Page 132 of Finding Hope

Kit isn’t here to throw eggs. She’s here to murder the chief of police.

Scrambling out of my seat, I take cartons of eggs – and break at least a few in my haste – but the egg yolk sliding down my forearm is forgotten as soon as Alex opens the front door and steps onto the porch.

“You all wanna go home,” he shouts in his chief of police voice. “Except you, Britt. Get inside.”

“I’m not coming in!” Annie leans against me and lets out a warning growl. Jesus. My brother’s going to die today. “What you said was wrong, X, and you need to own it. You need to apologize.”

“I won’t apologize,” he snarls and slams his hands onto his still loaded hips. “I caught him doing… something bad. I won’t everunseethat, Brat.”

“What did he catch Jack doing?” Kit asks quietly.

“Um…” I look down at the two small girls, then back up to Kit. “He caught Jack and me…fornicating…”

Tink laughs. “Is that a question or a fact?”

“Fact…”

“Where?”

For half a beat, I wonder if she’s askingwherein my body. My face burns red, but then I pull myself together and answer, “At the lookout.”

Tina snorts. “You were caughtfornicating… in public?”

I nod.

“By the deputy?”

I nod again. “Chief.”

“Who just happens to be your brother.”

“Mmhmm.”

“No wonder he’s pissed,” Tink cackles. Stopping when she remembers her role, she turns back to glare at Alex. “You need to say sorry, Alex!”

“I won’t!”

Annie lets out a second growl, louder and more menacing. Her fur stands tall, her body quivers. She’s normally a sweetheart, but I won’t lie, I’m glad she’s pointing her teethawayfrom me.

Scotch steps out of the house and stops beside X. His lips twitch at our Charlie’s Angels posture – the smaller girls literally stand back-to-back.

“What are you idiots doing?”

“Go inside, Scotch!” Tink calls out. “You know what happened last time you got in the middle of ourpoop.”

His smile pops wide. “Poop?”

She nods at the girls.

He nods back.

Like, this is all totally legit and okay.

“I think I’ll stay right here, babycakes.” He folds his arms across his chest. “I wanna see this showdown. I feel like we’re in El Paso right now. Are you Dallas or Hale?”

“Last chance to get inside,” she calls across the expanse of lawn between us. “Innocent bystanders are fair game in this war, Lemon Drop. No mercy.”

“That’s cold.” Laughing, Marc steps onto the porch next to the other guys, then Angelo joins them. That’smostof the Powerpuff Girls. I get the feeling Lucwon’tbe joining us today. “You girls should go home before you break a nail.”

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