Desperate Valentine (St. Valentines)

12. EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

I can’t believe it’s been a year with Jude already. He’s still a giant pain in the ass, but I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime. Jude and Gunner take care of most big jobs, but I’ve taken a liking to chasing down the females. They’re feisty and I need a release every once in a while.

It’s expected when you’re engaged to the St. Valentines Butcher. I love my life.

“Are you ready yet, Veronica?” Mila hollers up to me as I’m finishing my makeup.

“Coming!” I close the mascara and toss it into my bag.

“He’s blowing my phone up,” Gunner says as soon as I get downstairs.

“I’m sorry. I thought Suzanne might be able to distract him long enough,” I reply.

I booked a dinner for us all tonight, in celebration of the bar being fully paid off. Jude has no idea, but I bought the bar back from the bank and tonight, I’m telling him what I did.

Suddenly, as we walk out the door to get into my car, Jude calls me.

“Babe? How’s things?” I ask, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

“Why are all of you being so weird today?” he asks, a hint of cockiness to his tone.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I sharply reply. “We’re getting ready for our dinner. Are you almost done work?”

“Just got done. Do you want me to meet you all at the restaurant now?”

“That would work,” I say. “We’ll be there waiting.”

As soon as I end the call, Mila starts to laugh. “He’s the most impatient person I’ve ever known. Aside from you, that is.”

“You’re not wrong. Honestly, I don’t know how we put up with each other. He’s such a dick.” I chuckle, loading my purse into the front seat beside Mila’s feet.

“He’s obsessed with you,” Mila sighs, buckling her seat-belt.

I let out a chuckle and head off toward the restaurant.

* * *

“What’s the occasion tonight, folks?” the waitress asks, flashing us all a friendly smile.

“Nothing special,” Jude replies, briefly glancing up at her before diving back into the menu.

“Actually. There might be something,” I say, catching Jude’s attention right away.

His eyes widen and I start to slowly clue into what he’s thinking.

“No! Babe, not that! I’m not fucking pregnant!” I holler out, nearly loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear.

“I wouldn’t be mad if you were, though,” he smiles.

“Enough of that. Do you want to know?”

“Tell me!” he says, pretending to slam a fork down onto the table.

“I may have made a large purchase.”

“On?” He narrows his eyes and tilts his head in confusion.

“Your bar…”

I swear I see tears form in the corners of his eyes as he leans over and grabs me, hugging me so tight it squeezes the air from my lungs.

“Are you serious? I told you a long time ago not to do that for me!” he says. “You’re the fucking best, babe.”

“Only for the best, baby. I love you, and I know you loved that bar.” I smile, running my fingers down his back. “You didn’t deserve to lose that bar. Quit your damn job and get back to it!”

My only regret is that I didn’t pay for it sooner, but we just weren’t at that stage yet and I thought making that kind of decision so soon into our relationship would seem—clingy? I asked him just once more, a month into being “official” and he was furious.

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” he says, finally letting go of me, allowing me to breathe a little easier.

He looks to Mila and Gunner, cluing into the fact that they have known about this for quite a while.

“You two knew about this?” He laughs, pointing toward the two of them.

“For a few weeks, at least,” Gunner grins.

“I expect some free drinks in exchange for keeping that big of a secret,” Mila chuckles.

“That can be arranged,” Jude replies.

“So, I was thinking, we can do a grand opening this weekend. Given that the stock arrives on time tomorrow!” I suggest, watching as Jude turns his attention back to me.

“You’re telling me you stocked the place too?” he asks, reaching for my hand under the table.

“I even found all of the furniture you had to sell. The lady said it didn’t quite work with what she wanted them for and offered them back at half the price she paid for them. I may have exaggerated a sob story though.”

Jude grabs my face between his hands, kissing me with so much passion that Gunner and Mila start to clear their throats from across the table.

“A room, guys. Get a fucking room,” Mila laughs.

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind watching,” Gunner chuckles, shooting me a wink.

“Actually, I take that back. I would one-hundred percent watch the two of you fuck,” Mila says, biting down on her finger.

“Not a chance in hell, guys,” Jude says, pointing a warning finger toward Gunner.

“Baby, think about it, you can show them your flogger collection.” I smirk, knowing that Gunner and Mila have no idea what I’m talking about.

“It’s a date. Name a place and time, and we’ll be there,” Gunner says.

I love this. This is exactly where I want to be in life. Finishing another year at St. Valentines, getting engaged to the best man I’ve ever known and a best friend that finally found everything she was looking for too.

Somehow, the news in regards to the missing trio went silent after just a few weeks. Charles’ employees were glad to be free finally from his wrath and Charlie wasn’t missed either. Blaise’s family searched for him for a few weeks and then flew back home, never to be heard from since.

The way it went was flawless, really.

All thanks to my walking red flag of a fiancé.

THE END