Chapter 82 - NEW BUSINESS MODEL

After Bastian and EZ were done having their little discussion it was time for Kyle to bring something up. He spoke while I ate my bacon. He was lucky that he hadn't touched it.

"With how things are changing between us all, I think it is time for you to change your business model." He was talking to me, like I actually had a business.

"What business model? I am a bounty hunter. I am freelance."

"Exactly. Completely unreliable. You need to set something more permanent into place."

"I don't do permanent." I pointed this out to him while I continued munching on the delicious piece of greasy pig that had been fried extra crispy for me.

"You didn't do permanent." He glared at me for a second. "But things are different now. You have a mate. You cannot run away from me."

"I could if I wanted to." I joked with him.

"I would follow you to the ends of the earth." He grinned right back. "I can be very persistent."

"I've noticed." I stabbed a bite of hashbrowns and stuck them in my mouth before he could remove the rest of them from my plate as well.

"Now, as I was saying, you need something more permanent. Instead of just being a bounty hunter you can become a PI. Once you have the license for that you can take on other types of jobs as well. You're good at what you do already. I think you will be good with that as well. Then you can hire a bunch of other people and have them work for you." Either he thought pretty quickly when put to the test or he had planned this out already.

"You're just trying to get me to become some corporate magnate like you." I rolled my eyes at him, still listening but also ignoring him. It was a strange sort of thing.

"I don't care if you only have two employees, I just want you to have a structure and system for what you do. That last case was a fucking shit storm." He had a point, but that was all his fault. Well, it was at least partially his fault.

I was hoping that when EZ turned to start speaking he was going to be on my side. That tiny traitor. He was siding with Kyle.

"He's right, Jacy. You were almost killed during your last case. You need to change how you do things. Don't go on a case alone. You need a buddy system, and a reporting back to your family system." He was still really, really mad about me not calling him for a few days. Well, to be fair, I basically call or text him everyday. After hearing that I almost died I can imagine how scared he was when I was MIA for a few days.

OK, so they want me to change how I do things, right. What can I do about all of this?

"Let me get this straight, Kyle. You want me to have a team that I work with. Even though we were just talking about this yesterday, you're changing the entire plan."

"Yeah, well, I have had time to think since then." Kyle didn't sound the least bit caught off guard or bothered by my words.

"So, the partner system of you and EZ working as my hacking duo extraordinaires and Bastian and I collecting the perps isn't good enough?" I raised an eyebrow and folded my arms in front of my chest while I looked at him.

"Those are just fine. I think that would be a great start to the business model. Though, I still think you need more. You need an office. Not one at home but an actual office space where you work and people can come to see you. You can get the PI license and use that to find deadbeat dads and track down people who are on the run all at the same time." Kyle smirked like he was finding all of this funny for some reason. "Isn't that the type of work you love the most? You like going at the crappy, asshole men of this world so that women have an easier time of it, right?"

"Not exactly." I sighed as I hung my head. Most people got the wrong idea when they thought about the types of perps I went after. "I just don't like men who think they're stronger and smarter than everyone, especially women. I like knowing that I am the one who knocked them down a peg or twenty." That made both Kyle and Bastian laugh. EZ had heard all of this before so he didn't bother to laugh this time.

Their laughter was so loud that it was actually echoing throughout the entire diner. There weren't a lot of other people there with us but those that were they all turned to look at us. Every person in the entire building probably thought we were insane since there was literally no reason for us to be laughing like this.

"Well, that is quite the way to put it." Kyle laughed as he spoke. "But it is also a great way to go about it."

"And you are right. A lot of men think they can do as they please to women because they are stronger than them. That's not the case for women like you, Jacy, but it happens everyday. I can't stand that type of behavior."

"Aww, Bastian." EZ was looking at his new mate that was sitting beside him on the bench seat. "That is just so sweet. I didn't know that you were the knight in shining armor type. That's just so perfect. I would love me some protection at the hands of my knight." That made Bastian blush bright red. He hadn't meant anything sexual with what he said, and to be honest EZ might not have either. It's just that EZ has this way that makes so much of what he says come out sounding suggestive.

It took several minutes for the dark red tint in Bastian's cheeks to subside. He was definitely an interesting man. He was the type to fight for what was right, but he got embarrassed easily. He was the type to kiss a man he just met as a way of introduction but he couldn't handle a slightly sexually suggestive comment. If we really did go through with what Kyle was wanting me to then I think things would get pretty interesting. It would be fun at least.

"Wait a minute." I just remembered something. "There is someone else I need to include in all of this. There was already someone I had agreed to take on as a partner even before I left to go to Arkansas." This seemed to surprise the others. Well, it surprised EZ and Kyle, not so much Bastian.

"Really?" Kyle looked surprised.

"Who? You never involve anyone, ever. Who the hell did you get conned by?"

"Geez, EZ, I didn't get conned. It's a vampire that I met recently." I made sure to keep my voice low so that no one around us could hear what I said.

"Really?" Kyle and Bastian asked at the same time.

"Don't worry, he is a good guy, and already knows how to accept my Alpha status.

"What does his coven say about it all?" Bastian asked, most likely because he was the one with the most experience with vampires.

"He doesn't have one. He's only been a vampire for about ten years I think. Definitely no more than that."

"That's it? How many humans has he killed if he never had a coven or clan to keep him from killing the humans he was feeding off of? Bastian was in a state of shock. 

"None, according to him. He used to be a med student and worked with dead bodies and blood regularly. He might not be affected by it all because of that."

"And you think he wants to work with you?" Kyle seemed the most curious.

"I know he does. He's asked me twice now. The last time that I talked to him I agreed to let him work with me. So I guess that makes five of us for now."

I was not mentioning to EZ that the vampire I was talking about was the man who kept trying to come onto him at the club. EZ had been preoccupied and a little drunk when that had happened so I didn't need to mention it. Also, I could just scare the shit out of Laremy and make him leave EZ alone. He was mated now after all so it will be that much easier to turn the guy down.

"Well, I say this is what we need to work on the most right now." Kyle was smiling now. "I say we get your new office ready and then staff it. After that you can officially start taking cases again. How does that sound?"

"Like you're going to be a big pain in my ass for a very long time.." I smirked at him.