Deadly Addition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 9) Read Free

the lie. “We noticed some … areas that needed attending. What? We were all in bikinis. That’s plausible.”
    “Uh-uh,” James said, shaking his head. “What are you really up to?”
    “We’re waxing,” Mandy said, placing her hands on her hips. “It’s a private thing. You should go.”
    “Who is in the bathroom?” James asked.
    Mandy furrowed her brow. “Emma is sick.”
    James’ face softened. “Why didn’t you just say that? Does she need anything?”
    “Just privacy,” Mandy said. “She’s embarrassed. She’s been puking buckets.”
    “Nice visual, baby,” James said, wrinkling his nose. “Do you want me to get some ginger ale or something?”
    “No,” Mandy said. “I think she has food poisoning. That won’t help.”
    The memory of Mandy’s bout with food poisoning flooded James’ mind. “Do you want me to get Finn?”
    “Do you think he can magically cure food poisoning?” Mandy asked.
    “No.”
    “Then we don’t want him,” Mandy said.
    “I was just checking to see if you guys wanted me to start grilling,” James said. “I … .”
    “Start grilling,” Sophie said. “We’re starving.”
    “I thought Emma was sick?”
    “We’re not all sick,” Mandy replied, her voice shrill. “Go and cook dinner. We’ll be down in a few minutes.”
    James was uncertain. “I’m not sure what’s going on here.”
    “It’s girl stuff,” Mandy said. “Just … I love you. Cook dinner. We’ll be down in a second.”
    “I love you, too,” James said, scanning the two women with a dubious look. “Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure,” Mandy said. “It’s not a big deal.”
    “Okay,” James said, shrugging as he turned toward the door.
    Ally chose that moment to barrel through it, holding up the pharmacy bag triumphantly. “I got it!” She stilled when she saw her brother. “What are you doing in here?”
    “This is my bedroom,” James said.
    “Well, not right now it’s not,” Ally said, tossing the bag to Mandy and grabbing her brother by the shoulders. “Get out.”
    “But … .”
    “Get out!”
     
    “THEY’RE up to something,” James said, glancing up at the second-floor balcony that led to his bedroom as he handed the steaks over to Jake. “They’re acting all … squirrely.”
    “They always act squirrely,” Grady said. “This shouldn’t come as a surprise.”
    “No, this was beyond weird,” James countered. “Sophie and Mandy were hovering outside of the bathroom. They said Emma was sick.”
    Finn squared his shoulders. “She’s sick? Maybe I should go up there.”
    “They also said they were waxing,” James said.
    “I don’t want to see that.”
    “They’re lying,” Jake said. “Women don’t get waxed in a group.”
    James shot him a look.
    “Hey, you’re sister is chatty,” Jake said.
    “They’re not waxing,” James said. “There’s something else going on.”
    “How do you know they’re not waxing?” Finn asked.
    “Because I know,” James said. “Mandy goes to a spa to get that done. I see – and pay – the bills.”
    “They all do,” Grady said, shuddering. “I saw that up close and personal. It was horrifying.”
    James smirked.
    “Well, what do you think they’re doing?” Jake asked, worry overtaking him. “Did you see Ally?”
    “She came in at the last minute,” James said. “She had a bag in her hand.”
    “What kind of bag?”
    “It was a pharmacy bag,” James said.
    “What did she say?”
    “Nothing,” James said. “Just that she’d got it.”
    “Got what?” Grady was intrigued.
    “I have no idea,” James said.
     
    “WELL?”
    “There’s a little pink plus sign,” Emma said.
    “That means you’re pregnant,” Ally said, shaking the instructions for emphasis.
    “No, it doesn’t,” Emma argued.
    “Yes, it does.”
    “Let me see that,” Emma griped, grabbing the instructions from Ally.
    “Oh, wow,” Sophie said. “You’re going to have a baby. Do you want me to congratulate