“Okay,” said Steel. “I’ll put in an order for all of the equipment and ask the supplier to rush the ultrasound machine as soon as possible. Is there anything else we need to address?”
“I’m finished for the time being,” said Ian. “Oh wait… Colton if you have any notes you’ve been keeping on Jackson, would you please forward copies of them to me when you get a chance?”
“I’ll do it immediately,” replied Colton.
“Thanks. Good-bye, for now.”
A chorus of “good-byes” sounded just before Steel hung up the phone.
Colton got up. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go get my notes for Dr. Wallace.”
Jackson spoke up. “Sit down, Colton. You want to tell me why you got so pissed off at the good doctor?”
Colton looked down at his fidgeting fingers. Dammit, he knew his brother would want some answers since it was so unlike him to lose his temper. All during their childhood, Colton was always the calm one, never angry at any of his siblings. So yeah, Jackson would notice his stupid anger at the doctor. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled. “I just jumped to the wrong conclusion. It won’t happen again.”
Steel asked, “Will you be able to work with him without any drama? I don’t want Jackson to be put in the middle of spats between his brother and his doctor.”
Colton nodded his head in assent as he looked up at Steel. “Don’t worry, the doctor and me… we’re on the same page. There won’t be any friction.”
“Are you sure? Because I can find another doctor,” said Steel.
Colton nodded. “I promise. Is that all?”
Jackson smiled at his brother. “Yes, and thanks Colton. I appreciate all your help.”
Colton walked over to his brother, bending down to hug him, whispering in his ear, “I love you, bro, and I’m so happy to be part of the coolest pregnancy ever.” He straightened up, smiling at Steel. “Let me know where you’re going to set up the hospital and I’ll start getting the rooms ready.”
~/~/~/~/~
Slate’s phone was ringing again and he knew exactly who the asshole on the other end was. Josiah, Alpha of the Silver Point Pack was trying to reach him about a waiver on the title issue.Fuck that!This must be the sixth call in the last two days. Slate would’ve answered it sooner but he was trying to buy Steel all the time he could until the proverbial shit hit the fan. And by the sound of it, that time wasn’t too far off.
Better call his brother to see what he wanted Slate to do. As he dialed, his thoughts once again reverted to Steel’s luck in finding a mate. Well, maybe not so much luck as having the grit to keep looking. While he was happy for his brother, Slate wasn’t ready to settle down just yet even though his mother was nudging him in that direction. No, he was having too much fun finding a different man in every port—oops—make that in every city while traveling all over the world. Maybe if he entered histoirchighperiod like Steel, he might be more focused, but right now, he was free to be a man whore and wasn’t ready yet to give up that title.
“Steel here.”
“Well, hello to you too, brother. Not getting enough since Jackson got pregnant?” chortled Slate.
“Fuck off,” Steel replied with a laugh. “What’s up, little brother—and I do mean little—where it counts.”
“Did your mate ever say you have a streak of meanness in you?”
“My mate loves me and only tells me how good I am in bed. Too bad you’ll never hear that from your mate,” said Steel smugly.
“Okay, okay, brother—enough with the barbs or I’ll tell your mate on you.”
“That issonot fair. Wait until you find your mate and you’ll see what I mean,” Steel said, laughing lightly. “Now that that’s over, what did you want to talk to me about?”
Slate’s voice became serious “Alpha Silver Point has been calling me a number of times during the last several days but I haven’t picked up. He’s left messages on voicemail so I know what he wants.”
“And whatdoeshe want?” asked Steel in a deadly calm voice.
Slate knew when his brother used that voice, he was very angry. “He wants me to give him a waiver on our requirement for him to produce a title to the Fox River property and release the money for his mining operation on the land.” Slate paused, waiting for the explosion he knew would be coming.
“That fucking asshole!” Yup, there it was, Slate thought, as Steel erupted.
“He’s being investigated by the High Council and he knows the brothers are alive. He’s either got a lot of nerve or he’s the stupidest prick alive.” Steel was seeing redand his anger threatened to consume him.That sonofabitch—I’ll see him dead before he ever gets his filthy hands on the land. That land is my pup’s legacy.
Slate said, “I understand what you’re saying but I don’t get why the Alpha would want to proceed on the mining project when he may be found guilty and sentenced to death? It doesn’t make sense on the face of it, but my gut tells me he thinks he’ll have the land—and soon.”
