Page 16 of Waggs

Decker chuckled and backed out of the room with a bow. “As you wish, my lord.”

Aiden rested his head against her forehead. “They’re assholes, but they’re loyal, and without them, I don’t know if I would’ve survived losing Aaron.”

Willow ran her hands up his biceps, loving the strength and muscle under her palms. “I’m glad you have them, and they seem great. One question, though. Do you have to be drop-dead gorgeous to work here?”

Aiden pinched her ass, and she squealed and laughed as he buried his head in her neck and bit down on the sensitive skin. “Woman, do not go calling my friend gorgeous unless you want the green-eyed monster to make an appearance.”

“Hmm, if this is any indication, I kind of like it.”

Aiden pulled away, and his heated gaze found hers, she shivered with desire. “You’re not making this easy, Wills.”

“Good.”

With that, she pushed him away and walked out the door. Aiden was right behind her, positioning her in front of him, and she chuckled when she realised why he was using her as a human shield.

They found AJ playing bricks with Maggie. He built them, and she knocked them down with gleeful joy. It was sweet to see her son interacting with Maggie, and she was glad her uprooting him the way she had hadn’t seemed to have done any lasting damage.

“Hey, bud, want to go play on the assault course out the back?”

Aiden crouched to speak with AJ, and she watched the two interact like they had known each other their whole lives, not just a few days. She wondered if it was some innate familial connection the two shared. Seeing Aiden with AJ hurt her heart, but it also healed something inside her she hadn’t known was broken.

“Can Maggie come too?”

Willow crouched next to Aiden and ruffled her son’s hair. “Not sure she’s big enough, AJ.” She glanced up at Autumn for confirmation.

“Maggie needs her nap, but if you’re home later, you can come over and play for a bit before you have dinner. But only if it’s okay with your mum.”

Willow smiled and nodded at her son’s hopeful expression. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Yes.” AJ pumped the air as he jumped to his feet. He patted Maggie on the head. “See you later, Mags.”

He grabbed her hand and then Aiden’s and pulled them toward the door. Aiden looked at her, and she knew he felt it too, the bond the three of them shared. This, right here, was what she wanted, a family, but did she have a right to want it with her dead fiancé’s twin brother?

That was the question she still had no answer for, but for now, she didn’t have to find all the answers, she could just enjoy the moment.

The weather was dry and mild if not exactly warm as they walked through the building to the back door and past some heavily secured steel doors which hid God knew what.

The outside of the building was as impressive as the inside, with a full-sized assault course worthy of an army camp. An indoor and outdoor shooting range, and she could see further in the distance the shell of a two-story building.

“What is that?”

Aiden followed her finger to where she was pointing. “That’s the training village. It’s a bit like Hogan’s Alley that the FBI use. There are fake home structures and streets etc. We can move around and practise for different tactical situations.”

“Wow that’s impressive, and what about that?” Now she was focused on a barn on the opposite side of the facility.

“That will house the new K9 unit when we get it set up and running in a few months.”

Two men walked toward them, pulling Willow’s attention away, both dripping in sweat and looking like they might die on the spot. Heaving for air, they were ribbing each other good-naturedly as they caught their breath.

“Who won?”

“I did,” the slightly taller man with a slight accent she couldn’t place said.

The other one laughed as he shoved him in the shoulder. “He cheated.”

Aiden laughed. “We all know I can beat you both.”

“Oh, fighting talk, all confident with your girl around, I see.”