Chapter 74 - 73: Teasing a Kid
Leo Grant didn’t say a word, just stroked her hair gently, over and over.
After a moment, Yvonne Lowell sat up by herself and glared at him with wide eyes.
"Listen, you had better keep your mouth shut, especially in front of my older brother. Don’t you dare blow my cover."
"Relax. What am I going to do, shout it through a bullhorn in front of your house?" Leo Grant shot her an exasperated look.
Yvonne Lowell reached out and gently twisted his ear. "You never know with you. Who knows when you’ll suddenly do something crazy."
"Is that really what you think of me?" Leo Grant took her hand and nuzzled it against his cheek.
"You were already injured. How could Aunt Sutton and the others let you leave by yourself?"
"I was in disguise. My mom was in a complete panic at the time, how could she have thought of all that? My dad, though, probably saw through it. He was probing me for quite a while."
Yvonne Lowell took a sip of orange juice. "Sigh. They’ve probably reached home by now. As long as they’re safe, that’s all that matters. I think I’ll just hole up here for a few days."
"Don’t overthink it. Just focus on resting and healing. Are you hungry? I ordered food. Should I have Warren Lynch bring it over now?"
"Huh? It’s been this many days and Warren Lynch is still here?"
’Didn’t he say Warren was in charge of overseas business or something? Why would he keep this silly kid around for so long this time?’
"I want to wait for his superpower to stabilize a bit more before I send him back," Leo Grant said, poking her forehead.
"Besides, doesn’t a certain someone enjoy teasing the kid? I figured I’d leave him here for you to play with."
"I was giving him a check-up! How is that teasing a kid?!" Yvonne Lowell glared at him and stood up.
"Let’s just go eat at your place. If I get this place messy, it’ll just have to be cleaned."
Leo Grant frowned slightly. "We can just have them clean up later. Besides, are you sure you can even walk?"
’Dude, I hurt my shoulder, I’m not crippled! Hello?!’
Just as Yvonne Lowell was about to roll her eyes at him, she suddenly had an idea.
A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes, but she put on a pained expression. "Sigh, you’re right, I can’t walk. But I want to eat at your place, so... how about you carry me?"
Leo Grant saw through her little scheme in an instant. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Yup, of course. What is there to be unsure about?" Yvonne Lowell raised her uninjured arm and rested it on his shoulder.
Without a word, Leo Grant swooped her up with one arm, letting her sit in the crook of it, and strode toward the villa opposite them.
Yvonne Lowell: ...?!
’Wait, this is... this isn’t quite what I had in mind, is it??’
’The way she’d imagined him carrying her was face-to-face, with her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs hooked around his waist, like a koala hug.’
’That way, she could easily cop a feel—caress his handsome face, tweak his ears, that sort of thing.’
’Not this posture for carrying a child!! This is so humiliating!!!’
"Hey, um... maybe you could try a different position?" The corner of Yvonne Lowell’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
’She was 172cm tall. Normally, when she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, that 17-centimeter height difference never made her feel this tiny...’
"Isn’t this way perfectly fine? I don’t have to worry about hitting your wound, and it’ll save you the trouble of trying to frame me later by saying I hurt you on purpose."
The corners of Leo Grant’s mouth lifted, and he deliberately bounced her a little higher. "You’re still too light. You’ll have to eat more in a bit."
"Leo Grant!!! This isn’t over!!!" Yvonne Lowell roared, instinctively tightening her grip on his neck.
’Uh-oh. Looks like I really pissed her off this time. She’s started using my full name.’
’But then again, this is the first time she’s used my full name. It sounds kinda nice, hehehe...’
Leo Grant rubbed his nose awkwardly. "We’re almost there. I’ll carry you back in a different position later, okay? Be good."
...
In the opposite villa, Silas Lynch and Warren Lynch’s first thought upon seeing them was: ’Huh? Didn’t the Master go over to find Miss Lowell? What the heck is that thing he’s carrying back?’
Their second thought: ’Oh, he’s carrying Miss Lowell. Okay, never mind then.’
Their third thought: ’Hey? Wait a minute. Have the Master and Miss Lowell already gotten this close behind our backs? He’s just carrying her around now? Are they going to be making out in front of us tomorrow?!’
Their fourth thought: ’Crap, how did Miss Lowell get hurt?! The Miss Lowell who, in their eyes, was a master of both pen and sword, impervious to all poisons and blades—invincible—was actually injured!!!’
As soon as Leo Grant set her down, the two men hurried forward. "Miss Lowell, what happened? Are you okay?"
’Tch. She’d already lost count of how many times she’d heard "Are you okay?" today.’
’And what was the point of everyone asking if no one was going to buy her any plums?’
"It’s nothing. Just got bit by a dog," Yvonne Lowell said, waving a hand dismissively.
Warren Lynch’s face filled with rage. "Where’s the person who did this? I’ll go get revenge for you right now!"
"No need. They’re already good and dead."
An idea occurring to her, Yvonne Lowell looked at him teasingly. "However... you could help me get revenge for something else."
"What revenge? Just say the word, and I guarantee I’ll handle it for you perfectly!" Warren Lynch rolled up the sleeves of his training uniform and thumped his chest.
’There was nothing he, Warren Lynch, couldn’t do! It was just revenge, how hard could it be?! He could flatten a small child with a single punch!!’
Yvonne Lowell jutted her chin toward Leo Grant, who was on the other side of the dining table. "There. Go beat him up for me. He just annoyed me."
Leo Grant glanced up at her, then calmly went back to ladling soup for her.
Warren Lynch’s expression froze instantly. He silently lowered his arms and clasped his hands behind his back. "Miss Lowell, you... you should stop joking with me like this."
’He might be a little reckless, but he wasn’t an idiot. He was actually very smart.’
’Beat up the Master? He’d probably be bidding farewell to this world before he even touched the hem of his clothes!’
’If he dared to raise that fist, he probably wouldn’t live to see the moon tonight.’
Everyone: ’Yeah, but... you really are an idiot, Bonnie!!!!!!’
Yvonne Lowell raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you just say to give the word? That you guaranteed you’d handle it for me perfectly? What gives? Are you backing out already?"
Warren Lynch scratched his head, looking guilty. "Well... that’s not really appropriate, is it? I can’t go against my superior. Besides, what he did doesn’t deserve a beating. I think it’s best if I don’t get involved in the... flirtatious little quarrels between you and the Master, right?"
"Who’s having a flirtatious quarrel with him?! Just go, go, get out of here. Honestly, seeing you two every day is just irritating," Yvonne Lowell snapped, glaring at him.
Silas Lynch: ’Great, just great. Getting implicated by association again, and again, and again?! That kid Warren Lynch is definitely my jinx!’
Warren Lynch: ’Hehe, Miss Lowell and the Master are so close. She’s even getting shy now, hehe...’
After the two had left, Leo Grant propped his chin on his hand and looked at her without saying a word.
But the look in his eyes clearly said: ’See? And you say you’re not teasing the kid.’