EPILOGUE ONE #2
He drops his forehead to mine. And I rise to my tiptoes slightly, capturing his quivering lips in a deep kiss.
“You’re welcome,” I whisper against his wobbly smile.
“I don’t not love you so much,” he says, squeezing me tighter.
I snort.
“I…”
I love you.
Just fucking say it, Charlotte. You won’t get a more perfect timing.
“I don’t not love you, too,” I end up whispering, mentally chastising myself.
??????
“Where is he?”
I meet Mama’s heavy eyes through the mirror as she proceeds to zip up my dress.
After Theo grabbed his cut, he got called in by Ryder. Something about a new development in Hellfire’s ring. Even dead, his life’s work is plaguing our world.
I remember Leila’s haunted gaze right before determination filled it. She’d already turned, itching to go back and save the others. And now we’re learning that we probably only rescued about half the people Hellfire and Ioana had captured.
My heart hurts thinking about all those people.
Did Leila get to them in time? Did Wolf?
Were they not even in that building that went up in flames?
Blinking hard, I force a tight smile on my face. “Ryder had some new information. So Theo wanted to get that out of the way before the party.”
She nods, smoothing her hands over my shoulders. “You’re calling him Theo now.”
It’s not a question. But I feel the weight of it, all the same. Mama never talked to me about Theo the whole time I was away from the club. Even after I came back a few months ago, she chose to keep our conversations controlled—almost guarded. Probably because she knew I wouldn’t be receptive.
I turn to meet her wary gaze. There’s a hint of fear that she’s clearly trying to hide. And I know that fear is for me.
“I am, Mama,” I smile genuinely, lips pulling up softly. But it falls away just as quickly. “Are you not… okay with it? Me and him?”
She gasps. “Of course, I am. If you’re happy, then—”
Sighing, she grips my shoulders. “If you both are happy, sweetheart, then I won’t interfere. But just so you know—he fucks up with you even once, and I’ll forget I have a son.”
My eyes widen at her swearing. “Mama!”
“What?” She huffs. “You think I don’t swear?”
“I—”
My face flattens to a glare when she grins. Then I sober up, whispering hesitantly. “He’s… changed, Mama.”
Her grin softens to a smirk. “He changed the moment my skillet met his dumb noggin.”
An amused laugh slips out of me. “You’re unbelievable.”
We settle on the edge of my bed and I grab my pair of sandals that I picked out for tonight’s outfit.
“I’m worried for you, Charlotte.”
I freeze at Mama’s whispered words, my head slowly turning. “Why?”
She gives me a small smile. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my son to pieces. But he’s… he hurt you a lot.”
I open my mouth to respond but she shuts me up with a raised hand.
“I know he’s changed. I’m not denying any of that. And I’m also pretty sure he won’t ever hurt you again. I’m just… I’m worried that you will remember that hurt from time to time. And it’ll be too big to forgive everytime.”
I shake my head. “I haven’t told him, but I’ve forgiven him, Mama.”
Her hand rises to cup my cheek, then slides down to fix my loose strands of hair.
But her eyes never find mine. “Forgiveness is a funny thing, sweetheart. You’ve forgiven him today.
Then someday you’ll remember the hurt. It might be too big, so you’ll have to forgive him again.
Then again if it comes crashing back.” She finally looks up and smiles dryly.
“It’s an awful lifetime subscription, at times. And I don’t want you to go in blind.”
I stare at her, my heart sinking. But there’s a low simmer of hope still warming my chest.
“When that happens, Mama,” I whisper. “I’ll remember more than just the hurt.
I’ll remember how he gave me space when I asked.
How… he built peace for me with his own two hands.
Hands he has changed in all but flesh. I’ll remember how he nearly died,” my voice cracks on the word, “to simply stay with me when I couldn’t feel more alone. ”
My lower lip quivers, recalling the pain and tears marring his face—when helplessness took over both of us in that cell. How he chose to calm me down, over the fear clearly coiling his frame.
“I think…” I blink back my tears, clearing my throat. “I think I would rather risk occasional resurfacing of those hurtful memories, than simply… leaving. I think I can forgive him every time, Mama, because I’m forgiving the new him.”
She smiles wide, even through the tears. Nodding, she pats my cheek softly. “That’s exactly what I do when I need to forgive Paul.”
I smile wistfully, tears threatening.
Mama’s lips twitch, like she’s caught the storm in my head and decided she’s had enough of it.
“Well,” she sighs, dabbing her eyes lightly. “If you’re going to get all teary on me, at least warn me. I would’ve worn waterproof mascara.”
A startled laugh slips out of me.
“I’m serious,” she huffs, though her eyes are warm. “I’m raising you better than to smudge good makeup over a man.”
I roll my eyes, but the heaviness in my chest loosens just a little.
She bumps her shoulder into mine. “Now come on. Tell me something nice. Distract me before I start crying too.”
I hesitate. Then the question that’s been nagging me for a while now, slips out before I can stop it.
“Is it true?”
She glances at me, brow lifting.
“That… Theo and Dane never…” I trail off, heat creeping up my neck. “With the club girls?”
Her eyes widen—just for a second.
“I guess it just might be,” she says slowly, studying me now. “Who told you that?”
“DeeDee and Misty,” I answer, a little wary.
Mama chuckles under her breath, shaking her head. “Guess they really listened then.”
“What?”
“Sweetheart,” she says, her smile turning a little softer, a little knowing. “There are things they picked up from Savage, sure. But Paul wasn’t exactly sitting quietly in a corner either.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
She leans back slightly, like she’s pulling up an old memory.
“I remember when they turned fifteen,” she says, amusement lacing her voice. “There wasn’t much scolding I could do about their… appetites.”
I grimace, and she laughs.
“Paul sat them down one day,” she continues, a hint of pride slipping in. “Told them, ‘Don’t fuck the club girls, if you can help it. One day you’ll find your one. And then you’ll be forcing them to live with your past.’”
I go completely still.
The words settle into me slowly. And then everything starts to click.
My chest tightens—but this time, it’s not painful. It’s something soft. Something that comes from the warming realization that gives me hope.
All those years. All those moments I thought I understood…
Mama watches me closely, her expression gentle as she reaches over and smooths a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“Told you,” she murmurs, smiling. “Not all of them turned out hopeless.”
A small smile tugs at my lips.
Dane and Theo weren’t just Savage’s legacy.
They learned from Torch too. And what a great man to learn from.