Page 78 of Kyle

“He can’t cogitate, Zane.” Ivy laughed.

“Did you hear that, son? Your mother doesn’t think you can comprehend a mission brief.” Zane shook his head in disgust.

He was being serious. The man had lost his mind.

“I give up.” Ivy threw her hands in the air.

“You don’t see my men trying to steal my kid. They understand,” Zane continued.

“They’re men, Zane. They don’t care about babies,” Tatiana put in.

“No. They understand. There are a few things in life a man doesn’t share. His weapon, his woman, and his kid.”

“Glad to know your weapon comes before your woman,” Ivy mumbled dejectedly.

I couldn’t help but to laugh. The whole conversation was crazy. Tatiana and Emerson looked totally put out Zane wasn’t going to allow them to hold Eric. Ivy looked exasperated and all the men looked amused.

My gaze landed on Kyle and he shrugged his shoulders, like Zane’s behavior was to be expected.

I barely knew the man, but I’d seen him with his son several times, therefore I knew he was an overprotective weirdo when it came to Eric. No way was he giving his son up.

Obviously understanding arguing with Zane was going to get them nowhere, Tatiana, Emerson, and Ivy all started for the front room.

“You coming?” Ivy asked.

“In a minute.”

Zane walked clutching Eric to his chest to the kitchen table and tossed down a file.

Declan wasted no time opening the folder and I wasted no time moving to Kyle’s side. His arm went around me and he tucked me close. Damn, I loved it when he did that.

“I’m meeting with Tom this afternoon,” Zane started. “Landry has another purchase set up. We can’t wait any longer.”

“Where’s the buy?” Kyle asked.

“Canada,” Zane answered. “But we have a problem.”

Zane tried to shuffle through the papers one-handed but was making a mess of it.

“Here.” I stepped from Kyle and reached for Eric. “Give him to me so you can use both your hands.”

If there was ever a time I understood the meaning of, if looks could kill, it was right then. I may’ve tinkled in my shorts a little as Zane’s eyes narrowed.

“If you drop him, I’ll—”

“Just give him to me.”

I carefully extricated the baby from Zane’s arms and forced myself not to roll my eyes as he continued to stare me down, even though he’d transferred Eric into my arms.

“Are your hands clean?” he snapped.

“What?”

“Have you washed your hands? Don’t touch his face. And don’t breathe on him.”

“You’re insane.” I laughed. “Just finish what you were doing.”

Kyle chuckled and my gaze caught his. He was staring at me with something shining in his eyes that looked a lot like longing. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. I’d never given much consideration to having children. Mostly because you need a man to produce them and I’d never thought that would happen.