you know. I would have come if you’d asked. Although I do appreciate the Richter.”
Eduard sank down on the office chair with a delicate shrug. “I always intended on giving it to you, you know. You do so much for our family, for me. It felt like the right time.”
Something in Eduard’s tone caught Victor’s full attention. “Cousin? All is well?”
Eduard smiled and looked up. “It is. However, I’m afraid I’m going to add another project to your list.”
Victor waited, sensing Eduard needed another moment.
“We find ourselves in need of a larger home.”
It was probably the last thing Victor expected him to say. “You love your house. You custom designed it from Henry’s visions. It has all you want and need.”
“Had,” Eduard said. He smiled again and put his hand over his heart once more. “It doesn’t have enough room for the children.”
Victor’s breath caught in his chest. “What?”
Eduard shook his head, his smile growing wider. “This is to be held in the utmost confidence. Sawyer hasn’t told his brother yet, and we’d like to keep this to ourselves for a while longer. But we must get started on the new house. My mates agreed that we could entrust you with our secret.”
“I don’t understand. Children?”
“A well-kept secret among dragons. We will be the proud parents of three children in a few months. Victor…” Eduard paused, his breath a gasp of excitement. “They will be part of all of us. All of my mates. Equal parents. I didn’t know such a thing was possible. I thought, perhaps, when the time was right… but it was right. Draco’s dragon has given us three tiny miracles.”
Victor jumped out of his seat and rushed around the desk. He tugged Eduard to his feet and pulled him into a giant hug. Griffins weren’t typically the most expressive of creatures, but Victor and Eduard had never held to those guidelines between them. Eduard squeezed him back, nearly vibrating with happiness.
“Okay,” Victor said. “Now, I hadn’t said anything earlier, because I wasn’t sure it was going to work out, but I have almost closed negotiations on the acreage across the road. It’s owned by a developer, so I’m going to overpay, but now—”
“Pay him. Across the street? Really?”
Victor grinned. “Yes. I know Sawyer will be happy with the development. Plus, it puts him closer to Mikey’s coffee shop as well. It’s still quite the drive into the city but—”
“Closer. He’ll love it. And he’ll love being near Nick. Zaire has been trying for years to secure that property. How did you manage it?”
Victor arched a brow. “You question my abilities?”
Eduard laughed. “Never. Do it. We can make it work at the house for now. This is better for us all long-term. Sawyer will be thrilled.”
“I will make it happen. I’ll forward you the land specs from the county. If you want to get a head start, you can put your architect to work.”
Eduard beamed a smile at him. “And this is why you’re the genius in the family.”
Victor shook off the praise and returned to his seat at his desk. “Wait. Why did you choose now to set up trust funds for all the kids in Nick’s pack? Especially with your own children on the way?”
Eduard shrugged. “We have more than enough.”
And they did. Eduard had managed the tithes for the Chosen One for as long as Victor could remember. He knew exactly how much money Sawyer managed with Eduard’s, and now Victor’s, help. His cousin’s personal wealth was a mere drop in the bucket when compared to his mate’s wealth. Griffins had a gift for money management, but they weren’t stingy with it.
“I’m surprised Sawyer isn’t the one trying to return all the money to the clans.”
“He tried.”
Victor gasped. “He didn’t.”
“Sure he did. And honestly, I helped him. It was the right thing to do. He tried with Dalinda first, though, and our dragon mother-in-law had very strong words with him. Then he tried the vampires, and you can imagine how well that went.”
Victor sank down in his seat and blinked. “I can imagine.”
“Well, they all pretty much told him no. So now he’s trying to figure out what to do with it all.”
Victor smiled. His cousin’s mate was very special, and very few people knew exactly what Sawyer had done for their world. “He’s doing the thing where he doesn’t talk and stews, isn’t he?”
Eduard nodded. “He’s thinking. I’m sure whatever he comes up with will be brilliant.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
“He likes you,”