Page 11 of How to Hide Your Angel Kid

Galent shrugged, but he took a step toward Pinks, his nostrils flaring. “She smells clean. Pure. Like nothing I’ve ever smelled.”

Crap.With every step Pinks took backward, Galent prowled forward and pressed even closer.

“What is she?” Galent asked, backing Pinks and Zarrie up against a wall.

Pinks bared his teeth. “I’m not telling you.”

Except Zarrie had stopped her hungry whimpering. Instead, she watched Galent quietly, reaching out for him.

“Zee, no!”

For a long moment, all three of them stared at her tiny fingers straining for Galent’s shirt, mere inches of air separating them.

“Huh,” Galent murmured, stepping sideways.

Zarrie’s fingers followed him; she kept leaning toward him, and she would’ve fallen out of Pinks’ arms had he not been holding her steady.

Pinks scowled and backed away from the giant, who had a knowing look in his eye.

“Looks like I won’t have to try too hard,” Galent murmured. “She wants to connect with me.”

“She doesn’t,” Pinks growled.

Galent moved to Pinks’ other side, only for Zarrie to track him with her burnt-orange eyes.

Galent’s smile grew. Then he cocked his head as though listening to something outside. “Our friends may be leaving.”

He turned and left his back unguarded, heading for the door.

Zarrie hiccupped.

A single white feather popped into the air between her and Pinks.

When Galent began to look back, Pinks panicked. He grabbed the feather and shoved it into his mouth, only for Zarrie to stick her fingers between his lips.

The feather was ticklish and dry. Pinks clapped his hand over his mouth, meeting Galent’s eyes.

Then he sneezed violently. The feather stuck to the back of Pinks’ teeth, and he pushed it to the inside of his cheek. “Fuck.”

“You shouldn’t curse in front of a baby,” Galent said mildly.

“You can’t tell me how to parent. She’s not yours!”

Galent raised an eyebrow. And said, “Fuck bitch asswipe dickhead jerkoff jackass motherfucking asshole—”

“What the hell are you doing?” Pinks squawked, hurriedly covering Zarrie’s ears with his palm and the side of his arm. Then he realized his mouth was uncovered—was the feather stuck to the roof of hismouth?—and slammed his lips shut.

Galent shrugged. “You seemed to be okay with swear words.”

“Fuck you!”

Galent gave Pinks a pointed look. “Would you really?”

“Argh!” Pinks snarled, his teeth more pointy than before. Only for Galent to give a sharp smile and turn away.

“I’ll tell our friends that you’re appreciative of their help,” Galent said over his shoulder.

Not that he needed to. Most of the men outside had already heard them. Pinks flipped Galent off and waited for him to disappear, before hurrying to the bathroom. He flushed the saliva-soaked feather, then went to the kitchen and grabbed the little containers of food he’d left in the fridge.

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