Bonus Epilogue
Five years later
– MERCY –
Bringing two fingers to my mouth, I give a hard whistle, making Seal’s head whip up from the long grass. I shove my hand into the air and curl my fingers a few times to give him the silent command to come to me. He starts running and his big ears start to flap as he picks up speed.
Running to me at full speed freaked me out the first few times after he came to live with us five years ago. I thought he wouldn’t stop and knock me on my ass. Never happened, though. Seal always stops, even if it’s only an inch away.
Like now. He plunks down on his ass and tips his head back, tongue lolling out on the side and a huge grin on his face.
He’s such a happy dog. Such a contradiction to when we got him.
The previous owner, a vet for crying out loud, debarked him.
The poor thing can’t bark and it seemed it was one of the many awful things this man did to animals.
Wisely Dicey MC ended this awful man’s practice and managed to tie him to more crimes, including killing his assistant among other things, so he’s currently still rotting in a jail cell.
Jocko called Sable five years ago, the day I started working for my father, and explained that there were a few animals needing a new home.
That’s how Seal entered our lives. My heart still warms at the thought of Jocko rehoming all those animals himself instead of calling animal control. He might seem like a dick but secretly he has a kind heart.
I take a treat from my pocket and order, “Speak.”
Seal tilts and shakes his head but keeps his mouth shut. I smile, loving this move even if it doesn’t involve barking or is remotely connected to speaking. It’s a simple command and action earning him a treat.
“Come on, let’s see if Daddy’s home.” I know he’s not, otherwise he would have stalked straight through the house to come into the backyard.
Sable always comes looking for me once he takes a step inside of the house. The man doesn’t like to leave me alone, and it might be the reason why he accepted Seal when Jocko offered him to us.
When we went to the vet to have Seal checked out, we were told he might be a Weimaraner.
Sable did a little research on the breed and liked the fact they are committed and sensitive, great family dogs, and very protective.
Well, at least Seal is when it comes to me.
He rarely leaves my side, unless it’s to chase a ball I throw for him to fetch.
“Such a good boy,” I praise and scratch his ear as he walks glued to the side of my leg.
Sometimes I think Sable also got me a dog to help with my nonverbal issue.
Though, over time I was able to push myself to where I was before my mother died.
My life took a turn when I broke into my father’s cabin and after my uncle and his MC was handled things slowly settled down and made my future look brighter.
“Mercy,” Sable calls out as soon as we step inside the house.
A chuckle leaves me when Seal rushes through the kitchen to head for the hallway.
I hear two male voices coo and instantly become aware my father is here as well.
I asked Sable to make sure he joins us for dinner.
Five years ago, he offered me a job at the garage.
The same workplace as Sable, only I’d be in the office with my father.
It really helped my father and I to spend more time together to get to know one another. Something that didn’t happen overnight, but I guess everything in life takes time.
“Hey, love,” Sable says when Seal switches to my father for pets.
“Hey.” I smile and step into his arms.
I feel his lips on the top of my head before he breathes me in and murmurs, “Missed you today.”
Tipping my head back, I snicker. “We had lunch together and then I left to walk Seal.”
“Still,” he insists. “A lonely handful of hours.”
His stomach rumbles and I step back to pat his abs. “Hungry?”
He gives me a scorching look and lowers his voice for only me to hear when he huskily states, “For you? Always.”
This man has the ability to set my panties on fire, making my pussy drip with desire in an effort to extinguish the scorching heat.
“Save it for later,” I whisper and regretfully step away from his body.
I snap my fingers and point at the kitchen. Seal gets the hint and trots off to eat.
“Dinner should be ready,” I announce and turn to Sable. “Can you help getting it out of the oven? After you’ve washed your hands.”
“Sure thing, darlin’,” he rumbles and stalks off.
I step closer to my father and raise myself on my tiptoes to brush a kiss on his cheek. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, yourself, sweetheart,” he tells me.
We walk into the kitchen where Sable is drying his hands and my father takes his turn to wash his. I’ve already set the table in the dining room, and have placed a cloche over my father’s plate, hiding the surprise.
I feel the excitement starting to rise and it’s as if Sable can read my mind, he finds my gaze and shoots me a wink. There’s no reason to hide my smile, and the happiness I’m feeling.
“Something smells fantastic,” my father states and rubs his hands when we follow Sable into the dining room.
He places the large dish in the middle of the table while my father and I take a seat. My father frowns when he sees the cloche covering his plate.
“Go ahead,” Sable tells him. “Check the surprise your daughter and I made.”
My eyes go wide. Did he really just say that?
My father pulls the cloche up and reveals the ultrasound image. He’s completely frozen. The cloche is mid-air while he stares down at his plate.
“The baby got your tongue?” Sable jokes.
The cloche is slowly placed on the table when he reaches for the ultrasound image. Now he’s still staring at the image, only somewhat closer to his face. He finally looks at me and then his focus is on my belly.
I place my hand on my stomach and state the obvious. “Six more months until you get to be a grandfather.”
“Grandfather,” he croaks. “I gave up the dream of having a family when your mother suddenly left town. What I felt for her...I never got to experience it again. To have you walk into my life all those years later. A child from the woman I loved? It was a dream come true. And now?” He holds up the sonogram image.
“My baby is having a baby and it’s the icing on the cake of life. ”
He gets up and grabs Sable’s leather cut to pull him to his feet.
The two men hug and my father slaps Sable on his back. “Congratulations, son.”
Sable rumbles out a thanks and my father switches to me. His arms squeeze me tight and I close my eyes to relish in the moment and the meaning of all of it. This man loved my mother. Circumstances ripped them apart, leaving my father without my mother, and the knowledge of my existence.
For a single moment my mind jumps to my little rebellious act a little over five years ago when I broke into my father’s cabin. Back then I didn’t want to meet him...I only wanted to break into his property to take what I wanted and leave before he ever knew I was there.
What if he didn’t have a security system? What if Sable didn’t come to find me that night? How different would my life be right now. Hell, I might have frozen to death a few days after during a snowstorm because I would still be homeless. Or maybe Linus or my uncle would have found me.
I shiver at the mere thought, and my father pulls back. “Everything okay?”
Taking a deep breath, I give him a blinding smile. “More than okay,” I assure him. “Because I’m living the dream.”
“Fuck,” he grunts. “You’re making all our dreams come true, sweetheart. My beautiful daughter, pregnant with my first grandchild.”
“My dream wife, giving me a son,” Sable adds.
His eyes go wide at Sable’s words and he reaches for the sonogram image, holding it upside-down and turning it until it’s upside-down again. “It’s a boy?”
Sable chuckles and takes the image from his hand.
“Yeah, they asked if we wanted to know, and Mercy doesn’t like surprises, so...” Sable shrugs. “Besides, it’s not like anyone can make sense of this gray blobfish thing.”
I smack Sable’s chest and snatch the image from his hand. They both laugh and when I stare down at the image, I have to agree...it looks a bit weird from this upside-down angle.
My father places a kiss on the crown of my head. “I’m so damn proud of you.”
“I’m glad I found you all those years ago,” I tell him for the first time.
He slowly shakes his head. “I’m the one who is blessed to have you in my life. Even if I missed decades of your existence, I’m still thankful every day since you broke into my cabin.”
“Damn right,” Sable agrees. “Even if I was pissed you made me check. Fuck. What if you sent Van instead?”
I wrinkle my nose and both burst out in laughter, making me chuckle right along with them.
“Let’s eat,” Sable announces and we all take a seat around the table.
My smile is on my face and filling my heart with joy. Once I longed to follow weary dreams while now, I feel like I’m living the ultimate dream. The man I love, a father I gained, and the start of my own family in the near future with our unborn child.
Oh, and let’s not forget the found family when it comes to all the members of Pitfall Breakers MC.
I might have wrinkled my nose at the sound of Van’s name, but it’s more because I consider all of them good friends.
Just like the old ladies of Wisely Dicey MC.
Since I met Livi we exchanged phone numbers and stayed in contact.
When you’ve wandered the world alone and have spiraled down into darkness? You value the true things life has to offer. Friends, family, loyalty, dedication, and love. My gaze finds Sable’s and he shoots me a wink, making my heart skip a beat.
Even after all these years the man makes me crave him a little more every day. The foundation we built together is a promise for our future. Showing us we have what it takes to keep on dreaming...wherever those dreams might lead us.