Epilogue
Ophelia – 2024
“I know I don’t have to warn you,” Saint said as he got in Kettle’s face.
Kettle shook his head, “Rather bleed out to death in the shittest alley in New York City than ever allow any harm to come to her.”
Saint stood there for a moment, his face hard as granite, then said, “Good. Cause if anything happens to her, I’ll see that you do.”
And with that, he stepped back and headed over to me.
I was looking at Kettle, who let out a breath, and mouthed, “How the fuck do you do it? He scares me.”
I giggled, then watched as Saint stopped, took in where I was looking, and then he shook his head and kept walking to me.
“Peaches, let’s go, hop on.” I heard Kettle say and knew that he had Soraya.
Yes, I had a bond with my daughter, a bond that would never be broken.
Nor would the bond she had with Saint.
Nor... the bond she had with one of the quietest brothers the MC had.
But not when it came to Soraya.
“I’m coming, Kettle. Keep your pants on.” She told him.
“I wouldn’t mind if he took them off,” Trini, one of the new club girls who had been trying to get in Kettle’s bed, said under her breath.
But it wasn’t quite enough because we all heard her.
“Have some class. This is a family event,” I snapped.
Saint chuckled when he got to me.
Nuke shook his head, “Why the fuck are you even here? Club girls were told to stay the fuck gone.”
“I’m riding with Duckie,” she said with a smile.
“Uh, Pres. You said I could invite someone,” Duckie had the poor brain cells that the man above had.
Saint lowered his head and whispered, “He ain’t becomin’ a brother.”
I winked. Cause he was right.
“Not on your life,” Kettle said.
Then Nuke sighed.
The past twenty years, holy hell, how in the world has it been that long ago when I walked into a store and met the man who is the owner of the other part of my soul?
I thought about everything that had happened since then as I cuddled to Saint’s back on the back of his bike as we headed to the bonfires that still lined the bayou.
Only these past few years we have Khal. The Hawaiian-looking dude that Saint had told me about.
We also had Grimm.
And Grimm... well... he made Kettle look like a hapless kitten. Same with Saint.
When Kettle talked only near or about Soraya, Grimm didn’t.
Not for anything.
Oh, and yes, Gavel had been made a member.
As I stepped away from Saint, I thought about all the women who have come and gone through the years, and I knew which ones were here to stay.
Grey hasn’t stopped thinking about Kimber.
Khal is still kicking his ass for how he treated Tyla.
Tinsley... well... she’s going to knock Nuke on his ass. Never seen that man smile. Not even my daughter, who he adores, can manage it.
As for Grimm... well... I haven’t seen a woman near him, nor have I heard about one. But I knew she was out there. Somewhere in this big ole’ world was the perfect woman for Grimm.
If Delaney came back, I knew Jasper was going to lock that woman down.
As for Xander... there was already someone who he allowed beneath his skin... Nola.
Jury... well... he didn’t see what was right in front of his face, and I know he’s paying for it now.
But as for Kettle... I had my suspicions. I was going to sit back and watch it all play out with a smile on my face.
Saint
I shook my head and called out, “I got it.”
My woman and our daughter, who was about to take the bar exam, were in our kitchen making me unicorn brownies for my birthday.
When I opened the door, I took in the drugged-up woman standing on the other side.
It took me a few moments, but I placed those features.
The same that my woman held.
I asked, “Can I fuckin’ help you?”
She stuttered, “I’m here to see my girl.”
“You don’t have one. Not after you abandoned her. Left her with that shit.”
It was after our first Christmas together that she shared.
She had left Peter a few months after they had gotten together.
When she went home to her father, she found out that he owed money for his drinking and gambling habits. He tried to sell her to pay off her debt.
Thankfully, she was pregnant with Soraya at the time.
I still shivered when I thought about what could have happened to her.
If the fucker wasn’t already dead, I would see that he was.
I didn’t offer the woman anything else as I slammed the door in her face.
She wouldn’t be a problem for my woman ever again.
I pulled my phone out and texted Grimm.
Me – Sending you a video. Find the bitch. Take her out. Have fucking fun.
He texted back a few minutes later.
Grimm – Done.
As soon as I pocketed my phone, my woman came walking down the hall, still taking my breath away with every single step.
She looked at the door, then at me, and asked, “Who was that, honey?”
“Wrong house,” was all I said.
I never lied to my woman.
And it felt like shards of glass were stuck in my throat when I did.
But when she just smiled and winked at me, I knew it was worth it.
Anything was worth keeping my woman in the happy place she had been in ever since the day I had met her.
And when Kettle came over and popped four brownies in his mouth, he caught sight of the temper Soraya had when she was riled.
The same one she got from her mama.
And the same one she had picked up from me.
However, that night, I told Ophelia the truth.
I had made her a promise all those years ago, one I’ve never broken, and I damn sure wouldn’t be breaking it now.
And to what I had done for her, thankful that Soraya was no longer living at home, we got to make love wherever our hearts desired.
Tonight... well... well, we would need to disinfect the dining room table... later.
Soraya – 2015
Age – 17
Kettle – Peaches, get the movie cued up, alright?