“That makes more sense than my mum having a set of twins and handing one of them over to her father to pretend she doesn’t exist,” William grumbled. “My parents were fucking nuts. All of them.”
Anne squeezed his hand. “Don’t get shot anymore. Promise me.”
“I’m not planning to go modeling at a gun range, pet.” William rubbed his eyes and licked his lips. “Could you get me some water?”
“Oh, here.” Anne tried to hold it to his lips, but William insisted on holding it himself.
He took a long sip and handed it back to her. “I appreciate your coming in there after me. I meant to keep you out of it, but you could’ve just waited to see if I made it out that day.”
“Not an option after I’d realized Clary had already attacked you once. She’s erratic. We wouldn’t be able to predict what she’d do. Her own father couldn’t predict everything.”
“Still.” William nodded. “I understand you did it because you’re a good cop. This doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Anne stared at him. He was trying to give her an out. A way to pretend that she hadn’t gone running into a dangerous situation and gotten him shot all because she cared too much to stay away. She looked up, then to her left. William tried to shift in the bed and grunted softly.
“Be careful,” she ordered.
“I hope I’m not so poorly that I can’t sit up.”
Anne pressed her lips together hard, then looked William in the eye. “I didn’t do it because I’m a good cop.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s us. It’s complicated.” William’s lips twisted to the side.
“That, but also…” Anne placed her hand on his leg and leaned forward. “Evie’s yours.”
William didn’t react for a moment. His brows furrowed, then shot up, and his mouth opened as he blinked a few times.
“Michelle said—”
“She was covering for me. She knew I didn’t want you to know. It’s why I...” Anne balled her hands into fists. “That’s why I broke things off when you went to prison. It’s why I’ve had such a hard time accepting what you’re offering me. I should’ve told you. I just didn’t want Evie to have to wonder where her father was, if you were arrested again, or worse…”
“I wonder if you expect me to disagree. I am who I am, Anne, but having had not one but two terrible fathers in my life, I wouldn’t wish that on her for the world,” William admitted. He reached for her, and she drew nearer. “If you don’t want me—”
“I want you!” Anne cried. “I can’t live knowing I took her away from you and kept our family apart because of all these stupid fears I’ve never dealt with.”
William rested his head back. He looked so tired and overwhelmed. Anne rubbed her hand up and down his arm.
“Then…” William took a deep breath and pushed himself up again. “Then, marry me, Anne.”
“Marry you!”
“That’s what folks do, isn’t it? Usually before the children, but I wouldn’t go forcing normality on us now.” William smiled slowly and a little uncertainly. “Marry me. We’ll move someplace wonderful, and I can try to be a good father to Evie. You can keep your job, or not. Whatever you want. And we’ll all still be together.”
Anne wiped her eyes and stood to give William a kiss. “Yes.” She kissed him again and again. “Yes! Let’s try it. If anyone could figure out a way to make this work, it would be you, you criminal mastermind!”
“Masterminds don’t find themselves pawns in police investigations or lying flat in a hospital bed.”
“Oh, the things the infamous William Spencer does, all because he loves me,” Anne teased.
Epilogue
William and Anne had their wedding in Vegas, of course, in a lovely, mid-sized ballroom with lots of dancing and delicious cuisine that had Evie and Michelle both over the moon. Anything with jalapenos would make Michelle happy, but the mac and cheese cupcakes were probably Evie’s new favorite food.
By the time this wedding happened, though, they had all relocated to southern California (save Michelle as she finished her degree). Two years had passed, and Anne was still a detective, first class for the time being, while William’s business had mutated rather drastically. It was all above board… for the most part.
As it turned out, taking bullets for a cop, even your girlfriend, tended to result in two things: cops at your wedding, and former contacts who wouldn’t answer your calls. William didn’t mind the shift though. He was more than willing to put the family business behind him and continue carving his own path.