Epilogue
EPILOGUE
MASON
A month later.
M y phone buzzed right as I walked into the bedroom.
Garrett: The most ironic chain of events happened today.
I paused but was already grinning because I saw the news.
Me: Oh yeah?
Garrett: Nearly every member of The System was either raided by the FBI, arrested by their local authorities, voted out of their company, or their company’s stock plummeted. All of that happened today. Every single member, except for myself.
My grin widened. I’d enjoyed the news footage of the different members in handcuffs being led to police cruisers outside.
Me: That’s quite a coincidence.
Garrett: Is it?
Sam came out of the bathroom, running her fingers through her hair. She’d just taken a shower, and seeing the way her tank top clung to her body, and how those tiny sleep shorts of hers rode even higher than normal against her damp thighs, my dick was hard. All the way hard.
She paused, seeing me standing in the middle of the room on my phone. “Who is it?”
I didn’t want to lose my hard on so I didn’t mention it was her dad. That would make her remember her deranged sister, and then guilt would flash across her face. Her eyes would go sad, and the lines around her mouth would tighten.
“Just getting some news.”
“Oh.” She crossed the room, coming to me. She pressed a hand to my chest and reached up on her toes. She brushed a kiss to my lips. I wanted to chase those lips as she stepped back, but I wanted to finish this text conversation first. Get it out of the way. “Good news?” She went to check her own phone, frowning at it.
Me: Are you accusing me of something?
I said to her, “Karma’s always good news.”
Her head lifted back up. “What?”
Garrett: Did you do this?
“One second. Let me finish this up.”
Me: No.
Garrett: Do you know who did this?
A different number flashed across my screen. I clicked on the new text.
Unknown: Channel 8. Now. Scrolling news.
I frowned but went to pick up our television’s remote. Turning it on then clicking to the channel they said, I waited; it was the evening news.
Sam gasped, seeing it first. “What?” She stepped toward the television without thought. Her eyes were wide and her mouth parted.
Then I saw it and stilled.
The grandson of deceased business tycoon Gerald Sebastian was found dead in his cell where he was an inmate in the Potomahmen prison. Parker Sebastian sustained multiple stab wounds. Authorities are investigating. So far, no answers have been given from prison officials. This story is still developing.
“No.” Sam swung her eyes my way, filled with wonder. Shock. “How’d you know?” Her gaze fell to my phone and understanding clicked. She straightened upright. “Who just texted you?”
I showed her the phone. “I don’t know.”
She read the text, then clicked out of the message and saw her dad’s name just underneath the unknown number. She tapped on his name and read through those texts. As a different sort of tension filled the room, she didn’t say a word. Not for a few seconds. Then she powered down my phone and put it aside.
She held my gaze.
A deeper understanding was there.
Sam knew I did something.
I told her that her father was in the clear to come to us, to collect her sister, to continue to be in contact with Samantha. I never told her what I did, and Sam never asked.
Then she did. “Do I need to know?”
She reached for the remote and turned the television off, returning the remote to the bedside stand. She stepped close to me, so close I could feel the heat from her shower still coming off of her skin. Her hand moved to my chest and stayed, her fingers splayed out.
I looked down, seeing the butterfly tattoo on her hand. She had the color retouched recently.
I took her hand, slid my fingers through hers, and gazed where my black and white butterfly tattoo lined up with hers. I tugged her into me, catching her behind her back. “I gave someone some information. What they did with the information is on them. That’s all you need to know.”
“Am I going to regret not pushing to know everything?”
I bent before I straightened again, picking her up as I did.
There was no squeak from surprise. Sam knew my move and her eyes darkened, knowing I was going to do it before I did. Her hands went to my shoulders. She kept her body loose, relaxed, and as I picked her up, her legs parted to wind around my waist. She ran her fingers through my hair, a half scoff coming from her mouth when I walked her right back into the bathroom. “I just showered.”
“That’s nice.” I nuzzled her neck, finding her pulse and lingering there. I fucking loved leaving my mark on my woman. My phone was out there, so was hers. I had nothing else on me, so after I turned the water back on and since it didn’t take long to reheat, I simply walked us both inside the shower.
My mouth found hers and I was hot and demanding.
I needed to fuck my wife.
I needed it five minutes ago, yesterday, a month ago. I needed it now. “You’re not going to regret not knowing everything.” I lifted my head, needing her to know the truth of that. My eyes held hers. “I promise.”
She held my gaze before her eyes fell to my mouth. She jerked her head in a nod. “Okay.”
“I love you.” My forehead fell to hers, jerking back so it rested against her softly.
She breathed me in, her body molding against mine on her exhale. “Me too.”
“So goddamn much.”
Her hand tightened around mine. “So goddamn much.”
Months later.
My phone woke us first.
Sam’s was right after.
We both tensed but rolled to answer them.
I got to mine first. “What?”
It was Logan on the other end, half shouting, all the way frantic. “Taylor’s in labor! You need to get to the hospital. Bring—fuck. I don’t know. Bring everything. Her water already broke and we’re going to have our kid in point-zero-too-fucks-early!”
I heard Sam yelp behind me.
We were both scrambling out of bed.
It was three in the morning. Sam ran for the closet. I heard her saying, “Okay. We’ll be in the car soon. We’ll come over and get everything you need. I’ll call Malinda myself. Do you have Sammy with you?”
I pulled on my sweats and grabbed an Orcas's hoodie, tugging it over my head. I asked in the phone, “What do you—”
He snapped, “I don’t fucking know! I was a mess when Sammy was born, and fuck, Mase. I’m a mess this time too. Taylor’s on the phone with someone and she sounds as if she’s planning the agenda for the next PTA meeting. Are you coming to the hospital? You’re coming to the hospital, right?”
“Of course. And she’s on the phone with Sam.”
“What? We both called you guys?”
“Yeah.”
He cursed. “We both don’t need to be calling you.”
I waited, but he didn’t end the call. “Logan, what do you need?”
He sighed. “I have no idea. I don’t know what I’m doing, brother.”
Brother.
The word made me feel happy, but also gave me a tinge of worry. My little brother was losing it.
“Hey,” I said, low and calm.
“Hey back?” He laughed at himself.
I grinned, but spoke in the same tone, low, reassuring. “Sam and I will handle anything you need. Okay? She’s on the phone with Malinda. I can hear her in the closet. She’s calling Malinda to come over and watch Sammy. You moved in next door. That was a smart move on your part, renting that place while your other house is built. She’ll be there by the time you get off this call. She’ll help put together whatever you need. We had things packed and ready to go by the door when Maddy was born. Did you do that this time?”
“Fuck.” He was so quiet, breathless, and panicky. “Yeah. Yeah, we did. Taylor did. Taylor?” He said to me, “I gotta go. I need to find my wife.”
“Okay. You got this. Find your woman. Knowing Taylor, she’s probably already let Malinda inside and is in your car waiting for you.”
I heard sounds from his end, different voices talking.
He half laughed to me. “Malinda’s here. I need to go.”
“Do you have clothes on?”
“What?”
“Look down. Are you clothed? Can you go to the hospital in what you’re wearing?”
He cursed under his breath. “I need pants. My fucking dick’s out, all shriveled up too. Imagine me walking into the hospital like that? Even my own kid would’ve laughed at me.” He sounded a little calmer now. Good.
“I doubt Taylor would’ve let you out of the house like that, but I’m sure Malinda’s thankful not to see your dick.”
He bit out another laugh. “I gotta go. Taylor’s calling me. Totally useless here. Been on the phone with you while she called in the troops.”
“Yeah. Calling in Malinda is sorta the same thing. You good now?”
“I’m good. Thank you. Love you.”
“Love you.”
“Oh, hey!”
“Yeah?”
“I’m having a kid.”
My smile stretched, along with that pride for my brother. “I’m having another nephew or niece.”
He laughed again before saying, “See you at the hospital.”
The call ended and I lifted my head. Sam was waiting for me in the doorway, all ready to go and with our own bag packed for whatever she thought Taylor and Logan would need and that they forgot to pack themselves. She grinned at me. “Ready? I woke Maddy up. She’ll stay to watch the twins. The boys are all still asleep, but I left a note in the kitchen.”
My little brother was having another kid. I tossed her the keys. “You’re driving. I’m going to enjoy waking everyone up.”
And I did.
Nate.
Channing and Heather.
Matteo.
Even Zeke.
An hour later, the door opened and in walked all three of the kids, along with Steele, Beltraine, and Axel. Max came in with them, even though his parents arrived earlier. Either he went to them at our place or they went to him. Whichever way, seeing the four of them together wasn’t a surprise anymore. They were a unit.
Ten minutes later, my goddaughter was born.
Maya Maysen Kade.