Epilogues #2
Every single one of my crew had suffered so much. In different ways. Each of us alone and afraid. It was wild that the streets of LA would bring us together. That it would forge a bond unlike any other as we fought for survival.
And that bond had reached fruition as each of these women came into our lives. Shaking up everything we thought we knew and showing us what was truly important.
I’d been terrified of it.
Believed I wasn’t worthy of it.
Had thought every single one of my days would be spent alone. A penance for the sins I’d committed.
But Daisy had shown me there was forgiveness.
There was healing.
There was joy on the other side of grief.
“Hey, Daddy-O! Catch!” Nolan shouted from where he’d run up to the base of the porch steps right before he threw the ball at his dad. River reached out and caught it with one hand.
“Come on, you gotta come play with us! I get to be on your team!” Nolan shouted.
Colin came beelining up to his side. “Dad, Dad, come on, we gotta be on a team because you’re so big and we gotta beat ’em.”
Daisy peeked up at me, adoration pouring out, her faith and belief.
I patted her butt, and she shifted around so I could stand. I moved across the porch and down the steps, taking my son’s hand. He hauled me out into the clearing, his little feet scuffing on the gravel and dirt.
River had stood, too, and he cocked back his arm and sent the ball sailing.
I turned toward it.
A flashfire of memories blipped through my mind.
My goals.
My dreams.
My mistakes.
I never thought I would play again. Just the thought of it made me sick.
But as I caught that ball and Colin jumped at my side, clapping like mad as he claimed, “My dad is the best football player in the whole world,” there was no sadness.
There was only gratitude and joy.
“You gonna let him go on believing that?” Otto roasted as he came ambling down the steps, lifting his arms for me to throw it to him.
I threw it.
That nearly perfect spiral from back in the day.
Otto caught it with an oomph, a grin on his face. “All right, point taken. Our Cash has an arm on him.”
Theo and Kane came down, too, and the children came running up, divvying out teams.
I glanced at Daisy. That cinnamon hair billowing around her stunning face as she slowly rocked in the rocker.
She smiled at me. Smiled in a way that brought every part of me to life.
Her faith. Her hope. Her love.
My Wallflower who no longer had to hide.
Cash – Sometime in the near future…
I strode out of River of Ink.
River had done a little work on my back. Adding to that field of daisies. Weaving the names of my kids and my wife through the stems and petals.
Yeah, I kept the flames that licked over the scars. A tribute to my family. It would always hurt. The loss of them. But it was different now, knowing that I had fulfilled some of the dreams my parents had for me.
Their belief and love.
I strode for where my bike was parked at the curb when my phone went off in my pocket.
Figured Daisy probably wanted me to pick something up from the store, so I dug it out. A grin pulled to my face when I saw who it was from.
Silas
Hey, man.
I hadn’t heard from him in a bit. After what happened with his sister last year, he moved his whole crew to a small town in Southern Oregon, trying to start things new.
Me
What’s up, brother? Good to hear from you.
Silas
Good to see your name, too. Feel bad to only be hitting you up because I need a favor.
My stomach fisted.
We’d tossed around the idea of retiring Sovereign Sanctum. Discussions going round and round, weighing the pros and cons. Worry over our families, but we were also loath to stop supporting the women and children we helped.
It was our women who’d stood up and demanded that we continue. Telling us what we did was too important. That yes, our lives were riddled with dangers, but someone had to be the ones willing to face those dangers in order to see a positive change in the world.
Me
Anything. You know that.
I could almost feel his hesitation before another text came through.
Silas
Looks like we’re going to need your assistance again…
Thank you so much for reading On the Brink of Bliss!
It was the best feeling getting to give Cash the happily ever after he deserved!
I hope you loved him and his new little family as much as I did!
These two brought everything I love to a story, and they were the perfect way to close out our time in Moonlit Ridge.
Are you feeling a little heartbroken that this series is over the way I am? Well, we don't need to worry because we will see them again...
Silas and the Crimson Crows are going to need the help of Sovereign Sanctum in my brand-new series!
This broody group of bikers are about to bring the heat, the suspense, and all the feels you need.