Read Online In the Crossfire (Bloodhaven) by Lynn Graeme - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynn Graeme
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want to go to Paris? Every girl does.”
“Not every,” Naley said viciously.
Isobel turned Naley around to face her. The girl slowly looked up to meet her eyes, her expression guarded.
“Your grandparents would love to see you again.”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
“Yes, they would.”
“They want me to behave. ”
“Did they tell you that?”
“No, but I can feel it.”
Isobel’s lips twitched. “Cub, you are aware that whenever they see you, they let you do whatever you want? When your mother and I were your age, we had to be perfect ladies at every function. Your Gran would deck us out in pearls and organza. Just picture me in pearls and organza. Your Opa, meanwhile, made sure we exited the womb possessing the self-control of an army general. Meanwhile, they let you run as wild as a hyena. Believe me, they’re spoiling you.”
“Blech,” Naley grumbled, but her cheek dimpled.
Isobel smiled. “Your mom chafed under their rules too.”
Naley made a face. She clearly didn’t appreciate the comparison to her mother.
Then she drew in a deep breath and tilted her head, examining Isobel closely. “Do you want me to go?” She paused, then rephrased, “Do you want me to stay?”
Isobel squeezed her tight. “Always.”
Naley returned the hug. They stayed in that hold for a few seconds before Naley spoke, voice muffled: “Your boobs’re smothering me.”
“Not the first time I’ve heard that,” Isobel replied, pulling back. She placed her hands on both Naley’s shoulders and bent down for a sober eye-to-eye. “Promise me you won’t ever do anything as foolhardy as what you did yesterday.”
“I’m sorry,” Naley mumbled.
“I’m serious, cub. New rule in the house: no taking off like that. Ever. No running away without telling anyone where you’re going. What if you’d been hit on the road? Attacked? I wouldn’t have known for weeks. ” The very idea chilled Isobel to the bone. “If something happens, you call me. Understand? I don’t care what time it is or where you are, you call me.”
Naley nodded, trying not to sniffle. She kept her chin up, face stoic, not making any excuses.
She really was a Saba. Isobel felt proud of her.
She chucked Naley under the chin. “I’ll pick you up after school today. We’ll stop at your home so you can pack whatever you need to bring over.”
“Okay. There’s not much.” Naley quickly swiped her eye with a knuckle, pretending it was just an itch. “You’re not working this afternoon?”
“I’m going to ask them to shift my schedule around. Might not take effect immediately, though, so since I’m picking you up, I might have to go back to HQ later this evening to wrap some things up.” Like bothersome reports.
“That’s okay.” Naley looked more cheered now. Sitting up straighter, eyes brighter. “I can hang out with Liam whenever you’re not around.”
Isobel paused. “Or you can call your friends and chat.”
Naley shrugged. “Yeah.” She eyed Isobel suspiciously. “Don’t you like Liam?”
“I like Liam just fine. But you know how he is. He doesn’t like . . . people . . . that much.”
“That’s not true. He likes you.”
Isobel almost laughed. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“The tips of his ears go red whenever I mention your name.”
“Cub, you sprung yourself on him all of a sudden and he had to frantically chuck clothes in your direction. You can’t blame the man for blushing.”
“No, not just yesterday. I’ve noticed it before, last time I was over. And then he acted all stiff and awkward and stuff when you got home last night. Didn’t wanna look at you.”
Isobel shook her head. Who would’ve guessed Naley was such a romantic?
Naley looked impatient. “The boys at school do that too, y’ know. Pretend like they’re not looking while they’re secretly checking you out.”
“Is a boy at school checking you out?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
Isobel hid a smile. It was so
“Not every,” Naley said viciously.
Isobel turned Naley around to face her. The girl slowly looked up to meet her eyes, her expression guarded.
“Your grandparents would love to see you again.”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
“Yes, they would.”
“They want me to behave. ”
“Did they tell you that?”
“No, but I can feel it.”
Isobel’s lips twitched. “Cub, you are aware that whenever they see you, they let you do whatever you want? When your mother and I were your age, we had to be perfect ladies at every function. Your Gran would deck us out in pearls and organza. Just picture me in pearls and organza. Your Opa, meanwhile, made sure we exited the womb possessing the self-control of an army general. Meanwhile, they let you run as wild as a hyena. Believe me, they’re spoiling you.”
“Blech,” Naley grumbled, but her cheek dimpled.
Isobel smiled. “Your mom chafed under their rules too.”
Naley made a face. She clearly didn’t appreciate the comparison to her mother.
Then she drew in a deep breath and tilted her head, examining Isobel closely. “Do you want me to go?” She paused, then rephrased, “Do you want me to stay?”
Isobel squeezed her tight. “Always.”
Naley returned the hug. They stayed in that hold for a few seconds before Naley spoke, voice muffled: “Your boobs’re smothering me.”
“Not the first time I’ve heard that,” Isobel replied, pulling back. She placed her hands on both Naley’s shoulders and bent down for a sober eye-to-eye. “Promise me you won’t ever do anything as foolhardy as what you did yesterday.”
“I’m sorry,” Naley mumbled.
“I’m serious, cub. New rule in the house: no taking off like that. Ever. No running away without telling anyone where you’re going. What if you’d been hit on the road? Attacked? I wouldn’t have known for weeks. ” The very idea chilled Isobel to the bone. “If something happens, you call me. Understand? I don’t care what time it is or where you are, you call me.”
Naley nodded, trying not to sniffle. She kept her chin up, face stoic, not making any excuses.
She really was a Saba. Isobel felt proud of her.
She chucked Naley under the chin. “I’ll pick you up after school today. We’ll stop at your home so you can pack whatever you need to bring over.”
“Okay. There’s not much.” Naley quickly swiped her eye with a knuckle, pretending it was just an itch. “You’re not working this afternoon?”
“I’m going to ask them to shift my schedule around. Might not take effect immediately, though, so since I’m picking you up, I might have to go back to HQ later this evening to wrap some things up.” Like bothersome reports.
“That’s okay.” Naley looked more cheered now. Sitting up straighter, eyes brighter. “I can hang out with Liam whenever you’re not around.”
Isobel paused. “Or you can call your friends and chat.”
Naley shrugged. “Yeah.” She eyed Isobel suspiciously. “Don’t you like Liam?”
“I like Liam just fine. But you know how he is. He doesn’t like . . . people . . . that much.”
“That’s not true. He likes you.”
Isobel almost laughed. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“The tips of his ears go red whenever I mention your name.”
“Cub, you sprung yourself on him all of a sudden and he had to frantically chuck clothes in your direction. You can’t blame the man for blushing.”
“No, not just yesterday. I’ve noticed it before, last time I was over. And then he acted all stiff and awkward and stuff when you got home last night. Didn’t wanna look at you.”
Isobel shook her head. Who would’ve guessed Naley was such a romantic?
Naley looked impatient. “The boys at school do that too, y’ know. Pretend like they’re not looking while they’re secretly checking you out.”
“Is a boy at school checking you out?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
Isobel hid a smile. It was so
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