Page 56 of Broken Bonds
“Morning Caldwell is the current fae leader,” Marchman says. “His brother was killed in the Savannah attack.”
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Mike says. “I knew him. He was a good person. I think I’ve met Morning before, but it’s been a while. I’ll handle talking to him for you, Jax, if you want.”
“Yes, please,” Jax says.
Marchman continues. “Currently leading the coven helping us is Dahlia de la Floren, from Des Moines. Her older brother was also killed in a recent attack.”
“Shit,” Mike says. “I know Dahlia, but I hadn’t heard it was her brother who died. Jax, I can call her too, if you want.”
“Go ahead,” Jax says. “Marchman will text us the info. I’ll defer to your judgment after you talk to them, Father.”
“Will do. I’ll call you back once I’ve talked to them both.”
He ends the call on his end and Marchman doesn’t move. “May I text him the info?”
Jax nods, and it takes me a moment to process that the vampire is going through great pains not to trigger either of our canines. When he uses his phone his fingers move slowly, purposefully, with no extra movements.
Okay, so I need to do a hard reset of my brain if we’re taking care of these…people.
Because yes, they are people. While it’s easy for me to say that all non-humans have every right to peacefully coexist, my basic instincts want to rebel when faced with the up-close scent of a vampire.
Ten minutes later, the initial details are hammered out, Marchman departs, and I’m opening every damned window in the place as well as turning on fans despite the sticky Florida heat.
“We’ll never get the stink out of the building,” I grumble to Jax.
He shoots me a sharp glare. “Don’t make me pull pack Alpha rank on you over this. We’ll have a hard enough time wrangling the pack to behave without you adding to the fire.”
I blow out a long breath. “Sorry. I promise I’ll behave.”
“I’m serious, Shawn. I need you to set a good example. Do I like vampires? No. But he’s right that if our situations were flipped, we’d be doing exactly what he is.”
“I’m not perfect,” I remind him. “Oh, and here.” I pull the pup’s phones and the piece of paper out of my laptop bag and smack them into his palm. “There. You’re right—I need to get my head on straight, but it’s not like this is the only fucking thing on my plate right now. Even your father wants grandpups. If he didn’t think you’d be a good dad, he never would have said it, even jokingly. But congrats! Now you have yet another excuse to play out until you don’t have to make a decision.”
I realize I’ve hit my limit and I head for the front door. “I’m going home. I’ll work from there today.” I snatch up my laptop bag and head for my car, ignoring Jax calling out to me.
Now I wish I had let Todd run me through the fun room.
At least I would have gotten an orgasm or two out of it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jax
One Step Forward…
Well, shit.
So much for rebuilding our bond.
I wait a few minutes before I close all the building’s windows while Susan pretends she didn’t hear a damned thing transpire between me and Shawn. Then I head to my office.
“Please hold my calls unless it’s Father, Shawn, or Marchman. Oh—” I lean back out. “Do not say anything about this, please? The vampires. This is pack Alpha business.”
She nods. “Of course not.”
“Thanks.” I close my office door and return to my desk. Susan’s professional, discreet, and I realize I didn’t need to say anything to her, but it makes me feel better that I did.
I don’t need a mass revolt—or panic—among our people when I break this news.
