Page 107 of Freak Show

I heard giggling from the hallway beyond me and turned to see Viddy standing there with arms full of paper sacks.

Lunch.

“Sure,” I said as I held out my hand.

He gave me his prescription pad and said, “His name is Noah.”

“I’ll treat her like my own.” He promised as he took the signed note.

I offered him my hand. “I’d appreciate that.”

And he did.

Six hours later, Briley was the owner of a bright green waterproof cast, and I was a couple of gray hairs heavier.

But in the end, everyone was okay, and that was all that I could ask for.

Two Days Later

“Slone,” Ari said softly. “You have to go. There are two options. We can go with you, or you can leave us here. I swear to you I won’t even leave the house.”

I waved that worry away. “I’m not worried about y’all, per se. I’m more worried about others.”

Others being her sister that we still couldn’t freakin’ find.

Not that she seemed too worried.

She may not be, but I sure the hell was.

“I’ll be okay with Ari, Daddy,” Briley promised as she wiggled her cast at me. “We’re going swimming.”

I looked over at her where she was leaned up on the couch against Melon. Melon, who didn’t seem to have a care in the world.

Did I somehow just gain two tigers living in my house with Ari? Was this my life now?

I kind of loved it.

“I don’t worry about y’all. I worry about all those weirdos that like to stalk me,” I pointed out.

“Hire a bodyguard,” Ari suggested.

Now that wasn’t a half bad idea.

“You’ll listen to him every step of the way?” I asked.

She crossed her heart with her fingers then held up a pinky.

“If you have the bodyguard, you can go back to working at the circus,” Briley voiced.

I shot her a glare.

“I could…” Ari agreed, looking at me as if she needed me to say yes before she’d even consider it.

So that was how I let my girl go back to work while her crazy sister was still on the loose.

CHAPTER 22

I love hot dads.

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