Epilogue One Month Later
The past month had been a mixture of mostly fantastic things in Saranya’s and my life.
The only shadow had been the whole ordeal over Jordan’s disappearance.
However, it was finally over, and we had Jewel Devlin to thank for it.
That woman was a pit bull when it came to defending her clients and making the cops and others toe the line.
After that initial visit to the compound, Montgomery kept trying to find a reason to return.
He was denied, and without probable cause, he couldn’t get a court order to enter the compound.
All our conversations were held at the police station, with Jewel at our sides.
We rarely had to say much since she took the lead.
It was because of how thoroughly she spoke with us beforehand.
It was awful to keep the secret that we knew what happened to Jordan, but we had to. As for others, no one knew anything. Other than cursory interviews with Saranya’s staff, they left them alone. We were thankful for that. None of us wanted Owen to be questioned too much.
He stuck to Saranya’s story about going to the address, finding no one, and then leaving. He’d only met Jordan once, when he covered for Saranya those couple of days. He had grit. I wondered if he’d ever thought of becoming a biker. I’d keep him in mind as a prospect candidate.
It turned out that Jordan Neely’s disappearance was not without a possible reason for the police.
There were no sightings, evidence, or any indication of where he went or why.
Montgomery had questioned my woman’s relationship with Jordan so intensely because, at his home, they discovered an extensive collection of photos and online reviews rating her and her clinic.
It appeared he had been building a fantasy world about them in his head for a while. He had a journal that explained that.
The pictures and journal saved us. In the end, because of Jordan’s ranting in his last several journal entries—about me and her being together—they assumed he’d grown despondent over the fact that I claimed her and we were soon to be engaged, so he went off and killed himself.
Thinking of the engagement, it made me smile as I recalled going to dinner at her parents’ after that first interview with the cops and Jewel.
I had it all planned out. It went off without a hitch.
After an incredible meal prepared by Malai and Saranya, as we relaxed, I took Preston aside and asked his permission to marry his daughter.
When he said yes and hugged me, I almost cried.
I was nervous he’d say no, that I wasn’t good enough for her, or we hadn’t known each other long enough.
With his permission, I didn’t delay. We returned to the ladies, and less than twenty minutes later, I got down on one knee, asked Saranya to marry me, and presented her with an engagement ring that I thought was ideally suited to her.
Christ, when she gasped and said yes almost before I finished asking, I’d been so relieved.
There was a hot kiss after I put the diamond ring on her finger, and then the celebration started.
The following night, we announced it to the club and had a second celebration.
Between the impromptu parties, we called to let War and Raff know our news.
They were damn happy for us, and I got the standard, expected lecture of what they’d do to me if I hurt her in any way.
I expected nothing less, I assured them.
They were coming to the wedding, where the ladies were in full swing, getting everything together.
We wanted a May wedding so it could be outdoors and before the weather became too hot and humid to stand it.
In addition, we’ve accomplished her move to the house.
We kept her rental for the barn because she used it to accommodate overnight animals that were too large to be kept at the clinic.
As soon as her new clinic was finished, which would probably be in June, she’d stop renting it.
While the clinic was being built, she helped me get my equestrian therapy business off the ground. It was shaping up.
After her new place was close to up and running, I’d convince her to hire another vet to work with her.
She was already turning business away. Saranya agreed and had a few names in mind to approach.
To celebrate her expansion, I was secretly researching, with Raff’s help, rigs like the one he had at the rodeo.
Saranya had told me how envious she was of it one night. I was determined she’d have one.
Sometimes, I had to question if I was dreaming.
My life had changed so drastically in such a short period of time.
It was surreal. I never pictured how elated I'd be to find my other half, my old lady.
Sure, we had moments when we got upset with each other.
She had wanted to choke me a few times, but we always talked it through and resolved it.
I thanked God so many times for sending me to that rodeo to see Raff, and for not letting our disastrous introduction deter Saranya from giving me a chance.
She was my Wildling, the one I would forever love, sharing this ride through life.