EPILOGUE
FIVE MONTHS LATER
KIRBY
As I look around the DSMC clubhouse, I’m a little shocked that this is my life. I never saw myself settling down in on place after spending so many years going wherever the next contract took me. But now that I’m here, I can admit that I wasn’t happy doing it even though I tried to convince myself I was.
Yes, I was independent and I felt empowered, but I was running from my past. I wasn’t willing to see it or admit it to myself. Now, with the love of my men, I can be honest with myself.
It’s like night and day having my men in my life. They make me feel seen without feeling like I’m burdened by my past. Sometimes I’m not sure how they manage it, but they do.
Hopefully I give them just as much as they give me.
Wolfe’s laughter comes from the other side of the main room of the clubhouse where he’s playing a game of pool with some of the brothers with a beer in his hand. I shake my head and find myself smiling as I watch him. He’s the most outgoing of my men and it shows, especially when we’re in situations like this.
I turn toward the bar to find Dominic and Hendrix leaning against the bar and chatting with Rites and Spark. They look relaxed which I’m thrilled to see. There have been times when they’ve been on edge over the last five months.
I understood why, but it sucked to feel like I couldn’t help them. At least, now, everything has been dealt with. It’s a weight off my men’s shoulders and I’m grateful as hell for that.
From what my men have told me, they didn’t spend a lot of time hanging out with the DSMC before. I think they started for me. Looking at Navy and the other old ladies of the club, I understand why they did it.
I didn’t even realize how much I needed some female friends, but my life is richer because of it. Having this family, of sorts, around me has helped me to feel more comfortable back in Seattle. I’m grateful as hell because I don’t feel the need to run.
Not anymore.
A heavy arm wraps around my shoulders and tucks me into a giant chest. When I look up, I give the giant holding me against him a big smile. Even though it’s not one of my men, I don’t feel panicked by the contact when I would have been before.
“Monk,” I greet him and snuggle into his side.
He’s huge, but he’s a big teddy bear, at least for his family. I look over and meet his old lady’s gaze. Rebel is amazing and we’ve talked a lot about how she’s helped this giant of a man come to terms with his past.
“How ya doing, little sister?”
“I’m great,” I tell him honestly.
I never expected to become the adopted sister of a biker, but here I am. His sister was taken and held with me and it’s because of her that I’m living the life I am now. I was devastated to find out that she took her own life all those years ago, but I don’t blame her for it. It wasn’t like I didn’t consider it myself, but something kept me going.
Monk has taken me into his family, life, and heart. I think it has a lot to do with his sister, but I’m okay with it. We’ve helped each other heal wounds we didn’t realize were still open and festering.
I’m not at all surprised when I’m pulled out of Monk’s hold and wrapped up in Hendrix’s arms. My man glares at the man who has become a brother to me, bonded by trauma and loss, but a brother all the same. I try and hide my smile, but it’s pretty much impossible when Rebel starts to giggle.
“So possessive,” I tease Hendrix.
When he looks down at me, his eyes soften and he presses a soft, sweet kiss to my lips. “You’re ours, little Phoenix,” he reminds me as if I’m not very much aware of who I belong to.
“I know,” I huff and roll my eyes.
Dominic grunts out his agreement before tugging me against his chest. He’s still a man of few words most of the time, but when he does talk, it’s worth listening to. I’m never in the dark about how he feels about me and that is something I take great comfort in.
When Hendrix’s phone rings, I tense.
It hasn’t been very long since all the Volkov shit was put to rest and my men began putting feelers out there for work. They could just stay home and never take another job, they have plenty of money, but I know they wouldn’t be happy observing the world from the sidelines.
I would never ask them to do it either, especially when the contacts they make help them to save people who have been taken just like I was.
It’s part of who they are and I wouldn’t want them to change.
In the last five months, fallen deeper in love. They’ve shared details with me about their work while helping me become even stronger. I’ve trained and sparred with each of my men and because of it, I’ve felt like I could take on the world at times.
I hope they’ve been working with me to ensure I’m good to join them when they have a job, even though I know they won’t let me be in the thick of things. Still, they need to know I’ll be safe wherever we go.
“Need to take this,” Hendrix mutters and then steps outside to have some privacy.
The old ladies pull me back into conversation, but part of me wonders what is going to happen and how it’s going to change things. It’s running through my mind and making me anxious, right up until we finally return to our townhouse later in the night.
I love this place, but I’m looking forward to our house being built. Then, I’ll be able to learn the terrain and really give my men a chance worthy of their skills.
The moment the door shuts behind Hendrix, he smirks at Dominic and Wolfe before looking at me expectantly. I’m sure he’s waiting for me to demand to know what’s going on, but all I do is wring my hands together. I don’t want them to go, but I know that they will. If it’s not this job, it’ll be another one.
“You better pack a back, little Phoenix, we have an early flight to catch.”
My eyes widen and I let out a gasp as I launch myself at my men. They aren’t going to leave me behind, like a trophy on a shelf. As I pepper my men with kisses, I remind them how much I love them and then, later, I let go and give myself to them fully.
They caught me, showed me that I could stop running, and have claimed me. Forever.