Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Hawk stood at the barbeque and watched as Ethel had all four of his kids helping to bring out the food. The sun was beaming, and he’d already taken off his jacket and shirt. The summer was proving to be one of the hottest in years, and he, for one, was getting tired of sweating his balls off.
Still, the club was loving it. They had not long gotten back from an intense two-week run, and they were all ready to kick back and relax.
He watched as his wife, heavily pregnant with their fifth child, came out with Darlene. They were talking about changing up the shop’s window display. Since his wife had passed her beautician courses, she and Darlene had worked their asses off to make the salon an even bigger success. Hawk was so damn proud of her. Even though she was a full-time mom and beautician, she balanced everything. Not that he expected anything less.
Even Ethel had become a beloved member of the club. The guys worked to keep their shit together, but in the last ten years, Ethel hadn’t fallen off the wagon even once. She had also gotten a couple of the brothers to go to church with her and reintroduced them to their faith. Hawk didn’t have a problem with that.
As for Sandy, well, the club had been pissed to have missed the evil that was lurking. They couldn’t believe Greg had paid the price, as well as his mother and father. They arranged a final resting place for Greg and Diana as well. For the price Diana paid, in death, she got a patch. It was the least he could do.
Melanie milked every drop of guilt from the club. She made sure they all knew she was loyal, and of course she ended up getting designer handbags, clothes, and pretty much whatever she wanted. She wasn’t an old lady, but she told them that was not a title she ever wanted. In time, she forgave them all, but Hawk was glad he didn’t just kill her. Sandy would have won that as well.
Hawk was the one who killed Sandy. She truly believed, right until he slit her throat, that he was going to fall in love with her. He looked her in the eye and told her he felt nothing for her. That as far as he was concerned, she was his father’s slut, and the only woman he ever had feelings for was Nikki. That he intended to marry Nikki, have her bear his children, and she would be his old lady for the rest of her life.
Then, he killed Sandy, and he felt nothing. He’d been played for a fool.
“Hey, handsome,”
Nikki said, coming to hand him a cold beer.
He took the drink, had a quick swig, and pulled his wife into his arms. Sliding his hand down, he stroked over her stomach and pressed a kiss to her lips. “How is my little guy?”
“He’s very active today.”
She sighed, and they both turned to see all their kids with Ethel.
“You know, she was a waste of time as a mother, but she makes a damn good grandmother.”
He kissed her temple.
Ethel and Nikki had made amends and had a strong relationship.
“I love you, Baby,” he said.
“And I love you too. No regrets?”
“Not a single one.”
And with that, he kissed her, listening to the groan of his kids, while Ethel clapped her hands and made it weird by telling the kids that was the way for a man and wife. How two people who love each other should be kissing.
He never expected to like his mother-in-law, but Ethel had become quite a special woman.
He had to love her, she had given birth to Nikki, and she was the true gift he had been given.
The End