Epilogue 2
Four-and-a-Half Years Later
I pulled up in front of the three-story building in downtown Dallas and smiled. The structure was made of rectangular tan—or taupe , as Mallori always corrected me—sandstone blocks, and wrought-iron rails lined the balconies on the upper two floors, reminding me of the trip Mal and I had taken to New Orleans a year ago.
A couple women sat on one of the second-floor balconies in fluffy pink robes and sipped on something in tall glasses, no doubt some concoction Bristol had come up with for her spa guests. She’d had her cosmetology license for years, but she went back to school to obtain her aesthetician license and now ran a very successful high-end spa. She shared the second floor with a dermatology office.
The second and third floors catered almost exclusively to women. A breast center resided on the top floor, including a mammography clinic and a plastic surgeon who specialized in breast removal and reconstruction.
A familiar figure appeared on one of the third-floor balconies, and I opened the sunroof of my jet-black Denali and stuck my hand through it to wave. My sister waved back before heading through the door behind her.
Jennifer had come here for a visit a few months after her surgery, and soon after that, she decided to move to Texas. I liked to think it was because she wanted to be near her charming, handsome brother, but… well, I think my friend Mike, who owned the boxing gym, had a little something to do with her decision.
Jenn was now the manager of the mammography clinic, and she’d even started a chapter of The Hair Queens here in Dallas. I’d never seen her happier.
A text message came through from her.
Jenn: I’m on my way down. I’ll stop and get Mal.
Hawk: Okay, gorgeous. See you in a few.
Mallori and her friend Megan from PT school had opened a clinic on the first floor this building. The other part of that floor was occupied by Blaire’s orthopedic clinic and Shiloh’s optometry office. I loved that almost all the ladies in our little group were housed in the same building.
The exceptions were Charli, who ran her preschool; Landree, whose safari was still going strong; and Taz, who was my coworker at DFW Security Force.
I got out of my vehicle and walked around to lean against the side of it, my legs crossed at the ankles as I waited on my two favorite women. My eyes drifted up to the letters above the glass doors.
brOXTON BUILDIN G
Dr. Blaire Broxton had bought this building a few years ago, and I couldn’t have been prouder of what she’d built. The woman had been family to me since the first time Shark had introduced us all to his little sister around… let’s see… it would have been nineteen years ago. Wow.
When the doors to the building opened, I straightened and walked swiftly toward my wife, who was dressed in black pants, a magenta button-down maternity top, and sensible black Nikes.
Taking her face in my hands, I asked, “How are you feeling, Bee?”
“Fat and horny,” she replied without pause, and my sister, who had exited behind her, groaned.
“Seriously? Can you tone down the horny talk, please? My man is out of town.”
“Okay,” Mal said with a wicked grin. “I’m fat and need anal ASAP.”
“Ohh, that’s much better,” Jenn crooned sarcastically, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. “Why aren’t you taking care of your wife, bro?”
“I’m just over here trying to keep up,” I said, rubbing Mal’s protruding belly. “How is Hawk Junior today?”
“Stop it,” my wife complained, swatting my shoulder. “We’re not naming her Hawk Junior.”
“What are you naming this little nugget?” Jenn asked, patting Mal’s stomach. “Still sticking with the bird names?”
Our two-year-old daughter was Daya, which is of Hebrew origin and means “bird. ”
“Yes, but we’re waiting to see what she looks like when she’s born. If she has dark hair, we’re going with Raven, and if she has light hair like me, we’ll name her Lark.”
“They’re both cute, but can we get this show on the road? It’s hot as balls out here.”
“It is really hot for May,” Mallori noted as I opened the front door for her and the back door for Jenn.
“I’ve already got the AC cranked up to igloo level,” I told them before closing their doors and rounding the vehicle. “We just have to drop by Mallori’s dad’s house and pick up Daya.”
“How is Brian doing since he moved here this year?”
“Better. Who knew he was going to get caught in the shitstorm surrounding Moreau’s case?”
“The media was hounding him all the time,” I told my sister. “When they found out he had been married to the woman who is currently married to that pervert, they were calling all the time, requesting interviews.”
“Just imagine if the names of the victims ever came out and they found out one of the victims’ mothers is now married to the accused… Jesus, that would be a hot mess.”
The thought of it made me shiver, and I was so thankful Kassie Ramirez-Bouvier was such an awesome advocate for her clients.
“Especially since she’s publicly defending him,” Mallori spat. “She’s such a bitch.”
“It’s handy that Brian’s house is only five minutes from ours,” I said, changing the subject to something more tasteful. “Oh, and he’s got a lady friend now. Met her at church when they were kneeling beside each other for Holy Communion. ”
“Oooh, look at Brian picking up chicks in the house of the Lord. That’s true player status right there,” Jenn commented.
“Less talk about my dad being a player, please.”
“You’re one to talk, little miss anal kink.”
Mal giggled as I turned onto Brian’s street. “It’s only when I’m pregnant. Otherwise I’m not a huge fan of it.”
“I’ll have her pregnant again by the end of the year,” I announced, smiling at my sister in the rearview mirror. “Be right back.” I barely got the car in park before I hopped out and jogged up the pathway to the front door.
It opened, and there she was. My precious angel with her dark hair and crystal-blue eyes.
“Daddyyyyy!” she screamed, and I caught my little cannonball as she jumped into my arms with Brian smiling on.
“Hey, puddin’ pop. Did you have fun with Grampy?”
Her tiny, pearl-white teeth shone in the sunlight when she smiled, and she nodded. “We had ice creams.”
Her grandfather shrugged without an ounce of shame. “She wore the majority of it,” he informed me, “but I got her cleaned up and dressed in the clothes Mal sent.”
“You look so pretty,” I told my baby girl, kissing her cheek and making her giggle.
“More tickly kisses, Daddy.” I kissed all over her face, letting my beard tickle her, and she laughed like it was the best thing in the world. And in my eyes, it was.
Daya was dressed in a sunny-yellow gingham dress with purple flowers, white sandals, and a cute yellow bow in her dark hair. She was absolutely the most beautiful child ever born. I know everyone says that about their kid, but they’re wrong.
“Thanks, Brian,” I told him when he handed over the diaper bag. “You have plans for tonight?”
“Got a date with Marina,” he said, his cheeks turning pink like they always did when he spoke about her. They were still in the beginning stages of their relationship, but I liked his lady friend. She was a widowed Hispanic woman who doted on him and loved keeping him fed.
“Good luck, man. We’ll see you next week.”
Daya chattered happily in my arms, and I opened the front door so she could give Mallori a hug and kiss. Then I pulled open the back door, and she let out a high-pitched squeal at the sight of my sister. “Aunt Jenn!”
I handed her over, and my sister began the process of buckling her in. “You want to stay at Aunt Jenn’s house tonight?” she asked, flashing me a look and wiggling her eyebrows. “I think your mommy and daddy have plans.”
“Yes!” she agreed with the kind of enthusiasm only a toddler about to be spoiled to within an inch of her life could muster. “You paint my toesies?”
“I will paint your toes. What color do you want?”
“Pupple!”
“Alrighty, purple it is,” Jennifer said, nodding at me to let me know my daughter was secure in her car seat.
We entered the arena and instantly found our people. We were by far the biggest group. The Broxtons were still the largest family, with their five children, but Taz and Woody were quickly catching up. Two years after having their son, Mario Junior, Taz gave birth to twin boys. And now she was pregnant… again. With twin boys… again.
We edged into the row with Tank’s crew, and he reached for Daya. “Hey, pretty girl. Come sit with me and Henry.”
Henry was his and Bristol’s third child, and he’d been named after Tank’s grandfather. He was the same age as my little girl, and the two adored each other, despite fighting like cats and dogs.
Glancing to the row behind me, I was surprised to see Blaire and Shark’s family from New York had made the trip down for the occasion. The Bouvier siblings—all of them— and their kids looked like a million bucks, which was to be expected since their family owned a fashion house.
I waved at Kassie and her husband Monty, the only two I’d met in person, and nodded at the others. That poor family had been through some shit. Turning back to the front, I noticed Blaire was sitting directly in front of me.
“Hey, Mama,” I said, laying my hands on her shoulders. “How are you?”
She pivoted around, and I saw that her eyes were red-rimmed. “Oh, I’m a fucking mess. I can’t believe my baby is graduating from high school. ”
“I know,” I said, kissing her temple. “How are we old enough for this?”
Blaire laughed and shook her head. “I have no idea. Are y’all coming to dinner afterward? Axel rented out the entire restaurant since there’s so damn many of us.”
I did a mental headcount. With our crew and all our kids, plus the Bouviers and Axel’s family, there would be over fifty people.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Glancing down the row, I saw Bode, Woody, and their families. Bode’s mother, India, was at the very end, and as she always did when she saw me, she smirked and did heart hands at me.
The woman had been right six-and-a-half years ago about me finding love, and I’ve never been happier to be wrong about something in my life. I flashed her a grin and a wink as I put my arm around my wife and kissed her temple. I loved her more with every passing day.
“Pomp and Circumstance” began playing over the basketball arena’s sound system, and I craned my neck for a view of the graduates.
My heart swelled with pride when Carrie Broxton came out of the doors first. She was valedictorian of her class, so she was right in front. Our entire section screamed, and she looked up and waved, joy on her beautiful face at the sight of her family.
In addition to being a rock star in the classroom, Carrie was also a beast on the basketball court and had earned a scholarship to play in college. At six-foot-three, with long, dark-brown hair, she stood out among the other graduates.
Or maybe that was just an uncle’s pride talking.
Mallori reached for my hand and leaned toward me. “Are you okay? ”
That’s when I realized a tear had escaped and was trailing down my face. I nodded as I watched Carrie mount the steps and take her place on the erected stage.
“Yeah, I think someone just sat us in the onion-cutting section,” I murmured, swiping the tear away. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one. I could hear Tank sniffling beside me, and I was sure all of my buddies were experiencing similar emotions. Shark and Cam were in the front row with their wives and kids, and I noticed both of them swiping at their eyes.
Carrie’s valedictory speech managed to be inspirational, funny, and poignant, all rolled into one. I was so fucking proud of that kid. When she mentioned her family and pointed up at us, we acted like damn fools, standing, barking, and whooping until she gestured good-naturedly for us to sit the hell down.
Then she walked across that stage to receive her diploma, and my wife handed me a wad of tissues to mop up my face.
I couldn’t believe this brilliant young woman was the same tiny girl who had turned a ragtag group of SEALs into a family all those years ago.
Later that night, we entered the new house we’d bought to accommodate our growing family, and I unlocked the three deadbolts on the door of the Den of Sin 2.0. It was much the same as the old one, but I’d added a pole to one side. My sexy wife loved dancing for me.
As I undressed my Little Bee, she took my face in her hands and kissed me softly. “You okay, baby? ”
I stroked my hands over her sexy belly.
“My OG baby girl graduated with honors today, I have the most gorgeous wife in the world, one daughter I can’t get enough of, and another on the way.”
Mallori’s face softened at my sentiments. Then I eased one finger between her cheeks and toyed with her back hole.
“And on top of all that, I’m about to fuck my wife up her tight, sweet ass. How could my life be any better than that?”
Her eyes widened for a second, and then she laughed. “You’re a true romantic, Mr. Gentry.”
“You want romance, Mrs. Gentry?”
She nodded. “Will you use your wedding present on me?”
“With pleasure, Bee. Now be my good girl and get on the bed.”
After closing and locking the door, I went to the cabinet in the corner and picked up the white paddle Mallori had custom-made for me as a wedding gift. I smiled and I ran my fingertips over the cut out letters as I walked back to the bed.
Mal was on her hands and knees, and her belly was visible between her spread legs. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a more beautiful sight. My lips started at her lower back and kissed all the way up to her ear.
“I love you so much, baby. You make my world perfect.”
“I love you too,” she replied softly, lowering to her elbows and raising her ass in the air.
My cock almost busted out of my pants at the sight. She was so goddamn perfect.
I rubbed the smooth globes of her behind with my fingertips before pulling back my right hand and spanking her hard on the ass. The word bloomed white against her newly reddened skin, and I smiled down at it.
WIFE
My favorite word in the whole damn world.