Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series Hayley Lawson (ebook reader play store .TXT) 📖

She closed the door behind them and quickly changed her clothes before following the delicious aroma she’d awoken to back to its source.

She paused in the kitchen doorway, seeing Leandro at the stove, and Massimo and Carter at the table. She yawned again and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Carter called around a mouthful of food.

He speared a rasher of bacon from his plate, which was piled high with three fried eggs, a big blob of scrambled, sausages, bacon, tomatoes, beans, and bread. He still had the bows in his beard, although he’d redone them. Clearly Jessica, the little girl from Carter’s settlement who usually did Carter’s braids, wasn’t the only one skilled at them.

Carter noticed her looking at the bows. “Your hair’s a mess in the morning,” he teased, waving his fork in the direction of her head.

Ryder stuttered, “What the… My hair looks like it always does!” She ran her hand over her head. There was no hair to be messy.

“Carter, you jerk!” Ryder accused. She couldn’t believe she’d let Carter wind her up so easily.

Carter stuck his tongue out, and Leandro grinned as he pushed the bacon around in the pan. Ryder inhaled deeply. It smelled so good!

Leandro held out a beer for Ryder, and his grin softened to something more empathetic. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked. “You must be thirsty.”

She looked at the beer long and hard before reluctantly nodding. Leandro smiled again and nodded to her, and she took it since she was always thirsty.

Carter looked at them puzzled. “A beer? First thing in the morning? I would complain that I wasn’t offered one, but even for me it’s a bit early.”

“I have to agree with Carter. It is a bit early,” Massimo agreed, looking confused.

Leandro shook his head. “It’s not like that, Pops. Ryder’s like Tightwad,” he explained.

Massimo nodded in understanding. “Oh! That makes perfect sense.”

Ryder looked at Leandro and wondered. How had he known? Then she realized. He must have seen her drinking water when he was a wolf. “Oh… Fluffy!” She flushed with embarrassment at what Leandro must have thought of her while she was wasted on swamp water.

Carter continued to look puzzled. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on? What’s a ‘Tightwad?’ Am I going to get a beer or not?” He looked from her to Leandro with a hopeful expression.

Ryder winked at him. “You’re not,” she teased. She was going to need a clear head today. Ryder took a sip and sighed as the cold, sharp liquid brought blessed relief to her parched throat. “Damn, that’s good, thanks.”

“Alcohol is like water for Ryder, and water is like alcohol. Correct me if I’m mistaken,” Massimo checked.

Ryder made a face and took another sip. “You’re correct.” He was correct, but Ryder had hoped to keep that part a secret.

Massimo pretended not to notice. He got up and went to rummage in a cupboard. He pulled out a bottle and a flask and held them aloft like trophies he’d won. “We’ll pack you some of the nice strong stuff for when we’re out and about, plus a flask of water. That’s what Tightwad does when he doesn’t want to get drunk. Unless you want to get drunk, which I’m also fine with,” he beamed.

“I’ll go with the first option. I’d like to stay sober,” Ryder said quickly.

Massimo nodded. “That can be arranged, but the offer of getting drunk on the porch still stands.” He gave her a wink and placed the items next to the sink.

Carter’s jaw dropped. “So that’s why you were drinking so much in the Old Dog? You were trying to make me look like a lightweight!” Carter shook his head. “Me? A lightweight? As if,” he muttered to himself.

Ryder paid Carter no attention. “Do you make your own alcohol?” she asked Massimo. “I’d really like to learn how to do it myself.”

The vampire’s smile widened further. “I do my best. Beer and a few other spirits, yes. I was trying to make vodka from potatoes, but it went a little wrong…” Massimo’s smile turned to a frown and his shoulders dropped.

“Is that what the burnt smell is? Did it explode again?” Leandro asked. He wrinkled his nose at his father as he placed the plate of steaming hot bacon on the table.

Massimo nodded like a naughty boy being told off by his parents and then winked at Ryder.

“I can show you how to make your own alcohol once we’ve taken care of a few things,” he told her in a stage whisper.

Ryder grinned at the vampire’s act. “I like the sound of that.” She returned his wink just to wind Leandro up.

Leandro groaned and made a show of cradling his head in his hands. “Don’t encourage him, Ryder! I beg you!”

Ryder giggled as Massimo completely ignored Leandro’s protests.

“We need to find a few things first—like a better cookbook, Leandro.” Massimo leaned toward his son, wagging a finger and shaking his head. “My vodka would have worked if the cookbook had not been ripped away right at the important part.”

Leandro looked at Massimo open-mouthed. “So the explosion was my fault?”

“Nice of you to admit your mistakes.” Massimo turned back to Ryder. “We need to gather some more ingredients before we can get started, like malted barley and yeast. I wish there were a Stop-and-Shop to buy those things from. It’s a little trickier now.”

Leandro smirked. “Okay, Pops, less of your stalling. Eat your breakfast. It won’t stay fresh for long.”

Ryder looked down at the table in confusion. There was bread, fruit, eggs, and all the different breakfast meats. It was a banquet, and it was all fresh.

Leandro winked at Ryder. Why the fuck is he winking at me? Then Ryder’s eyes were drawn to a plate at the head of the table which had a rabbit on it. Massimo was looking at its fur in disgust. A rabbit would do that to a vegetarian. Ryder smiled.

Massimo pushed the plate away. “You know I