Epilogue
One Month Later...
Sabrina tilted her face up to the February sunshine, basking in its rays.
The unseasonably warm day had been perfect for a ride on the trails.
She was becoming a better horsewoman, thanks to lessons from Emma.
And, of course, a few private ones from Jayson.
Although lessons with him usually ended up with her pinned against the barn wall, taking his cock deep.
They exited the woods on Daisy and Magnus, riding side by side, and he reached over for her hand.
They’d just celebrated their first Valentine’s Day together, and she was still getting used to the feel of the diamond ring and wedding band on her left ring finger.
It felt right. Comforting. A constant and beautiful reminder of the man she loved and who loved her back.
Life with Jayson and Emma fulfilled something within her she hadn’t even known was missing.
Every day was a joy. A celebration of their love, their family, their lives together.
Emma had accepted and welcomed Sabrina into their world with open arms. It made Sabrina happy knowing she could be the mother figure Emma never had, other than when her grandma was alive. Jayson’s daughter was a beautiful young woman, inside and out, and they’d bonded easily.
“Happy?” Jayson asked, squeezing her hand.
“I’m so much more than happy.” She squeezed back, and they shared a smile.
After returning from Vegas, she’d called her dad and told him everything that had happened with Rocco Ferrante. She also told him she was resigning from the FBI and staying in Cielo Springs because she and Jayson had married.
At first, he’d been stunned. Then he’d asked her the same question Jayson just asked: “Are you happy?” And she’d gushed about how much she loved her new husband. He’d told her that’s all he’d ever wanted, then announced he was taking a vacation and coming out to visit.
Special Agent Daniel Ross never took vacations. But he did, and Sabrina couldn’t have been happier with how well everyone had gotten along.
Well, until they’d gone down to Old Glory and Mitch Evans appeared.
Julia’s father was also visiting, and the moment the two men saw each other, it was like someone had thrown the bar’s door open and let the frigid air inside.
They actively avoided each other, staying on opposite sides of the room, and she’d caught their mutual glares.
When she’d asked her dad about it, he’d shrugged it off and simply said he and Evans did not get along. End of story. And then she’d very politely reminded him Mitch Evans had helped lead the rescue that saved her life. With a resigned grunt, he’d promised to be civil.
Later, she’d talked to Julia about the situation, but the other woman was just as surprised and in the dark. There seemed to be beef between the two men, but no one knew what. It was a mystery she’d set aside for later.
“Dad! Sabrina!”
Sabrina glanced up to see Emma and Brett walking around the corner of the stable.
She glanced over at Jayson with an anxious look.
Brett was supposed to get an answer that week about the sous chef job in New York City.
Even though it would be hard on Jayson if Emma moved away, Sabrina knew he wanted his daughter to follow her heart.
She also knew how it felt to follow someone else’s dreams and ignore your own. Unhappiness inevitably followed. Sometimes even resentment. She hoped whatever decision Emma and Brett made would be best for the both of them.
“Whatever happens, it’s going to be alright,” she said in a low voice.
“I know.” They released hands and trotted over to meet Emma and her fiancé. She and Jayson slid off the horses then hugged Emma and greeted Brett.
“What’s the word, kids?” Jayson asked. “Manhattan or bust?”
With a half-smile, Sabrina linked her arm through her husband’s and offered him all the support he might need. It was a bittersweet gesture, though. She was just getting to know Emma, and she wished they could have more time together.
“Cielo Springs or bust,” Emma corrected, her face glowing.
“What?” Jayson exchanged a confused look with Sabrina.
“You heard her right,” Brett stated. “We’ve decided to stay.”
Jayson’s brows lifted in surprise. “You didn’t get the job?”
“No, I got it. But after very careful consideration, Emma and I think we’ll be happier right here. Besides, why only be a sous chef when I can be the Executive chef and owner.”
Emma started bouncing on her toes in excitement. “We’re going to open our own restaurant on Main Street. Be our own bosses. And that’s, um, not all.” She shared a secret smile with Brett. “We’re expecting.”
Jayson’s jaw hit the ground and Sabrina gasped.
“My little girl is going to have a baby?” he asked, voice full of awe. She nodded and they all shared another round of hugs. “I can’t believe it. And you’re staying here? For sure?”
“For sure.” Emma let out a shaky breath. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here. Cielo Springs is home. And we’d like to commission a cradle from you, Dad.”
He forced a nod, and Sabrina could see him fighting back tears. “It’ll be my gift to you both. An original Knight design.”
Father and daughter hugged it out hard, and Sabrina felt a tear slip down her cheek. She knew this was more than what Jayson could have ever wished. And she was once again grateful to be part of it.
Emma looked over at Sabrina. “I’m hoping I don’t scare you off. Making you a mother and grandmother so fast.”
Happiness welled inside of her. “I can’t even tell you how excited I am,” she gushed. The women hugged again and happy tears fell.
“This calls for a celebratory dinner,” Jayson exclaimed. “What’re you making us, Brett?”
They all laughed. Emma grabbed the horses’ reins as Brett pulled her into his side, and Jayson wrapped an arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, pulling her close. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Congratulations, Grandpa,” she murmured.
“Grandpa,” he echoed in disbelief. “Holy shit, the guys are gonna have a field day with this.”
Sabrina snuggled closer. “You’re definitely the hottest grandpa I’ve ever seen.”
His chest vibrated with laughter. “Maybe I’ll go by Papa or Tata or one of those other names.”
“You’ll still be the most handsome grandpa around, my love.”
They paused, turning to face each other, and he pulled her close. “And you, Sunflower, will always make my life brighter in every possible way. Whether we’re fifty or sixty or one hundred, you will always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”
She tilted her head, grinning. “What happened to my grumpy neighbor who ordered me to turn down my music?”
“He fell in love.” Jayson pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And he’s never, ever been happier.”
“Same,” she whispered, lost in his hazel eyes. “I love you, Jayson. So very much.”
“I love you, too, Sunflower. Always.”
Their mouths met and consumed. If she were his Sunflower, then his kisses were her water and sunlight.
And she would never, ever be able to get enough.
They had a wonderful dinner and chatted for hours with Emma and Brett. Eventually, they said their goodbyes. Standing on the porch, his arms wrapped around Sabrina’s waist, Jayson watched his daughter and her fiancé drive off.
You did good, old man.
Somehow, despite the odds, he’d managed to raise his baby girl into a lovely woman, and she’d found a man who looked at her the way he looked at Sabrina. The road hadn’t always been easy, and there’d been bumps along the way, but he wouldn’t change a thing. Life was good.
Letting out a soft sigh, he guided Sabrina back into the house and closed the door. Then he turned his wife around and gave her a devilish grin “I’ve been dying to get you alone.”
“Oh, really?” She smirked. “You have that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The one you get right before you tear my clothes off.”
He let out a hungry growl, ready to do just that, when his phone started ringing.
“Better get that,” she murmured. “It could be important.”
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Hold that thought. The one about me ripping your clothes off,” he clarified with a wicked grin.
Swiping his phone off the coffee table, he saw Brand was calling. “Brand, what’s up?”
“Mitch called an emergency meeting. Can you get down here?”
Damn. Not exactly what he wanted to hear when he was about to take his wife to bed and make love to her all night. “Emergency, huh? Any idea what it’s about?”
“No clue, but he did mention life or death.”
“Well, shit, guess I’m on my way.” Jayson hung up and turned back to Sabrina. “Brand said Mitch called an emergency meeting. He’s not sure why.”
Sabrina came over. “Go.” She went up on her tiptoes for a kiss. “I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“Naked?” His hungry gaze skimmed down her body.
“Stark naked.”
“Hell,” he growled and caught her mouth in a hard, fast kiss. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
It didn’t take long to reach Old Glory. Since the bar was still open, the team gathered upstairs in Brand and Julia’s small apartment. Murph connected them to Mitch, and he appeared on the laptop screen.
“What’s going on, Chief?” Brand asked.
“I’ve got news on Hawke,” Mitch announced. That perked everyone up. “He’s alive and being held in Tierra Caliente by José Barrera.”
Low curses filled the air. During their last encounter with Barrera, all hell had broken loose.
While rescuing Corey’s wife Sera, they’d gotten caught in the middle of a battle between the Lazaros and the Villarreals, Mexico’s two biggest warring cartels.
Chaos and explosions had resulted in Barrera’s mansion burning down to the ground and Xander Hawke taking off mid-mission and disappearing.
At first, they’d feared the worst. But Mitch had sent a team into the aftermath and one of them found the cross necklace Xander always wore hanging on the wrought iron fence outside.
Almost as though he’d left it there as a sign. Letting them know he was still alive.
“He’s not in good shape,” Mitch continued, voice and expression grim. “If my intel is correct, they’ve tortured him to within an inch of his life.”
The air turned heavy, and the men exchanged looks.
“When do we leave?” Jayson gritted out.
“Now,” Mitch responded. “You leave right fucking now. I already have a jet waiting and more intel on the way.” He released a sharp breath. “We might already be too late.”
They couldn’t be too late. Xander Hawke was one of them, a member of the Motley Crew. They would do everything in their power to save him. Or, die trying.
“Let’s go,” Brand said, and they all nodded.
Yeah. Let’s fucking go. It was time to find their brother and bring him home.
Thank you so much for reading Jayson and Sabrina’s story!