Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(59)

Anna smirks in my direction. “Yes, but it’s going to be official too. Trust me, Bails. I’m always right. I’m a scientist, you know.”

I roll my eyes. “Seriously? That’s your answer to everything.”

Anna laughs, her eyes sparkling. “What? It makes me sound smart. It’s useful for winning arguments.”

“Don’t think you could use it against a lawyer,” I tease, nodding at Faye.

“That’s the truth. She always knows exactly what to say. There’s so many hilarious lawyer jokes though. Every time I come across one, I forward it to her,” Anna says, laughing. “Everyone hates lawyers.” She pauses. “They’re up there with car salesmen and real estate agents.”

“You’re terrible,” I say, but laugh with her. “Teachers have a good reputation. I’m educating the youth of today to be the leaders of the future.”

“You make them glue stuff,” Anna blurts, laughing. “Your job sounds fun.”

“Hey, I do more than that!” I say a little defensively. “I set them up for everything they need to know for their future years of studying! I help build the foundation for their education.”

Anna nods her head sagely. “Yeah, you’re right. But come on, you do a lot of gluing and painting.”

I puff out a breath. “You’re infuriating.”

Lana sits back down and looks between us. “What did I miss?”

“A career war,” Anna says, grinning. “What do you have for us, Lana?”

“Not this again,” Lana grumbles, lifting her legs up on the empty chair in front of her. “If I was on a deserted island, I’d be one of the first ones they’d kill off. What could they use a romance author for?”

“I’m sure you have some other skills,” I tell her, biting my lip and trying not to laugh at her random comment.

“I have no survival skills at all,” she disagrees, tilting her head. “I’m book smart. Not very practical.”

“Well then,” I say, sounding choked. “Hopefully Tracker will be there to save your ass and stop the people on the island from voting you off.”

Anna looks at Lana, squinting her eyes. “That was such a fiction writer comment by the way.”

Lana shrugs, smiling. “You live in your world, and I live in mine.”

“My world being reality?” Anna asks, laughing. “I’d love to see into your head. See how you come up with all these characters and plot lines. All the evil little twists you add into your books. Do you have an evil laugh you use when you kill someone off?”

Lana beams. “Actually I do. Do you want to hear it?”

We both nod.

She clears her throat and then laughs. “Mwahahahaha.” She looks at us. “What do you think?”

“I think you could even go eviler,” I say, considering. “Is eviler a word, author friend of mine?”

“Why does everyone always ask me?” She laughs. “That’s what editors are for. Trust me, I make up more words than the average person.”

“That’s true,” Anna adds, nodding her head.

“Hey at least I don’t say chipotle like ‘chipottle,’?” Lana says to Anna, unable to keep a straight face. “That was some funny shit!”

“You said you wouldn’t bring that up again!”

“Says the scientist,” I tease, making Lana laugh even harder.

We spend the rest of the day chatting, eating, and watching the children laugh and play. Clover cuts her Frozen cake and we all sing “Happy Birthday” to her. This is the last place I ever thought I’d fit in, yet I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.

Life definitely surprises you at every turn.

And sometimes, it’s in a very good way.





TWENTY-FIVE




SO that’s the connection you have with Talon,” I say, eyes flaring. “You never told me the whole story before.”

“Didn’t I?” Anna frowns, reaching up to tie her light hair in a ponytail. “My biological father raised him instead of Rake and me. Talon’s a good guy though. It wasn’t his fault our so-called father abandoned us.”

“And that’s why Rake doesn’t like Talon,” I say, coming to the realization. I cover my face with my hands. “And I kissed him!”

Anna winces at that. “Yeah, Talon is lucky to be alive after that one. Rake doesn’t hurt Talon because he knows I care about him. Talon and I have a weird bond. Must have been the whole kidnapping thing.”

I stare at her until she explains that one.

“He kidnapped you? Sweet baby Jesus,” I groan, shaking my head in shock. “Looks like I’ve missed a whole lot of drama.”

“You have no idea,” Talon says without missing a beat, sliding into the seat next to Anna. He eyes me warily. “Rake know you’re here?”

I look to Anna. “No, but to be fair, I had no idea you were going to be joining us today, Talon.”

Talon simply chuckles and kisses Anna sloppily on the cheek. “Always causing trouble, aren’t you, Anna Bell?”

Anna tightens her lips. “No harm is coming to her being in your presence. She’s Rake’s now, so I’m sure you will both keep your lips to yourselves.”