Alec's POV

Last night I was heading to attend a meeting at the Battleground, but since I needed to pick Liam so I postponed it till this morning.

Since I can't leave Liam alone I have called an early morning meeting at my house. In this way, I don't have to leave Liam and I can finish this meeting too.

Frisky is with Liam in the room as he is sleeping so if he walks up, before I get back to the room, he will not be worried much.

Just like I have thought Frisky instantly took a liking to Liam and even Liam became friends with her.

"Any progress on the new assignment?" I ask while my eyes flickering to my mobile to get any message about Avery. The last message which I got is two hours back and she has still been there, the entire night she was sitting outside the cabin in her car.

I need to talk to her about this, I don't care if she will chop my head off for keeping an eye on her.

"Nothing suspicious is found." Finn shakes his head in no, "I think they are keeping it down for a while."

Suddenly, my office room's door opens which snaps everyone's attention to the door. Everyone visibly relaxes when they watch half-sleepy Liam making a beeline towards me, ignoring everyone.

Finn grins watching him, while everyone else's eyes have slight curiosity and confusion in them.

I turn my seat when he comes near but before I can ask anything, he simply climbs in my lap and keeps his head on my chest while closing his eyes.

Snaking my arm around him, I kiss his hair which is sticking out in every possible direction. Turning my seat, I glance back at everyone. Almost everyone's eyes are studying Liam with curiosity.

"Who is this little guy, Alec?" John, one of the oldest friends of Dad, asks.

He used to work along with dad, and still, now he works for the organization. However, he is more of an uncle to me than a colleague.

"He is Liam," I answer, "My son."

Slowly, his eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and everyone else is also surprised hearing this. However, most of them have a fond look on their face when their gaze travel back to Liam.

They have witnessed me losing my family within a blink of an eye. And without even saying I know, they are happy for me that finally now I have someone who is my own.

John smiles but doesn't say anything as he keeps looking at Liam.

"So shall we continue with the meeting or call it a wrap, as the little boss is here?" Finn smiles nodding his head at Liam.

Glancing down at Liam, I find him sleeping again so I decided we can continue it as all the important things are discussed. Just a few things related to Battleground are left so we can discuss it with Liam being in the room.

Dad started Battleground years ago. Initially, the idea behind it was to help our fellow brothers who got retired or has to leave the organization due to some reason. Dad provided them jobs so that they will still be a part of us and can earn for themselves while utilizing their skills.

Later, people from other clubs also started joining our club as it provides them a legal means of making their living while still doing what they are best at, which is fighting.

We made a lot of enemies in this business too, but they are nothing which we can't handle.

I suppress my smile when I watch everyone talking while keeping their voices low so that it doesn't disturb Liam. These are the people on whom I can count on. We all have each other's back, no matter how difficult time is.

My family, outside my family.

Somewhere during the meeting, Liam wakes up and silently watches everyone. Finn smiles at him, but since Liam is in his no smile and no talk phase, he simply turns his head back into my chest ignoring him which makes Finn visibly upset.

I need to warn Finn about Liam's waking up phase because the poor guy must be thinking Liam is upset with him.

Nearly, half an hour later when the meeting is about to end. My child is fully awake and alert, as now he is sitting in my lap studying everyone. But he still hasn't said anything, and I have enough experience with his mom to know not to talk to them until they start talking when they wake up. As when they start talking it means their waking-up phase is over.

After the meeting has ended nobody leaves the room except John as he excused himself saying he has some personal work to take care of.

I can sense everyone is eager to talk to Liam, who is having an unreadable expression on his face.

"Why are you guys staring me like this?" He asks directly looking at them.

"Hey, buddy, they all want to meet you." I rub his back, while I nod my head at everyone. "He is Marshall, there is Kevin, and that man with a big beard is George." I introduce one by one.

"Why do they want to meet me?" He turns his head to look at me.

"Because you are family," Marshall answers before I can reply while looking at Liam.

"But I have my mommy." Liam frowns a little as if trying to say he has his family.

"Well, she is family," Marshall replies, "So that makes you our family, too."

My eyes snap to Marshall, as he discreetly nods answering my unasked question. I don't know they knew about Avery, but from his answer, I feel they all do.

Relief passes over my heart knowing that they all will look after her and Liam if something happens to me.

By the time they left, it is not wrong to assume that Liam has wrapped them around his finger with his curious nature and heart-melting smile. Although this is another thing he smiles when he is only talking to me.

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"No, it is too warm." Liam touches the glass and shakes his head looking at me.

"But you asked for warm milk." I raise my eyes picking up the glass from the counter.

"I asked for warm milk, but not too warm milk." He pets Frisky who is comfortably enjoying his attention.

I don't know why but sometimes, the way he speaks makes me laugh. I don't think I can ever feel bored when he is around.

"But earlier, I gave you less warm milk you said it is cold." I transfer half of the milk in another glass and fill the glass again with some previously warmed milk which has now turned completely cold.

"Yes, because that was cold." He shrugs.

Turning my head, I arch my eyebrow at Liam who is for the past ten minutes trying to teach me how to warm up a damn glass of milk.

"Here." I put the third glass of milk in front of him, praying that this the warm milk which he wants.

He raises the glass in my direction expectantly looking at me, while I look at the glass not knowing what to do.

Is he asking me to drink it?

"Blow over it." He instructs after a moment.

Leaning down, I blow a few times then he takes a small sip. And then the entire glass of milk is finished within a minute. Crossing my arms, I watch him as he slips down the chair and walks to the sink to place the empty glass.

"Thank you." He gives me a hug, then runs to play with Frisky who is busy stretching herself.

I take this moment to check on Avery because from last night my mind is stuck on her.

If Liam was not with me, then I would have gone myself there. But I want to prove to her that she can still trust me, as this is the first time in years she has asked me something. So I don't want to let her down.

As if on cue, I get a call from Ron.

"She has left about half an hour ago when some construction workers showed up here," Ron speaks quickly.

"What are they doing there? It is private property." I rub the back of my neck.

"They are demolishing the house to build some small resort-"

"Stop them right now!" I narrow my eyes clutching my phone tightly in my hand.

"That's why I have called you. After she left I went to talk to them and asked them not to start their work, But they have said the property is sold to their boss and they are given orders to demolish the house so that a new building can be constructed in its place."

What is she doing? Why she is hurting herself like this? Anybody who knows her can tell how much that place means to her, then why?

"Stop them, Ron." I order him, "Don't let them touch a single thing there. And get the number of the buyer, I will talk to them myself."

But first I need to talk to her to know what's going on in her mind. No more guessing now.

"I already stopped work ten minutes ago. They were not very keen, but I can be persuasive," he says smugly.

I can already know his persuasion would have involved keeping a gun on someone's head. But I also know he would never hurt anyone intentionally or without any valid reason, so I don't mind his way of working.

"Thanks, man," I answer at the same time I get an intercom from the gate.

"See you, soon." I hang up the call.

Answering the intercom, I asked them to let the car in. I walk to the main door of the house, as I wait for Avery to come outside the car.

"I came here to pick up Liam." She walks to me, as my eyes wander over her face.

"Yeah, sure." I nod my head, "But first why don't you come inside?"

She looks hesitant but after a moment or two, she nods her head.

"I will get you a glass of water," I say over my shoulder, as she follows me inside, "You look tired."

"Didn't get any sleep last night?" I ask her intentionally while handing her water.

"Nothing like that." She drinks water as her eyes obviously searching for Liam.

Liar.

But the only liar in the world whom I love.

"He is playing in the room, with his new friend," I tell her, and just before my eyes, her expression changes as she frowns.

"Relax, Avery, I will not leave him alone with anyone." I chuckle lightly, "He is playing with Frisky, last night they have becomes friends and since then she is following him everywhere."

"Frisky?" She gives a small smile, but her eyes seem empty, "You still have her."

"Yes, she was the only one who kept in me insane until now." I force a smile and shrug.

"But now I have her, and my little buddy. So I think I am a happy man." My smile turns into an effortless one.

Honestly, I will be truly happy when I will have her by my side. But this doesn't mean I am not going to appreciate my moments with Liam. As someone who has been deprived of happiness, deprived of the feeling of being loved, this means so much to me that I can't express my feelings in words.

"You and Liam both needed each other, so it is good that you both got that chance," She speaks softly, "While I am just relieved that you didn't turn out be like my father. Otherwise, I would have to put a bullet in you with my own hands." She sighs as she lifts her eyes to me. Her words have no humor in them.

"Now I own a gun too, better than the one which you used to have. So it would have been a clean kill because I hate messes." She adds after a moment, and I can hear a hint of smugness in her voice which makes me laugh.

What am I going to do with her?

My heart knows the answer to this question.

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