A Lacey Christmas

3. Tyler

Note for Bulletproof: this is set after/during the third book, Invincible, making Tyler 27 and Franny 26.

[ T Y L E R ' S P O V ]

Well this is fucking fantastic.

It was meant to be quick and simple - five second job at the most.

"Just get the sexiest piece of lingerie you see. Nothing too revealing though otherwise Franny will slap you," my best friend said.

I should have known taking romance advice from him was a bad idea yet there I was, freaking my shit out over this 'sexy' Christmas present and googling every possible lingerie store that existed. It didn't take me long to find something reasonable. But I still hesitated.

Is Franny really the type of girl to thank me if I give her underwear? I try to picture her giving me a sexy smile and pulling me into bed with her but all I end up seeing is her angry face and then a swift slap to the face.

But what else is there? I'm crap at presents and weirdly, the whole lingerie thing is kind of special. We haven't had sex in weeks and I don't want to sound like some desperate, wanton housewife but a man has needs. And Franny is taking her sweet, sweet time in helping me with them.

So in my crazy panic to get her the sexiest thing that has ever graced Earth, I decided to just order the piece in advance. And now it's all booked and perfectly done. All I have to do is walk through the door, say my name and then it's all mine.

Quick and simple. But no, nothing is ever that easy. And instead of walking in and getting Franny's present and leaving, two crazy fuckers decided they wanted it too. And now I'm sweaty, breathing heavy and my face hurts. That Kayden guy really decided to smash his fist right into my cheek. Not just any idiot can do that so he must be a trained, fighting idiot.

Suddenly, we're all on the floor.

Kayden is clawing at my leg and I'm trying to hit Storm but he keeps moving. He's lying down on the ground, tilting his head from side to side seconds before my fist should hit him. My knuckles hit the floor and I curse out, reeling back to give him a big hit but his hand encloses round my fist and twists it to the side.

He pushes with me one hand and I skid across the floor, tumbling on top of Kayden who grunts. I stand up quickly, looking at Storm with wide eyes.

"The fuck?" I mutter. "You got super strength or something?"

"Yes," Storm deadpans.

I frown but I'm suddenly thrown down to the floor by someone crashing into me from behind. My chin hits the ground and I turn around in time to see Kayden's hand come at me. I take the punch and inwardly role my eyes.

Does this kid ever fucking stop?

I bring my hand up in the small space in between us but don't have enough momentum to get a punch in so I flatten the palm of my hand over his face. He slaps his hand at me as I block his eyesight and slaps me on the neck.

"Get off," I grunt and bring up my other hand to cover his face. He slaps the side of my head blindly and I growl to myself.

Kayden finally bites my hand making me flinch away. He scrambles off me and begins to crawl along the floor towards the saleswoman.