"Come on Kev, let's go make some coffee." Mark said through gritted teeth. "Mark you better be nice." Tyger warned him. She didn't like the look on his face. "Don't worry sweet thing. I can handle the badass." Kevin said. He turned and followed Mark into the kitchen. "That's probably not a good idea to bait Mark like that. He's got a short fuse." Scott said. Tyger shrugged. "He's not my boyfriend. He's just overprotective that's all." She said. Scott was surprised. He could have swore the way Mark acted they were a item. Tyger and him just stared at each other neither knowing what to say. Tyger went and sat on the couch. She looked up at him. "This is real weird for me." Tyger said. Scott came and sat down next to her. "For me to, up until a couple of days ago I didn't even know I had a kid." He said. "Listen I guess I should tell you all the bad stuff right off the bat, so you wont be shocked or disappointed or nothing. I'm hardheaded, stubborn, and mouthy. I cuss a lot even when I aint mad. I love rap music. I don't ever take orders from people and I don't play well with others. Another words I can be a big pain in the ass." Tyger said looking him in the eye. "You expecting me to run for the door?" Scott asked. Tyger looked away from him. "Baby girl, I aint going no where." Scott said turning her head back to look at him. The words Scott spoke hit her right in the heart. Why did he have to call her that? Now all she felt like doing was bursting into tears. "If you make me cry I'm going to kick your ass." She said. Scott burst out laughing. "I've known you 5 minutes kid and I got news for you, I like you." He said. Tyger looked at him and grinned. "And by the way you just described me except for the rap music." He said.
"Do you think she's alright in there?" Kevin asked. "Believe me Tyger can hold her own with Scott." Mark said. Mark hadn't said anything about him flirting with Tyger yet. "Mark sorry if I stepped on your toes in there, I didn't know you two were an item." Kevin said. "We're not." Mark said shortly. Kevin gave him a look. "Then why did you look at me like you wanted to knock my head off?" Kevin asked. "Me and Tyger are very close. I worry about her. I don't want to see her hurt." Mark said. Kevin just looked at Mark. Boy was he delusional Kevin thought. Just then Scott and Tyger walked in. "Glad to see both you boys are playing nicely." Tyger said. Mark rolled his eyes. Kevin just laughed. They all sat down and had coffee. They kept Tyger amused with stories from there wrestling days. Scott looked at the time. It was 9:00 PM. "Kev we better go find a hotel. It's getting late." Scott said. "Mark can they stay her?" Tyger asked. "Yea sure, you guys stay here as long as you want. I got to leave here tomorrow. I got a new assignment. You guys will be here to keep Tyger Company." Mark said. "Ya sure man?" Scott said. "Yea, Id feel better if some one was here with her." Mark said. "Well now that you made baby sitting arrangements for me, can I say something?" Tyger said. "I'll be glad to have both you guys stay here, but I don't need a baby sitter I'm 20 not 2. I don't need anyone keeping an eye one me." She said looking directly at Mark. Mark gave her a look. Kevin was amused by her. She reminded him so much of Scott. "Well I'm beat, if you guys don't mind I'm going to take a shower and get some sleep." Scott said. "Me too." Kevin said. "Come on guys, I'll show you where the bedrooms are at." Mark said. Mark turned around. "Don't go no where, I want to talk to you." He said. Tyger stuck her tongue out at him and ignored him. Kevin stifled a laugh and Scott just shook his head. She was going to keep life entertaining He could see that.
Mark showed them to two of the spare bedrooms. "Good night guys." He said. "Hey Mark wait a minute." Scott said. "Do you think this is going to work out me staying here with Tyger?" Scott asked. "Listen Tyger has had to take care of herself her whole life, she has trouble being with people sometimes. She has been alone the last three years. It's just going to take time. Just be patient with her." Mark said. Scott nodded. "I'll try." Scott said. "She likes you Scott. She also needs you, but she would eat glass before she would admit it." Mark said smiling. Scott smiled she was a hardheaded little thing.
Mark came back down and started looking for Tyger. She wasn't in the kitchen. He looked in the den. Where the hell was she? He went to the back door. There she was out on the deck. He went out and stood beside her. "I thought I told you to stay put." He said. "You don't tell me what to do." She snapped at him. Mark reached down and picked her up and took her to a chair and sat down. He sat her on his lap. "I'm big enough to enforce it." He said grinning. "You big jerk." She said. "Instead of acting like a brat, why don't ya tell me why you're mad?" Mark said. "I don't want you to leave again." She said. "Listen to me Tyger. I have a job. I have to go. You need some time with Scott to get to know him." He said. "I miss you so bad when your gone Mark." She said laying her head on his chest. "Oh Honey I miss you too, but I want you to concentrate on your business and getting to know your dad. You got my cell I got yours. I will call you everyday. Okay?" he said. "Okay." She said quietly. "Kevin going to leave in a couple of days. It's going to be you and Scott. I don't want to come home and find him tied up. Try to get along." Mark said smiling. "I will, I like him anyway." She said. "Good. Now get up to bed. I got to get out of here early and you got to work." He said. "Noo, I want to stay out here with you." She said Mark stood up and carried her up to her room and dumped her on the bed. "Never argue with a badass." He said smiling. He pulled back the covers. He went and got her a t-shirt. "Here put this on." He said. Tyger got undressed and pulled the shirt over her head. He pulled the covers up over her and tucked her in. "Good night honey." He said kissing her cheek. "You nothing but a big bully." She said softly. "Yea I know." He turned and went to the door. "But I love you anyway." He heard her say softly. Mark went out and closed the door. He leaned back against it. It had taken every once of will power not to jump on her and make love to her. When she had slipped her clothes off all he had wanted to do was get on top of her and make her scream his name. "Down boy." He said looking at the front of his pants. Well looks like a cold shower is in order. The sooner he was out of here the better. He sighed and walked to his room.