Epilogue Two Years Later
AINSLEY
I wake to the sound of laughter.
Not the sharp, nervous kind I used to know, the kind that came before the blow, before the apology, before the cycle started all over again.
No.
This is real laughter. Deep and warm and full of joy.
I blink against the bright light streaming through the curtains and stretch slowly, my body still heavy with sleep. The bed beside me is empty, but I can hear them downstairs, Jax's voice, Knox's low rumble, and Owen's high-pitched giggles echoing through the house.
For a moment, I just lie there, letting the sound wash over me.
Two years ago, I never would have believed this was possible. I was running for my life with a crying baby in the backseat of a beater car, convinced I'd never be safe again. I thought love was something that hurt. Something that took. Something that left bruises. Now I know better.
I sit up slowly, my hand instinctively moving to my belly.
Six months pregnant. Another baby on the way, a little girl this time.
Knox cried when we found out. Actually cried.
Jax kissed my stomach for ten minutes straight, whispering promises to our daughter about how loved she'd be, how protected, how cherished.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand, pulling on one of Knox's oversized hoodies before padding barefoot down the hallway.
The house smells like coffee and pancakes.
When I reach the kitchen, I stop in the doorway, my heart swelling at the sight in front of me.
Owen is sitting on the counter in his dinosaur pajamas, his dark curls sticking up in every direction. He's holding a spatula like a sword, waving it around while Jax pretends to be mortally wounded.
"You got me!" Jax groans dramatically, clutching his chest and stumbling backward.
Owen squeals with delight. "Again, Daddy! Again!"
Knox is at the stove, flipping pancakes with the kind of precision only he could manage. He's shirtless, wearing low-slung sweatpants, his tattoos on full display. There's a dishtowel slung over his shoulder, and he's shaking his head at Jax's theatrics.
"You're gonna give him ideas," Knox mutters.
"Good," Jax says, scooping Owen up and spinning him around. "He should have ideas. Big, wild, ridiculous ideas."
Owen giggles so hard he hiccups, and my chest tightens.
This is everything I’ve always wanted.
Knox glances over his shoulder and sees me standing there. His expression softens immediately. "Morning, baby," he says, his voice low and warm.
Jax turns, still holding Owen, and grins. "Look who finally decided to join us."
"Mama!" Owen shouts, reaching for me.
I walk over and take him from Jax, pressing a kiss to his messy curls. "Good morning, sweet boy."
"We making pancakes!" he announces proudly.
"I can see that," I say, smiling.
Knox steps closer and cups my face, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "You sleep okay?"
"Better than okay," I say honestly.
He leans down and kisses me, soft and slow and full of promise.
When he pulls back, Jax is right there, sliding an arm around my waist and pressing a kiss to my temple.
"Hungry?" he asks.
"Starving."
Breakfast is chaos in the best way.
Owen insists on helping, which means there's syrup everywhere and half the pancakes end up on the floor. But nobody cares. Knox cleans it up without complaint. Jax makes Owen laugh so hard milk comes out of his nose. And I sit there, watching them, feeling like my heart might burst.
After breakfast, we get ready for the day.
There's a club event at Perdition tonight, a celebration for Steele and Erica's anniversary. The whole Iron Reapers family will be there, and I'm looking forward to it.
But first, I have plans with the girls.
Lucy picks me up around noon in her SUV. Tessa is already in the passenger seat, and Hadley, Erica, and Scarlett are in the back.
"Get in, bitch!" Tessa shouts through the open window.
I laugh and climb into the middle row, buckling in beside Hadley.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Brunch first," Lucy says, pulling out of the driveway. "Then shopping. Then we're getting our nails done."
"And then," Tessa adds with a wicked grin, "we're going to Perdition early to help set up and drink mimosas while the boys do all the heavy lifting."
"Sounds perfect," I say.
Brunch is at a cute little café downtown that we've claimed as our spot.
We order too much food, waffles, omelets, fruit, pastries, and spend the next two hours laughing and talking and just being together.
Tessa tells a story about Cole trying to assemble a crib and somehow ending up with three extra screws and a piece that didn't fit anywhere.
"He was so mad," she says, laughing so hard she's crying. "He threw the instructions across the room and said, 'This is why I fix bikes, not furniture.'"
We all crack up.
Hadley shares that Weston and Wyatt have been arguing about baby names for weeks. "They can't agree on anything. Weston wants something classic. Wyatt wants something weird. I told them if they don't figure it out soon, I'm naming the baby myself."
"What would you name her?" Erica asks.
"Probably something normal," Hadley says with a shrug. "Like Emma or Grace."
"Boring," Tessa says, wrinkling her nose.
Hadley throws a piece of waffle at her.
Scarlett talks about Rook's obsession with baby-proofing their house. "He's put locks on everything. I can't even open my own cabinets anymore."
Lucy shares that Tiny has been reading parenting books. "He's so serious about it. He takes notes."
I listen to all of them, my heart full.
These women are my sisters.
Not by blood, but by choice.
They've been there for me through everything, the fear, the healing, the joy. They've held me when I cried. They've celebrated with me when I laughed. They've reminded me, over and over again, that I'm not alone.
"What about you, Ainsley?" Erica asks, pulling me out of my thoughts. "How are you feeling?"
"Good," I say honestly. "Really good."
"You look good," Scarlett says. "Pregnancy suits you."
"Thanks," I say, smiling.
Tessa leans forward, her eyes sparkling. "So… are the boys still as obsessed with you as they were two years ago?"
I feel my face heat. "Tessa—"
"Oh my God, they are!" she shouts, clapping her hands. "I knew it!"
Everyone laughs.
"They're… attentive," I say carefully.
"Attentive," Hadley repeats, smirking. "That's one way to put it."
"They worship her," Lucy says, grinning. "It's adorable."
"It's hot," Tessa corrects.
I bury my face in my hands, laughing. "Can we please talk about something else?"
"Nope," Tessa says. "This is way too fun."
After brunch, we hit a few shops downtown.
Lucy buys a onesie that says "Daddy's Little Biker" for her son. Tessa finds a leather jacket for toddlers and immediately buys it for her daughter. Hadley picks out matching outfits for the twins she's expecting.
I find a tiny pink dress with ruffles and lace, and I can already picture our daughter wearing it.
"She's going to be so spoiled," Erica says, looking over my shoulder.
"Good," I say. "She deserves it."
By the time we get to the nail salon, I'm exhausted but happy.
We sit in a row, our feet soaking in warm water, and just talk.
"Can I ask you something?" Erica says quietly, looking over at me.
"Of course."
"Do you ever think about… before?"
I know what she means.
Justin.
The fear.
The running.
"Sometimes," I admit. "But not as much as I used to."
"Does it still scare you?" she asks.
"Not like it did," I say. "I mean, I still have nightmares sometimes. I still flinch when someone raises their voice. But it's different now. I'm different now."
"How?" Hadley asks.
I think about it for a moment.
"I used to think I was broken," I say slowly. "Like Justin had taken something from me that I'd never get back. But I'm not broken. I'm scarred, yeah. But scars are proof that you survived. That you fought. That you won."
Tessa reaches over and squeezes my hand. "Damn right."
"And I have you guys," I add, my voice thick. "I have Jax and Knox. I have Owen. I have this whole family that chose me. That loves me. That makes me feel safe."
"You are safe," Lucy says softly. "You always will be."
I nod, blinking back tears.
"Okay, enough of the heavy stuff," Tessa says, wiping at her own eyes. "Let's talk about the party tonight. I heard Mason is doing a speech."
"Oh God," Scarlett groans. "He's going to make everyone cry."
"Probably," Hadley says, laughing.
By the time we get to Perdition, the sun is starting to set.
The parking lot is already packed with bikes, and I can hear music and laughter coming from inside.
We walk in together, and the place is buzzing with energy.
The bar is decorated with string lights and flowers. There's a long table set up with food, and the jukebox is playing classic rock.
I spot Jax and Knox immediately.
They're standing near the bar with Steele, Tiny, and Cole, all of them laughing about something. Owen is on Knox's hip, playing with the chain around his neck.
When Jax sees me, his face lights up.
He crosses the room in a few long strides and pulls me into his arms, kissing me deeply.
"Missed you," he murmurs against my lips.
"I was only gone a few hours," I say, laughing.
"Too long," he says.
Knox appears beside us, Owen still in his arms. "You have fun?"
"Yeah," I say, reaching up to kiss him too. "It was perfect."
Owen reaches for me, and I take him, holding him close.
"Mama, look!" he says, pointing at the lights.
"I see, baby. They're so pretty."
The party is everything I hoped it would be.
Mason gives a speech that makes everyone cry, just like Scarlett predicted. Steele and Erica dance in the middle of the room, looking at each other like they're the only two people in the world.
The Old Ladies take over the dance floor, pulling their men with them. Tessa drags Cole out there, and he pretends to be annoyed but he's smiling the whole time.
Jax pulls me close, his hands resting on my hips as we sway to the music.
"You okay?" he asks.
"More than okay," I say.
Knox joins us, wrapping his arms around both of us from behind.
"This is nice," he says quietly.
"Yeah," I agree. "It really is."
Later, after Owen is asleep in the safe room with a few of the other kids, I find myself standing outside, looking up at the stars.
The air is cool and crisp, and I can hear the faint sound of music and laughter from inside. I think about that night two years ago.
The night my car broke down. The night I met Jax and Knox. I was so scared. So broken. So convinced that I'd never be safe again.
And now I'm standing here, surrounded by family, carrying another baby, living a life I never thought I deserved.
"Hey."
I turn to see Jax and Knox walking toward me.
"What are you doing out here?" Jax asks.
"Just thinking," I say.
"About what?" Knox asks, sliding an arm around my waist.
"About how far we've come," I say. "About how different everything is."
"Better?" Jax asks.
"So much better," I say, my voice breaking.
They pull me close, holding me between them.
"We love you," Knox says.
"So much," Jax adds.
"I love you too," I whisper. "Both of you. So much."
When we get home, Owen is already asleep in Knox's arms.
We put him to bed together, tucking him in and kissing his forehead.
Then we go to our room.
Jax helps me out of my dress, his hands gentle and reverent. Knox brushes my hair, his touch soothing.
We climb into bed together, and they hold me between them, their hands resting on my belly.
"She's going to be so loved," Jax says softly.
"Just like her brother," Knox adds.
"Just like her mama," I say.
As I drift off to sleep, wrapped in the steady warmth of the two men who refuse to let me go, I turn over everything I’ve survived, the fists and the silence, the constant fear, the nights spent running with nothing but a baby and a half-formed plan, and set it against everything I’ve been given in return: a love that doesn’t demand my silence, a safety that doesn’t feel temporary, a family that chose me, and a home that finally feels like mine.
I used to believe I didn’t deserve any of it.
I was wrong. I deserve all of it, and so do the children sleeping under this roof, and so do the men whose arms are still around me.
This is my life. This is my family. This is my home. And I am never letting it go.