Epilogue #5
“Get in line! I had the perfect lingerie for it,” Rami whines.
“We didn’t get married,” Sari clears the air.
“We didn’t?” Uriel’s words confuse me, and Sari too, judging by the deep frown he’s sporting now.
“I would remember that, Uri.”
“We should rectify it, then.” He smiles, taking a little red box out of his jacket.
Fuck, but he has Ezra’s exact sexy vibe when he smiles. My eyes fall on the box again. Is he going to propose now?
Sari’s hands are both covering his mouth. His light blue eyes already filling with tears.
“In the last few months I’ve been…” Uri pauses.
“A rude prick?” Rami tries.
“An ornery bastard,” Gabe does, too.
“An unhinged fucker,” Rague says his piece.
“A sociopathic pain in the ass,” Raph decides to join.
“A blind idiot.” Ezra seems to enjoy fucking with his brother.
“Fuck you all,” Uri growls.
Sari grabs his hand. “You were saying?”
“Get to the warm fuzzy part,” Hunter whisper-shouts.
“Like he has warmth inside,” Ash snorts.
“Fucking hell, why did I think this would be a good moment to propose?” Uri grumbles.
I think it’s perfect. I really do. Because I can see the happiness shining from Sari’s eyes and hear it in his light laughter.
“Did you think carving will you marry me on a donor’s chest would have been more romantic?” Lori gives me another gruesome and very evocative image.
“Blood will water every single plant in this garden if you don’t stop interrupting me.” Uri’s threat silences the place. There’s only the popping coming from the fire pit. He opens the box. On a little white cushion, there’s a ring with a blue stone exquisitely shaped in a delicate flower.
“The exact same color of your crying eyes,” Uri oddly says to a sobbing Sari. “You will marry me, Baby Blue.”
It’s not a question, but Sari nods anyway. Uri slides the ring on his finger, the one with the tattoo seven plus four. They kiss among the cheers, whistles, and applauding hands.
When I look at Ezra, he’s staring at me with a cryptic look.
“Should we do that, too?”
“Marriage?” I’m seriously taken aback by his words.
“I’ve never been against it. More…indifferent. But changing the Carver to Mahoe sounds fucking good. Another claiming mark, a legally binding one I can have over you.” He rubs my ass on the sly.
His obsession, that possessive streak, is a real turn-on for me, but I don’t want to rush things. We’ve been together for a little more than a month, and although I know he’s it for me, I want to grow a little more before we take this kind of step.
“One day. Maybe after I finish vet school.”
He nods, not at all upset by my delay. His eyes don’t lose the predatory gleam; it seems that my response has somehow invigorated it.
Did I just turn our future engagement into a hunting game?
The thought makes me snort. I kiss him in front of everybody without a care. Because I’m so owned by him I feel it in my bones when he’s near me. Melt when he touches me. Offer little fragments of my soul each time he takes me. And gain strength with every embrace he gives me.
“Who wants marshmallows?” Michael suddenly yells, breaking our kiss.
“Where are the cakes?” Rami whines.
“Inside the kitchen.” Raph’s thumb points at the training facility. “Where Uri dragged Sari. He has a drawer full of guns there,” he also adds.
“Pass me the damn marshmallow bag,” Rami grumbles.
We start skewering the white candies on little sticks. It’s funny to see big, rugged men engaging in such an innocent, childlike act.
“Going all together to Marnie’s next month for Sunday lunch?” Ollie proposes.
“It’s where it all started for me.” Michael nuzzles his head into Raph’s neck.
“No, it wasn’t. It was just a new beginning,” his husband replies.
“Okay. Time to pay up!” Lori exclaims. “Who put money on Sully and Ezra getting together this month?”
“You bet on us?” Did everybody know I had a crush on him?
I see Rague giving money to Gabe and Raph, and Lori pocketing a roll of cash from Hunter, Rami, and Ash.
“Told you.” Ren smirks at his brother, earning a middle finger.
I let my back relax against Ezra’s front.
“How about Uri’s proposal being shit?” Rami asks. There’s an exchange of money among…almost everybody. Oliver pouts, but Rague’s kiss on his temple makes him forget about the money he lost. He turns his eyes on me.
You did it, he seems to tell me.
Ezra suddenly snorts, his chest vibrating behind me. I smile, too. Because the view in front of me is truly amazing.
We did it, I say back to Ollie.
The past months—years were hard. A lot of struggles, fights, anger, and hurt. But pain can pull people together. I have the proof in front of me. My family. We played into our strengths; it was hard, but it worked. The threat is gone, and I was found by my man in a mask. I’m living a good life.
There are bloodthirsty wolves in this world. They are not the good guys. But sometimes, sometimes they can be the best guys.
The en… Wait!
“Guys, it’s Linda.” Lori’s high-pitched voice makes us all turn toward him. “Meg woke up. She woke up!”
A loud chorus of relieved screams and happy cheers fill the garden.
The end…for real.