by Tisha Wilson
“It depends,” he replied quickly.
“On what?”
“Weather or not you beat me at chess again.”
She laughed out loud before she pulled his head down to hers and ended their teasing with a deep kiss. The whole world might have gone crazy, but this was good and right here in his arms, and there was no place she would rather be.
* * *
“Hurry up or you are going to make us late.”
“I’m coming,” Braden called over his shoulder.
He looked down into the crib at the soft downy headed boy who slept peacefully as if everything was right in the world. His cheeks were rosy and he was just so perfect. He looked like a toddler nearing the age of three but he had only been on this earth for six months. It was hard to believe how much his entire universe had changed in just six months. Ayden was the perfect mix of Miranda’s softness and his own thick headedness. When the little boy was awake there was no doubt who he assumed was in charge of the world.
Miranda came to the nursery door. He turned to her. She looked so pretty in a little black cocktail dress and her hair swept up. She wasn’t wearing her wheel chair gloves and he had forgotten how dainty and soft her hands could look. She had gotten a sleek black chair for tonight’s event.
“Okay fuss pot. We have to leave now so we won’t be late.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I still don’t like leaving him.”
She rolled over, tugged at his tuxedo suit jacket and he reluctantly followed her. They found Alicia standing in their living room looking around nervously. She didn’t seem to care for being in people’s homes all that much.
“Alicia has to be the best line of defense our little one can have,” Miranda said as she stopped in front of the door to grab her wrap.
“Are you sure he’s not going to need his diaper changed or anything like that?” Alicia asked wide eyed.
“No. He’s down for the night. I will change him when we get home. If he stirs, just give him his bottle and he’ll get right back to sleep.”
“I don’t know how he keeps from biting the nipple off with all those teeth.” Alicia rubbed at her arm and Miranda laughed. He didn’t have a set of fangs but he loved using the teeth he did have. Her son seemed to especially love torturing poor Al with love bites whenever she was near.
“Just be glad that you aren’t the one breast feeding him,” Miranda shot back as she continued pulling Braden out the door. They were near the truck when he paused again and looked longingly towards the house. He then picked her up and put her inside the truck.
She waited as he got in. They were nearing the city before he spoke again. “Maybe we should-”
“He’s fine. Okay. He’ll be fine, and so will you.”
He felt as uncertain as he was sure he looked. He found a parking spot and helped her into her chair. Before he had much more time to think about it they were inside the fancy gallery. In that moment he was at home. His paintings and artwork filled every available space and people seemed to be in awe as they appreciated the work.
He watched Miranda as she graciously worked the room. She was the best treasure of all the treasures he could have found or made. He had been wild and rootless for so long and he had thought to find peace in a lonely old cabin, but it wasn’t until he’d met Miranda that he’d truly found home. She had healed him and for that she would forever have his heart.
He walked over and before she could protest he swung her up into his arms and swung her around. She laughed out loud and held on tight. Pictures were snapped forever capturing the night. He was just setting her down when the cell in his pocket began to ring. He snatched it out thinking that it might be Alicia needing some help. The number that popped up made his blood run cold.
“Bateman,” he roared in a whisper. “Where the hell have you been?”
“If you hadn’t noticed, we’ve had to rebuild the entire system that was destroyed. I heard some rumors of your troubles with a female hunter you had to train. Where is she now?”
Where to begin? “Have you talked to Karen Stone? Alicia was able to explain some of what’s been happening here to her.”
Braden was very conscious of all the humans nearby listening and watching the moves of this new very talented artist. Miranda sent a look of concern his way but he waved her off with a smile. He would talk to her later.
“No. She is on special assignment and I want her focused on her mission.” Braden heard the hint of annoyance in Bateman’s voice. He sighed. He didn’t care about Bateman and his attraction issues with the Stone woman. A woman like that would chew him up and spit him out.
“Have you spoken with Saul?”
“As a matter of fact I have not. As soon as I got back and took over the clean-up he disappeared. I haven’t had the time or the desire to go after him. I can’t say as I blame him though. This is a mess. He and Sabrina were close and his cousin Hector… This is just a cluster fuck.”
“All right. I’m in the midst of… company so I’ll tell you what you need to know. That woman is now my wife and we had a baby.”
“You had a what!”
“A son.”
Bateman was silent for a long while. “Who else knows about this?”
“Alicia has been helping us out and Alaric also knows. Saul knows half of it, but that’s all I can say at this moment.”
“I’ll be expecting your call when your stupid company leaves!”
*
Bateman disconnected the line and paced the floor. So Alicia knew. Why she hadn’t tried to contact him he didn’t know. Perhaps she knew even more than she let on to Braden. If that was the case, as soon as she was able she would be coming after him. He was seriously screwed.
He sat forward and pressed an intercom button. They were set up in an office space in a business complex in the heart of Vegas for the moment, guised as a securities company. The secretary in the lobby replied.
“Yes sir.”
“Get me our new security leader. I need to report a rogue hunter out to hurt innocents. She needs to be dealt with immediately.”
He sat back in his leather chair and steepled his fingers. He had to keep Al away from Jerry while keeping Karen Stone out of it. He was seriously screwed.
