Page 27

Ziggy

“It feels really rushed, don’t you think?” Lennon asked, placing his half finished cake down on the plate in his lap.

Gosh, Frey was going to be a daddy!

“Doesn’t matter if it feels rushed to us.

It’s what they feel that’s important.” He beamed at the others in the coffee lounge.

All of them had found the situation shocking, initially, him included.

Frey had barely admitted he had feelings for Booker to the others, now they were adopting Emmy, a little girl.

One that Frey had helped deliver, no less.

Ziggy’s private messages held several pictures from Frey of the green-eyed cutie-pie.

The circumstances of her birth were dreadful.

Lennon and Hollis, when they’d returned without Frey or Monty to the office, had told them the horror stories of what had happened.

The impact on Hollis and Lennon had been noticeable after yet more shocking discoveries in Drinkwater.

To find out what those monsters had chained up employees so they couldn’t leave willingly was horrific enough. But this? Raping and impregnating an omega then denying it after his death? Ziggy didn’t know what to do with the anger he felt at the absolute injustice of it all.

No one had known the little omega had been pregnant, he’d not told a soul, and that was the saddest thing of all.

He had suffered alone. Ziggy had to close that thought out, otherwise it would drive him crazy with his inability to help or change what happened.

Problem was, everyone was gossiping about it, which made it hard not to think about it.

“How do you think it’ll all work? I mean, how will Frey manage to work and look after a baby?” Bowie chewed on his thumb, his lower lip trembling.

“Booker will help. Why else would he adopt her with Frey?” This came from Wilder. “It was easy to see with all the talk about bears in our group chat, Frey was smitten with Booker. And I’m sure Lane and Derick will help with whatever they need.”

“You don’t think they’ll be mad?” Bowie’s concern appeared to be increasing as he stuck his thumb in his mouth, sucking on it. Odd behavior for a grown man, but not something anyone seemed to notice when it came to Bowie.

“Is everything alright, Bowie?” Wilder asked, patting Bowie on his wide shoulder. “You know better than anyone how supportive Lane is. Even the brothers are loyal to each other. Although I can’t see Jupiter on baby duties.” He giggled, all pink cheeked.

Wilder how favored slim legged slacks and bright colorful, fitted shirts looked too cute. His dark, wavy hair framed his sweet face that wore a perpetual cheeky grin, which right now was catching.

“Wilder’s right.” Lennon mumbled around another mouthful of cake.

Wilder’s eyes narrowed as he got up and went to the counter to see what cake was left in the box. “Did you have the last slice of lemon drizzle cake?” He sounded annoyed as he picked up the box and peered inside.

“Oops,” Lennon said, with a wry grin.

“You’re supposed to be my friend, you could have shared the last piece.” Wilder flounced back to the sofa after dropping the box in the trash.

Lennon held up his plate with a chunk of cake left on it and offered it to Wilder. “You can have this bit, I haven’t licked it.”

Ziggy was back to smiling, enjoying their antics.

Wilder took it and rested his head on Lennon’s shoulder. “I love you.”

“At least somebody does,” Lennon muttered, then turned to Ziggy. “You give brilliant advice. What would you say we do to help Frey?”

“Just so you know, I’m a good listener, too,” Ziggy pointed out, aiming that at Lennon.

“But I’d say we offer to help in any way we can.

One thing I’ve learned working with you guys is that we’re like family.

In fact, sometimes you’re better than family because you are considerate of each other and supportive in ways family isn’t always. I love that.”

“Ohh,” Bowie sniffed and out popped the thumb covered in dribble. “You say the nicest things.”

“It’s the truth.” And Ziggy meant it.

“I know I come across as self-absorbed most of the time, but Ziggy is right, I love you all. And you are my family,” Wilder murmured.

Hollis appeared in the doorway. He halted, his wide eyes sweeping the room. “What on earth is going on in here? Wh-why are you crying?”

“We’re family,” Bowie sobbed, his thumb now back in his mouth.

“Yes… okay, but what are the tears about?” Hollis gave them all a perplexed look as his gaze swept the room once more.

“We’re thinking about how we can help Frey with Emmy. We want to help,” Ziggy explained.

Hollis nodded, rubbing at his lower lip. “I’ll speak to Taylin, he might have a suggestion, but in the meantime, isn’t it time we got back to work?”

Wilder groaned. “You had to go and spoil it!”

They all laughed at Hollis’s eye-roll.

Ziggy peered up from his desk and grinned at the attractive, silver-haired man leaning on the doorframe, watching him. “Lane, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“You were so engrossed in whatever you were reading.”

Dressed more casually than Ziggy had ever seen him, in slacks and a cream sweater, Lane took the seat opposite Ziggy’s desk. “It’s the outstanding list of plans I need to go through with Jupiter to get finalized for the Milan fashion week preparation.”

“Exciting, I always adored watching it all come together, then seeing our fashions come to life and everyone gush over them.” He sighed and pushed his bangs back off his forehead. “I have to admit, I do miss it.”

Ziggy wasn’t sure of the reason for the visit, but he sensed an air of expectation that he could not explain.

When Lane had interviewed him with Hollis, the genuine warmth that came from him made it easy to like him.

The saying ‘what you see is what you get’ truly applied to the smiling man. “Why not come back then?”

Twinkling eyes danced with amusement. “As tempting as that is, having Derick at home is proving rather… invigorating and fun.”

Ziggy felt the blush warm his cheeks at what Lane was referring to. “That’s… nice.”

Lane chuckled and winked. “It’s most definitely better than nice.

And my sons are more than capable of managing the business without our help.

” He crossed his legs and lounged in the seat as if he was planning on staying for a while.

“Anyway, how are you settling in? Hollis has nothing but good things to say about you. And from the group chat—and by the way, delicious and vicious was inspired—I’d say you’ve fitted in nicely with the other PAs. ”

“Good. Working with Jupiter has given me a wider view of the company, which is great. The PA team you have working the different strands, you’re right, they are wonderful. They made me feel really welcome. I am happy to say they are friends and made settling into Hazardville easy.”

“And Silas?” he enquired, so casually Ziggy couldn’t understand why his pulse lept.

Had he heard something? Had Laken overheard his comment? He searched Lane’s expression, trying to work out what was behind the question. He decided he was being overly sensitive when he had first been assigned to Silas, so asking about Silas was natural.

“Him too, though with the switch about I didn’t get nearly enough time to figure…

” Ziggy panicked at what he’d been about to say.

Forgetting himself was very easy with Lane.

Ziggy waved his hands about to make it look like he was trying to find words.

He didn’t want to say was ‘ figure out how to get him to want me the same as I wanted him’ because that would clearly be an over-share that Lane wouldn’t want when it came to his son.

A plucked silver brows arched. “Figure what?”

“All his responsibilities, they are so vast,” he hedged, actually glad of his earlier blushing, so it wasn’t obvious he hadn’t been truthful.

“They are vast.” Lane’s smile was amiable, yet there was something about his eyes that made Ziggy nervous.

“And sometimes he forgets there is more to life than work and won’t let people in because of his past .

Trust is something he struggles with, my stubborn boy.

He requires patience to break through his barriers.

Do you have patience, Ziggy?” His eyes narrowed a fraction. “I believe you do.”

“Oh, r-ight, y-es,” Ziggy stuttered, unsure how he’d lost the thread of the conversation and how they’d gotten onto the subject of his patience and how it pertained to Silas. He was quite sure they were no longer talking about work. But… why?

“Good.” Lane stood, smoothing down his sweater. “I’ve left a homemade caramel cheesecake in the coffee lounge. Make sure you grab a piece, it’s divine. I swear it’s the best I’ve made to date.”

“I will,” Ziggy answered, still bemused by the visit, if not a little unsettled.

“Then come along.” A flick of fingers at the open computer. “That can wait, I’m sure Jupiter will understand.”

Ziggy found himself in the coffee lounge having not made any protest, despite knowing he had deadlines.

“Can I smell caramel cheesecake?” Wilder asked excitedly as he bustled into the room. “Lane, did you make us cheesecake?”

“I did.” He went over and hugged Wilder. “So how’s my little raccoon doing? Have you and Jupiter figured yourselves out yet?”

Ziggy gave the pair in front of him a startled look. How did Lane know about Wilder’s feelings for Jupiter? The frustration Wilder felt came across in the group chat easily, but his genuine feelings, Ziggy didn’t get how Lane could know, unless…

Wilder giggled and glanced at Ziggy, but it was sadness in his eyes, not happiness. “I don’t think that will ever be possible. You know how Jupiter is.”

Lane focused his attention on Ziggy briefly before returning it to Wilder. A crawling sensation went up his spine that Lane had a purpose for being here and he was involved. “I wouldn’t discount anything. Sometimes all it takes is an act of bravery to change everything. What do you say, Ziggy?”