Page 4 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

Millie looks up at him, laughing uncomfortably. “Wait, Dad . . . Were you a player?”

Mariel busts out laughing as she turns back around to the stove.

“I wasn’t a player.”

Chase rolls his eyes again and looks down.

“Chase, stop making that face!” Millie pushes his shoulder again.

“Yes, Chase,” Mack says, glaring at him. “Stop making that face.”

Chase grabs his beer off the counter. “I’m going outside to get the grill ready?” he says as he speed walks out the back door.

Millie folds her arms over her chest, shaking her head at Mack. “I can’t believe you were a whore. Oh my God. That is way too much information.”

“Can we please stop talking about this?” Mack says, shaking his head at her. “Please.”

Mariel turns around and smiles at him. “You know, Mack, you might have an opportunity to get some when we’re down in the Outer Banks. I told Carol you were coming down.”

Mack steps back like someone just shoved him. He looks from Mariel to Millie.

“Wait, who’s Carol?” Millie says, her brow furrowed deeply.

“No one.” Mack takes a step toward Mariel. “Mariel, I’m begging you to shut up.”

“Carol, sweetie,” Mariel says, looking directly at Mack. “Carol Blake.”

“Wait. What?” Millie falls back against me. “Like my Aunt Carol? How do you know her?”

“Mariel—” Mack takes another step toward her.

“Yes, Millie. Your Aunt Carol—Chloe’s mom.” Mariel flashes an evil grin at Mack. “I got to be friends with her when we were living in Virginia Beach.”

Millie presses her back more firmly into me. “But Carol lived in the Outer Banks. How did you meet her?”

Mack leans against the wall, shaking his head slowly as he lets out a long breath.

“Carol came to Virginia Beach every so often to see your dad,” Mariel says as she leans back on the counter and crosses her arms.

Millie flips her head to Mack. “What? Did Carol visit you? Like how? As a friend?” Mack’s eyes are focused on his feet. “Oh my God, Dad. Were you sleeping with her?”

Mack looks up and takes a quick angry glance at Mariel who’s smiling broadly at him.

“Millie,” he says, taking her hand and pulling her away from me, “your Aunt Carol and I were dating for a little bit before I left.”

“You were dating her aunt?” I laugh and regret it instantly.

Mack flips his head to me. “You might want to sit this one out, boyfriend,” he says, his face turning deadly. I’ve seen several versions of Mack’s angry face in the past few weeks, but this one is the most dangerous.

“Yep,” I say, grabbing my beer. “What’s that Chase? You need help with the grill?”

Chase laughs as I barrel through the back door. “Getting a little hot in there for you?”

“Way too hot. I seriously think Mack’s going to kill me one of these nights while I’m sleeping.”

“Naw, man. He’s just putting you through the wringer a few times,” Chase says. “When he left, Millie was a teenager. He’s having a hard time adjusting to the fact that she’s a woman now. He’ll get there.”

“He’s going to have to because I’m not going anywhere. Maybe it’ll get easier if he gets a woman of his own. What’s the deal with this Carol?”

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