Page 34 of Nanny's Mate

“What’s going on?” Karla asked.

Nate shook his head and pressed the phone to his ear, opening the sliding doors to take the call inside. A wave of frustration surged through the enforcer as Nate disappeared, the two women looking at each other, then at him.

“I’m sure he’ll tell us when he gets back,” Beatriz said, trying to soothe him.

The phone call went on for nearly fifteen minutes, alerting the protective wolf in Mike. When he returned, Beatriz and Mike had started to clear the table while Karla wiped the excess ketchup from the mouths of her babies.

“I’ve got to head out,” Nate said promptly. “There’s some trouble at the club. Another overdose. Two wolves are going nuts."

Mike desperately wanted to accompany him, to be involved once again the way he had been, but he was pulled to stay around and protect the women and kids. Beatriz must have seen his conflict because she spoke up for all three of them.

“Take some food with you. You don’t know how long you’ll be."

Nate did just that, then kissed his three children on the head. Mike wanted to know more, but he remained silent, his desire to take care of Beatriz clashing with the obligation to figure out the drug problem.

Nate gave him a nod and spoke in a low tone as Karla and Beatriz moved back inside.

“You are doing me a favor staying back here. Don’t worry.”

He then left, walking around the property to the driveway. Mike knew that watching the women and children was a noble task, but he also knew that Beatriz wasn't some feeble string caught in the wind. There was nothing left for him to do, though, so he cleared up the table and helped Karla bring the babies into the living room.

Nate was gone for nearly three hours, leaving Mike to wring his hands with concern. Karla was distracted by the kids, letting them doze off while watching a movie.

Beatriz kept her hand on his back the entire time, moving it in little circles as the hours ticked by. The moment Nate pulled into the drive, he leapt to his feet, careful not to wake the triplets.

He was eager to know what had taken so long. He also knew that the babies were asleep, and they couldn’t talk for long or too loudly. Mike moved outside into the crisp air, a gentle breeze brushing over his bare skin.

“What happened?” he asked curtly.

Nate had barely made it out of the car. He answered bluntly, which Mike appreciated.

“Well, like I said when I left, there was another overdose. Two wolves going nuts. When I got there with Aric and Caleb, it was pure chaos.”

Mike tried to be patient, but it was getting difficult. He'd spent most of the night torn between racing to the club and staying put next to his mate. It was torture for a man like him.

“What else?” Mike said agitatedly.

Nate went on. He had the same exhausted look in his eyes that Mike saw in Tristan’s. The sense of empathy was contagious.

“We stopped the fight and closed down the club. We interrogated the wolves, who weren’t quick to give up the dealer. Eventually, one caved and gave us the same of this Parnell character. We found him fleeing the club. Tristan has him in custody right now."

Mike rubbed his face hard enough to leave a red mark along his forehead. Nate continued to pour over the details.

“In the interrogation, we found that he was handing out the drugs like fucking candy. Word traveled fast, and more and more wolves started taking them.”

“This is absurd,” Mike said, letting out a long sigh. “I wish I could have been there with you.”

Nate chuckled, then clapped Mike on the shoulder. It was friendly, but it irked Mike at the moment.

“Tristan told me he tasked you to protect the nanny. And she’s your mate, right?"

Mike nodded, the word making something warm inside him bloom.

“And I’m sure that’s a pleasurable task. I would love to be on my hands and knees for Karla all day,” he mused, licking his lips. “But we’ve got these kids and a club to run. Take advantage of this time when you just have her. Wallow in it.”

Mike didn’t like being told what to do by someone who wasn't his superior, but he certainly had a point. The past few days of moving between making love, eating delicious meals, laughing, and lounging with Beatriz were some of the best days of his life.

He didn’t want to let those days slip through his fingers.

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