Page 65 of Off Limits Daddy

That was enough for me. "Let's give him some space."

Her eyes were hard even as her expression suggested she wanted to stop. "Aiden, was Wally there?"

Aiden clung to me more.

"Please. Surely, he's given you some for now."

She inhaled a breath, but I wasn't sure if she was readying herself to fight me or giving in. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. I need to go to work." Her expression softened. "Thank you, Aiden. You're very brave."

She stood to leave.

"Wait a second. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She didn't want to, but she nodded. "I'll be in the kitchen."

"Hey, buddy." I peeled Aiden off me. "We're all done with that." I pulled the laptop toward him. "Here's a video of a guy skydiving from the stratosphere. That's almost space." I clickedthe start button. "I'll be right back, and you can tell me how it went."

He nodded, and I hurried out to the kitchen. "Who is he? The man in the picture?"

"Jonny Walters. I thought…wethought he was dead."

"Who is he?"

"He was a former Crew member. He was the one we thought was swimming with the fishes that Aiden mentioned."

Jesus fuck. "Why does he want Aiden?"

"I don't think he does. I rewatched the video of him, and he was talking to Aiden, but he looked nervous. He could have grabbed him and run, but he didn't. I think he's being coerced. Rumor has it that Wally has something on him."

My blood froze as I realized what this all meant. "Wally knows Aiden saw something or knows something."

She nodded. "But I don't know how yet. Only you and me and Oliver Quinlan knew. Oliver is afraid of Wally and is doing what he can to stay away."

"But I need to know if Wally was there or if Aiden heard Wally order the murder. I know it's hard for him, but I can't finish this without that unless some other evidence pops up."

I knew she was right. "Not now. Later, okay?"

"I'm heading to work. I don't know when I'll be back. Make sure you stay here. Don't let anyone in. No couriers or postal workers. No one."

I nodded. "I understand."

She turned to leave, but I reached out for her, taking her hand. "Be careful." The concern in my voice wasn't just for her safety—it was for what she meant to Aiden and me.

"I always am." Veronica left, leaving Aiden and me alone in our fortress of solitude.

I returned to him, finding him with his head down on the table. My heart broke. How much could a little person take?

"Hey, Champ." I sat down next to him. "How about we play hooky today? No school. Just games and junk food."

Aiden lifted his head slowly. His eyes carried shadows, but he nodded slowly.

I ruffled his hair affectionately. "Let's go find an adventure," I said with more cheer than I felt. I was on a new mission that didn't involve math and reading. I wanted to give him healing, to take back the childhood that had been stolen from him.

Over the next two weeks,I woke every morning tangled in a mess of sheets and limbs with Veronica. As she slept, her breaths were soft against my cheek, her hair a cascade of fiery red over my chest. It was these moments that I savored the most—before reality set in, before the day's responsibilities and fears demanded attention.

Hearing Aiden's little feet pattering down the hallway was my cue to gently extricate myself from Veronica's embrace, always careful not to wake her. She needed the rest more than any of us—her mind was constantly working overtime on the case.

Our days settled into a routine as comforting as it was monotonous. I'd make breakfast, and Aiden and I would eat together then head to the dining room for school. Veronica would check in with us, then head to work. I admired her determination, but with each passing day that Wally remained free, my fear for Aiden's safety grew heavier. I knew she was doing everything she could, but I wasn't sure how long Aiden and I could live like this, prisoners in my home.

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