Epilogue
Blake
I’ve experienced a lot of traumatic events in my life.
I’ve had more “scariest nights of my life” than any one person should.
I will tell you, though, I’m not sure much will top running outside to see my children hurt on the ground, then one of my husbands shot, only to be narrowly saved by a fellow mercenary.
Yeah, you know what, I completely realize that our life is way more fucked up than I give credit for.
As the guys all ran outside to follow Zayden, they instructed Liam to stay back and “protect the girls and the young ones.” I actually feel bad for punching Liam in the face.
Skyla told me not to, though, because she was about to do the same.
When he was disoriented, we took off outside.
How could we not have when we knew our babies were in trouble?
The gasp of horror Skyla let out when she saw her little girl held hostage with a gun to her head was something I felt all the way into my gut. It was followed up by seeing my own boys hurt, a wave of pain and panic only a parent could truly know.
Dominic scooped the boys up seamlessly, dragging them to safety, but that still left Seraphina in harm’s way. Despite Wesley set up on the lower roof with a sniper pointed at Desmond Volkov’s head, no one moved a muscle. Not even when Desmond shot Zayden; not when he lined up for a kill shot.
The instant Vincent cut Volkov’s throat, Skyla and I took off for our babies.
We couldn’t be stopped, and no one even attempted to do so.
Seraphina kept her eyes closed the whole time, sobbing hysterically even as Skyla wrapped her arms around her, shushing her gently.
Still, though, she didn’t open her eyes until Aries and Ryder came running over, both insisting that it was safe.
I asked Ryder what he meant about Seraphina closing her eyes for the scary part, and he explained to me that they’d started watching horror movies with Liam when everyone else wasn’t around, something that absolved my guilt of punching him rather quickly.
Seraphina apparently tried to be brave but would get too scared at certain parts, so one of the boys would tell her when to close her eyes for a scary scene, and when she could open them again.
It’s still amazing to me how quickly the kids bonded.
It’s been a little over a week, but it may as well have been a lifetime that they’ve all known each other.
Seraphina made each of them friendship bracelets with their names spelled out in beads for Christmas, and Ryder drew her a picture of herself while Aries carved a heart out of a chunk of wood.
Don’t ask me where he got the knife or how he learned to carve wood, though it doesn’t take too many guesses to figure it out.
Despite the… eventful Christmas Eve we all had, we were able to get the kids to sleep while some of the guys took care of Zayden’s bullet wound. They even had a whole IV set up at the ready with extra bags of O-. At least we aren’t the only fucked-up family with insane day-to-day lives.
The little ones had no idea what happened, and we tried to keep it that way. The excitement of Christmas had definitely turned somber, but I think the gratitude of us all being alive and together helped repair that.
A feeling of relief I hadn’t known I needed washed over me as I lay in bed with my boys, all four of them, the next night. I refused to let the twins go back to their own room, insistent on watching them all night. Same with my husbands.
Now it’s the next day, though, and our bags are packed, and our car is ready.
We’re heading home to Seattle, just as planned, only one day behind.
We’re all more than ready to be home, and yet a bitterness follows our departure.
I can’t stop crying, and though I’m chalking up ninety-five percent of it to hormones, I know a piece of me will miss them all.
The boys are going back and forth hugging Seraphina, pulling her out of each other’s arms one after another, and it breaks my heart.
They promise to come visit soon, and Seraphina says the same.
I have no doubt that if we don’t plan something ourselves, we’ll wake up in the middle of the night to their beds empty and a car gone.
Six years old or not, they’re their fathers’ sons.
“Blake,” Skyla says with a watery smile.
I give her one in return as she pulls me in for a hug.
“Promise you’ll call me anytime. I want to hear all about how this little one is treating you,” she says.
“Of course, and don’t you dare give birth without letting me know. We’ll send gifts or something!”
She waves me off like that’s unnecessary before pulling back.
“Thank you, Skyla. Thank you all for… everything.”
Vincent comes up beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist as he nods.
He’s the quiet type and absolutely not a hugger, but I hope he hears my sincerity.
Without his help, without them all, I’m not confident my entire family would still be standing here today.
I know he was repaying a debt to Zayden, but in my opinion, he did so and then some, and now I’m the one eternally grateful.
“Appreciate the assistance, Griggsy. Maybe next time you could move in before the fucker shoots me, though?” Zayden says, clapping Vincent on the shoulder.
“Griggsy? Oh hell, forget Vinny. That is absolutely your new nickname,” Liam cackles.
Vincent lets out an annoyed grunt before shooting daggers with his eyes at Zayden. “Thanks for that.”
“I do what I can.” My husband grins like an asshole.
I smack the back of his head.
“Ow! What was that for?” Zayden balks like he’s shocked I would lay a hand on him.
“Your sons are watching—show them how we properly thank someone for saving our lives.”
Zayden gives me a deadpan look that I return with zero hesitation. Dom comes to stand on the other side of me as the others mill about in the background.
“Your favor is more than repaid,” Zayden says. “If any of you ever need anything… we’re a phone call away.”
“We’d offer the same, but I’m not sure I enjoyed my family taking your phone call,” Asher snarks.
Dom lets out a short scoff before offering his hand to Asher. He shakes both Dom’s and Zayden’s hands before looking to me.
“You all will always have a place to stay in Salem.”
A smile touches my face. I like the sound of that, though I’m sure they’re just empty words. But the illusion of keeping in touch fills something inside me.
A few more heartfelt goodbyes—and inappropriate remarks by both Liam and Zayden—later, and we’re in the car, heading to the airport, where Asher’s private jet is waiting to take us back home.
We board the massive plane mostly in silence.
Well, the guys and I board in silence. The twins are bouncing off the fucking walls and have broken three things before we’ve even taken off.
Sighing, I shake my head as I look out the window.
“What’s on your mind, babygirl?” Dom asks as he comes to sit next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
I look up at him. “Everything… nothing.”
He nods like he gets it. He always does.
He leans down and presses his lips to mine, lingering for so long, I think he’s never going to stop. At least, that’s my hope.
Something jostles us, and I look to see Zayden kicking Dom’s foot before taking the seat across from me.
“Quit fucking hogging my wife,” he says.
Dom doesn’t even give him the time of day before turning to face me. “I was thinking, it would be nice to come see this side of the country when it’s not completely frozen.”
“Yeah?” I ask, not able to mask my hopeful tone.
He nods. “I was thinking maybe late summer? Fall even?”
“You have to keep in mind, I’ll probably be ready to pop by then,” I say as I rest my hand on my belly.
Honestly, for a moment even I forgot about the new addition to our family.
Dom nods thoughtfully at that before brushing a piece of hair out of my face.
“The house I’m looking at has more than enough bedrooms—and is just down the road from some very willing and helpful hands.”
I pull back to look at him fully, silently asking him to clarify.
“A house?” Zayden asks. “We moving?”
Dom looks to him and shrugs. “If that’s what our wife wants. Or maybe it could be a vacation house. Just a thought.”
“You guys would be willing to do that?” I ask, looking between the two of them.
Zayden rolls his eyes, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Angel, when are you going to get it through your beautiful, perfect head? Whatever you want in this world, in this life, it’s yours.”
I smile softly as Dom nods his agreement.
“Salem in the fall sounds absolutely perfect.”