Epilogue
“Do I have a dark side? Yes. You have no idea how dark. But mess with my Emerson, and
you’ll find out.”
– Gray Stone
Gray opened the cell door. He marched inside, grabbed the prisoner from the bed, and threw the bastard up against the bars.
Nathaniel Hadaway cried out, his whole body shaking, and damn if the little asshole didn’t piss himself.
Gray shoved him away in disgust. “I can see prison life is treating you well.”
Nathaniel collapsed on the floor. “Get me out! Get me out! I can’t stay here—the other inmates terrify me! Please, get me out! I have to get out! Please! ”
“You were stalking Emerson. My Emerson. And you wanted to kill me. Bastard, you will never see the light of day again. Just got orders, you’re being transferred to maximum security. Hope you enjoy the ride.” Then, hands fisted, he turned away.
“No, please! Don’t?—”
He exited the cell. The door clanged shut. Gray didn’t look back. Rage had been riding him hard all day, and he’d needed to make sure certain loose ends were tied up.
Nathaniel Hadaway was finally being transferred. The shrink had already been targeted by gang members. He was going to be meeting a world of pain at his new home in max security.
As for Rylan, the FBI agent had recovered from his gunshot wound, he’d pled guilty to the charges against him, and, oh, yes, he was certainly going to have to watch his back for the next twenty years in prison. Former Feds never fared well in general pop.
Gray marched down the narrow hallway. No guards appeared, per his commands. He’d ordered the place emptied out. The better for him to hunt. He turned to the right. Stopped in surprise.
Cass was waiting. Blocking his damn path.
Gray frowned at him. “What in the hell are you doing here?”
“You know I have connections.” Cass quirked a brow. “And forget the fake outrage at seeing me. I should be the one who is pissed. I mean, come on. I don’t get to have fun, but you do? That hardly seems fair.”
“Who said life was fair?” He sidestepped.
Cass moved with him. “You going to terrorize Owen Porter? That the next stop on this exciting, post-midnight tour that you have going on?”
Hell, yes, he was paying a visit to Owen Porter. “Just want to make sure that he and I understand each other.”
“Uh, the guy is going to get life without parole. He’ll die in prison. I think he understands plenty.”
Not yet, he didn’t. “ He made Emerson afraid for years. ”
“And if she finds out that you’re sneaking into prisons, twisting the law and maybe killing people, what will that do?”
Gray’s breath sawed out. He wasn’t going to kill Owen Porter. Just make the guy wish for death. Those were two totally different things.
Tap, tap, tap.
Both men turned around at the faint sound. No, no, it can’t be ? —
But it was.
Emerson walked down the corridor with her heels tapping.
“I’m back from my honeymoon for one month. One month. And my husband is already taking up new hobbies.” She sighed. “Are you bored with me already?”
“I could live a thousand years and never be bored with you.” He turned to fully face her.
Of course, she’d realized what he’d planned.
Even though he’d tried to be so very careful.
Arranging for the prisoners to temporarily be in the same facility, making sure he’d have access to them, pulling all the strings, getting the security cameras turned off…
Tap, tap, tap.
Emerson stopped in front of him. “You don’t have to hurt them for me.”
He was hurting them for him. Because he hated what those bastards had done to her. Because the beast inside called for vengeance. Sometimes, he was far too much like Cass. Eye for an eye. Pain for pain.
“We have a life waiting. The darkness doesn’t get to drag us down.” She caught his hand. Pressed it to her stomach. “The baby wants us to leave these particular monsters alone. They have their punishments coming. We won’t have to do anything else.”
The baby?
She smiled at him.
Cass whistled.
The prison was too dark. The sins there too great.
“We started trying before the honeymoon. Told you, it wouldn’t take long.” She smiled at him.
Of course, he’d been trying for a baby before the honeymoon. As soon as Emerson had suggested they ditch the condoms, he’d been game on. In her bare? Making her pregnant? Having a little Emerson 2.0?
That’s what I want. That’s my future.
She was telling him that future lived beneath his hand. Their future.
The baby can’t be here. Not in this darkness . He nodded. Pulled Emerson close. Held her.
Cass slapped him on the shoulder. “Get the hell out of here. Go celebrate.”
The baby.
“I’ll have fun for us both,” Cass added.
Gray slowly turned his head toward his cousin.
Cass winked at him. “I got this. Let someone else do the dirty work for you.”
No, Cass shouldn’t be there, either. Cass…
Cass was already too close to the dark.
“The baby’s godfather needs to haul his ass out of here with us,” Emerson instructed in a tone that brooked no argument. “You two have to set positive examples. You can’t be terrorizing criminals. It’s just not done.”
But, wasn’t it done? Especially when they deserved some terror?
She pulled away. Turned. Tap, tap, tap. “Leave them.” Emerson’s voice drifted back to Gray and Cass. “They are in their own hell.”
“Great,” Cass groused. “Now your wife isn’t letting me have any fun.”
Gray smiled at him. “I’m going to be a dad.”
Cass glowered and then he grinned, too. “You’re gonna be an awesome dad.”
Gray threw an arm around Cass’s shoulders. “You’re gonna be an awesome uncle.”
His grin slipped. “I’m…your cousin, not your?—”
“Awesome uncle.” Gray tightened his grip on Cass’s shoulders. “Now start reforming your ass so my baby girl can be proud of you.”
“Uh, you don’t even know that you’re having a baby girl.”
True. And it really didn’t matter what he had. He was just delighted by the idea of Emerson’s baby. His and Emerson’s baby.
He had to call his friends. They’d all been at the wedding, and he knew they’d be thrilled with this news. Tyler, Ronan, and Kane are going to flip.
His Semper Fi buddies would celebrate hard with him.
He walked out of that prison, with Cass at his side, with Emerson and his baby in front of him, and Gray knew that…
This is what a dream feels like.
He’d had plenty of nightmares in his time. He’d been a nightmare to plenty of people. But finally, there was more out there. More for him.
Joy. Hope.
Emerson glanced over her shoulder.
His partner.
His wife.
His life.
He’d protect her with every breath in his body. Always.
THE END