Page 59 of Off Limits Daddy

Sleep eluded me, especially when I heard the soft steps of Veronica descending the stairs to the second floor. A light knock sounded on my door.

"Duncan?"

I bolted up, rushing to the door thinking she had news. I flung it open. "Did you figure out who's after Aiden?"

She gave me a wan smile. "I have ideas, but nothing concrete. I just wanted to check on you."

I ran my hands over my head and let out a breath. I turned from her, going to sit on the edge of my bed. I looked up at Veronica, her silhouette framed in the doorway. The glow from the hallway light cast a soft illumination on her face. She almost looked like an angel, except for the fierceness in her green eyes. A warrior angel, maybe.

"Veronica, how safe are we, really?" I asked. Maybe I did need to take Aiden and run. I imagined I'd be charged with kidnapping by the state if I did, but at least he'd be safe. Or maybe we needed to go to a safehouse, but something in my gut told me to stay close to Veronica.

She looked down the hall toward Aiden's room. When she turned back to me, she said, "Can I come in? So he doesn't hear."

"Yes, of course."

She stepped in, shutting the door behind her. "If you stay here and don't let anyone but me or people you know in, you should be okay. You've got a good alarm system."

That was what I was telling myself, but I never thought I'd be trying to keep members of organized crime away from me.

"We need a plan. If something were to go sideways?—"

"If things go sideways, no plan will?—"

"No," I insisted. "We need something I can do to protect Aiden. Something he can do to protect himself. Something simple." I paused, recalling a detail from Aiden's past that seemed like it could be our lifeline. "Batman."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "Batman?"

"Yeah. Remember when we found him hiding in my car? He said his mother told him to hide there when there was danger.She even had a code word. Batman." It felt like so little, and yet, I grabbed onto it, hoping it was enough to keep him safe if something went wrong.

Veronica mulled it over for a moment before nodding slowly. "It couldn't hurt."

She moved closer then, and I could see the resolve in her eyes soften. As if she was wanting to soothe my fears. I was a strong man, but right now, I felt so incredibly weak. So when she sat next to me and took my hand, I gripped hers back like it was a lifeline.

"Can you tell me this is all going to turn out okay?" I knew what the answer was.

"No. But I can tell you that I'll do everything possible to protect Aiden and put whoever is behind all this away."

"I believe you. I believe in you." I stared into her lovely green eyes, hoping she could see the trust I had in her.

She looked down. "Don't."

"What?" Was I fucking up again?

She closed her eyes and swallowed. "I'll do everything I can, Duncan, but… I can't make promises."

"I know."

She looked at me then. "I've failed before. I failed Liam Quinlan."

I closed my eyes too, not wanting to hear that. Liam was twenty-two years old, killed by the Crew. What chance did Aiden have at only six years old?

But I still clung to the idea that she was meant to be here. With us. "I believe in you."

She gave me a wan smile and pressed her hand on my cheek. "Don't underestimate yourself, Duncan. You can be fierce. With that and your size, many people will think twice about going up against you."

"You wouldn't. You'd have no qualms about taking me on."

She looked into my eyes like she was searching for something. Weirdly, I hoped she found it. "That's because I know deep down, you're a cheese puff."

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