Page 28 of Daddy’s Protection (The Daddy Guard #3)
Trick-or-treaters were already out in full force, but no one had showed up to the mansion for the party yet.
“I talked to some folks back at Auntie Athena’s,” Cami said. “They probably won’t head this way until nine.”
“Sweet! That gives us time to pass out candy,” Lana said.
“I can’t wait,” Iris said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. Not to bring things down, but growing up, I didn’t really get to trick-or-treat.
Life just didn’t work out that way. Never could afford a costume, anyway.
” She shrugged. “But this year, I’m going to give all the kids that ring our bell the best Halloween ever!
The one I never got growing up. Look, I got full-size candy bars. ”
The smell of chocolate was heavy in the air as she pushed a small cart toward the front door.
“Snickers. Twix. Butterfingers and Hershey. Kids are going to love this!”
“Yep. And don’t forget all the fruity gummy stuff we bought,” Lana reminded her.
“Didn’t we have some peanut butter cups, too?” Iris asked.
“ Had is the keyword there. We ate them all,” Lana announced.
The ladies laughed.
“I’ll go get the animatronics Stryker and Harrison left,” Cami said. “I don’t think the guys will be here for another thirty minutes and I don’t want to wait!”
Lana and Iris agreed.
“What do you think: we don’t set them off unless it’s older kids. I don’t want to scare the young ones,” Cami said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Lana said. “Unless they’re extra bratty.”
They laughed again.
“I’ll help you,” Lana said.
Before they could leave the foyer, the doorbell rang.
Iris squealed and clapped her hands together. “Our first trick-or-treaters!”
Cami hurried with her to the door. But when they opened it, no one was there.
“Hey,” Iris said. “Where are the?—”
She didn’t get to finish her question before an egg soared from somewhere in the darkness and splattered on her face.
“What the heck?” she cried.
Cami looked at her, seeing a broken yoke running down her chin and sliding ever closer to her Halloween costume.
Another egg splattered onto the brick wall, on the space between the doorbell and the porchlight.
More eggs began to pelt the porch. Thinking quickly, Cami grabbed Iris and pulled her inside. As she was shutting the door quickly, she heard a familiar voice call out, “This isn’t over! We’ll get you soon!”
Once the heavy door was shut and protecting them from the barrage of eggs that could still be heard as they crashed into the house, Cami said, “That was Tonya! I’d know that voice anywhere!”
The eggs stopped splattering against the house and the sound of a roaring engine and screeching tires reached Cami. “I think they’re gone.”
“Or they want us to believe they are,” Lana said.
“Yeah! I bet they’re still out there, hiding. We can’t stand for this!” Iris said. “Let me get cleaned up and we’ll go out there after them!”
“With what?” Lana asked. “We need weapons.”
“I’ll call Stryker and ask him to bring some water guns or something,” Iris said.
Lana looked out the window beside the door. “I don’t see them. Not even a car in the driveway. I think they left.”
“I’ll ask Stryker to bring those guns just in case,” Iris said.
“The brats may very well come back before the night is over.” As she was walking through the foyer, presumably toward the small bathroom that was just below the staircase on the right, she grumbled, “Wouldn’t you know it?
We have the gates open to let trick-or-treaters in and we unknowingly let Tonya through.
She must have asked around to see where we live. ”
“Yeah. It’s not a secret the way we’ve been inviting people to our party,” Lana noted.
The doorbell rang again.
“I don’t care if I have a water gun or not,” Cami said, fuming over the egg incident. “I’m going to give her a piece of my mind!”
She threw the door open and ducked low to avoid a barrage of eggs. But none came.
Tonya and her lackeys weren’t anywhere to be seen.
Instead, three large men wearing all black stood there.
And as their harsh eyes zeroed in on Cami, they all conveyed the same thing.
She was their prey.