Adored (Masters and Mercenaries #8.5)(63)

“He does.” Mitch had spent time with his dad. It had been easier than he thought it would. Somehow, loving Laurel had opened up possibilities he hadn’t expected. He’d walked into his father’s hospital room and there wasn’t a monster there. He hadn’t seen the man who neglected him. He’d seen a man who wished life had gone differently. He’d seen the man he could have been without Laurel.

His father had asked for forgiveness and when Mitch had given it, a great weight had left him. He wouldn’t trade the three weeks he’d spent with his father for anything. Laurel had come out and they’d become a family in those weeks before John Adler’s death.

He simply wished that had been the only funeral he’d had to attend.

He didn’t know the hows and whys. Big Tag didn’t talk about ops outside of his team, but Mitch knew that whatever had gone wrong had left McKay-Taggart changed forever, and he only hoped they could rally after losing one of their own.

“Who needs coffee?” Flynn slipped in, carrying a tray. “I’ve heard you will live off of caffeine for a very long time.”

“Thanks, I’ll take it. I don’t want to sleep. I just want to hold him.” He didn’t want to let his son go.

“Well, I want to hold him, too.” Laurel sighed and sat up, dragging the covers around her.

Mitch stood. “Momma gets dibs. She spent hours giving birth to you.”

She looked tired but radiant as he gently transferred the baby to her arms.

“If she’s going to breast feed, I’m going back out to the lobby,” Flynn promised.

“Wimp,” Chase shot back. “It’s a normal, natural thing. Baby boy’s gotta eat.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not wired to think it’s kind of hot,” Flynn admitted.

Chase laughed. “Not in any way. But I’m going to be the best uncle ever.”

The kid had turned it around. He seemed happier now, though Mitch knew he missed his father. Mitch often got Chase to talk about their dad.

“I think I’m the best uncle,” Flynn argued before putting his arm around his younger brother’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s give these two some peace. I know they’ll have a flood of visitors soon.”

Laurel waved good-bye and then scooted over. “Sit with me.”

He didn’t hesitate. They’d found a perfect place together over the months of living as husband and wife. They’d continued to play until she couldn’t. Mitch had discovered he preferred keeping their D/s life mostly to the club. His Laurel was such a perfect partner he wanted her by his side at all times. And he never, ever held himself back when he was making love to her. He was thinking about doing it now. “You know, after getting caught f*cking on a desk by the police, I really think the nurses wouldn’t be a big deal at all.”

“Oh, you’re waiting a while for that, babe.” She leaned against him.

He kissed the top of her head. “You’re worth waiting for. And the good news is Johnny can go to college. The sale of Dixon Tech went through. Harvey and Frances are making two hundred million each.”

“And poor Patrick is making friends in prison. You know it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” Laurel admitted.

His wife had been a vigilant watcher of Patrick Dixon’s trial and relieved when the man had been sent to prison. She was taking some time off from saving the world to spend with their baby, but Mitch knew she would be back at it.

This time, he might help her. After all, he wanted the world to be as perfect for his son as it was for him.

“I was thinking. You know, as long as we’re redoing the office at home, maybe I should take a look at your office at work.”

He groaned. “You are always changing things. But fine. When you change things, I like them more. And god knows I love you more than my desk.”

She smiled up at him. “Oh, no. We’re keeping that desk. It’s a historical desk. John’s lucky he wasn’t named Daddy’s desk because he was conceived on it.”

“We’re never telling him that story. He only needs to know one thing about his conception.”

“And what’s that?”

“That he was conceived in love. I love you, baby. So damn much.”

“Back at you, Bradford.”

She rested her head against his chest and they watched their son sleep, the world fading around them.