Chapter Eight
Yeo sat on the bed and petted Magnolia while Caden added his clothes to their closet. He still felt sucky, but he was getting better. Amy had watched the store for the past two days by herself. He really needed a couple more people. Sassy hopped up on the bed and laid down next to him. He scratched her silky ears and smiled.
“I need to hire more people, don’t I?” He hugged Magnolia and sighed. He missed his babies. He couldn’t wait until Summer and Linc came home. Bennett had talked him into leaving them with him for one more night. That man really needed ten more babies to keep him occupied.
“Are you alright with my bookshelves?” Caden sounded uncertain and Yeo didn’t like it.
“Anywhere you want. This is your home too.” He looked at them from the bed. Caden had placed one on each side of the large window above the desk. “They look really good there.” He scratched his stomach. The damn thing had been itchy for a few days now. He really needed to change his moisturizer. “Your desk is bigger than mine too.” They’d put his desk down in his office. Yeo felt bad, but he didn’t want to share his desk. Bennett gave it to him.
“I just don’t want to take over. This is a big step for us.”
“It is,” Yeo agreed. “I’m ready, though.”
Caden smiled wide. “I am too.”
Pounding on their door startled Yeo. Sassy started barking and ran into the living room. Caden frowned and followed. Yeo yawned and made himself get out of the bed. He passed Huckleberry in the hallway. The rabbit slept in one of the many pet beds spread throughout the apartment.
Yeo stared at Ray. The man stood in the door and was angry. Really angry. Yeo had never seen the gentle beta do anything more than growl playfully when he pretended to steal Linc’s tater tots.
“What is wrong with you? Am I not good enough? I can’t believe you’ve been doing this behind my back!” Ray poked his finger into Caden’s chest after each statement. What the hell? Caden would never cheat on him. Would he?
“I didn’t think you’d feel this way,” Caden said. “I didn’t want to bother you and he was available.”
“Excuse me?” Yeo stomped his foot. “I was available? You said you loved me, Caden.”
The two men looked at him like he was crazy. “I do love you, angel,” Caden said.
Ray winced. “I didn’t think about how that sounded, Yeo. I’m sorry.” He pointed at Caden with a glare. “This jerk went behind my back to use a different investigator from the company I work at. I’m the Wilson and Benson investigator, not Walter Douglas.”
Yeo rolled his eyes. “You two are ridiculous.” He went to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. He listened as the two men argued.
“Here’s the information Walter gathered,” Ray said, tossing a file on the coffee table. “He said you had another job for him?”
“Fine,” Caden said. “I can’t believe you’re so upset over this.” They sat at the couch. One man on each end.
“I’m the investigator the Wilsons and Bensons use,” Ray say stubbornly. “It’s what I do, damn it. What’s the second job?”
“I want you to find information on Yeo’s papa. He’s an omega named Dean Wagner. He lives in Jackson, Tennessee,” Caden said. “His alpha’s name is Simon Wagner.”
Yeo squealed and ran to his alpha, climbing into his lap. “I didn’t even think of hiring someone to find him. You’re a genius, baby.” He kissed his cheek and snuggled in, taking another bite of his sandwich.
“I’ll let you know what I find,” Ray said, eyes softening as he watched Yeo. “Walt found a few things of interest about Richard Cook. He’s blacklisted Yeo at all of the financing companies that he has influence with. He’s also been very verbal in his displeasure with Yeo. He tells everyone that he cruelly divorced Tracy and stole her child, leaving her alone and destitute. He hasn’t mentioned Summer at all.”
Yeo snorted. “I don’t need financing. I’m no Elijah, but I’ve made some smart investments. I’m also not starting another fortune 500 company. I bought this building with cash, and as long as it stays in the black, I’ll be okay.”
Ray shrugged. “From what Walt could tell, the man has done everything he can think of to prevent you from being successful. The problem is that you don’t seem to measure success like him. You have a bookstore in a small town. There’s not much he can do about that in Tennessee.”
“Good news,” Caden said.
“Yeah. Unfortunately, Walt found some bad news too. A custody suit has been filed for Lincoln Cook.”
“What? That’s not possible,” Yeo said. First CPS and now this? He should be worried, but he was just angry.
“Your ex-wife filed the necessary forms in Nashville Friday morning,” Ray said.
“She has no possible chance of winning. What is she after?” Yeo was genuinely baffled. What could Tracy want? Caden’s body was stiff beneath him and his face was frozen.
“Courts often give preference to the mother, angel. We need to prepare to fight this. Why didn’t she pursue custody before?”