Page 64 of Broken By Her Mate
“Well…” Benny folded his arms and rocked back on his heels. “I mean…no. That would be crazy. So what if you remind me of my old man when you scowl and bark out orders…?” His words trailed off as his eyes darted from side to side, guilty.
“Awe, how sweet,” Ryder cooed.
Benny scowled and snapped, “We’ll never speak of this again. I have a rep to maintain.”
Francisco barely covered his snickers while Tolliver rubbed his jaw to hide his smile. “It’s okay tofeel, Benny. Being black ops doesn’t mean you have to turn off your emotions. It’s okay to love and be loved.”
Now, all eyes were on Tolliver. Everyone gazed at him with disbelief because not too long ago, he’d been the coldest bastard to walk the halls of Black Ops’ headquarters.
“Holy shit,” Francisco murmured. “Ever since he and Laila got back together, he’s gone soft.”
“Never thought I’d see the day,” Benny said.
Feeling uneasy with everyone gawking at him, Tolliver glowered. “All right, the show is over. Let’s get back to why you assholes call me in today.” He had taken a hiatus from work, which gave him and Laila plenty of time to reconnect and plan their future together. Months later, everything was still going smoothly.
“And he’s back,” Benny announced with a grin. “That didn’t take long.”
Tolliver rolled his eyes but didn’t comment.
“Back to business,” Zach said. “Jonas Mercer is dead, but we can’t get too comfortable. As I said earlier, there’s evidence of other trafficking rings.”
Jumping into business mode, Ryder nodded. “Even without Mercer, the business will keep going.”
Tolliver sighed. “As long as there’s still money to be made, there will always be a risk of more treachery. I’ve been keeping a digital eye on BioForge Labs. The company is still in full operation without its CEO. There’s no telling what kind of madness is being planned behind those walls.”
Zach scrubbed a hand over his face. “If not for the annoying politics, we could kick the door down and see for ourselves. Unfortunately, the law isn’t on our side unless we have proof of any delinquency.”
Francisco, who was leaning against the door, asked, “Does that mean we’ll be keeping an eye on them?”
“Precisely.” Zach turned to him and Benny. “Tolliver still has some time before fully returning to work, and he’ll be spending less time in the field.”
Tolliver nodded. He’d promised Laila he wouldn’t take on anything that would keep him away from her and their little boy. It was either he took a step back from missions or quit the Black Ops completely. She was the one who advised him against quitting. Despite her reservations about the group, she saw firsthand how important they were to keeping order in the supernatural community.
“Ryder is mostly at my side with the executive stuff,” Zach continued. “There are plenty of shifters here, but you two have proven yourselves. You’re our strongest trainees, and it’s time for you to step up. Congratulations, boys. You’re the head of the task force charged with demolishing Jonas Mercer’s tarnished legacy and making sure BioForge doesn’t hurt anyone else.”
Benny and Francisco slapped palms.
“You can count on us, boss,” Benny said confidently.
“They grow up so fast,” Ryder said, clutching his chest and wiping away a nonexistent tear.
Tolliver laughed. Indeed, they did, and he was proud. He stood up. “If this meeting is over, I have to get home. As you all know, Laila’s bakery opening is this evening, so I’ll be on dad duty for the rest of the day. I expect to see you all there.”
“I’ll be there with an empty stomach and bells on,” Ryder said.
As Tolliver exited HQ, he felt a surge of happiness. He had a family to go home to now. Years ago, he didn’t think he’d find himself in that position.
Later that evening, he stood beside Laila, holding little Nate—Nathaniel, after Laila’s father—as she cut the red ribbon in front of her new bakery. She decided to expand her business, making Cora the official manager of the shop in Cedar Ridge while she opened a new one in Bellefleur. It was convenient since she had moved in with Tolliver.
A thunder of applause erupted when the enormous scissors snipped the red material.
“Congratulations, Laila,” Elena chirped.
Hayley stood beside her in front of the crowd. “Let’s eat… I mean, celebrate.” She flushed when everyone laughed. Rubbing her swollen stomach, she smiled sheepishly. According to her, at six months pregnant, she needed to eat for two. But Tolliver knew that was an excuse to shamelessly scoff down Laila’s pastries. Her baked goods were already the talk of the town.
Laila beamed. “Thanks for coming everyone. I’m so excited to share this milestone with all my friends and neighbors. I hope my bakery will continue to bring us all together.”
Cheers, whistles, and well-wishes came from the crowd. She smiled up at Tolliver, who leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m proud of you,” he whispered.