76. Chapter 76
The next day, I’m a nervous wreck and I can tell Mary suspects something’s up, but so far, she hasn’t questioned me on it. Especially after the craziness of last night.
I had no idea that Mary wanted to be the one to end her mother and Stephan, but it shouldn’t have surprised me. Even more so when I look back and realize she’d been talking to Levi a lot before we left to head to Antonio’s house.
That night, though, I held her as she fell apart and was finally able to fully grieve. To grieve for Nikos, for the relationship she never got and would now never get with Eileen. However, mixed in with those tears, I knew there were also tears of happiness at finally being free from Stephan and to not have to constantly be looking over her shoulders out of fear.
Yeah, X is still out there, but Smoke was locked up most of this morning in his room with Thor and Phoenix as they updated Creed, our FBI contact, with the additional information we learned last night.
Also, this morning, on the news it was reported that Stephan’s body had been found burned to a crisp when his car careened off a cliff outside of town. Uncle Sam and Brady had come out to tell her the news, and since it was in an official capacity, I thought she did a pretty damn good acting job. Even though he’s dead, she’ll still need to testify next month as a witness for the other cases she’d provided information for. And I’ll be right there providing any support she needs after having to recount events again.
As for Phillip, we left his body in a place where we knew it would get found and serve as a message for X. The homestead north of town. And the message? Continue to fuck with us and we’ll make sure he gets the same treatment.
Shaking myself internally, I bend, helping Mary stand before picking her up and setting her down in my truck. Once Mary’s buckled in, I round the front and climb up behind the wheel before turning on the truck and pulling out into the compound. However, she quickly notices I’m headed in the wrong direction.
“Uh, Luke?”
I hum.
“Where are we going?”
“All I’m going to tell you is that I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“But what about Cassie?”
“Mae and Levi are grabbing her on the way back from their OB-GYN appointments.”
“Uh-huh. And are you going to tell me what’s got you acting like you drank three pots of coffee by yourself today?”
I huff but shake my head. “Nope, but you’ll find out soon enough.”
She pouts and this is why I have to be so damn secretive when planning a surprise for her.
My woman has no patience for this sort of thing and she hates surprises.
Thankfully, she doesn’t ask me any more questions as we drive to our destination.
Her breath hitches and her face falls when I pull in front of a vacant building next to Levi’s restaurant, Wallace’s B&G.
With all our recent snowfall, I’m relieved that the parking lot and sidewalk have been recently cleared, so we won’t have as much trouble as we had at the bank yesterday.
Getting out, I get Mary situated in her chair and walk toward the front door.
“Luke,” she says, her voice laced heavily with confusion, and I’m betting she just spotted the ‘sold’ sign which has her pinching her lips together. She’d been looking at this place and had been devastated when Levi had mentioned it had been sold.
Ignoring her for a moment, I open the door and then wheel her inside. Once inside, she takes over and spins around to face me.
“What are we doing here, Luke? Are we going to get in trouble with the owners?”
“Trust me, Siren, we’re not going to get in trouble.” Pausing, I swallow down my nerves as I kneel down in front of her, clasping her hands.
“Mary, ever since I first met you, I knew you were special to me. I just didn’t realize how special until much later in life. My heart beats for you and our kids, and I know it’ll continue to grow and beat for any other children we may have in the future.”
I pause, licking my lips. “What I’m trying to say is, Mary, will you please marry me? Marry me and make me the happiest man alive?”
Her hands fly to her mouth when I reach into my cut and pull out a little blue box, opening it to show her the perfect ring for her that I’d found all nine and a half years ago and feel that it still fits her today. It’s a princess cut diamond surrounded by blue sapphires, her favorite gemstone, and on the band, there are a couple more diamonds on either side.
“Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” she squeals as she throws her hands around my neck. When she pulls back, I slip the ring on her finger and grasp her hand again.
“I also wanted to know if you’ll be my Old Lady.”
Reaching into the bag I’d grabbed out of the backseat when I got her chair out, I pull out her cut with her road name ‘Siren’ stitched on the front and on the back, it has ‘Property of Patch’ stitched on the rocker.
“Yes, yes, yes!” she cries and I can’t help my smile as I help her slip it on.
As soon as she has it on, cheers erupt from the back room and Mary jumps in shock as our family and friends come pouring out.
“What the heck? What are all of you doing here?”
“Well, witnessing your engagement, silly,” Mae says as she spins the camera around, getting shots of everyone in here as she continues rolling, because I still have another surprise for Mary but this next one is for the kids.
“Kids, can you come up here? I’ve got something for you three, too.”
Levi hands me three boxes that I’m guessing one of the ladies wrapped for me. Handing them out to them, they immediately start digging into the wrapping paper, and soon, their cries fill the air.
“This is so awesome!” Isaiah says as he quickly puts on his cut with Mary’s nickname for him, ‘Sparks’, on the front. Cassie’s has ‘Angel’ stitched on hers and Ash’s has ‘Hawk’. All three of them have a rocker on their backs as well that say ‘Property of Patch’.
When they have them all on, they all rush forward, hugging me and telling me thank you.
Looking up, Mary’s dabbing at her eyes as she watches us.
After a few moments, I stand and walk back over to Mary while at the same time, Harris, Maria, Antonio and Luiza step forward as well.
“We have one more surprise for you as well, Mary.”
She looks at me in shock. Then she looks around and her jaw drops again. When her gaze returns to mine, I nod.
“Yeah, um you see, ever since I found out that your real dream was to be a chef in your own restaurant, I started looking around for places. Then to get some opinions, I called in some help. Everyone agreed in thinking this would be a good place for you to start out. There’s room to expand if need be because the club actually bought this restaurant and the strip of stores that were for sale. We’re purposefully keeping the two stores nearest this restaurant vacant, but the others will be able to renew their leases if they want.”
She stares at me in shock for a few moments before she finally speaks.
“This is my place now?”
I grin, knowing by the vibrations running through her and seeing her barely concealed happiness at the change, that I did the right thing.
“It is, Siren.”
She cries out and pulls me toward her and down into a hug.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she whispers and when we pull apart to more sounds of cheering she looks around the restaurant.
Then she narrows her eyes at Levi. “Did you know the entire time?”
Levi smiles sheepishly. “Maybe,” she squeaks out, but then Mary’s also pulling her down into a hug.
Suddenly, Mary pulls back. “We’re going to need to make sure we don’t steal business from each other.”
“Well, since I’m pretty sure you’re going to focus on Greek and Spanish food, the only thing we might take a hit on is our tacos and fajitas but it’ll be worth it to work next to you.”
Mary’s family swarms forward, and over the excitement, I’m relieved that she’s finally able to spend time with Haris, Maria, and the rest of the Catarino side of the family. Most of whom are here today. Ever since that day in her old house, we had asked, for their safety, for them to keep their distance. Though if this mess with Stephan had gone on past Christmas, we would have made an exception for them all to get together.
Off to the side, I notice Antonio, Mateo, and Lorenzo are very quietly talking with Levi and I bet it’s about her devices that we used last night. I wasn’t the only one that noticed they seemed rather interested in them. I just hope they only use them when they are warranted, but as soon as that thought enters my mind, I banish it. None of them would torture innocents like that.
After a few minutes, Mary comes over and I bend down to kiss her again.
When we pull apart, she looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “Thank you so much, Luke. Thank you for loving me for me. Thank you for rescuing me, multiple times, and thank you for being the best fiancé and father a woman could ask for.”
“Anything for you, Mary. Like I said before, Υπ?σχομαι ?τι θα ε?μαι δ?πλα σα? σε κ?θε β?μα (I promise that I’ll be by your side every step of the way.) Π?ντα σε αγαπο?σα και π?ντα θα σε αγαπ? (I’ve always loved you and always will).”
Wrapping an arm around my neck, she pulls me close again, giving me a soft kiss. “ Κι εγ? σ’ αγαπ? (I love you, too).”