Read Online By Any Other Name by Cherie Noel - Free Book Online

me a brat. I’m over at Benji’s folks place. Apparently the ‘rents left his little sister on her own again to go to some society function, so we’re hanging out with her for a bit.”
Michael grunted again and this time the sound dropped nearly an octave lower. Missy and Benji’s folks really didn’t deserve such great kids.
“Well, aren’t they just nominees for best parents of the year. Eh, I’ll be there in fifteen, twenty minutes tops, alright?”
A smacking sound echoed over the line. “Uh, yeah, we just started eating, so waiting for you is no problem. There’s even a pineapple and ham pizza if you want to join us. You and Missy are the only two people I know who actually eat that crap willingly.”
As Michael slid behind the wheel of his car, he laughed so hard his sides ached. “I cannot believe you still get into such a twist about fruit being on pizza. I gotta hang up—I’m leaving the parking lot. Later.”
****
    Several hours later Andy proudly opened the door to his house as the first of his guests arrived. Adrien’s phone began to ring, the tone of Bonnie Tyler’s song all about holding out for a hero bringing a bright red color flooding into his cheeks. Andy arched an eyebrow at him. Hell, he’d blush too if he got caught using that lame-assed Needy Nancy song as a ringtone too. A quick glance to the right showed Markus was also quirking a perfectly groomed eyebrow at Adrien as they were all tortured with the strains of the music drifting into the quiet of Andy’s foyer. Adrien grimaced and slid his finger over the screen of his android phone to answer. As he held the phone to his ear, a puzzled expression drifted across his face.
“Hello?”
    After a moment where he cocked his head to one side and frowned, he raised startled eyes to Andy’s face. Adrien’s normally sunkissed face blanched.
“Oh, shit!”
    Andy felt Markus, Benji, Sam, David, Anthony, and “E” all crowd in close. Adrien raised stricken eyes to them.
    “Holy Crap-doodly, guys, it’s a level seven alert.”
Seven pairs of equally worried eyes passed looks of concern back and forth. “E” spoke first.
“What color, Adrien?”
Adrien gulped. “I—it sounds like a Black Sparkle.”
Andy and Sam both sucked in a harsh breath.
Andy squeezed out one word. “Who?”
Adrien shivered all over. “I’m pretty sure it’s Michael and Devon both. You all know your assignments. We gotta move fast. This one sounds bad.”
Benji and Markus raced back to Benji’s car to check on the siblings.
Anthony and “E” jumped into Anthony’s GMC Jimmy to check on the parents and then round up the police.
Andy saw Adrien and Sam glance over at what they thought of as his piece of shit Nova. He knew they were probably wondering if it would last long enough to get them to Devon’s place. Andy shot them both dirty looks from under his bright blond bangs.
“I’ll have you know that Michael has been sneaking into the parking lot at the mall nearly every day for two weeks rebuilding this engine. It’s practically new at this point. And don’t you dare tell him I knew.”
Sam chortled. Adrien just shook his head, gesturing at the vehicles doors.
“Okay, Mr. Supermodel with the smexy man on a string… can you unlock the damn car and get it running so we can go save these two big bumblers?”
As Andy took in the terrified look on Adrien’s face and the seriousness of his calling a level seven Black Sparkle alert, he shot Adrien a look and fumbled his keys out of his pocket. Dropping them on the snow covered sidewalk twice because his hands were shaking so badly, Andy almost wept with relief when Adrien lost his patience and snatched them up.
“Get your ass over to the passenger side, Andy. Sam’s driving. He’s not gonna lose his shit worrying like we will, and he always speeds, so we’ll get there fast, possibly with a police escort.”
Andy blinked at Adrien as the other man’s words crawled toward him through the frozen sludge