Page 81 of Frank's Felon
“He’s no longer stinky,” Frankie announced as she jumped onto the sofa next to her dad, bouncing Mason in a way that made him wince and clutch his abdomen.
“Frankie!” Takara scorned as she entered the room. “Be careful. He’s still healing.”
“We’re good, Kara,” Mason said, pulling Frankie into a bear hug. “Did you want to tell Frank and Delilah?” he asked his daughter.
“My brother’s name is Dillon. He’s named after Delilah. I wanted to name him Del, but momma said that would be too confusing.”
“Really?” Delilah said, stunned. They’d named their son after her? “Are you sure you want to name him after me? I. . .I sort of have a record.”
“You saved my mate and my daughter. You think I give a shit about your record?” Takara said, then she relaxed. “Sorry. I usually don’t swear so much, at least not in front of the kids.”
“Mama’s cranky like Frank. Dillon keeps waking everyone at night.”
“Ah, that explains it,” Frank said, sporting a grin.
Takara wasn’t one to smile much, but she had a look about her that gained a shifter’s attention. Especially now, as she glared at Frank.
“Careful Frank,” Mason warned. “You may end up on night nurse duty for a week at the rate you’re going.”
“Can’t. Got nightly patrols scheduled.”
“Convenient,” Delilah said, debating if she should throw him under the bus and tell them he had cleared his schedule to have nights with her. Then again, she was leaving tomorrow. “Thank you for the honor. That was really sweet of you, and I’m sure he’ll be as big and charming as his older sister soon enough, right Frankie?”
“He’s loud,” Frankie added. “I’m not loud.”
Takara rolled her eyes. “I’m thinking of going back to being a guard.”
“Hell, no,” Frank said. “I mean, no. I mean. . . Hell, why are you doing this to me, Takara?”
Takara walked over to the door, throwing a teasing grin toward Delilah. She opened the door. “Thank you, Max. Next time knock. Don’t stand there breathing for five minutes.”
“Mamma has really good hearing,” Frankie explained.
“I see that,” Delilah said as she took the food from the teen and headed into the kitchen. “Smells good.”
“The cooks have been sending meals from the cookhouse since Mason got injured and the baby was born. They always send more than we can eat. I guess they think we’re feeding an army up here.”
“Just Frank,” Mason clarified.
“Watch it. I can still do damage to you without aggravating your wound.”
“Mama, Uncle Frank’s threatening Daddy again.”
“Then do what I told you to do,” Takara called back from the kitchen.
Frankie jumped really hard onto Frank’s lap without any warning.
“Oomph,” Frank said, before starting to turn several shades of green. He eased Frankie to sit on his knees as he squirmed slightly.
“That a girl!” Mason said.
“When. . . you’re. . . healed. . .I’m. . .gonna—” Frank sputtered between bouts of pain.
“Careful, Frank, those threats are what got you into your present. . . ah, situation.”
“My poor, Frank,” Delilah said from the entry way to the kitchen.
“As I was trying to say,” Takara continued. “We have plenty of food. Do you want to join us?”
