judge said I was getting soft." He finishes helping Carter and sits down at the end of the bed.

"Thanks for stopping them, Bea. Although I almost had a heart attack when I saw you show up."

"You're not the only one," Essex mumbles.

"David told me too. He said they wouldn't touch me." I clear my throat. "Uncle David and Uncle Carter?—”

"Ed," Carter interrupts.

I smile. "Uncle David and Uncle Ed, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Essex Redd, and his brother, Galen." They exchange nods.

Violet clears her throat loudly.

"Oops, Uncle Ed, this is my best friend, Violet."

"Are you married?" Violet asks in response to my introduction, interrupting my train of thought.

"Um, no, I'm not,” Carter admits a bemused expression on his battered face.

"Neither am I," she flirts.

Galen narrows his eyes at her, "As my brother says,Jailbait, you're seventeen and flirting with a grown man will get you in trouble."

"Age is just a number! Right, Ed?" She flutters her eyelashes.

"Shit!" Ed curses. "I'm too old and in too much pain to deal with you right now, young lady."

"Oh, does that mean when you're not in pain you'll spank me?"

Essex shakes with laughter while David and Ed look at her in horror.

I clear my throat and say, "Violet, please stop flirting with my uncle."

"I'm not talking to Ridge. Galen won't let me flirt. Essex is yours. How else am I supposed to practice my flirting skills?"

David shoots to his feet. "Jesus, Violet! Behave yourself or I will arrest you for something."

"Oh, handcuffs! Kinky."

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