Aidan
I rub my eyes, and stifle a yawn. I don't know that I've ever felt this exhausted before. Katie was released from the hospital a couple of days after giving birth. She's a little tired and sore still, but she's on the mend.
Since then, most of our days this past month have been spent in the NICU, watching our baby boy through the glass. It kills me to not be able to touch or hold him. My son is in there, and I'm separated by glass and the plastic box they're keeping him in.
He is getting stronger every day, and the doctor is confident he'll be able to come home soon, with no complications. That day can’t come fast enough.
In the meantime, I have some serious business that needs attending to – Victor. He's still out there, and I know he's going to take another shot at Katie. I need to keep that from happening.
“Yeah,” I say. “I needed help, yesterday, man.”
I sit at the desk in my office, staring at Davis on my computer screen. I'm not sure where he is in the world right now, but it's clear that I’d woken him up when he answered my Skype call. When he saw the look on my face, though, he became alert and awake in a heartbeat.
After getting back to my place after spending the day in the NICU, I'd sent Katie to take a bath while I made some calls. I fill Davis in on what happened, and when I finish the story, he whistles low and shakes his head.
“Holy shit. Are you guys okay?”
I grimace as I look down at the thin scar on my arm. My bigger concern is getting that asshole off the streets. Permanently.
“Yeah, I'm good,” I say. “I really need some help up here. This place is a fortress, but it's not impregnable.”
Davis nods. “I'm looking at my roster and putting together a detail right now, brother,” he says.
“I want around the clock coverage,” I say. “I don't care what it costs.”
“Cost is the least of my worries,” Davis says. “Keeping your ass out of the morgue is. I know how you are. The last thing I want is you goin' rogue cowboy if this asshole shows up.”
A wry grin touches my lips. “I'm a hands-on kind of guy, what can I say?”
“Yeah well, you're lucky the prick only had a knife on him this time. Probably figured he'd be able to easily scare her into submitting,” he says. “What if he has a gun next time?”
I let out a long breath and lean back in my chair. I haven't really stopped to think about that until now. Yeah, I guess I did get lucky Victor only had a knife on him. Next time, he very well could show up with a gun. What then? As tough as I like to think I am, I can't stop a bullet.
“Hopefully, it doesn't come to that,” I say.
“Yeah well, you better prepare yourself just in case it does.”
“I know,” I say softly. “One thing at a time though. First thing is getting some protection on Katie.”
“Agreed,” Davis says. “I'm going to send six men. Good men. They'll be able to provide round the clock coverage for Katie and your son until we find a way to take this asshole off the board.”
“Good. That's good,” I say. “I can put them up in the guesthouses out back.”
Davis nods. “Appreciate that,” he says. “Any idea where this asshole is?”
I shake my head. “Not yet. I've got a guy working on that though.”
“Good, okay,” he says. “Listen, I'm in France right now, but I'm hopping a plane, and I'm going to be there as soon as possible.”
“It's cool, Davis,” I say. “You don't have to come yourself. I trust your guys.”
“Please. You're family,” he replies. “Like I'm going to miss getting a shot at this prick. I want to be there to help take this fucker down. I have to be there.”
I give him a small, grateful smile. The truth is, I trust Davis' guys – to an extent. I don't know them and don't actually know how far they'll go to keep Katie safe. Davis vouches for them, which makes me feel a little better about it, but I'm still wary. Davis, I trust with my life – and I trust him with Katie's life. Guys I don't know, I can't give my full trust to. This is just a job for them – how invested can they really be in people like Katie and me? People they don't even know. Would they actually step in front of a blade or a bullet for us? Probably not.
“Thanks, brother,” I say. “That means more than I can say.”
“Doesn't even need to be said,” he replies. “I know you'd be there for me in a heartbeat if it were me.”
“You know it.”
“Okay, I need to go. Need to make some calls and get my guys in the air,” he says. “They'll be there tomorrow morning. I'll send you all their creds and IDs so you know exactly who you should be talking to.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “I appreciate it.”
Davis laughs. “Tell me that again when you get my bill.”
I smile and nod. “I'll talk to you soon, brother,” I say. “Keep yourself safe over there.”
“You know it.”
The screen goes dark, and from the corner of my eye, I see a figure standing in the doorway. I turn and find Katie, wearing a robe, yoga pants and a t-shirt, leaning against the doorjamb. Oliver is sitting right next to her, laying his big head against her hip, as if he knows he needs to keep an eye on her.
Her eyes are wide, and her face is drawn. She looks even paler than she normally does, and I can see the fear etched into her features. Standing there, her robe drawn tight around her body, her arms crossed protectively over her chest, she looks so small. So young, innocent, and scared that it kicks my protective instincts into a higher gear.
“Who was that?” she asks, her voice soft.
“A friend,” I say. “My best friend – who happens to own one of the premier security companies in the world. He's sending some of his best guys out here to keep us safe.”
“You mean, keep me safe,” she says.
I give her a small smile. “Semantics.”
“I'm sorry, Aidan,” she says, her voice thick with emotion.
I cock my head at her. “What in the world are you sorry for?”
“For bringing all of this down on your head,” she says.
Tears spill from her eyes and stream down her smooth cheeks. Oliver whines softly and presses himself against her a little harder. I get to my feet and cross the room, pulling her into a tight embrace. I stroke her hair and let her cry it out. Slowly, her body stops trembling and she sniffs loudly, wiping away the tears on her face. I lift her chin and make her look up at me.
“You didn't bring any of this down on me,” I say, my voice firm. “I'm right where I want to be – by your side. So, there is nothing for you to be sorry about. Nothing.”
Her smile is weak and faltering, but at least she's trying. She stands on her tiptoes and plants a soft kiss on my lips. She slowly pulls back, and I can see fear is still gripping her tightly.
“I honestly don't know what I would have done if –”
I place the tip of my finger to her lips and give her a small smile. “It doesn't matter,” I say. “It didn't come to that. You're safe. And I'm going to keep you safe.”
“I don't know what I've done to deserve you,” she says.
“If I had to guess, I'd say you were a pretty miserable SOB in another life to get saddled with me.”
She laughs and slaps my chest. “Shut up. You're perfect.”
“Hardly.”
“Well, you're perfectly imperfect, as they like to say.”
“Yeah, that sounds more accurate,” I reply.
“Let's have some cocoa,” she says.
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
I follow her down to the kitchen, kicking myself for watching the sway of her ass in her yoga pants. Now is not the time for that. Time and place, man. Time and place.
“How did you even know to come back for me that night?” she asks. “With all the craziness going on, I never stopped to ask.”
“I didn't, really,” I say. “The timing just happened to work out well enough that I looked like a hero.”
She slaps me in the chest and laughs before walking away. I take a seat on one of the stools at the center island, and watch her as she moves about the kitchen, preparing a couple of mugs of hot chocolate.
“Well, you are a hero,” she says softly. “You saved my life, Aidan. And probably our son’s.”
“I'm just glad I was there when I needed to be for a change,” I reply.
She presses her lips to mine, giving me a long, lingering kiss. I can feel the relief in that kiss. Her emotion. I can feel the bond between us growing even stronger. It's a good feeling. One that fills me with a joy I haven't experienced in ages.
“Seriously, though,” she asks. “How did you know?'
“Remember when I told you I had a guy keeping tabs on him in Atlanta?”
She nods. “Yeah, I remember.”
“He called me just after I dropped you off,” I say. “He told me Victor went off the grid. Disappeared. The only logical deduction for me at that point was that he was coming for you. I didn't know he was already here. But, when I saw the chair hanging out of your front window when we pulled up, I had a pretty good idea that he was. I'm just thankful that you're such a fighter.”
She smiles softly. “I only wish I were a better one.”
“We can work on that, if you’d like.”
When she looks at me, I see her eyes light up. “Really?”
I laugh. “Yeah, really.” She comes over and places two piping hot mugs of the warm chocolate brew on the table. After adding a very healthy dose of whipped cream, I hand her a mug. We sit on the stools at the center island, sipping our cocoa in silence for a few minutes. Oliver still hasn't left her side. It's like he knows he's on duty and will give his life to protect her too – just when I thought I couldn’t love the big guy more than I already do.
“Davis' guys will be here in the morning,” I say.
She nods and looks down into her mug. She's obviously still bothered at the idea that she's dragged me into the middle of her drama. What she doesn't realize, is that by letting me be here for her and keep her safe, she's doing me a world of good. In a way, it's helping me exorcize some old demons.
“So what, they're going to follow me to work and everything?” she asks.
“You're not going to work,” I say. “You're going to bunker down here until –”
“Aidan, I have to work,” she replies. “I can't just blow it off. I've got bills to pay, and –”
“I'll pay them.”
Katie lets out a long, exasperated breath. “Aidan, I like my job – most of the time,” she says. “I don't want to feel like I'm a burden on you. At least, no more than I already do. Besides, I need the distraction. I can’t obsess twenty-four-seven over our baby in the NICU. I mean, at this point, I'm pretty sure he's going to be okay, but you never know. I need something to divert my mind.”
I can see the stubborn defiance in her eyes. Katie prides herself on being strong and independent – not beholden to anybody. It’s something I’ve always admired about her. But, there's being strong, and then there's being stupid.
But, I also understand her need for distraction. I've done my fair share of obsessing over our baby myself. Having something to focus on and take your mind off all the dark possibilities, all the terrible, “what if's” and what could go wrong scenarios is helpful.
But, with Victor looking to snatch her, putting herself at risk by going to a menial job is crazy. It's a risk I can’t let her take.
“You're not a burden on me, Katie. In no way, shape, or form, are you a burden on me,” I say. “Listen, until Victor is caught –”
“Victor may never be caught, Aidan,” she says. “Or, even if he is, he may not be held all that long. Am I supposed to hide out up here forever? I can't do that. You know I can't.”
I let out a long breath. “I know,” I say. “I just – I'm concerned. Very concerned.”
“I know you are,” she replies. “But, I can't stop living my life just because he's out there; we can't stop living our lives.”
I take a long sip of my cocoa and work the problem in my mind.
Can I relinquish the control I crave? Can I accept not imposing my order or will on the world? Especially not with Katie, who's as strong-willed as they come.
Can we find a middle ground?
“I'll make you a deal,” I say.
“A deal?”
I nod. “Yup. A deal.”
She smiles at me. “I'm listening.”
“We'll talk to the bodyguards once they get here,” I say. “Davis will have them all briefed on the situation, so we'll have them do up a quick threat assessment. If they agree it's safe for you to go to work, I'll pack you a lunch, and send you off with a smile.”
“Make sure you cut the crusts off my sandwich please,” she says. “I've never liked them.”
I chuckle. “But, if it's not safe, and they agree that it's too big of a risk to go to work, then you will happily stay here and cut the crusts off my sandwich.”
She gives me a long look, a gentle smile playing upon her lips. After considering it for a few seconds, she nods her head.
“If that will make you feel better, then we have a deal, Mr. Anderson,” she says.
“Good,” I say. “I think it's a fair compromise.”
“Fair enough, anyway,” she replies.
I chuckle. “Like any good business deal, it's all about finding middle ground.”
She gives me a smile, and we sip our cocoa, doing our best to shut out the chaotic world outside.
* * *
Early the next morning, we're back at our usual post outside the NICU. We greet the morning nurses, and get a status report from the doctor before venturing over to our spot and peering in at our baby boy on the other side of the glass.
He's beautiful. Perfectly pink little cheeks, and Katie's soft, gentle eyes. And judging by the way he's crying – her temper. I want to go in there, take him out of that plastic container, and bring him home with me. I want that more than anything.
But, I want him to be healthy, and leave the hospital with a clean bill of health. I've never wanted anything more in my life.
“Dalton,” Katie says.
“What's that?”
“Dalton,” she repeats. “I'm thinking Dalton fits him pretty well.”
She looks up at me for approval, and I give her a lopsided grin.
“I don’t know. Dalton is an okay name, I guess.”
“And what did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking Tiberius,” I say.
“Yeah, no.”
“Tiberius Octavius Anderson,” I say, in my most regal, imperial tone.
“That is so not going to happen,” she laughs.
“Oh, it is most definitely going to happen.”
“In your dreams.”
It feels good to laugh with her. It feels like we haven't shared a genuine laugh between us in years, and the release is nice. As the tension melts away, I think about the name. Dalton. Dalton Anderson. I’m not convinced.
“Dalton, huh?” I ask.
“Yeah, what's wrong with Dalton?”
“Oh, nothing,” I say. “It's a nice name, I suppose.”
“Better than Tiberius.”
“Nothing is better than Tiberius.”
“That is not going to happen, his name is Dalton.” she says and laughs. “Give it up.”
“Come on,” I say. “We need to meet Davis' guys.”
“That's right, I have a bet to win.”