Page 9 of Enforcer’s Little Warrior (Little Paws Haven #3)

Bash

As an enforcer, Bash was used to being on the move, going where the crash sent him, and sleeping wherever he could with little concern for comfort or amenities. It was the lifestyle he’d chosen, but not the lifestyle he would choose for his mate or the little ones the crash already acknowledged as theirs. Papers were in the process of being drawn up that would make it official, while Bash had slipped away early that morning to take care of another vital issue he hoped would restore some of the sense of security the council had stripped from Romy.

As he stepped inside the house, remembering to close the door gently so as not to scare Romy or their boys, he heard soft singing coming from the kitchen and followed it to see Romy preparing a fruit salad for the midmorning meal. Growing rhinos required way more than three feedings a day, and his mate clearly planned for their next one to be a healthy one. Slipping up behind him, Bash hugged him close and rested his chin on the top of Romy’s hair.

“That looks delicious,” Bash said as he inhaled the blended scent of himself and his mate that permeated from Romy.

His efforts at stealing a piece of honeydew got thwarted. Romy caught his hand and brought the piece to his own mouth, sucking the juice off Bash’s fingers.

“MMM, tastes delicious too,” Romy said as he tilted his head back to smile up at him. “And so do you.”

Bash chuckled and slid a hand into his hair, tugging just enough that he could kiss his mate and find out for himself just how good the honeydew tasted on Romy’s lips.

“Maybe I’ll just let you eat the fruit so I can taste you in between the pieces,” Bash murmured before rubbing noses with him.

“I wouldn’t mind that.”

“I have something else here that I hope you won’t mind,” Bash said, working on keeping his thoughts to himself for now. “Can we sit for a moment? It looks like all the fruit is in the bowl.”

Romy shot him a cautious look even as Bash reached over him, picked up the bowl and put it in the refrigerator to chill further until the boys got up from their nap.

When Bash pulled the chair out, he did so with enough space that Romy could sit on his lap, rather than in a chair of his own. Not only did it let him hold his mate, but he’d already learned that his hugs and presence helped ground Romy and keep him settled when he felt nervous and insecure.

“First, breathe, Little Bumper and focus on me, not whatever whirlwind of thoughts just got stirred up in your head,” Bash said, drawing Romy into his arms to hold him close. “This is nothing bad. In fact, I’m hoping you’ll see it for what I intended it to be.”

“Okay,” Romy murmured, but the caution was still in his voice.

“It’s just that I’ve never set up a home before,” Bash explained. “I was worried about that at first and not knowing what you and the boys might need. Then I talked to Sasha, and she nearly clobbered me over the head with the marble cutting board you were just using when she found out that I hadn’t mentioned any of what I was thinking and feeling to you. She made me see I don’t need to know how to set up a home because this is our home to set up together.”

“I like her.” Romy grinned cheekily. “She’s smart.”

“Yeah, she is, and I appreciate her guidance and yes, I made sure to tell her that, too.”

“Good, I’m sure she appreciated it.”

“I went out this morning to get a few things for you,” Bash explained, indicating to the bag he’d set in the room's entryway. “There’s a laptop inside, but also bank account information and a debt card. I don’t want you to have to wait for me to be available if you need anything, I want you to be able to order whatever we need for the boys, but I also wanted us to sit together and order anything we think we’ll need to make this space a truly comfortable one to raise the boys in.”

“I… b-but I don’t have anything to c-contribute,” Romy stammered, eyes wide.

“Yes, you do,” Bash explained as he kissed the side of his head. “You have your knowledge, which is all you need to contribute. Enforcers get paid well, and I never required much. All that I’ve ever earned has pretty much been sitting in the bank waiting for, well, now. It’s how I was able to purchase the house and there is still plenty left over. You should never have to ask me if we need something. You should never have to feel like you are dependent on anyone else to make decisions for you and the boys. I don’t want you to have any cause to worry about how you will take care of yourself or them. It’s important you have the security of knowing that you have control and access to everything you would need to provide for yourself and them if anything should ever happen to me, not that I plan for it to .”

“It better not!” Romy declared with a fierceness shining through.

Chuckling, Bash squeezed him close. “Well, I did take a step to lesson that possibility.”

Romy’s eyes narrowed on him. “Really?”

“Yup,” Bash replied. “As of this morning, I am no longer classified as an Enforcer. I spoke to our crash Alpha and asked to be downgraded to a security position. It means I would have regular patrols here on crash grounds, but that the missions that used to send me away from here will no longer be part of my duties.”

When Romy froze, Bash feared he’d made a mistake, especially as his silence drew on and Little Bumper snuggled close but still didn’t say a word. All he could do was hold him and wait to see how he felt about the bombshell Bash had just dropped on him and hope he wasn’t upset that Bash had decided something important to them without speaking to him first.

Romy

Overwhelmed. Emotions swamped him better than the babies jumping in the wallow and spraying everyone. Every day since he’d managed to escape the council and work to forge a new life for himself alone, he’d kind of been holding his breath.

Waiting… waiting… waiting.

For what, he wasn’t sure, but he’d learned the hard way, that good things weren’t always things he could trust in when handed to him. Then Fate had given him a gift, only it came with strings—enforcer strings. Romy had accepted it when those strings were essential to a rhino like Bash. He was a protector, built for it in every way. Romy got that. Experienced it before their claim. The powerful arms holding him, offering what he needed, revealed what had changed between them in the weeks they’d been together. He’d connected with this wonderful man, and he was offering him something Romy hadn’t let himself think about a future—together. Not part time. Not a few weeks here and there between missions, ones he’d heard Arlo talk about.

Had Fate rewarded him for being brave? For carrying on when it hurt so much to do so when he was so alone, with no one.

His thoughts crashed together. Would Bash be happy, truly happy, doing a lesser role for the crash? Bash was an enforcer—a protector of all. Romy had known this and kept his concerns—fears tucked deep inside. Not looking at them or examining them too closely because it was selfish—greedy—to want everything.

Yet…

A shuddery breath left his chest as he peeked a look from under his lashes. “You aren’t leaving me?” he asked hesitantly, desperate not to give himself too much hope.

Large, gentle hands stroked up his quivering back, offering reassurance. Lips brushed his cheek, the merest of touches that curled his toes in his sneakers. “Never.”

“Will you be… happy with this lesser role?” Could he be? Would he really be okay with sticking close when the life he’d known before now was one of seeking and investigations?

Bash’s chuckle rumbled through his body as he eased Romy away and put a finger under his chin, tilting his head back until they were looking at each other. Romy searched the expressive, dark eyes, wanting to believe. Wanting to be able to breathe…

Their noses touched in the endearing way that turned Romy’s tummy into jelly and Bash’s lips curved up slowly, a beautiful smile reaching his eyes. “This… you, me and the boys, that makes me happy. The decisions are all about giving me happiness… selfish, but true.”

His bottom lip wobbled at how Bash blasted him with a big dollop of exactly how Romy and the boys made him feel. He sniffed, blinked and gave up. “Daddyyyy,” he cried and buried his face into his thick neck, snuffling to find the perfect spot that smelled of both of them.

“I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere without you or our boys, I swear.”

Romy’s head fired up and back to knock right into Bash’s chin, which made his eyes water at the loud banging on the front door. They both sat rooted to the chair for a second, before Bash glanced towards the hallway, standing up and lowering him to the floor.

Everything about him changed. There was the enforcer, alert and fierce, he moved silently to the cabinet where Bash stored the guns, high up away from the boys.

Stay here.

Daddy—

No, Romy, don’t argue about this. Whoever is outside, they aren’t part of the crash. Bash slipped the gun into the back of the waistband of his low-slung jeans, tucking his T-shirt over it as he walked to the front door after checking the security cameras.

Romy stared at the man and woman stood at the front door looking… nervous? Romy’s heart raced at the possibilities when he could see similarities to…

“Romy,” called out Toofus, “where are you?”

“Shit,” Romy exclaimed, already running, his gut twisting with anxiety. He heard Bash speaking, but it was too late, the boys were doing what they loved to do post nap and that was charge down the stairs looking for a snack.

In the hallway, Romy witnessed the tall blonde woman sink to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Toofus, Nambi,” the women said in a strangle cry as the boys shouted with excitement.

“Momma.”

“Momma.”

Two sets of feet charged down the stairs as if they had wings attached and Romy froze. He hated how conflicted he was because he was so happy for the boys and absolutely gutted to know what was going to happen next, at the same time. His— the boys would leave with their momma.

Not mine.

They aren’t mine.

Bash opened his arms and Romy dashed into them, his tears blinding him at the loss of something he’d desperately wanted—family.