Page 14 of The Partner Predicament

“Have a seat.” I don’t shake her hand. This isn’t going to be a happy conversation. “How can I help you?”

“I don’t know how to say this,” she starts but I cut her off.

“I don’t have all day. Just say what you came to say so I can return to my home and family.”

“All right.” She looks like I slapped her but I don’t care that her feelings have been hurt. “There was a general audit of all the House of Fertility locations. It seems there was a mix-up.”

That has my attention. “What kind of mix-up?” I demand.

“The Partner that was sent to you was incorrect.”

“Incorrect?” I ask incredulously.

“Yes, sir. We apologize for any inconvenience caused but the young lady will be removed and replaced with the correct person.”

“Over my dead fucking body!” I slam my fist into the table making everyone jump. “Aspen belongs to us. To me and Jaxon, and anyone that tries to take her will have to deal with us.”

“Sir,” she tries again.

“I don’t give a flying fuck!” I roar. “Run back to your boss and tell him I withdraw every red fucking cent I have sponsored to his campaign. I will stop every contract I have with the military, if anyone so much as thinks about taking that woman from us.”

“The point of the Partnership Project is to ensure that we continue to thrive as a nation,” one of the men points out. “With so few fertile females it’s imperative they are partnered correctly.”

“Do I look like I give a fuck about that?” I seethe.

“Besides,” Lydia speaks again, “it’s already done.”

My phone rings at that moment, Jaxon’s name scrolling across the screen. My world drops out from beneath my feet.

****

Jaxon

“Where are you?” Mason asks as he answers the phone.

“Halfway to the damn doctor’s office,” I start to explain. “A blacked-out van ran us off the road. They took Aspen.”

“I know,” he says.

“What the fuck do you mean you know?” I rage. “What the hell is going on, Mason?”

“Wait there. I’m on my way.”

It doesn’t take him ten minutes to reach me, and he looks pissed as hell. I’ve seen little of his temper here and there but this is something different altogether. I don’t wait for him to say anything before jumping in the passenger seat and putting on my seat belt.

“What is going on?” I ask after we get back on the road.

“Apparently, the government and the House of Fertility fucked up. Aspen was never supposed to be assigned to us.” Mason hits the steering wheel a couple of times before continuing. “But I’ll be damned if they’re going to take her from us, that much I’m sure of.”

“So, you have a plan?” I ask cautiously.

“Not so much. But I’ve made a few calls and I know where they’re taking her, and I’m not going to stop until we have her back.”

I want to argue. I want to tell him it won’t be that simple, but I can see he’s past the point of reasoning. My heart breaks as I stare out the window. Today was supposed to be a joyous day, something to celebrate. Now it’s the darkest day of my life.

I finally have the family I want but it’s all just an illusion. A house of cards that’s slowly toppling down.

I’m not focused on where we are headed, instead drowning in my own sorrow. When the car skids to a halt it takes me a moment to realize that we are indeed stopped in front of the closest House of Fertility. Mason is out of the car and storming up to the gate in an instant. It takes me a moment to catch up to him when I finally get out of the car.

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