Epilogue
Hawk
Six years later
Some promises are meant to be broken. Me being on Texas soil is one of them. Breaking that promise for Ruby means everything.
The last six years have been equally hard and amazing. Once I recovered from my injuries, Devereux proposed for me and Ruby to move to Montana. That’s where his home was. He offered us protection and a way to live a normal life.
Since money was not an issue for either of us, Ruby and I took our time to get to know each other better. Throwing I love you’s around was easy until you actually had to put the work into a relationship. I didn’t have any experience with that, and she didn’t either. Our fights were of epic proportions, but we were determined to make it work.
Unfortunately, we never got to see my mother again before she passed. It was something that weighed heavily on both of us. But we took relief from knowing she was not suffering anymore. She died only five months after I got voted out of the club, so there had not been any time for us to strategize on how we could go back and visit.
Her death affected Ruby a lot more than it did me, as strange as that sounds. She cried for days over it, and there was nothing I could do to make her feel better about it.
Devereaux surprised us once again by having my mother’s ashes brought to us in Montana. We had a small service for her and got her a cemetery plot. I know that Ruby visits her a lot. She doesn’t do anything other than sit there and smile, sometimes running her hand over the plaque with my mother’s name on it, kind of like how she used to hold her hand to make her feel better.
During that time, a plan hatched into my head. I wanted to get revenge for Ruby and punish the men who started the sequence of events that set her on a path of destruction.
I still had some contacts in Texas, and while I was not allowed to set foot there, I could call and ask for favors. Winger was more than happy to travel to Ruby’s hometown and set her parents’ trailer on fire with both of them in it.
When Ruby got notified by it in the mail, she looked emotionless.
“My parents are dead. Their trailer caught on fire,” she told me. “I hope they suffered.”
After that, she never mentioned them again, but she did go visit my mother a little more often than before.
Taking care of the men who raped her when she was in high school took a little more research. By now, they were stand up citizens, at least that’s the image they were trying to portray to the public. Meanwhile, all four of them were cheating on their significant others and drinking or shooting up their money away.
They were all so careless and feeling like they were invincible, they made it too easy for me, even from afar.
The first one died of an accidental overdose in the parking lot of a seedy bar. Since he was a newlywed, he left behind a heartbroken young and pregnant widow who inherited all of his money. Having had friends in very low places helped out a lot in this instance, and I didn’t even have to pay that much money for it.
The next two died in a horrific car crash. They were driving together, supposedly going on a business trip. The car had a faulty GPS, and when they followed the directions on it, they drove off a cliff. Funny how these things can happen. But I do have to say that befriending someone who is a genius in computers didn’t hurt either.
And now… Now there is only one rapist standing. Cullen Stevens was Ruby’s boyfriend in high school. He used her feelings for him and let his friends have their way with her while he watched. Then, his parents paid hers off to throw her out. No one believed her.
As risky as it is to my very own existence, I wanted to take care of him myself. Once again, Devereaux came through for me. He arranged for a private jet to fly me from Montana to Texas where Cullen Stevens lived. I was registered for the flight under a fake name, and we took all the necessary precautions so that the Savages wouldn’t get wind of me being in Texas.
Now, I am standing in front of a church where Cullen is scheduled to arrive soon. It is the place where he and his family come on every Sunday to attend the service. It is also the most convenient way for him to get his drug of choice since his dealer just so happens to attend this same church. The exchange is being done in the back office where Cullen goes to give his large donation to the church every Sunday.
As far as his family knows, he is very in touch with his spiritual side. He is very admired in the community for his dedication to making it flourish, and he is on track to be the next candidate for state senate. With his looks and perfect looking family, they all talk about him like he is the next JFK. We all know by now the kind of personal life JFK had or how his life ended.
A lot of palms were greased for me to get all the information on this fucker and his family. Now, as I watch them arriving in their luxury SUV, my eyes go over his wife and twin daughters. I wish I could say that I have doubts about taking the husband and father away from them. But when I look at them, I see Ruby’s sad face and how scared she looks sometimes after a bad dream that always involves this man.
I take a step back from the window, slink back into the shadows and wait. Cullen Stevens is now walking his family to their usual seats next to his parents. He then will come to this very office where I’m waiting, to make a donation to the church. While he normally does write a check to the church, too, he comes here to pick up the bag of cocaine that his dealer makes sure to leave for him taped under the chair in the corner. Cullen is supposed to grab it and tape back his envelope with the cash that pays for it.
This has been his norm for the last twelve months. It all ends today.
My heart rate picks up when I finally hear footsteps approaching the door. I watch as it opens, then Cullen walks in. He closes the door behind him, careful to look down the hallway before he does so. He walks over and places an envelope with the check for the church on the desk that is across from where I’m standing.
He then turns around and rushes toward me, or rather the chair next to me. The one that should have the drugs he is looking for.
“Who the hell are you?” he almost yelps in fear when our eyes meet.
I shake my head at him in disappointment. “You should not use that kind of language in church, Cullen. It will only send you on the path of destruction and despair sooner.”
“Does Father Smith know you’re in here?” he snaps at me.
I raise an eyebrow in amusement. “Does Father Smith know you’re using his office for drug dealing?”
His face becomes pale, and he looks guilty as fuck. He is a terrible criminal.
I see the exact moment when he decides to run out the door, but I’m a little faster. I grab him by the arms and slam him down in the very chair that’s been a part of his criminal activity for so long.
Before he has a chance to react, I slam two sets of handcuffs over his wrists to hold him in place. When he attempts to sit up with the chair, I punch him in the face so hard, the chair bangs against the wall that’s behind.
Looking at my watch, I realize that I don’t have much time before someone will come looking for him. My hands work fast when I gag him. I then take out the large knife I brought with me and slice through his fancy shirt before doing the same with his pants and underwear, making sure his cock is out.
“I had all sorts of plans for you, pretty boy,” I grin at him. “Cutting your cock off was first on my list.”
He starts moving his head from side to side, sweat running down his face as he tries to scream around the gag.
“You don’t deserve to die fast,” I inform him next. “You deserve to suffer. But you’re lucky that I don’t have time for that.”
Besides, I don’t want any blood spluttering on me. I am wearing gloves, but anything that might drop on my clothes could incriminate me. Me having to leave Ruby because I’m in jail for life for killing this asshole is not at option.
The bag of cocaine from his dealer is in my pocket. I take it out and open it, chuckling when I see Cullen Stevens’ eyes growing big in his face. He tries even harder now to get out of the handcuffs, his legs kicking as he tries to get to me.
I sprinkle some of the powdery substance all over his cock, and he looks horrified.
“You’re not used to just wasting it, huh?” I laugh.
When I’m done, I place the plastic against the tip of the knife before pressing it to his chest, close enough to his heart. He stops moving for a second.
“I want you to know,” I growl at him, “that this is for Ruby Santiago.”
The shock on his face is almost laughable.
“Ah, do you remember her?”
He doesn’t move at all.
“I’m sure you do. Ruby never forgot you, Cullen,” I whisper. “She still has nightmares about what you and your buddies did to her. They already paid for it.”
Cullen whimpers and I smell something. The fucker literally shit himself.
“It’s your turn now, Cullen.”
I press the knife a little harder, breaking the skin, and he tries to scream around the gag in his mouth. With limited time on my side, I cut my losses and push the knife all the way in. Cullen’s face drops to look down, in shock that I actually did it. I stabbed him. There is no saving from this, and he knows it.
With the church service so close to starting, I don’t have time to do anything else. But I do take a second to run a finger over the blood that’s now running, then wipe it on his soft cock, over the white powder I sprinkled earlier.
“For Ruby Santiago,” I repeat. “I hope it was worth it for you, Cullen.”
Leaving the church undetected is not hard at all. Everyone is at the front in their pews, waiting for the service to start. All cameras have been disabled before I walked in, so I’m not worried about it. There’s a plain car waiting to take me back to the small airport where I board the private jet back to Montana.
The gloves I wore when I took care of Cullen are meticulously stored in a small plastic bag that’s in my pocket. As soon as we land in Montana, I pull out a pack of cigarettes and stick one in my mouth. Before lighting it, I set the bag with the gloves on fire. The smell of burned plastic is awful, but I stand there and watch until there is absolutely nothing left of it. By then, I am done smoking my third cigarette, a coughing fit hitting me hard. This is the first time I’m smoking in a few years. Ruby won’t be happy.
And speaking of Ruby… I am late.
Ruby
Today is one of the best days of my life. I am graduating from college. As I stand in line to walk across the stage and get my diploma, I reflect on the last six years.
After Hawk recovered from his injuries, we left Texas for the last time. I cried only because I knew we would never be back to see Mary again. The thought of abandoning her sat heavy in my chest for the longest time. When news of her passing came, I cried a lot, but then I was relieved that she wouldn’t be suffering anymore. I am now able to visit her anytime I want to, and I tell her without words that I am taking care of Hawkeye. I always will.
Life with Hawk has been so intense but in a good way. He helped me grow up in so many ways. Because of him, I was able to make a couple of friends, and he encouraged me to go back to school. Getting my GED with him by my side was one of my proudest moments.
When he encouraged me to go to college, I cried. I didn’t think I was smart enough to do it. He got angry about me thinking so lowly of myself. We fought, we made up. But most of all, we did this together.
“Ruby Santiago,” a voice calls over the speakers, bringing me to the present.
My legs are shaking when I walk across the stage to receive my diploma. People whistling and clapping their hands for me echo from the crowd, but I am scared to look so I wouldn’t lose my footing.
As soon as I am off the stage, I rush toward where I hope Hawk is waiting for me. I take off in a run when I see him, and he opens his arms wide for me.
“You are the most beautiful college graduate I have ever seen,” he whispers in my ear. “I am so damn proud of you.”
I feel chocked up, to the point where I can do anything else other than nod in thanks.
“I love you so much,” I whimper when I finally find my voice. “Thank you for giving me this life.”
Hawk squeezes me harder before setting me back on my feet.
“You did this, babe. It was all you.”
Tears are running down my face when I look up at him. Then I smell something.
“Did you smoke?” My voice is full of disdain when I ask.
He looks guilty in an instant. “Uh, yeah, I…”
“Oh my God, Hawkeye Paulson,” I admonish him. “I can’t believe you did this! After how hard you worked on quitting!”
He wraps an arm around my shoulders and lets me yell at him about smoking as he walks me to our small group of friends who are waiting for us. We take pictures and make plans for dinner later before Hawk takes me home.
“I haven’t forgotten about you smoking, Hawk,” I remind him as soon as we’re in the car.
I continue lecturing him all the way home and into the rest of the evening. He looks at the pictures I show him of people affected by smoking and swears not to ever do it again. There’s something in his eyes when he tells me that, confirms to me that he really means it.
“Do you want it to kill you?” I ask one more time for good measure.
“No, Ruby,” he swears. “I want to be with you forever.”
The way he says the words grab my attention. I look up to see his eyes and am shocked when I notice him holding a ring.
“I wanted to make it more romantic for you,” he shrugs. “But then I realized that I don’t know anything about being romantic. I just want to marry you, Ruby. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I jump into his arms, smoking related lecture temporarily on hold. “I love you so much. This is the best day ever!”
Our lives seem so mundane nowadays, but we love every second of what we have. We found love in the most unexpected way when neither one of us thought we’d live long enough to consider it.
Soon, I will be Mrs. Hawkeye Paulson. And it will be my honor.