———
23/01/2005
Redhawk base
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LEO

After all the shit I've been through, keeping a puppy quiet might be one of the most difficult assignments to date.  

I scratch her behind the floppy ears, cooing gently as I did to my baby niece, but she keeps yapping. I stifle a laugh. She's obviously just like her mom, without even knowing it yet.

I remember Nov telling me in The Philippines that she'd always wanted a German Shepherd. What better surprise for my wife's twenty-eighth birthday than to grant that lifelong wish?

North isn't exactly impressed that there will be a dog running around base, but I think even he was swayed by the big gleaming eyes and the swishing tail. I managed to convince him she'll be the best K9 to date.

Tara has been zipping in and out of the cabin all morning, practically tearing up whenever she looks at the pup.

"Nova will be back soon." She says, reentering the cabin for the fortieth time in the past hour and locking the door behind her. I hum, and the dog nips my finger.

"Do you think she'll like it?" I gesture to the puppy before looking back up at Tara, who bursts into laughter.

"You're asking me if Nova Shields-sorry-Nova Hendrix will like the fact you bought her a German Shepherd?" She chuckles, and so do I, because it's a stupid fucking thing of me to even ask.

It's been a nice day so far. I got my head right between my legs as a way to kick off the morning. North then sent her out on some ridiculous errand, just so Marcus could bring in the puppy uninterrupted.

Hearing the name 'Nova Hendrix' will never get old. Our wedding, although probably unconventional, was perfect. Despite the fact I was on a damn crutch at the time.

We flew right out to Vegas, picked up a rental when we touched down and drove into the heart of Sin-City, right to a shitty little chapel. Nov's 'wedding dress' was some old thing we bought for ten dollars in a thrift store en route to our ceremony.

Our witness was a drunken man who'd accidentally stumbled in thinking it was a bar. After the 'I do's', we made our way down the Vegas strip and had drinks bought for us the whole night, courtesy of Nova loudly announcing to everybody we met that we just got married.

She also played a lucky hand of poker. An awful, irresponsible drunken gamble that could've left us with no money.

But instead, it left our pockets $20,000 heavier. 

I think we'd had enough bad experiences in 2003 to last us a lifetime. Was about damn time a random streak of luck passed our way.

It was the best few months of my life. She met my family, accompanied by our very convincing cover story as to how we met. My family thought I was in Queensland, so I simply told them I met Nova there in a little cafe.

Just a teensy, tiny lie.

And I met her family, we used our lucky pot of money to actually fly out to Australia for our final few weeks. Frank Shields might just be the coolest fucker I've ever met.

Explains where my wife gets it from.

My wife.

The puppy runs laps around the room before settling in the little corner I've created for her. A few piss-pads, a plush bed, far too many toys to count.

Tara flops onto mine and Nova's bed with a groan. "I hope my future partner buys me a damn dog." She sighs.

"Well, Rosa is definitely a dog person." I quirk an amused eyebrow, barely dodging the cushion that is launched at my face half a second later.

"What time do you want me to bring the pup back in?" She says, standing and scooping up the adorable ball of fluff.

"Whenever Nov gets back, about ten minutes after that." I say. She hums in delight of looking after the puppy, happily skipping out of the room and using one arm to pull the door shut behind her.

I lock the door, and get to work on hiding any hints of her gift. I gather the food bowls, the toys, the mats, and shove them all under our bed.

And right on cue, the doorknob starts rattling.

"Leo, why the did you lock the fucking door?" Are my wife's charming words from the other side of the threshold.

"Coming, love." I snicker, striding over and un-flicking the latch. Big, stunning emerald eyes meet mine.

"Here she is," I whistle, taking her in, splaying a palm across her head. "Is that a grey hair?"

She slaps my arm and snorts. "Don't start saying that shit. At least I'm not in my dirty-thirties like you." She says, strutting past me and into our room.

I close the door behind her, hook an arm around her waist and practically launch her onto the bed. She doesn't even gasp, probably because she's used to me throwing her around the bedroom by now.

Things get pretty intense when we're at it.

I climb on top of her, pinning both wrists above her head. "You mightn't be in your thirties, but you're fucking dirty, regardless." I lean forward, letting my lips brush her jawline, "And I love you for it."

"Is this the second half of my birthday gift from this morning?" She snickers. I shake my head.

"No, this is just something I enjoy doing no matter the occasion." I grin, manoeuvring my face down her body just like I did earlier.

Her fingers find my hair, breath quickening as I slide down her joggers.

"So wet for me already, Nova Hendrix." I hum in satisfaction, drawling out my surname, stroking a finger down the centre of her panties.

A soft noise escapes her lips, followed by a smug grin. "Can't help it. Seeing my husband's face between my legs is quite the turn on. Especially when he looks like that." She leans forward, running her thumb across my stubble.

I kiss her inner thigh, revelling in the way her leg twitches. "So fucking beautiful." I kiss higher. "So fucking mine—"

The door swings open.

"Surprise— oh fuck! No!" Tara screams, I throw myself forward to cover Nova a little.

"Jesus Christ, Tara! I said ten fucking minutes!" I groan, Nova bursts out laughing under my weight.

"You should've locked the damn door!" She retorts, covering her eyes with her free hand.

Nova props herself up to her elbows, eyes widening slightly at the small yap from the puppy resting in Tara's free arm.

"What is that. . ?" She whispers, immediately pulling up her joggers and flying off the bed.

"Well, it's a puppy." I point out sarcastically. She shoots me a side glare, already jogging towards Tara.

"It's fucking adorable." She coos, taking one of its big fluffy bear-paws. Tara hands the pup over to her, and the ball of fluff coats her face in kisses.

I watch her eyes light up as she cuddles the little Shep, probably in the same way she'll hug our kids one day.

I smile. "She's yours."

Tara disappears out of the door with a wink, closing it behind her as Nova processes what I've just told her. Her mouth falls ajar, opening and closing a few times.

"I— Leo. You bought me a puppy?" She gasps. I grin, pushing off the bed to join her side.

"I absolutely did. Happy birthday, beautiful." I wrap my arms around her from behind, leaning my chin on the top of her head as she stares at the puppy.

I hear her sniff. "Are you crying?" I whisper. She nods once, and sniffs again.

"I've always wanted a German Shepherd," she turns in my grasp, the small pup resting between us.

"I know. I remember you said back in the Philippines. Took some convincing from North, but I got there." I grin.

She gazes up at me with glistening eyes, and the widest grin I've seen in a long time. "You remembered." She whispers.

"Of course I did." I say, resting my hand on the small of her back.

"Thank you. Thank you. This is the best gift ever." Nova says with her quivering lip, staring down at the dog with nothing but adoration. The pup gazes up at her and licks her chin.

"Anything for you." I kiss her head. Her eyes meet mine.

"I love you, Leo." A small tear drops down her cheek. I cup the side of her face in my hand, wiping it away with my thumb.

"You'd fucking better." I chuckle, earning a small one from her in response. "I love you too. More than anything."

She takes a sharp breath in, composing herself before she becomes one big pile of lovey mush. "Well, this is significantly better than my birthday two years ago." She forces a laugh.

My blood runs cold and the temperature in the room plummets as I remember that day. The day that bastard Jed Nolan tried to kill her. Finding her in those woods, unmoving and not breathing.

The day I thought I was too late in realising the things I felt for her. The horrendous situation that made it clear how fucking in love with her I was.

I shake my head. "It'll always be too soon to make a joke out of that."

She rolls her shoulders, striding towards the bed and placing the pup on the mattress, flopping down beside it.

"I killed him, so we can laugh about it now." She says, like it's no big deal. The dry tone actually does make me laugh a little.

"Yeah, I suppose you did." I lay down beside her, taking a moment to remind myself that Nova Shields didn't die that day, didn't die after being stabbed either. She's sat here, right now, as Nova Hendrix. The love of my goddamn life.

I watch as she plays with the pup, rolling around the mattress with it like a giggling kid.

"You need to think of a name for her." I say. She bites her lip in thought for a little while.

"Capri." She decides suddenly, I cock my eyebrow. Not what I was expecting.

"Capri?" I repeat, she hums. "Why Capri? Why not something like Wonder-Woman?"

She snorts. "Of course you'd name her something like that. Capri because you're a Capricorn. You're also named after a star sign, your name is a constellation." She looks at Capri, "Because when we were in the Philippines, and life was a massive heap of shit, I always looked at the stars." She says.

"So poetic. How very Shakespeare of you." I drawl. She slaps my arm, and I can't help but smile. "I suppose it makes sense, because Nova also means star."

She hums, "Exactly. We're all always going to be together in some way or another."

She says it more to Capri, who is curling up and looks ready for a nap. I scoop the ball of fluff up, cradling her like she's my child. I suppose in a way she is.

"I've stashed all of her stuff under our bed." I tell Nova. She slides off the mattress, pulling the plush pillow from underneath, as well as the toys.

"Jesus Christ, you went all out. Is this how much you're going to spoil our kids one day?" She chuckles, setting the Capri-sized bed in the corner of the room.

I lay the sleeping dog down on it. "That's the plan."

We take a moment to listen to the quiet snores, watch her flickering, tan-coloured ears.

"I love her so much already." Nova whispers. I turn and scoop her up with ease, carrying her towards the bed before plonking her down.

"So do I. I also love you, hence why I'm going to pick up exactly where I left off before." I grin. So does she as I wrap my fingers in the waistband of her joggers.

"Fuck me until my mascara is staining my cheeks." She demands, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth, and I'm instantly hard.

"Always."

—

NOVA

"It's like having another damn grandchild!"

I snort, watching North play with Capri later this night, and it makes me wonder just how much convincing Leo had to do.

Seems like my furry daughter is going to be getting most of the attention around here from now on.

"That would make you my dad, and I wouldn't want that." Leo remarks. North ignores him, and I steal the chance to look at my sex-on-legs husband.

His hair got slightly longer, some deep strands hanging in his whiskey-coloured eyes. I'm jealous, because despite the fact that it's winter, he's still fucking tanned. Clearly the Italian in him.

His muscles were big anyway, but since his leg healed up, he's worked and worked harder than I've ever seen him. His arm is still healing from the burns, even after all this time.

Was a difficult one to explain to his family, but we managed to blame it on a cooking session gone very wrong.

He's fucking huge, and every single inch of that 6'4 frame is mine.

Rugged, deathly-handsome, mine. He catches me staring, shooting me a sly wink.

The door of North's office opens, and Ruby James, granddaughter of Roman Fleetwood himself, saunters inside, her long crimson hair flowing down her back.

"Capri, go see Auntie Ruby." I grin, scooping up my kid and handing her to the red-head who I right-hooked last year.

Surprisingly, ever since my fist made acquaintances with her jaw, we've grown quite fond of each other. I didn't appreciate that she was trying to seduce my partner at one point in time, but we've moved past that.

She's snarky, but that doesn't intimidate me, and she knows it.

"Hey, cutie." She coos, raising her hand only to have her finger nipped by Capri. She recoils immediately, acting as though she's been bitten by a shark, and I laugh.

"She's clearly a good judge of character." Leo quips.

"I'll have you fired, Hendrix." She retorts with a snarl, and I turn my head in response. Just getting used to my own, new surname.

"You'd do no such thing. Grandaddy dearest wouldn't allow it." Leo says back, curling a strong arm around my waist and pulling me into his chest.

It's true, Roman Fleetwood definitely would not allow it. He visited Redhawk in November, and it was pretty damn cool to meet the founder of all of this.

He said I was 'much more personable' than he anticipated. I guess I don't exactly look like your average 'brother-killer'. I also think the satisfaction I've felt since being with Leo has impacted my overall personality.

I used to be stand-offish, there's no doubt there. Cold, reserved, collected. Now? I'm a human pile of lovey mush. Most of the time.

I never thought the day would come, never thought I'd make it alive to see the day. The day where I can finally say that I'm happy.

I'm in love so madly my heart could melt, and I'm happier than words could ever convey. When I joined Fleetwood, it was because I never thought I'd find something like this. Because I was a lost, traumatised kid who couldn't find her way.

Now, I want nothing more than to leave and enjoy it. I found my path eventually.

I owe it all to one person.

I only now realise how ridiculous it sounds. Rivals turned lovers. It's the type of story you'd read. Complete, obscene fiction.

And somehow, I'm living it out in real life. I'm the main goddamn character.

He's laughing at something North said, I can feel his chest moving behind me, and the comfort is overwhelming. He takes my hand, then scoops Capri up with his free arm from where she's biting Ruby's shoes, bundling her up so she's warm.

"Walk with me?" He tilts his head. I hum, squeezing his hand as we leave the office.

"This has been the best birthday of my life." I sigh in contentment.

Leo chuckles, his breath visible in the icy weather. "Well, only took us twenty-eight years to get there." He grins, stepping aside so I can open the door to our cabin.

And for a second. For a teeny, tiny second, I see our life after retirement. Us coming home to our house, after walking Capri, hopefully with a child or two linking hands with us.

I think we've both been having baby-fever.

—

"So, when we have kids, plural, what do you want to call them?" Leo asks casually, taking a sip of the Tennessee whiskey North bought me.

"If we have a boy," I think for a moment, smoothing my hand over Capri's velvety ears, "we call him Jaques."

He raises his eyebrows, a small smile creeping across his lips. "And if we have a girl, we call her Maria." He says.

I nod, returning his smile. "I like the sound of that."

He takes a deep breath, "Shall we just get out of here, Nova?"

I blink. Once. Twice. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, should we hand in our notices? Retire? We've both been here for over ten years. That's five years longer than the contract states we have to serve. The new generation is coming in. We can go wherever you fucking want. Queensland? I'm there. Scotland? I'm there. I'll go anywhere, absolutely fucking anywhere, as long as I'm with you."

His monologue has me tearing up, and then he continues.

"I want to take you out to fancy restaurants. I want to buy you flowers, have them ready for you every night. I want to live normally with you. I can't—" his voice cracks, "—I can't live in fucking fear that something might happen to you again if we stay, Nova."

He's now crying, and I'm fucking crying. Like two massive idiots. I'm crying because I know he's right, and because I want nothing more than what he's suggested for us.

"But Leo, the money—" I start.

"—we have the money. We have enough money to live off, comfortably. Jesus, I could have a damn dollar to my name and be fucking happy, as long as I'm with you. I obviously didn't join Fleetwood to find love, but here-we-fucking-are. We've been through enough, Nova. We've served the group honourably. It's time to just do something for us." He lets out a deep breath, and I take one.

I pour some more whiskey into my glass, glancing at my reflection in the dark liquor, at Capri, who is still lying peacefully on my knee.

And I smile.

Because I know my decision is already written in the stars.

I raise my glass towards Leo.

"To us."