Jaded Hearts
Chapter 85

Tyson

The contract with Aires was signed, and it had been maybe a week since she’s started the job. Since none of us knew the first thing about replaceing vamps, it was business as usual in the house while she did her thing. Sunshine and Matt were heading back into the office today, and I realized that with things quieting down, I didn’t have s**t to do.

“Why don’t you look into something in security or IT? You’re really good at that,” Taylor said.

“I don’t want some nine-to-five job, baby. What’s the point in that? I have more than enough money to last a lifetime.”

“Then why don’t you start your own business? You have the money, experience, and intelligence to do it successfully.”

“That’s not a bad idea. The transmitter I made alone would be enough to kick start something big. Plus, it would be nice to have something in place that I can leave to our children one day.”

She smiled at me and tilted her head to the side. “Our children? You want children now?”

I hadn’t even realized that I’d said it, but just like that, I was planning for a future with her that included children.

“I think I do. I never wanted them before because I didn’t want my life to be a repeat of my parents, but now that I have you, I know it won’t be.”

“I’d love to have babies with you. I think you’d be a really good dad,” she beamed.

“We can get started right now. How many do you want, four or five?” I asked while pulling her to my chest.

“Whoa! First of all, no. I’ve got a wedding in four months, and a dress that fits perfectly. I will not be cooking any babies before then. And second, four or five? Are you serious right now? Are you talking four or five total, between you and Matt, or four or five that are yours?”

“Mine.”

She laughed and peeled herself out of my arms.

“You’ve lost your damn mind, sir. I’d be pregnant for the rest of my life if it was up to you and Matt’s parents. Four is the max I’m having, so hopefully, when this baby maker is open for business again, you can grab one of those last three slots.”

“I’ll take whatever I can get, as long as they’re part of you.”

She rolled her eyes, then leaned down to put her shoes on.

“That’s that Tyson Frederick charm I remember from back in the day. I see you can still turn it on at the drop of a hat. You used to get all the girls with that tongue of yours.”

“I can do more than get the girls with it. Do you want me to show you?”

She stopped what she was doing for a second and bit her l*p. She definitely wanted me to show her.

“No! Stop trying to distract me. I just came over here to drop off your watch, and I’ve been here twenty minutes. I have to go to work—Matt’s probably already waiting.”

“But I’m going to miss you. Maybe I’ll come visit and take you out for lunch?”

“I’d like that. Now I’ve got to go. It’s my first day back, and I don’t want to show up late.”

She kissed my cheek and ran out the door; I immediately began counting down the minutes until noon, and I’d see her beautiful face again.

I was a mess.

* * *

Matt

“I’m sorry! We got to talking about businesses and babies, and time flew by. Are we going to be late?” Taylor asked as she rushed up to the truck.

“Relax, angel, we’re still on time. And I’m the boss, so we’re not late unless I say we are.”

“Okay. I just don’t want to look bad on my first day back. I feel like I still have to justify my position there because of our relationship. I don’t want it to seem like I get special treatment.”

“Who cares what they think? You do get special treatment, and you always will. If they don’t like it, they can replace somewhere else to work.”

I helped her into her seat and strapped her in.

“Don’t let them hear you say that. Not good for employee morale.”

When we were on the road, I took the opportunity to ask her about her earlier conversation. “Businesses and babies, huh? What’s that all about?”

“Tyson doesn’t have anything to do now since things are kind of calmed down, and he doesn’t want a regular office job. So, I suggested he open his own tech or security company. Maybe a combination of both.”

“That’s a great idea. There’s a lot of money in both fields, and he’d excel in either. Plus, it would be good for him to have something of his own. He’s had to merge his life with Blue Moon since he got here, so he needs something that’s his,” I thought aloud.

“My thoughts exactly. I knew there was a reason I loved you. You think like me.” She smiled, then tore into a muffin I’d snagged from the kitchen for her.

“Here I thought you loved me for my body. It’s been my mind all along.”

“It’s definitely the body too. I have dreams about that body.” She winked at me.

“Noted. And the babies?” I asked.

“He wants kids now.”

“Now? Like in the next few months, now?”

“No, not ‘now’ now, but he wants them. We had a pretty heavy talk a while back that I think cleared things up for him, and it appears that he’s ready to be a father,” she said.

“That’s major. How do you feel about it?”

“I’m happy for him. I think children are an amazing gift, and he’d be a great dad. But there are only three slots left. First come first served, then the factory is closed for business.”

I laughed out loud. “What are you talking about? What factory?”

She filled me in on her baby-making limits, and I just shook my head. We were shifters—unless we had our reproductive organs removed, there was no way she could stop a pregnancy from happening.

We could take precautions like we were now, but she could get pregnant with multiples on the next go-round. There were no guarantees, but I wouldn’t break the news to her yet. I’d let her have this semblance of control for a while longer.

Or not.

“You know you’ll probably be going into heat again soon. Genesis is almost three months old, and it’s going to happen every single month until you’re pregnant again. But we can hope that your timetable holds firm.”

She choked on her muffin so bad that I almost pulled over to give her the Heimlich.

“How could I forget about that? I’ll just have to stay away from you for a few days. I can’t get pregnant again before the wedding. That dress!”

“Stay away from both of us? While you’re in heat? Come on, tesoro, that’s impossible. We’ll just talk to the doctor to see if she can give you something to help lower your fertility, so you maybe don’t get pregnant again, but wolves aren’t really known for our birth control options.”

“Damnit! I thought I had this all planned out.”

“I know you did. It was sweet,” I said.

“Why didn’t you tell me this a week ago when we’re were at your parents’ house talking about babies?”

“Did you really want to discuss your heat in front of my mom and dad? I sure as hell don’t.”

Taylor started pouting. “Why do you and that magic stick between your legs have to be so irresistible? This is not fair. My dress …”

“We just have to be extra careful, angel. I wouldn’t dream of altering your vision for our wedding day.”

“Pregnant or not, I’m still wearing that damn dress.”

And just like that, my feisty little queen was back.

* * *

“Good morning, Mr. Stone. Good morning, Taylor, welcome back. How’s the baby doing?” Cecilia asked as we stepped off the elevator.

Taylor quickly pulled out her phone and began flipping through the hundreds of pictures she had of Genesis.

“She’s so beautiful. And those eyes are stunning! Congratulations, you two.”

“Thank you, Cici. She’s just perfect, and it’s really cute to watch her and her daddy together,” Taylor said with a smile.

She showed a picture of me holding Gigi over my head right as she threw up. Directly in my eye. That was not fun.

“Aww, how sweet, Mr. Stone. It happens to every parent eventually. My brother-in-law got pooped on! But I won’t keep you; I’m sure you have a busy day. Taylor, I’ll forward your calls back to your desk when you’re ready.”

“Give me ten minutes to settle in, and you can send them through. I’ll talk to you later.” She took my hand and happily walked towards our offices.

“Are you excited to be back, baby?”

“I am. I’m happy to have some normalcy again. I’ve really missed it.”

“Well, it’s about to be insane. We have a ton of work to get up to speed on, so make sure you pace yourself. If you need a break, take one because it’s going to be a long day.”

“Yes, Mr. Stone. Would you like me to get your coffee now?”

The tone of her voice and the way she looked over her shoulder at me made my mind instantly jump headfirst into the gutter. The next time we role played, this was going to be the fantasy. And she’d call me nothing but “Mr. Stone” the entire time.

“Yes, I’d like that. Thank you, baby.”

“Right away, sir.”

I didn’t know if she was doing it on purpose or not, but everything she was doing and saying was making me want her more and more. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn I was in heat. Watching the curve and sway of her h**s as she walked away made me ache. I wasn’t going to get s**t accomplished today.

* * *

Eventually, I was able to pull my eyes away from Taylor and bury myself in work, but I was hard.

“Our girl has me delivering lunch. Chinese from her favorite spot.”

I looked up to see Tyson at my door, and then I glanced at the clock. It was already 1:45 p.m. I didn’t even know that we’d been at it so long.

“Wow. This day’s been brutal. Thanks for the food. All Taylor had was a muffin this morning, so she’s probably starving.”

I sent her a mindlink, and a few minutes later, she walked over, looking completely beat.

“Mr. Wu’s been blowing my phone up all morning. If he wasn’t so sweet, I would’ve gone nuts by now. Thank you for the yummies.”

She leaned up on her bare toes and kissed his cheek, then grabbed the bag and rushed over to the table by the window.

“Where are your shoes, angel?” I asked.

“I gave them to Jeff down in accounting. He said he likes the way they make my a*s look.”

“WHAT?!” Tyson and I both yelled out.

When she began to laugh hysterically, I sighed and rubbed my eyes. “You almost got that guy fired, tesoro.”

“Before I disposed of his body,” Tyson added.

“He’s a perv for sure, but he doesn’t bother me. I’ve got you, Xander, and Alexi all roaming the building at any given time, and none of the men here are that desperate. Are you two eating, or is this all for me?”

We walked over and sat beside her. “So, your shoes?”

“Under my desk. This is my first day in those heels in months. My feet are killing me.” She crunched into an egg roll and wiggled in her seat. Her happy food dance.

“It’s nice having both of you here at the same time. We haven’t eaten together since the whole ‘Vampgate’ thing.”

“That’s what you’re calling it? Vampgate?” Tyson asked.

“Yeah, it makes it easier for me. Kind of blurs out the fact that the two of you were moments away from being crushed to death.”

I watched her fix our plates, and before that moment, I’d never thought about what would’ve happened to her had Tyson shown up five seconds later. She would’ve lost the both of us, and probably never recovered. All three of our lives were on the line down in that basement.

“I know it was hard on you, so however you need to process through it is perfectly fine,” I told her.

“I’ve processed, and I’ve realized what’s important. The whole ordeal sucked, but it opened my eyes, and I can’t be mad at that.”

We ate and talked about our day for a while before Tyson’s phone beeped.

“I’ve got to head out soon. There’s a real estate agent taking me to look at a few locations that may work for my new office,” he said.

“You know floors three through fifteen here are leased to other businesses. I believe there is an opening on fifteen, actually.”

He looked at his phone and scrolled through his email. “Yep, it’s the first property on the list. I’ll go take a look and see if it’s what I’m looking for.”

“So, you’ve decided to open your business?” Taylor asked.

“Yeah, it’s the only logical step. I’ve been working on all the small, tedious stuff this morning, and as soon as I put it out there that I wanted to see some locations, multiple agents started blowing me up. It helps to have cash on hand and not have to deal with the hassle of loans and approvals to get started. Who knows? Maybe Bear Systems and Securities will be moving into the Black Enterprises building.”

He gave her a quick k**s, then tossed his plate in the trash. “Don’t let Mr. Wu or Jeff in accounting drive our princess crazy, Matt. I’ll see you two later.”

When Tyson was gone, Taylor looked over at me and sighed.

“If he gets that office, we’ll have four overprotective men in the building. It’ll be a miracle if anyone ever looks at me again while I’m here.”

Matt bit into an eggroll and said, “Works for us.”