Jason (Kings of Guardian #4) Read Free Page A

into the building.
    “You two get back to work. Jason, when you’re settled, we’ll talk.” Gabriel headed down the plush hallway that led to the suite of offices he occupied.
    “Lunch?” Jared asked them both.
    “Can’t. Meeting Tori for a doctor’s appointment. I need to watch the boys for her while she’s there.” Jacob’s comment caught everyone’s attention.
    “Is she alright?” Jared asked.
    Jacob’s face turned a dark red and Jason knew without a doubt why Tori was going to the doctor’s. “You lecherous old man. You knocked her up again?” He may or may not have shouted that question.
    “It would appear we need another form of birth control.” Jacob waggled his eyebrows. Jason had no idea how the hell the man managed the expression. He never could.
    “You think?” Jared taunted.
    “Yeah, maybe, or maybe she’ll castrate me. She was threatening that this past weekend. The scary part of that scenario is she grew up on a ranch. She actually knows how to make it happen.” The shiver of that gruesome thought ran through Jason. He noted Jared’s response was the same as his. Jacob laughed and cuffed Jason on the shoulder. “Welcome home, big man. You two, enjoy lunch. I’ll catch up with you later.” Jacob slapped Jason on the back again and headed down the opposite hall.
    Jared turned and walked with Jason toward his new office.
    “So how is Nicholas working out?” Jason asked. His replacement on the domestic side of the business had an investigative background similar to Jared’s. According to the briefings that had been coming at Jason non-stop since he agreed to the trial period, Gabriel’s primary concern right now was the business aspect of the domestic operation. The field work was bringing more clientele to the fold—big-money clients that needed the complete privacy Guardian could guarantee. Unless the customer was dirty. Every potential client signed the same agreement. If Guardian found out they were corrupt, they’d be exposed.
    “Well, he’s not you, but he’s got a no-nonsense demeanor that suits the job. Nic works hard, plays harder and is damned tough. He’ll never be politically correct, so recently we’ve agreed that I’m the talking lead for the division. He’d just piss everyone off and we’d lose business. So, yeah, I like him.”
    Jason entered the office that he’d occupy for the next five months and twenty-nine days. An adjoining door to the right of the office opened and a petite blonde teetered in on five-inch heels. She gave both him and Jared an up-and-down before she smiled radiantly and continued into the room. She balanced a huge stack of files and a large black mug that tilted precariously over the paper mountain she carried. She managed to make the short distance to the mahogany desk without dropping either.
    “Sonya, woman… if you wear any higher heels, you’ll topple.”
    “Well then stop f’ing growing, would you? I have to wear heels this tall or I feel like I’m a munchkin in the Emerald City. Damn giants.”
    Jason strode across the room and enveloped the waif of a woman. Her familiar perfume filled his senses.
    “I’ve missed you, Jason. Thank God you finally agreed to come back.”
    Jason released his secretary and stood back, chucking her under the chin. “How’s Mark?”
    Her wide brown eyes glowed with happiness. “He’s doing great. He’s got his new prosthetic and has been hell bent on getting back to work. The time he spent in South Dakota was a miracle for us. I thought for sure the psychological ramifications of that f’ing IED were going to take Mark from me. The rehab Guardian put him through brought him back, though. I don’t know what I would have done if he’d continued to spiral out of control.”
    “I’m happy for you.” Jason folded her back to his chest for a brotherly hug once again.
    “Dude, I’m out of here. Lunch?” Jason released the woman and glanced from his brother to his secretary.
    “Am I