Zeke

Pregnant.

That's what he told me.

He looked absolutely terrified as he said that word but I assured him that he wasn't alone. He will never alone. I was going to be by his side the entire time no matter what. He was after all my husband even if our coupling was under dire circumstances such as him being protected upon being found from Rick who is now rotting in hell for everything he's down to Kai.

"How is he doing?" I looked up to see Caden at the entrance of my office

"Good, I mean as best as he can with the news of his expectancy," I said and he nodded

"How are you feeling about him carrying his baby?" And by his, he means Rick and I ran my fingers through my hair before replying

"What can I say? I'm pissed not at Kai but at that bastard for what he did to him," I replied and he nodded waking further into my office before taking a seat across from me,

"And what now?"

"Well now we just have to wait for the other test results to come in," I stated and he nodded

"What about the baby?"

"The baby will have two parents if that's what you mean" I replied and he raised a brow in question, "Kai may be carrying Rick's child but that doesn't change anything. I'll be raising the baby with him as my own"

"Are you sure that's what you want? I mean won't you come to resent it because of who its other father is?" He asked genuinely concerned but I shook my head

"Like I told you when he told me what happened, the baby is not to blame for the sins of its father and it will know nothing but unconditional love from me and that I'll love it as if it were my own flesh and blood despite its biological father is," I said and he nodded

"Damn never thought I'd ever heard you say something like that" he stated with a smirk making me roll my eyes and flip him the bird which caused him to laugh before he took on a serious look, "but I'm glad that you're finally settling down it's about damn time. Besides, I think you become a parent will teach you to be kinder and less stone-cold"

"Perhaps, we'll see," I said and he shook his head, "anyway how are you and Tony doing? Last time we spoke you told me about you wanting to adopt? How is that coming along?"

"That's a lot of questions," he answered earning him a scow and he sighed, "we're doing good and we're actually planning on going to England next week I was actually going to tell you about it but due to certain circumstances I couldn't really do that,"

I nodded and smiled leaning forward locking my fingers together. "I'm glad things are going good for you two and regardless of what was happening you should have told me your plans. How long have you two been planning trip and for how long will you be gone for?"

"We just got word from the agency we've been communicating with for the past few months as you already know," he said and I nodded since he and Tony have been telling me about their plans of adopting first before they have a child of their own since Caden was like Kai and could carry children. They mentioned it a few times before we traveled to France to oversee a few things over there.

"We're planning on adopting," were the first words that Caden said as he walked into my office making me blink at his words and set down the file I was currently looking over

"You're what now?" I asked wanting to see if I had heard right and he gave me an exasperated look

"Tony and I are planning on adopting before we have a baby of our own. It's something we've been planning for a while ever since we got together" he replied sitting across from me and I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose. My brother and Tony have been together for more than three years and I knew that they'd want to start a family one day but didn't think they'd want to start one this soon especially when things were hectic with me looking for Kai Jacobson the son of a friend.

"Are you sure? You and Tony have barely been together for long and I think you two should take more time before actually making a big decision as big as adoption" I stated and he nodded

"We're very sure. We've been talking about this for a while now and we wanted to take the next step and actually consider communicating with an agency in Europe while we're there to see about possibly adopting" he replied with an enthusiastic smile and I nodded, "I know it's a big decision but we're ready to take it"

"Well as long as you're both ready then I'm more than happy to support you both you know that. I just wanted to make sure that you were both actually ready and not just saying it due to our trip to France" I said and he shook his head

"We're not. Z, we've been looking at different agencies for a long time and we figured that si me we'll be going to France that we might as well check one there," he replied

"Alright then, I don't see why you two can't take a few days off while we're there," I said making him grin

"Thank you big brother" he said making me shake my head as I smiled at him. Things may have been difficult for us growing up but I made a bow that Caden would never feel as if he couldn't confide in me or tell me things that are on his mind.

"No problem little brother," I stated with a smile.

We had that talk no longer than six weeks ago. So much has happened since then that it has given me whiplash.

"So how long will you and Tony be gone for?" I asked repeating the question from before,

"We don't know maybe a month or two," he replied with a sheepish look as he rubbed the back of his neck and I nodded, "I know that you're swamped with for so if you need me to stay then I can have T-"

"Don't even finish that sentence, Caden." I stated cutting him off and clamped his mouth shut,"you don't need to worry about me and the work I have to do that is not your concern it is mine as the head of the gang, do you under and?" He looked uncertain by my words but I went on."You and Tony take all the time you need away because this is something you've both been wanting for a long time and I'll be damned if you two miss out because you're worried. And when you return I speak you two come back with either my niece or nephew do you understand?"

He bit the inside of his cheek before nodding with a smile, "good now, tell me where you two are heading to?"

"England. Our social worker there emailed us about potentially having a baby that had been placed up for adoption when they were born as it's mother had given up her parents rights," he replied and I nodded.

"Can't believe there are actually people who would give up their child away," I shook my head and he nodded.

"Same here, anyway we won't know what the bag is until we fly out since we wanted it to be a surprise," he replied.

"That's understandable. Anyway, I'm sure you're dying to go and tell Tony about my reply so go on and tell him that you've got my approval and that you'll be taking one of our private jets to fly to England today not next week and that don't even argue-I can handle things hole you're both away-so go pack your things while I contact Derek to get the jet ready for you both on the next three hours."

"Are you sure?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes, now go and pack and I expect to hear from you both on a regular basis until you return," I said and he grinned nodding before he stood up and walked around the desk and sat his ass on my lap wrapping his arms around my neck making me groan at his weight, "did you really have to sit on my lap? You're not that light you know?"

"Are you calling me fat now?" He asked with mock offense pressing a hand on his chest making me roll my eyes, "You might be the most stone-cold and terrifying man I've ever known on the surface but you're also one of the kindest most thoughtful person in the world and the best brother I could ever ask for. Thank you for always having my back and supporting me in all my crazy decisions even though it drives you nuts most of the time."

"You're my brother, Caden, and despite how much of a pain you are, you will always have me backing you up in all things insane even if I don't approve of most of those decisions you make. I've told you before you can always count on me no matter what," I replied tapping his cheek like I always used to do when he was a little boy and he smiled, "now get off before I change my mind and make you work on these files," he chances a look at the pile of files I had on my desk and grimaced before getting of my lap and shaking his had.

"Thank you but no thank you," he stated before adding, "Thank you again for letting us go and I'll be sure to keep in touch while we're away.”

"Good," I answered and he grinned before smacking a kiss on my cheek making me push him away which earned me a giggle from my annoying brother as he ran towards the door but paused when I called him, "and Caden?"

"Yeah?" He asked looking over his shoulder.

"Mom would be proud of you," he gave me a small smile.

"As she'd be proud of you as well big brother," he replied before leaving my office and closing the door behind him leaving me on my own.

******

"Hello?" I answered my ringing phone two days later without even checking who it could be, that is until I heard sniffling on the other end of the line and Caden voice which fully woke me up, "Caden? Is that you?"

"Y-yeah," he whimpered making me furrow my brows, "did I wake you?"

"No, I was actually in the office going over a few things, but that's beside the point, what's wrong?" I asked. I could hear Tony in the background talking but couldn't really decipher what he was saying.

"Caden, what's going on? Did you and Tony get into a fight?" I asked concerned because that would be a first for them as they never fight although they'd have their disagreements but they always solve those within a few seconds but it never came to the point of Caden crying or Tony cursing from what I could hear.

"No, no, we didn't fight," Caden mumbled sniffling, "Damn it, we're actually flying home right now."

"What? Why? Didn't I tell you that unless you came home with my niece or nephew not to return?" I asked confused and which only caused Caden to cry even more before I heard the phone being exchanged and soon Tony's voice rang down the line.

"Hi, Zeke," he greeted his voice sounding hoarse as if he were trying to not cry which worried and confused me to a great level, "like Caden said, we're flying back," he paused and seemed to be taking a deep breath before continuing and I could still hear

Caden crying in the background, "we've been scammed and lied to. Neither the agency nor the baby we we're hoping to adopt exist." He now sounded pissed just like I was currently feeling upon hearing what was causing my brother so much pain. I could feel my blood boiling in my veins and I wanted nothing more than to fly to England and kill the bastards that tricked my brother and brother in law this way and make them pay for their pain.

"Fuck, I want nothing more than to fucking rip them to shreds,"Tony growled and I could picture him pacing their hotel room with his fist balled up at his side

"How do you know they don't exist?" I asked keeping my voice leveled.

"We went to the location that it's supposedly where it's located and there is no building there. Well there is but it's burned down to the ground the only thing left is the base and half of the walls but nothing else," he replied and I closed my eyes pinching the bridge of my nose, "We asked a few passerby's if they knew an adoption agency called Little Voices but no one ever heard of it nor do they know a couple named Marcel and Josephine Marshall-they're the people that we've been communicating with for the past three weeks about possibly adopting-which didn't make any sense so when Caden and I got back to our hotel I did some research-which I know I should have done before-and nothing showed up with neither the couple's name nor the agency."

Damn it, Caden was so happy that they were finally going to start their own little family and this is what happens. Fuck, these people will pay for this and I'll make sure they never do this to another couple because they don't call me The Devil for nothing.

"Do you still have their email?" I asked

"Yeah, I already tracked their information through that but like I said, nothing," he replied and I sighed.

"Send me their information and I'll run it through and when I find those bastards they'll regret messing with you and Caden." I said.

"Alright, and make sure you don't kill them if you do because I want to be the one to kill them," he said and I smirked at his words

"Don't worry, Tony, rest assured that they'll be ready for your arrival" I replied making him chuckle, "I just got your message, I'll message you once I get anything,"

"Sounds good, Caden and I should be arriving with in the next 10 hours," he replied and I hummed looking at the time, it was already 3 in the morning which means that's it's already 10 in the morning in England.

"Alright see you when you get here," I said before we exchanged goodbyes with me promising the find the bastards who lied to them.

"Zeke?" A soft voice filled with sleep called from the doorway of my bedroom- I had migrated from my office to my room around 10 pm-and I looked up to see Kai standing in the doorway rubbing his eye.

"Yeah?" I asked getting up from mu desk and walking over to him, "is something wrong? Do you need anything?"

"No, no, everything's okay, I just saw your light on on my way back up from the kitchen and wanted to see what was keeping you up so late" he murmured and I smiled shaking my head.

"Just going over some last minute work that's all," I stated and he nodded, "go ahead and get some sleep, Kai.”

"You too," he replied and I nodded leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead before he walked across the hall to his room after giving me a kiss on the cheek, I should really start considering having him start sleeping in my room now that we're trying to make this relationship work and may change his room into the baby's nursery. Shaking my head I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and returned to my desk closing the door behind me and walked to my desk where my laptop sat and typed the names Tony had given me into the data base of the FBI and reclined on my chair as I waited to get a hit and it didn't take long making me grin.

"Looks like the Devil has just found his new preys."