Page 7 of Waggs

She felt a touch on her shoulder and lifted her head slowly to see Aiden looking at her. He looked every bit as good as she remembered. Many times over the last five years she’d seen him at his worst, drunk and grief-stricken but now he looked good, better than good—he looked delicious, and she probably looked like shit warmed over.

“I don’t understand.”

Aiden sat on the bed and handed her a glass and some pills.

She looked down at them and then back to him. “What are these?”

“Pain killers and something to reduce your fever. You have the flu.”

Willow took the pills and drank some of the water before handing him the glass and sinking back against the pillows, exhausted. “How long have I been here and where is here?”

Aiden chuckled, and the sound went through her like a caress. “You arrived yesterday, and here is my place.”

Flashes of memory assailed her, and she remembered a woman in a wedding dress, being carried, and her son. Willow sat up suddenly and groaned. “AJ!”

“He’s fine. He’s watching cartoons and eating some cereal.”

“Oh, good.” Willow once again fell back, the last of her energy leaving her once she knew her son was safe. No matter the past or the complexities of their relationship, Willow knew Aiden would keep her son safe and cared for while she couldn’t.

“Is there anything I need to know about AJ? Does he have any allergies I should know about?”

“No, he’s fine with everything. Is he sick too?”

“Not so far, but I’ll watch him closely.”

Willow grabbed for Aiden’s hand, and he curled his fingers around hers as she brought his arm and hand to her chest and cuddled it, sleepily. “Thank you, Aiden. I knew you’d protect him.”

She felt lips against her temple and smiled.

“I’ll protect you both, Wills. Now sleep. AJ and I are going shopping, but my friend Mitch is here keeping watch while I pick you up some clothes and stuff. Is there anything you particularly need?”

“Um, no. Just some regular clothes. There’s money in my purse.”

“You didn’t have a purse, sweetheart, just yourselves.”

Willow was struggling to stay awake now, but she tried to remember where her purse was and why she had no luggage. She remembered packing for her and AJ before deciding that flying to Aiden and asking for his help was her only chance.

“Not sure where it is.”

“Don’t worry, Wills, we’ll figure it out.”

She could feel the heavy, comforting way he stroked her hair and down her back, it made her feel safe for the first time in months. Aiden had always made her feel that way, and she’d missed him so much. She’d always miss Aaron, but when he’d died, she’d not just lost him but Aiden too. “Love you, Aiden.”

“Sleep, Willow.”

Willow did just that, falling into a fitful sleep filled with dreams of Aaron and Aiden.

It started with the three off them sitting in the home she’d shared with Aaron. Each of them drinking a beer, their feet up on the small table that was in the middle. They were laughing and joking as they’d always done, and she felt so lucky to have these two men in her life. The only downside was that she was in love with them both. She was with Aaron, and she loved him until her heart hurt, but she loved Aiden too, and not like she should love her boyfriend’s brother.

Willow knew in some part of her brain that it was a dream but as the scene changed, fear gripped her by the throat. Suddenly Aaron was covered in blood and reaching for her, begging her to help him and then Aiden dissolved in front of her, disappearing before her eyes, and she tried to grab him to stop him leaving her as she held Aaron’s broken body in her arms.

“Aiden, please don’t leave me.”

She looked down, and she was covered in blood, Aaron’s lifeless eyes looking at her with accusation as if he’d known how she felt. Willow began to cry as both the men she loved left her.

* * *

Waggs was still reeling from hearing Willow say those words. He knew she didn’t mean them in the way he wished, but it was still nice, which made him feel sick inside because to think it was a betrayal of his brother.