Page 21 of Daddy’s Protection (The Daddy Guard #3)

Part of Cami felt awful about what they were doing.

Okay, maybe not awful, she realized as she crouched beneath the climbing structure in Auntie Athena’s backyard.

But she at least saw the irony in the situation.

There she was, laying low at the nursery while her Daddy investigated who’d faked a haunting at her house and scared her senseless—all while she was about to… scare someone senseless.

That didn’t mean she had any sympathy for her target, though.

Tonya was a mean girl if there ever was one. The way she’d made Iris cry was still burned in Cami’s mind. It most likely wasn’t something she’d forget anytime soon.

If all went as planned, this wouldn’t be anything Tonya and her snobby friends forgot, either.

Cam turned to Lana. “How do I look? Can you tell I’m wearing any makeup or anything?”

Lana looked her over. “Nope. How about me?”

“You look perfect,” Cami said.

“Guys.” Iris’s voice came over Cami’s phone.

The device was lying on the ground, on speaker, so the ladies had no trouble hearing her.

“What’s up?” Cami asked.

“They’re headed your way,” Iris reported. “About to step into the backyard any second.”

“We’re all set,” Lana told her. “You good to go?”

“Ready,” Iris said with a giggle. “This is going to be amazing.”

Picking up her phone and putting it in her pocket, Cami said, “Let’s go play our parts.”

She and Lana stepped out from under the wooden structure and did their best to look frantic. Harrison probably should have done this part, Cami thought. He was the actor. But he and Stryker were needed elsewhere. So, she’d just have to try her hardest to seem convincing.

“There’s no way I’m going back there!” she cried frantically. “Not after what I saw.”

“But Cami,” Lana pleaded loudly. “My phone fell. We have to get it.”

Tonya and her entourage had just stepped into the backyard and were drawn to the commotion. The snotty ringleader sighed and said, “What are you two losers fighting about?”

Cami did her best to look hurt. “We aren’t losers. And we aren’t fighting. We’re just… disagreeing.”

“I lost my phone back there in the trees,” Lana said, pointing to the back portion of the yard that was covered in tastefully manicured, yet thick growth.

Auntie Athena once told her she’d planted it for privacy.

There was a small alleyway behind the property that people walked through, and she didn’t want anyone spying on the Littles.

So, it was a mixture of bushes, palm trees, and other greenery that backed up to the high, white stucco fence.

It made for a great hiding spot during hide-and-seek games.

And it was also great for pranks, apparently.

“Well, just go get your phone.” Tonya’s voice was mocking, doing a really bad impression of Lana.

“We… can’t. I saw something back there. A… monster,” Cami said, hanging her head in shame.

It took a moment, as if Tonya had to replay the admission in her mind to make sure she actually heard what she thought she heard. But soon she started laughing.

“Did you hear that? These losers think they saw a monster!”

Her minions behind her laughed on cue.

They’ve got to do what their dear leader wants them to do, Cami thought, suppressing a smile.

She continued to look pained, though. She had a part to play. And she intended to sell it.

“You two are so pathetic,” Tonya said with a shake of her head. “There’s no such thing as monsters.”

“I saw it!” Cami protested.

“Oh, boo-hoo. You’re just a scared little baby. That’s why you wear diapers.” She laughed as her eyes fell below Cami’s waist to the obvious poof beneath her leggings.

Had Cami not been so wrapped up in this prank, she probably would have felt self-conscious about it. Right now, though, she was too giddy to feel embarrassed.

“Hey, we’re all Littles here. This is a nursery,” Lana pointed out.

“Oh, I’m a Little. But I don’t wear baby pants like you two. But I don’t expect anything else from losers like you.”

Some of her friends snickered.

Cami almost wanted to call off the prank and go tell Auntie Athena. There was no way the nursery’s matriarch would tolerate such meanness. But this was going to be too good, and she didn’t want to ruin it.

Trying to sound as hurt as possible, she said, “Look, why don’t you just leave us alone. We’ll figure this out ourselves.”

But the brat and her gang didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

“Oh, I’ll go find your phone. But I’m not going to get it for you. I just want to show you that there are no such thing as monsters. You’re scared for no reason.”

Tonya marched past them, her friends dutifully following.

Staying behind for a moment, Cami and Lana exchanged humored glances before following.

Getting back into character, Cami said, “Guys! Don’t do this! Be careful! Someone is back there. I’m telling you.”

Thankfully, neither Tonya nor her friends heeded the fake warning. They kept marching right toward the greenery.

Tonya threw a typically haughty glance over her shoulder. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. See?” She disappeared into the thick growth.

A shrill scream announced her before she came back into sight, running like hell back in the direction she’d just come.

“Help me!”

Behind her, two lumbering “zombies” appeared—Stryker and Harrison staggering toward her. Chunks of skin hung from their faces. Their eyes were hollowed and sunken. The old suits they wore were tattered and dirty.

Grave clothes, Cami thought with a chuckle.

“We’ll help you!” she yelled.

Just as Tonya and her friends got to her, though, Cami threw her head back and made gagging sounds.

“I… don’t… know… what’s wrong with me! Help me!”

She threw her head forward and opened her mouth wide.

A torrent of green slime spewed from her—at least, it looked like it did.

The clear, thin hose connected to the soft pouch she wore on her back beneath her shirt wasn’t visible.

The placement was just right, too, and to those in front of her it no doubt looked as if she was projectile vomiting toxic sludge.

“Cami!” Lana screamed. “What’s wrong? Wait… my eye! Oh crap! My eye!”

Her right eye popped out of its socket and rolled onto the ground, leaving a black hole in its wake. A moment later, blood oozed from it, running down her face.

“Tonya! Help us!” she cried, grabbing hold of Tonya’s arm.

But the haughty Little and her friends were screaming too much to be of any help. Pandemonium broke out and the gang scattered, running every which way and bumping into and bouncing off each other like balls on a pool table.

The madness wasn’t over yet.

Iris stepped out of the back door. “It’s too late! The zombies… got us… in the house!”

Her left arm fell off. Blood poured—cartoonishly exaggerated—from the bloody hole where the appendage had been connected. She jerked and flopped around, making sure to get the “blood” on everyone who was close by.

Tonya took the brunt of it.

Cami couldn’t keep it together any longer. She fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. Iris started cackling, too, followed by Lana.

It must have been enough for Tonya and her friends to realize they’d been played, because she looked angry as she raked a sheen of faux blood from her face. “You people are insane! I hate you! I hate this place! I’m never coming back! Ever!”

That was the last thing she said before she led her and her friends off the property.

Presumably to never return.

The other Littles who were there that day cheered.

“Thank you!” one called out to Cami, Lana, Iris, Harrison, and Stryker.

“Praise the Lord!” another shouted.

“We owe y’all. Big time,” one told them.

“I guess Tonya isn’t as popular as she thought,” Cami noted.

Her friends laughed.

Auntie Athena and Trevon stepped out of the back door.

“We saw that little stunt you all just pulled,” Athena said.

“We heard it too,” Trevon noted. “It was kind of hard to miss.”

Auntie Athena wore a wry smile. “I probably should have jumped in and put an end to that. But…. well… she was going to be kicked out anyway. This saved me the trouble.”

Trevon nodded. “Besides, that shit was funny as hell.” He dipped his head apologetically and added, “Pardon my French.” He smiled wide. “But tell me you got that on video.”

“Oh, we got it,” Stryker announced as he and Harrison walked up. “That was a prank worthy of our friend Eli. He’s the master jokester but I think he even would be proud of that one. I can’t wait to show him.”

Auntie Athena nodded. “Oh, I know all about the famous Eli of Mountainville and his pranks. All the Littles love watching his videos.”

Cami giggled. She was one of those who enjoyed Eli’s content. The prank videos he uploaded were truly inspiring.

“In fact, we should give him this footage so he can use it on his show,” Harrison suggested.

“Of course,” Stryker replied.

Iris’s real arm poked through the ripped shirt she wore and she bent down to pick up the prosthetic one that had fallen off. “These movie props are so cool! Thanks for bringing them.”

Stryker was all smiles. “Nothing like raiding the studio’s special effects department.”

Auntie Athena took another look around, shook her head, and said, “Just clean all this stuff up. I won’t tell your Daddies.” She eyed Stryker and Harrison. “Or you boys’ Mommies. But next time, ask permission before you pull something like this.”

The Littles answered in unison. “Yes, Auntie.”

Cami joined her friends as they started the cleanup process. Even with the work it would require to get everything put up, the prank had still been more than worth it.

It was the funniest thing she’d ever seen.