Page 60 of Bottoms
“Can you imagine mixing kids into this situation? You all act like children enough for me to manage, thank you very much.” I said firmly. There was no way any of them were able to take care of a tiny human. Though Nik might be the closest.
“Maybe one day things will be different,” Nik sighed, and I could tell this conversation meant a lot to him.
I turned to look at him, and he gave me a sad smile.
“We can cross that bridge if we ever get there,” I said, not wanting to talk about children anymore. “Plus, the first boy has to be named Fynn, apparently.”
Nik had a horrified look on his face, and I laughed. Hoping it would act enough like birth control as far as Nik was concerned.
“It was the cost of getting my phone back. I wouldn’t be jumping on the baby vote soon unless you want a little Fynn running around.”
“Personal Chef then,” Nik said, amending his future vision. “I’m going to have to start watching more cooking shows,” he muttered.
“My sexy, detective, professor chef,” I laughed. “I think you just like extreme roleplay.”
“That can be our thing!” he said, visibly excited.
It made me laugh to hear him tell me about everything we could do together. I was pretty sure his favorite idea was meeting at a bar but pretending we didn’t know each other, and he would have to try to get me to go home with him. I wasn’t planning on letting him leave the parking lot. Or maybe even the bar.
When it came time for bed, Nik went into the bathroom and came out wearing only a pair of boxers before slipping under the covers.
“Is this what we are doing now?” I asked, wondering if they had drawn straws to see who would get to spend the night with me.
“I don’t know what they are doing. But this is what I’m doing. Only you can kick me out,” he said, snuggling close to me. His arm wrapped protectively around me as his body molded like a comforting blanket.
I found myself drifting off into peaceful sleep almost immediately.
Maybe everything would turn out better than I imagined.
18
Dinner Plans
Fynnwasthefirstto vote for my return to training after enduring them babying me for two weeks. I had been allowed to go back to class immediately. Nik kept the classes inside the lecture hall, and now I was moving around without holding onto my stomach as if my guts would spill onto the floor. I just had to be careful when I picked things up. And sometimes when I sneezed. But other than that, I was ready to get going again.
It took another week after that before Nik also gave his vote for me to be able to train again. Giving me the ability to break the tie in my favor. Concessions were also made, and I agreed to start with light workouts. Colten also insisted that I sit with him in the evening to start learning French. Saying that I needed training that wasn't physically demanding. He decided he would teach me since he was fluent and refused to physically touch me for some reason he hadn’t explained.
I had found the time to text my mom and let her know my graduation date. She had asked if Tanner would be at the ceremony, and I told her he would. We were also introducing her to the others and explaining that I was in a relationship with all of them. I had been outvoted four to one on that topic. Hannah also said she would be there and to make sure to get five tickets in addition to hers. Tanner claimed he would take care of it all.
I sat on the couch in the lounge, a cooking show blaring directions on how to make the perfect bacon-wrapped, jalapeno-cream cheese stuffed, chicken. Colten was in the kitchen attempting to follow along with the recipe. It seemed Nik would have to pick a different job. Colten couldn’t see the screen from here, which was why the sound was so loud.
I put down my phone, trying, but failing, to read with the sound of the rambling chef on the importance of pounding the chicken flat. Hannah had just sent me a new book featuring romantic situations like ours. I had no idea that a whole section of literature was dedicated to this. Trusting her recommendations, I started in on the first one. Quickly getting caught up in a world of demons and their formerly human mate. Until the chef on the screen ruined the mood.
“I’m going to find Fynn,” I said to Colten, peeking my head around the corner. He held a meat pounder in his hands, letting whatever frustrations he wasn’t discussing out on the chicken. The black apron with gold trim he wore over his suit was definitely doing it for me.
It had been a calm day as far as tensions between the men were concerned. Leaving me free to spend most of it on the couch reading, and now I was horny. I still had one punch card left in my harem, and I was healed enough for sex as long as he didn’t try anything too crazy.
I took the secret passageways through Bottoms, arriving in front of the bedroom Fynn had chosen. Knocking twice before opening the door, just as Fynn insisted. He said, one day, I would stop knocking because you don’t knock on your own door. For now, I still thought it was polite to give a heads-up before I walked in.
Fynn was sitting at his desk with two computer monitors in front of him. His original role in the Arsenal was security. Fynn and the others had a heated discussion, while I was unconscious, about the newly formed Dark Arsenal. I still didn’t understand exactly what that aspect of their lives was about, and at this point, I didn’t care to get dragged into it. They could take over the garage and make a little sign with their club name on it for all I cared.
Fynn had previously overseen security. A position that was taken by Nik. They had agreed Fynn could take his role back of security for the team for the computer part only. Nik would still head the security team, which I was told would be coming with us whether I liked it or not. Our personal team was downsizing to eight in total, and they would live in their own house on the same property as us. Mike was leading the team.
It looked like Fynn was checking on the security around the old farmhouse. He had left most of his gear there besides the mobile unit he brought with him to Bottoms. We would move the rest of our things when we picked a new house.
“Did you want to check out new listings?” Fynn said, turning in his chair to face me.
“Is there anything new today?” I asked. Fynn had taken the spearhead in looking for the place we would call home. No state was off limits except New York. But Fynn had his own list of necessities.
