ReBoot (MAC Security 4)

Cal wrings his hand on the doorknob before sighing. “Don’t keep people locked out because of your past. Never be afraid to be who you are, who you are is more than good enough. If anyone has a problem with that, that’s their problem, not yours.”

I stand in shock and watch as he walks out without another word. Why would he say that?

I shake my head and move my attention back to the patio where Livvy and Mal are laughing their heads off. It may not be your typical family, but that’s what this is. My new family.

A loud crash wakes me and I shoot up in bed, trying to get out as fast as I can but getting my legs caught in the covers. I push my hands out in front of me, bracing myself for the impact. I miss face-planting the floor by a few centimeters before I hear the unmistakable sound of male voices.

The adrenaline pumps through my body as I untangle myself and grab the first thing I can, holding it up as a weapon and pushing my door open as quietly as I can.

I tiptoe down the hallway and toward the kitchen where the voices are coming from. Leaning my back against the wall, I count to three and take a deep breath before shooting around the corner.

“Hey!” I widen my stance as the two men freeze with their backs to me. One standing in front of the stove and the other by the sink. “Don’t move!”

They fling their hands up in the air in surrender and I search the kitchen. It’s like a bomb has gone off in here. Food splattered along all the counters. What the hell kind of robbery is this?

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice low and threatening. “Don’t move!” I scream when they start to turn.

“Lexi?” Livvy’s groan comes from the end of the hallway and she appears a few seconds later. “What the hell.” Her eyes look around the kitchen just like mine had.

“Call the police, Livvy.”

“I think I will.” Her back straightens and a smirk spreads across her face. “Who comes into someone’s home and makes breakfast? There has to be some kind of law against it. Look at my poor kitchen!”

The two guys groan and start to drop their hands before spinning around.

“Happy to see us, as always, Gran.”

My head whips back and forth between these two guys and Livvy, trying to work out what the hell is going on while warning them not to move again. They freeze, but I have a feeling that they’re just entertaining me at this point.

“Livvy?” I ask in a whisper. “What’s going on?”

“These two buffoons are my grandsons!” She walks over to them, slapping them both upside the head. “You should have told us you were coming! You’ve scared Lexi half to death.”

“Well she scared us too!” the one with dark hair cut close to his scalp says. “Look! She was gonna beat us with her sneaker!”

I look down at what I’m still holding in my hand as a weapon and frown. I wouldn’t have gotten far with one of my Chucks, but I damn sure would have tried my hardest. I have a pretty good aim and I’m sure that I could have at least hit one of them with it.

“It was the first thing I saw.” I shrug. “I could have thrown it at you?”

“See that, Gran? Look how violent she is! She hasn’t even been introduced and she already wants to beat me.”

I gasp and look up into his clear-blue eyes. “I would never, I swear, Livvy. I didn’t know—”

“Goddamn it, West! Must you always be such a Neanderthal.”

“Me?” He gasps, his hands grasping at his chest. “You wound me.”

“Ahh shut your big mouth an

d come and give me some love.”

He chuckles and takes a giant step before wrapping his arms around Livvy and lifting her off the floor.

“Sorry about him,” a deep voice says from right beside me. I spin around and bring my hand up in the air, smacking him on the shoulder with my Chuck out of reflex.

“Oh, shit. Sorry.”

“I sneaked up on you.” He rubs his shoulder and winks. “My bad.”