Epilogue
COLT - FIVE YEARS LATER
“Okay, what’s the rule?”
My kids are lined up in front of me, and Finn’s hand shoots up. Holly rolls her eyes. “You don’t get picked. We all answer.”
“Holly, don’t roll your eyes at your brother.”
“Mom rolls her eyes at you.”
“With good reason,” I say. My son’s hand is still in the air, and he’s bouncing on his toes. “Yes, Finn?”
“The rule is Mom has to have a good time.”
“Exactly. And why?”
“Because it’s her birthday.”
Jessi kicks her little legs in the stroller, as if confirming Finn’s answer is correct, or maybe she can just hear Denver’s shoes clicking across the hotel lobby before she comes into view.
She’s in a flowing white sundress that closely matches the one Jessi is wearing, sunglasses balanced on her nose that’s already developed a few new freckles since arriving in the city a few days ago.
Five years married and I still get that giddy, new-love feeling whenever she strolls into a room. If possible, I’ve fallen in love with her more, and as our family has grown, so has the mess. I love every second of it.
“I’m here!” she sings, and Holly immediately goes to her side and takes Denver’s handbag, and then her hand.
“You look pretty, Mom,” Holly says.
“Thank you, baby. You always look pretty,” Denver says, kissing Holly’s head.
It was nearly a year into moving to England when Holly first called me “Dad” and Denver “Mom.” That night, I didn’t sleep.
Pride at her viewing me as her father warred with the overwhelming guilt that I was taking Wilder’s place.
We have pictures of him in the house, I tell stories about him, too, and Holly knows her dad was my brother and he died.
But there are still moments when hearing her refer to us as parents hits me hard, and maybe it’s because after five long years, we’re back in New York.
We figured it was time we tear off the Band-Aid and go home for a visit. We’re having a small party for Denver—but not in the hotel. I think we’re both still haunted by our wedding night.
We pile into the SUV for the short trip because despite the years that have passed, I’m not comfortable walking my family through streets where I’ve killed men. I could still very easily be recognized, and Denver still is sometimes, even back home.
“Do you think Wesson is okay?” Finn asks as we arrive at the apartment building.
“Are you kidding? He’s at a golden retriever retreat. He’ll be having more fun than us,” Denver says.
The dog is still practically a puppy, and even though he loves all the kids and is always by their side, it’s Holly he’s stuck to the most. He’ll be fine at the retreat, but he’ll definitely be missing her.
“Do you think I can use the Wi-Fi?” Holly asks as we take the elevator to the penthouse.
“No hacking tonight,” I say, tugging playfully on her braid.
“It isn’t hacking. It’s looking at websites in different ways.”
Denver says, “Honey, last time you did that you knocked out the power in the street.”
Holly flushes. “That was a code issue.”
My wife eyes me, knowing full well where Holly is learning all this stuff, and it isn’t me, but it’s me-adjacent. I focus on Jessi in my arms, kissing her red curls. She smells like sunscreen and baby, and I hate that she’s almost walking already.
Finn takes Holly’s hand. “What’s hacking?”
“It’s what cool people do,” she says.
“Can I do it?”
Holly shrugs. “I can teach you.”
“No!” Denver and I say.
The elevator doors open and Holly darts inside, Finn in tow.
On the far side of the huge space, in front of floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the sunny afternoon, Alistair is on the phone.
In suit pants and a white shirt, gray beard and hair neat as always, he notices us and grins, hanging up immediately before swinging Holly into his arms.
“How’s my little hacker?”
Denver glares at me.
“Stop teaching my kids to commit felonies,” I mumble at him.
Alistair places Holly on her feet. “I’m promising nothing. How’s my favorite family? And you, Denver.”
“Ha-ha,” she says drily.
He kisses her cheek and whispers, “Happy birthday, killer.”
I’ll never say that Denver and Alistair are best friends, but they’ve come a long way from screaming at each other. They even sometimes talk on the phone without me having to mediate, which is progress.
“Give me my niece,” Alistair demands, taking Jessi, who immediately squeals excitedly. “Finn, there’s a PlayStation in the second bedroom.”
“And a laptop?” Holly asks, eyes brightening. Alistair gives them both a thumbs up and they dart away.
Denver sighs. “We’re not going to see them for the rest of the day, are we?”
“Good, I can get you drunk,” Alistair says, grinning mischievously.
Okay, maybe they’ve made more progress than I’m giving them credit for.
True to his word, Alistair gets Denver a drink, and people start arriving.
Danielle and Samuel arrive with little Hattie, who immediately disappears to go find Finn and Holly.
Danielle married the head of the Triads two years ago, uniting two crime families across the country, but she still makes a point of covering her ears and leaving the room whenever anything nefarious is discussed.
Ronan arrives with Taf, both cheering when they see us.
They hug me and practically shake Denver in an embrace before taking turns holding Jessi.
Ronan has expanded the McEwan empire to an extent that I think even Finn might have struggled with.
He’s in more legal trouble than he’s ever been in, but he’s also taken over two other families in the city and even bought some of Ranger’s businesses from Denver.
He’s quickly becoming the most powerful man in the country, not just on the coast.
JJ and Charlie arrive, and after saying his hellos, JJ immediately goes to Taf’s side.
Charlie is ranting about Sandy being late, and when she finally shows, she’s on Sebastian’s back, whispering in his ear as he laughs.
I would never in a million years have put the two of them together, but it seems to work.
Sebastian also brings two friends I haven’t met, who introduce themselves as Zeke and Ace. Friends of Ethan’s, Sebastian tells me, who are visiting him in the city.
Dante shows up with too many plus-ones, but he brings expensive whiskey and swears his gun isn’t loaded.
Denver takes it anyway and hides it behind the bar, and mid-lecture about behaving, Dante drops to a knee and proposes to her.
Denver’s response is an eye roll, and I tell him I’m happy to test the theory on whether his gun is loaded.
Alexei brings all six of his kids, and they all ditch us for Holly, Finn, and Hattie.
Music is playing, drink is flowing, and Charlie is parading a delighted Jessi around on his shoulders.
And through the entire evening, Denver is laughing. Dancing. Holding my hand. I watch her as she talks to Sebastian, both of them smiling brightly while Sandy hangs off the doctor like she’s worried he’ll disappear if she lets go.
“Dad.” Finn tugs on my hand. “When are we going home?”
“Not for a bit yet, kid,” I say. “Why?”
“I want to stay.”
I smile. “Ask Uncle Al.”
He nods and shoots off in the direction of Alistair.
“Dude, your kid is British,” JJ says. “It’s fucking adorable.”
My grin almost splits my face. “I know.” Charlie offloads Jessi into my arms to get a drink, and she’s gnawing on a toy cell phone.
“That reminds me. I’ve got two more on the way,” Alexei says, putting a lollipop into his mouth. He grins at Jessi, and she giggles.
“Eight kids?” Dante says. “How often do you and your wife—” He pauses, blinking in bewilderment as Jessi holds her toy phone out to him. He returns his attention to Alexei. “That’s a lot of kids.”
No one speaks. Taf and JJ stare at Dante, and Alexei looks disgusted. Ronan looks like he’s ready to throw hands.
“What?” Dante asks.
“Answer the toy phone, Capelli,” I say. “What is wrong with you?”
The head of the Italian mafia looks between us all. “Are you serious?”
“Yes!” we say in unison.
He cautiously takes the pink and purple phone and holds it to his ear. “Hello?” Jessi claps.
“Was that so hard? Jesus,” Ronan snaps.
My gaze strays back to Denver as she heads to the makeshift bar to get a drink with Sebastian and Sandy.
“You realize this place is like a fortress?” Taf asks me. “She’s fine.”
“I know, it’s just weird being back. Last time it all went to shit.”
Taf sips his drink. “No, it didn’t. She was here last month.” JJ elbows him, hard, and Taf chokes. “What?”
I look between them, brow furrowed. “Denver hasn’t been here since the wedding.”
Taf wipes the beer from his chin. “Yep, that’s what I said.”
“God, you’re a dick,” JJ says. “It’s a good job I love you.”
“What’s going on?” I ask. They exchange looks and I move closer, narrowing my eyes. “Tell me.”
Dante and Alexei slink away. Ronan pretends to hear someone shouting him and goes to the far side of the room.
Taf says, “Alistair just needed a hand with some stuff—”
My eyes widen. “What stuff?”
“There were some issues with territory with Ranger’s old businesses,” JJ says. “It was a quick, super small, you know … what’s the word I’m looking for, Taf?”
“Crime?” I growl, and glance around the room before spotting Denver.
She’s holding a glass of wine and is laughing loudly.
Not for long. “Hold my child.” I hand Jessi to Taf and stride over to Denver, my skin hot with annoyance.
Her attention lands on me and she pauses her wine glass at her lips, and I think I see her mumbling “Uh-oh.”
“Mrs. Harland? A word.” I don’t let her answer before taking her drink and putting it on the bar. I lead her into one of the bedrooms, snapping the door closed.
She smiles innocently. “Sex?”
“Tell me. Right now.”
She stamps her foot. “It was one shipment!”
“Shipment? Taf said it was territory!”
Denver presses the tips of her index fingers together. “Okay, so one shipment and one meeting.”