Epilogue
Sadie
Blood rushes loud and fast in my ears. I hold my breath, anxiety making my neck tingle. Crouching behind the kitchen counter makes my thighs burn, but I don’t dare move a muscle.
That’s the sound of bikes stopping in the driveway. I’d recognize it anywhere. It won’t be long now.
Across the room, hiding behind a chair, June winks at me.
The front door opens.
I jump up, smiling wide. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
As expected, James flinches and instantly reaches for a weapon. Thankfully, Theo made sure to take it from him while they were at the Cage. A murder would really put a damper on this epic surprise party.
“What the fuck!” James shouts.
Several people laugh. I beam and skip over to my boyfriend. “You said you haven’t had a birthday party in over twenty years! So, I wanted to throw one for you.”
He gives me his trademark Unamused Grumpy Asshole Scowl? but doesn’t dodge the kiss I plant on his lips.
“I hate parties,” he whispers.
“I’m aware. This is more for me anyway. A selfish party for me to show off how publicly I get to love you.”
“I do enjoy when you love me.”
“And you told me you didn’t care what we did for your birthday. So, is it really on me for taking that literally?”
“You’re a pain in the ass.”
“Good thing you have a little masochism hiding behind that sadistic shell.”
“Stop hogging the birthday boy!” Luna shouts before pulling James into a hug.
This starts a chain reaction of guests greeting James.
It’s mostly Saints and their hang-arounds filling the boys’ house, with a few extras.
Marcus, his straight-laced trainer, slaps him on the back and says something about not drinking too much.
Lyle, a shorter Black man, and his ol' lady, whose name I can’t remember but looks like a goddess with her curves, both greet James next.
Theo has slid into the house behind James, finding June before he even glances at the dozens of other people in his house.
It’s a packed party. The only person not in attendance is Kip.
Daryus is here, but James and Theo seem to have forgiven him.
I think it’s because they’ve always been closer with Kip, so his betrayal hurt them more.
He’s Theo’s third in command. He’s known them for over thirteen years.
Daryus was new to his position when everything went down with the South Five.
He was following not only Rocket’s command to be silent but also Kip’s after Rocket left.
I invited Kip, but he didn’t think James would want him here. He’s not wrong. One look at Kip and James’s mood would have soured. More than it always is.
I just want to fix it for them. Staying out of it is basically exposure therapy.
After the initial greetings, the party migrates to the living room, with several guests spilling out into the backyard.
As soon as the patio door is opened, Soot bounds inside, sniffing legs and crotches before locating James.
He drops to his butt and looks up, head tilted.
I’ve had my suspicions that James is bribing my dog with treats and human food behind my back, and this is exactly why.
“Uh, Sadie,” Nico says. “Your horse is drooling.”
“My horse has a name. And it’s because he thinks James is going to feed him.”
“Why would I do that?” James asks. I just raise my eyebrows, and his look of innocence transforms into a sheepish ‘my bad’ face.
Sure enough, he digs into his jacket pocket and pulls out a little dog treat.
“Paw,” he says, holding out a hand. Soot clumsily slams a paw into the waiting palm.
“Good boy!” James hands over the treat, which Soot swallows whole.
“You’re spoiling him,” I say.
He shrugs. “He’s already spoiled.”
The party continues for another hour while people fill plates with burgers and hot dogs, which Benny and Clyde grilled outside.
I set up a few yard games, like cornhole and giant Jenga, and watching surly, tattooed bikers get so invested in them is more fun than playing.
Valor is unbeatable at giant Jenga, likely because of his steady hands from years of practicing medicine.
Raphael is terrible at cornhole, much to Luna’s delight.
“No wonder you can’t get a girl to sleep with you!” she shouts when Raphael misses yet another shot. “If your aim is this pitiful, I hate to think how much trouble you have finding the G-spot.”
He chucks his next bag at her, and she ducks, cackling.
I chuckle as I watch them from my place on the patio, drink in hand. Then someone comes up behind me, slipping his arms under mine and tugging me closer. He rests his chin on top of my head.
“They’re children,” he says.
“Which is why I got a bunch of kids games.”
We both watch in silence for another moment before James maneuvers me around so we’re face to face. “I love you.”
The warmth in my chest has nothing to do with the tequila in my drink. “I love you too.”
“Thanks for caring enough to throw me a surprise party.”
“Thanks for pretending not to know I was throwing it.”
“How did you know I knew?”
“They don’t know we know they know we know!” Predictably, his look is blank, the reference having flown way over his head. “Never mind. I just know you. Plus, I’m not good at being subtle.”
That gets a smile out of him. “No, you’re not. You bought ten pounds of ground beef and tried sneaking giant Jenga pieces into my backyard.”
“Theo told you, didn't he?”
“Yes, yes he did.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“Come with me.” He steps back, hand traveling down my arm to my hand, which he clasps in his.
“Where are we going?” He tugs me through the house to his bedroom, where I’ve spent probably half my nights in the last two weeks.
I moved back to my apartment after things with the Saints died down but find myself constantly wanting to be with James.
I got a taste of unlimited access, and now I crave it all the time.
Plus, June has officially moved in and put her own house on the market, so being here means I get to see my best friend, too.
“What are you doing?” I ask when he closes his bedroom door. “We can’t fuck in the middle of your party.”
“First, we absolutely can. Second, that’s not what we’re doing. I got you a present.”
“I’m supposed to give you a present.”
He ignores me and pulls a box out from the back of his closet. He hands it to me, then steps back with an uncharacteristic uncertain expression.
Fully curious now, I set the box on the bed and start opening it. Inside is a large pot, the home of a thriving Venus flytrap. Tears prick the corners of my eyes.
“Oh, baby…” I gently take it out of the box, studying the monstrous plant with brand new appreciation.
I’m about to thank him, when I notice something sitting in the soil on the edge of the pot.
It’s a tiny angel figurine, holding its hands out like it's worshipping. In the hands sits a key. I look up at James, my eyes properly filled with tears now. “What’s this?”
“Technically, it's a key to my office at the Iron Cage, since we don’t have house keys.”
“This is you giving me the key to your house?”
He nods.
“Baby, I already know the front door code.”
“I know, but this is… more. I want you to feel like you can be at home here whenever you want. Whether I’m here or not. I’m not asking you to move in, not yet, but I want you to know that my space is yours.”
“Can I have a drawer?”
“You can have an entire dresser. Or closet.”
I blink, pushing a tear free.
“The saint figurines out there are dumb, so I got the angel instead. You’re my ol' lady now, which practically makes you a Saint.”
“That was quite clever of you.”
His cheeks are red. My chuckle is teary, and I set the plant on the dresser so my hands are free to wrap around his neck.
“Thank you, James. I love it so much. I love you.”
“I love you, too. My gorgeous, crazy, Venus flytrap.”
“I’m still not sure about that as a nickname.”
“Too bad.”
Then he kisses me, and nothing else matters.