If You Need Me: EPILOGUE

I cradle the tiny bundle in my arms, mesmerized by her bright blue eyes and sweet face. “Let’s go on a little adventure, shall we?” I head down the hall, my finger caught in the tiny iron grip.

I make sure Wills isn’t on the phone before I barge into her office. The past two years have been the best of my damn life. My career is at an all-time high. The Terror are kicking ass and every day I’m more in love with my wife than the last. She’s phenomenal and she’s mine and I’m hers.

“One sec. I just need to hit send.” Her fingers fly across the keyboard for a few more seconds before she looks up. “Hi, my amazing—oh my God, Dallas, what are you doing to me?” She gives me a put-out look and curves her hand around her ear. “Did you hear that?”

The adorable bundle of joy nestled against my chest sighs and smacks her lips.

“The baby is exasperated on your behalf.”

Wills rolls her eyes as she pushes her chair back. “It was the sound of my ovaries exploding. You can’t show up in my office in the middle of the day holding a baby and expect me to be able to focus.”

I smirk. “Is that right?”

“Give her to me. I want to hold the sweetness.”

“In a minute. First, I need a kiss.” I pucker my lips and Wills crosses over and presses hers to mine.

“Give me the baby,” she purrs.

“We can make one of our own, you know.” I give her a heated look. “In less than a year, you could be holding our son or daughter. You say the word, honey, and I’ll get to work putting a baby in that beautiful belly of yours.”

“If you let me hold her now, I’ll let you start trying as soon as we get home tonight.”

“Seriously?” I figured it would take a little more persuasion on my part.

“Do you have any idea how hot you are right now? This big muscle-y hockey player holding this tiny little wrapped bundle of cuteness. I’m pretty sure I just ovulated.” She assumes the “hold the baby” position. “Give her to me, please.”

I carefully transfer the baby into my wife’s arms. She smiles down at her as she strokes her cheek.

“Aren’t you the most precious little thing?” Wills laughs when she gets a look at her onesie, which has the angry goose Terror logo on it. “You’ll have so many honorary aunts and uncles. It’ll be the biggest, most amazing family you could ask for. We’ll probably be a little over-protective, and it might be a bit much in your teen years, but you’ll grow to appreciate it.”

“I like that you’re already giving her pep talks.”

“She’ll need them with the number of built-in bodyguards she’ll have. You’re our new little team princess, aren’t you?”

“She needs a bestie; we should give her one. What time is it? Can you leave now so we can get started?” I glance at the clock. “It’s four thirty. You can kick out a little early today, can’t you?”

She laughs. “Turn off my computer for me and grab my purse.”

I rush around her desk, minimize her open tabs, and smile as I take in the screensaver of our wedding day. It’s a picture of us surrounded by our friends and family. The people most important to us, who support us and love us and have been there with us through every up and down since we started down this road together.

Last year, Samir offered to do a deep dive and try to locate Wills’s birth mom for her. After a few therapy sessions, and a couple that I attended with her, she decided against it. Her information is already in the database. If they’re supposed to find each other, they will, but between the family who raised her, the one she married into, and the Terror team family, and she’s not looking to fill spaces in her heart, but she’s always willing to make room for more people to love and be loved by.

I shut down her computer, grab her purse, and tuck in her chair, leaving her desk the way she likes it.

“Let’s go find your daddy, Princess Ariel,” Wills coos.

We step out into the hall and don’t have to go far to find him.

“How did I know you two would have my little girl?”

Ariel perks up at the sound of her dad’s voice. Her little hand shoots into the air and she squawks and squirms. “Dallas would like to give little Ariel a best friend,” Wills informs him.

He chuckles. “Not even remotely a surprise. I think Ash and Shilpa’s baby needs lots of bestie’s too.”

“It’s baby central here these days,” I say.

Wills carefully transfers Ariel into Roman’s arms. “My littlest princess is going to be well loved.” He gazes down at her with an adoration that speaks to the deepest kind of love there is and kisses his daughter’s tiny cherub cheek. “You two enjoy your evening, I’m going to take Ariel to see her sister.”

Wills threads her arm through mine as we watch him walk down the hall to Hammer’s office, cooing to his daughter all the way. “That man was born to love, wasn’t he?”

“Absolutely.”

I bend to kiss her. “Let me take you home so I can worship you with every part of me.”

“That’s my favorite,” she sighs.

“You’re my favorite.”

“And you’re mine.”

She’s my everything. My beautiful badass.

My sweetness with bite.

The woman of my dreams and the love of my life.

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