Page 37 of Caught By Menace

Menace opened the door to his quarters. Vicious followed him inside. “I won’t be long.”

He made quick work of changing into his duty uniform and switching his boots. He found Vicious standing in the same place he’d left him. “I’m ready.”

“She’s very pretty,” Vicious said as they left the apartment. “She suits you.”

“Yes.”

“She’s not nearly as feral as I’d been led to believe.” Vicious couldn’t keep the smile from coloring his voice. “I hear she has quite a mouth on her.”

Menace exhaled loudly and stepped into the elevator. “She’s mellowed considerably since being Grabbed.”

“Clearly.”

Now it was Menace who smiled. “What can I say? Apparently I have the magic touch.”

Vicious snorted. “Give it a week. I’m sure she’ll be threatening to kick your ass again. Or was it shove that gag so far up your—”

“Yes,” Menace interrupted. “I don’t need a replay.”

He remembered with extreme clarity the way she’d verbally abused him on the transport ride. She hadn’t exactly shown the nicest side of herself. “I think she was just scared. Lashing out is her defense mechanism.”

“And is she scared now?”

Menace shook his head. “I’m nurturing her trust in me.”

“Smart move,” Vicious said. “Take it slowly. There’s no need to rush these things.”

Menace figured there was no one else he could trust with the big issue in their relationship. “She wants to postpone conception of our first child.” Vicious shot him a surprised look. “I see.”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

“They’ll bring you in for a mandatory reproductive health check if she hasn’t conceived in six months.”

Menace’s eyes widened in shock. “They have that authority?”

Irritation crossed Vicious’ face. “It’s in the small print of our Grab contracts. I wouldn’t have known either if Hallie…”

Menace heard the pain in his friend’s voice. “I’m sorry, Vee. I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”

“It’s fine.” Vicious inhaled slowly. “I don’t care if it takes Hallie ten years to conceive our first child, but these fucking population laws are putting undue stress on her. It makes her feel like a failure. Knowing she’s in pain and that I can’t fix it makes me feel like a failure.”

Menace was certain this was the first time in all the years he’d known Vicious that his friend had ever spoken with such emotion. “I don’t know what to say,” he admitted finally.

“There isn’t much to say,” Vicious replied matter-of-factly. “Biology is a bitch.”

Another thought struck him. “Can they intervene in your bond?”

Vicious’ jaw tightened. “The clause concerning that is vague. It’s been threatened on other men.”

“So if Orion succeeds in forcing me to give up Naya—”

“It would set a dangerous precedent,” Vicious said.

“I won’t let them take Naya,” Menace vowed. It wasn’t just his and Naya’s bond at stake. It was Hallie and Vicious’ too. “Can the doctors here do anything to help Hallie?”

Vicious nodded stiffly. “She’s undergoing testing next week. We’re hopeful.”

“And if it doesn’t work?”

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