Fight or Flight [Rooster x OC]

Chapter 7

"You're hovering."

"I'm not." Kate didn't look up from her book, not that she had really been reading it in the first place. She was curled up in a chair in her father's office. Sunshine fell through the window and pooled on the carpet where East was sleeping on his back. Occasionally, Kate would stick out her bare foot and rub his belly.

"Go find something to do, Katie Cat."

Kate flipped the page. She had no idea what that handsome blond-haired, mask-faced fae guy was doing with his captured human woman. Everyone at the last place she had worked had read this book, though apparently she wasn't supposed to be rooting for Blondy. He didn't seem so awful, but then again, she wasn't paying much attention to him. Or Human Hunter Lady. Kate wished she had the patience right now to focus on the story. Or maybe it wasn't patience she needed. "I'm reading."

"That's a flat out lie."

Kate sighed and closed the book, dropping it into her lap. She glanced over at her dad, who was working at his computer and typing at her. "We could go sit outside. Enjoy the afternoon."

"I'm busy. You go on." He coughed into his sleeve.

Tension pushed at her skin. "I'm busy, too, then."

Her dad frowned at her. She frowned right back and flopped her book back open. He might be in charge of the United States Pacific Fleet, but she was his youngest and most willful child.

"Get out of my office, little girl."

"No."

"Kate," he said out loud, his voice rough and overworked. It was definitely back. "I don't need...a babysitter."

The letters on the page swam for a moment as her frown morphed into a scowl. She glanced up at the ceiling and closed her eyes, calming herself. And she wasn't going to let him see her cry. The question she wanted to ask burned on her tongue, but she swallowed it, letting it lodge in her throat like a hot coal. "You know that's not why I'm here."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Yet. The word he didn't say hung there between them. Her heart rammed against her ribcage. Outside, Perry and Mason were yelling at each other while some of the neighbor kids played badminton. The sounds of cartoons playing in the living room seeped under the door. Between Kate and her father, the question and the answer went unspoken.

Her phone buzzed. Kate fished it from where it had slid into the side of the chair. There was a text from Bradley. She started to reply then multiple texts from him flooded in, too fast for her to respond.

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: whatare you doning

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: can you

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: Where ar

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: i'm going t kill hagnman

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: SHIT

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: Where are you?

Her eyebrows lifted. Man, Bradley just couldn't catch a break.

Kate: I'm at home right now, where are you? What's wrong?

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: I cant even think right now I'm so mad

Kate: What'd Mav do?

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: NOT MAV HANGAMN

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: SHTI FLUFK

😏🪁Bradley🐓✈️: ANDMAV

Kate sighed, her thumb hovering over her phone. What had Jake done now? Big blond butt-chin moron. And Maverick...geez... "Dad, are you really sure you know what you're doing with this whole Mav and Rooster thing?"