Epilogue
GRANT
A few weeks later
The sky is still a brilliant blue as I walk across the meadow, the crop of aspens holding court around the small family cemetery. I kiss my fingertips and press them to the top of my mother’s grave as I walk by and brush my palm over the top of my father’s, clearing a couple of leaves that have gathered before I reach the man I’m here to visit.
It still hurts every time I see the stone facade with his name etched in it, the short span of years reminding me he didn’t even make it to thirty. I settle down next to it, pulling out my flask and the two shot glasses I brought with me.
“Hey, old friend,” I greet him as I set one on top of the stone. “I brought your favorite today because I have to tell you some things I don’t think you’re gonna want to hear. But I’d be a shit fucking friend if I didn’t come talk to you first. Figure the good whisky might make it go down easier.”
I pour his glass of Scotch and fill mine as well before I cap the flask and tuck it back into my pocket. I clink the edge against his and down the whole thing like it’s the cheap stuff you shoot. I need the courage right now.
“I know it’s been a minute since I’ve been out here. I hope you can forgive me. It’s been a mess lately. So ugly there for a minute that I thought I might lose Dakota too. Things haven’t been easy for her lately either. But she’s a fighter, you know. Never lets anything get in her way, not for long anyway. You’d be so proud of her if you could see everything she accomplishes on her own.” I chuckle. “She and Vendetta could take on the whole world all by themselves, I think.”
There’s no reply, but the whistle of a bird in one of the trees draws my attention skyward, and the way the leaves move, it feels like maybe he could be listening.
“She’s what I need to talk to you about. The thing you’re not gonna like much. Because I went and fucked up.” I laugh at how I got here and bow my head, staring at a small outcropping of wildflowers starting to bloom on the edge of his grave. “I fell in love with her. I swear to you I did my best not to. I tried to stop it when I realized it was happening. But when she figured it out, well… you know how she is. She’s still the same. If she wants it, she gets it… and for some stupid fucking reason I’ll never understand, she wants me too.”
I can almost see him sitting across from me. Laughing at me for getting myself into this situation. Telling me she’ll have me by the balls for the rest of my life.
“That bit about the rest of my life? That’s the part I’m here about. Figure you need to hear it from me first because I know you’ll be the first person she runs to tell.” I run my thumb over the edge of my empty glass. “I’m gonna ask her if she wants to try forever. Got a whole proposal planned out and everything. You’d be laughing your ass off at what a fool I’m gonna look like if you were still around.
“And before you say anything—I know damn well I don’t deserve her. It would take my whole life to even come close to earning an ounce of her brand of love, but you know now, like you knew then, that I’ll do anything for her. So I hope you can forgive me if you hate it. I’m hoping like hell you would have given us your blessing if you were here.” I scrub my hand over my mouth, doing my best not to cry and failing. “I love her so damn much it hurts, and I just wish you could be here to see how hard I’m gonna work to make her happy.”
I take a deep breath when I finally feel like I’ve let enough loose to recompose myself.
“Fuck. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so emotional on you. I just… wanted you to know.” I grab his glass and pour it out in the grass in front of his headstone. “Cheers, old friend. I hope wherever you are, you know how much we miss you.”
I tuck the glass into the other and start my long walk back to the house. Taking the chance to recite everything I want to say to her—all the things that’ll probably go straight out of my head when I need them.
I’m anxious as we get to the top of the trail I’ve taken her to and tie off the horses. I throw the makeshift picnic bag Kit gave me over my shoulder, and I can’t help but smile at the memory of how she squealed when I asked her to put it together for me. I didn’t even tell her what it was for, but she knew anyway because she’s known me well enough for years that picnics to romantic locations by trail ride aren’t a thing I usually do. Scratch that—it’s not a thing I have ever or would ever do for anyone except Dakota.
“Thought we’d go up to the top of the tower. There’s a nice view up there,” I announce as I lead her in that direction.
“What’s all this?” She looks at the bag, smiling.
“A picnic Kit put together for us.”
“Oh my god. I love her food. How’d you talk her into that? Isn’t she busy this week with all the guests?” Dakota’s eyes drift over me.
“She is, but she makes time when it’s someone she likes.”
“And she likes you?” She gives me a teasing look.
“Well enough it seems. Mostly she was excited about me ‘doing something relaxing for once,’” I explain, if only she knew how not relaxing this particular outing is going to be for me. I think I might be more tense than any meeting I’ve ever held before, and given some of the people I’ve done business with, that’s saying something. But I want this—I need this, and after everything, it feels like there’s no reason to wait any longer.
Jay has kept his end of the bargain, and Levi has an eye on everything he’s doing through his phone. It’s left us all feeling safe enough to resume business as usual for the time being. Life almost feels like it’s back to normal while we work on our research and recon in the background. Minus the fact that Levi’s in Europe hunting down leads, and I’ve been running the Avarice with Dakota at my side.
She’s a natural at everything business, and I fully believe the second coming of Seven Sins will outstrip anything the town’s seen yet in terms of drawing in new business. So I’m just grateful she’s decided she wants to use the lot next to the Avarice to make it happen.
When we get to the top of the tower, I’m thankful there’s a small overhang at the edge where I can lay out the food and drinks. Kit’s even thrown in a bottle of rosé for good measure. Something I hope we’re about to open in celebration if I don’t fuck this up royally.
“Dakota,” I say quietly as she’s distracted by pulling out the sandwiches and salads Kit packed. She looks up at me, her brow furrowed in question.
“Yes?” she asks, setting the last container down and turning her focus on me. I’m struck by how beautiful she is in this light, how perfect she is, and how I never in a million years thought we’d be standing here like this together. But it feels natural. Like everything about our lives and who we are was always going to lead to this place. “Everything okay?”
Her eyes search mine like she’s worried by how long I’m taking to answer her, and I clear my throat.
“You see that spot over there? Where the sun is breaking through the clouds?” I ignore the question and point to a place in the distance where the forest fades and another large meadow opens up beneath a mountain. It’s like nature’s playing along and spotlighting it for me.
She shields her eyes and nods her yes.
“Do you think that’s a good spot for the stables there and maybe putting a couple of paddocks on this side?”
Her brow furrows, and she blinks when she turns to me. “What do you mean? Is Hazel asking for your help with development now? I know she’s working on that project with Beatrix and Madison, but isn’t that beyond the ranch?”
“It’s part of a new one.”
“A new one? I heard someone talking in town about someone buying up Old Man Miller’s property. Do you know what the new ranch is called?” She’s still listening as she returns to absently unwrapping more of the food. I don’t think she’s understanding my meaning.
“What do you want to name it? ”
Her attention snaps back to me then; her eyes go wide as she studies my face, and a smile spreads over my lips.
“ You bought it?”
“I figured as much as you like to ride, you might want your own space. Plus, you’ve been doing such a great job with the penthouse. I want to see what you do with a ranch house.”
Tears form in her eyes. “You didn’t…” she murmurs. It’s barely audible. She looks back and forth between me and the land.
“I did.” I study her reaction as I worry about how quiet she’s being. “Do you hate it?”
“What? No, I just… I don’t know what to say. I always dreamed about that as a kid growing up, but I just thought it would never happen, you know? So much of the last few months feels like I’m living in a dream, and I don’t know that I deserve any of it. I’m waiting to wake up.” She swipes at the tear that’s starting to form at the corner of her eye and gives me her own nervous smile.
“You deserve so much more than this. You deserve everything. Anything I can give you, I will. It just might take some time. But if you can give me that…”
“Of course. You’re stuck with me. You should know that by now.” Her fingers run over my forearm as I kiss her.
“I love you, you know,” I say softly as I break the kiss.
“I love you too.” She grins at me, but her brow furrows again when I pull out the box I’ve been hiding and drop to one knee.
“For better or worse?” I ask, and her hand goes to her mouth. The tears fall in earnest, and she practically shakes as she stares down at me. “I mean… knowing full well there’s a lot of worse here, but I’ve been trying hard to make it better.”
“Grant, are you serious right now?” she asks, and in answer, I open the box for her .
“It’s my mom’s. If you say yes, you can pick your own out. Whatever you want. I looked around, but it felt right to use this one to propose. I think she would have approved, given how much she adored you, but more importantly, I want you to know how serious I am. I know it hasn’t been long officially, but—”
“Yes,” she cuts me off. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d ever want to marry but you. So you’re kind of on the spot here.” A sweet laugh tumbles out of her and brings inexplicable tears to my eyes.
“Good, because I need it to be you. You’re my everything, Hellfire.”
“You’re my everything too.” She smiles through her own happy tears, and I take the ring out of the box to put it on her finger. “What if I want to keep this one though? Would that be okay?”
“Of course.”
“I really loved your mom. She had such a good heart. Maybe a little bit will wear off on me.” Her finger traces over the edges of the ring.
“Trust me. Your heart is every bit as big and pure and sweet. People just have to get through a few walls first—as they should. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure it stays that way.”
When we get back to the ranch house, my phone buzzes with a text, and I pull it out to see Levi’s name flash across the screen. I swipe to open it, and it’s a picture of a woman. She’s sipping a cup of coffee and eating a pastry as she looks out across the city square, clearly somewhere in Germany or Austria, judging by the words scrawled on the chalkboard sign in front of the cafe door. She looks contemplative, worried even from the way her brow furrows.
My phone buzzes again, and another message comes through.
LEV:
Found her.
You’ll never guess where.
Another photo comes through, one that appears to be of the same woman, only this time she’s dressed in a way I can barely process. She’s in all black from head to toe, her hair shrouded under a veil, as she walks with a group of women dressed the same. I blink and rub the heel of my palm over my eyes, but when I open them again, I’m still seeing the same thing on the screen in front of me.
He’s right. I would’ve never guessed. Not in a million years. But we desperately need answers, and time is running out.
Do whatever it takes.