12. Epilogue 2
Serena
Eighteen months later
I’m exhausted. It’s been a long shift and I just want to get in the hot tub and relax.
I stow my gun and badge in the safe in the wall and go in search of the man who will be giving me a massage.
“Liam?” I call through the mansion he insisted on buying this month. I told him quaint and homey. He got that, in a size XXL.
“In the living room.”
“Which one?” This house is so stinking big, I’ve gotten lost ten times in the two days we’ve lived here.
“Your favorite.”
So not helpful. I wander a few more halls and then stop short at the unfamiliar and dangerous sight in front of me.
“Liam, put the baby down.”
Liam looks up from the chunk of chub he’s cuddling on our living room couch—the chunk of chub that does not belong to us.
“Whose child did you steal?” I approach the couch slowly, artfully, like I’m negotiating with a terrorist. This might be more dangerous.
“Amelia said I could take him for a bit. She was tired. I was doing her and little Alec here a favor.”
I slap a hand to my forehead. “Caleb is going to have you arrested!” Amelia and Caleb got married one year ago and proceeded to have a honeymoon baby. And Liam hasn’t shut up since about wanting one himself. The man is scary baby hungry.
“I promise I’ll give him back.” Liam hugs the baby closer. “Come on, you know you want to cuddle him.”
“Put. The. Baby. Down.”
“Where’s my wife and child?” Caleb comes running into the house, without knocking, though I feel he has a right to with what’s at play.
His eyes go wide when he sees his infant in Liam’s arms. “Give me back my baby.” He reaches for him, but Liam gently maneuvers away.
“Now, now, you’re supposed to say please.”
I step in between the two of them and take the baby from Liam.
I turn toward Caleb, but he backs up and crosses his arms, in no hurry to take his son from me, it seems. Probably because I haven’t held this little bundle of joy yet, no matter how many times I’ve been told to.
Because I knew exactly what would happen when I did—what Liam is hoping will happen.
I brush my thumb over the little one’s chunky cheeks and adorable little nose. He’s heavenly. Dang it, now I want one.
I look up at the now silent men, who are both smiling eerily at me.
“What?”
“You look good with a baby.” Liam wiggles his eyebrows.
“I rarely agree with your husband, but he’s right. You do,” Caleb adds.
“Stop it.” I try to hand Caleb his baby, but he steps farther away then looks at Liam again.
“Wait. Where’s my wife? And exactly how did you get my son?”
“Relax,” Liam says, walking down the hall. “Amelia came over to see the new house. We only made it as far as the first guest room.” He quietly cracks open the door to the room where Amelia is sprawled out face first on the bed, snoring and drooling. “She’s been out for almost two hours.”
Caleb shakes his head with a chuckle. “Alec doesn't let her get much sleep.”
Liam raises a brow. “I don’t need to remind you to take care of your woman, now do I, Harris?”
Caleb narrows his eyes and takes Alec from me, finally muttering, “You just had to marry the one person I can’t stand, didn’t you?” He carries the baby inside and sits down by Amelia, stroking her hair gently. She startles and wakes. Caleb presses a kiss to her forehead.
I pull the door closed, forcing Liam back to the living room with me. “Admit it; you want a baby now,” he says the second we are alone.
“Maybe.” I sigh, plopping down on the couch. Liam picks up my feet and massages my soles. “But we’ve talked about this. How can I be a mom and be an FBI agent?”
“Easy. I’ll be the stay-at-home dad while you go save the world,” Liam says.
I open an eye that managed to fall closed. “Retirement is killing you, isn’t it?”
“So much.”
I didn’t tell him to retire. He chose it for me, though he does still help a few people on the side, people who have been scammed and taken advantage of financially.
He helps right wrongs done to them, crossing lines law enforcement can’t in mostly legal ways.
He’s amazing at it, but I can tell he’s antsy for more.
Plus, I’m kind of jealous of my partner because that baby is adorable. I know babies aren’t easy, but my clock is ticking. It’s now or never. I never thought I'd have a chance at my own loving family. But here we are. Who better to share that love with than a child?
“You know you can’t teach children forgery and lock picking,” I tell Liam.
“Says who?”
“Or take them jumping out of helicopters.”
“Agreed. We’ll save that for age four at least.”
I roll my eyes. “And you can’t—"
“Are you going to take all my fun away?”
I bite back a smile. “I was just going to say, you can’t love our child more than I do.”
“Want to make a bet?”
I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous but…okay.”
Liam’s head jerks up. “Wait, really?”
I nod. “Let’s make a baby.”
“Please wait till we leave,” Caleb grunts.
“Make it quick, Harris.” Liam grins, dropping my foot and moving to lean over me. He kisses me. Somewhere in the house, a door shuts. Let’s hope they left.
“We’re going to have a whole slew of beautiful little vigilantes,” Liam murmurs against my lips.
That’s what I’m afraid of. But maybe looking forward to as well. “I can’t wait.”