Epilogue

EPILOGUE

AXEL

Two Years Later

I try to cover my laugh with a cough as I watch Nick, former second-in-command of The Crows and now Vice President of Corbyn Security, sneak my daughter yet another chocolate chip cookie.

Adeline, being her mother's daughter, only has to bat her big blue eyes at any of her uncles to get what she wants. She's only a year old and already the most spoiled little girl on the planet. She's got Nick wrapped around her pinky, just like Ava does, and it brings me no end of amusement to watch him be softened by my girls. Even if I still do threaten to murder him for getting too close to my wife.

Some things never change after all.

"Yes, Tuesday would be great," Ava says on the phone, walking into the room. She catches sight of what's happening and rolls her eyes at Nick, but she can't keep the smile off her lips.

In the last two years, I've kept every one of my promises to her. The day I proposed, I'd already set plans in motion to disband The Crows and register a real, legit company. We put all the money we'd made in the shadows to good use, and now our business is incredibly successful. None of it would've been possible without Ava. She's my motivation for everything and has stood by my side through it all.

Our old hacker is now head of IT, Jace is in charge of training bodyguards to make sure we're hiring only the best, and Nick is still by my side as VP. We're doing good in the world, and it's like a huge weight off my shoulders.

"Nick! Stop spoiling her," Ava calls out as she puts the phone down and walks over to Adeline. Our toddler giggles, chocolate staining her hands and face. "Did Uncle Nick give you more cookies, huh?" she coos, kissing our daughter's blonde hair.

"Uncle Nick's gone soft," I snort, earning myself a glare from him.

"You're just jealous I'm Addie's favorite," he shoots back with pride, crossing his arms over his chest. At that moment, Jace walks in, and Adeline reaches for him with sticky hands.

"Un-ko Jay-Jay!" she calls out in her sweet little voice, squealing with happiness when Jace obliges by scooping her up.

Nick pouts. "Oh come on, that's not fair! I gave you cookies and everything!"

"She just has good taste," Jace says with a raised brow, and Ava and I explode into laughter.

We never really got out of the habit of having team meetings at the house, even though, technically, we have offices for that now. Old habits die hard, and after years of this home being open to my closest allies, I don't think I could get them to stop showing up if I tried. Not that I've tried.

Ava likes having them here, likes having a found family to replace the shitty one she had for most of her life. She told me before that she wants Adeline, and our future kids, to grow up surrounded by people who will love and protect them. Since we don't have much blood family to speak of, our friends have become Adeline's family instead. And damn if that doesn't melt my cold, icy heart.

Jace hands Adeline to me and goes over to Nick, yanking him to his feet. "We're late," he says, shoving him towards the front door.

Ava says goodbye, and Addie waves as they leave to head to the office. I set Addie down in her bouncer and walk over to my wife. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I set my hand on her swollen stomach. In five months, we'll be a family of four, and it still feels surreal. I don't deserve this, and yet she tells me every day how much she thinks I do.

"Aren't you going to work, too?" she asks, turning to catch my mouth in a soft kiss.

"No," I tell her, spinning her around so I can kiss her properly. "I've decided to take the day off to spend with my favorite people."

"Don't let Nick hear he's not your favorite," she teases with a giggle. "He might never recover from the heartbreak."

I laugh, pulling her close. "Nobody means more to me than you and Adeline, and this little one," I tell her. "You're my whole world."

Ava grins wide, her eyes sparkling. "I love you so much, Axel Corbyn."

"I love you more than anything, Ava Corbyn," I say, kissing her again and soaking up the happiness we've created.