CHAPTER TWELVE
There is no greater momentary fear than the few seconds when your six-year-old is midair and about to land on you in bed. I have had that fear four days in a row now. I think my gray hair has doubled.
~Text Ben to Kimbra~
Ben
It’s been a couple of months since the scary day when Kimbra was taken.
Thankfully, since then, it’s been relatively peaceful.
We know that there are now only two surviving members of the Sangre Devils.
Taz and Brander got away, though we don’t know the extent of Brander’s injuries.
He’s also on the Fed's radar, as it sounds like the freezers at the clubhouse and farm weren’t the only ones he’s left in his wake.
Since they were in Washington and Oregon, crossing the state lines brought the Feds in.
Last I heard, the number of victims was estimated at twenty-five women.
Makes me nauseous every time I think that Kimbra was in the same room as him for even a minute.
Today’s not a day to think about that shit, though.
Today’s a day I’ve waited my whole life for.
Today, I get to marry the love of my life.
I get to tie her to me forever. I also officially become a dad today.
Something I had given up on years ago. I know people talk about having nerves on the day of their wedding, but I don’t have any of those.
There’s this peace that’s settled in me that I’ve never felt before, and it’s brought a calm inside of me that tells me to my bones that I’ve found my person.
All the women folk, especially Linnea and Anna, insisted that we have to abide by the tradition of not spending the night before the wedding together, so I spent the night at the clubhouse with a number of brothers.
It’s still pretty early, and I’m still lying in bed, just trying to get my thoughts in order.
I reach over to the nightstand and grab my wallet.
I open it, reach in, and grab a photograph.
It’s tattered and worn. Looking at it, I find myself talking out loud.
“I still, to this day, am sorry about what happened. I have kicked myself for decades that I wasn’t able to protect you.
” I rub the picture in the same way I’ve done for decades now.
“You’ve been gone longer than you were on this earth, but your memory lives on in all that knew you.
I don’t know if we would’ve lasted for the long haul.
We were both so fucking young. I’m getting married today.
I remember telling you that your old lady status meant more than a piece of paper from the government.
At the time, I meant it, but with some decades of experience, I think it’s more about committing to your person in front of all the people in the world that mean the most to you.
I’m sorry I never gave you that option.” I study the picture of her, leaning against a picnic table in jeans and her property cut with a big smile on her face and the wind blowing her hair.
“I think you’d like her. She’s got an inner strength like you.
She’s so smart and yet down to earth. She’s got the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.
She’s a great mom, and she makes me feel like the king of the world when she looks at me.
” I rub the photograph one more time. “I guess I just wanted you to know I’ve finally found my happiness, found my peace.
Fuck, I’m pretty sure you had a hand in it somehow.
I just wanted to tell you that I will never forget you and what we had, and that I know you and the loss of you helped to make me the man who’s at least slightly worthy of a woman like Kimbra.
” I put the picture inside the book on my nightstand.
Time to get up and take the step toward the future, to my forever.
**********
Branson came up to me right before the ceremony started and asked to speak to me alone.
We walked over to a bench under a shade tree.
Sitting down, I looked at Branson, who, at the moment, looked a lot older than his years.
He rubs his chin like he’s seen some of the brothers do.
“I just wanted to say that I’m really glad you’re marrying Mom.
I can kind of remember when I was little, she smiled more, but even then, it wasn’t every day or all the time.
Since she met you, she smiles every day.
She’s not worried about everything and doing everything by herself.
So…I guess what I’m saying is thank you for that.
I also want to say one last thing, but don’t tell Mom.
” I nod because I’m not sure what he’s going to say.
“I just want you to know if things change in the future, don’t do what my dad did and fade away and cheat on Mom.
Tell her. Don’t make her sad for years and years like he did.
” I stand up and give him a hug. “I promise you I will never cheat on your mom. She’s the love of my life, and I promise to make sure I don’t make her sad or upset very often.
” Branson nods. “Good. Now let’s go before that guy Nicky comes out and yells at us for making this thing start late.
” Chuckling, I agree because I also don’t want that wrath.
*********
I look around the yard, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried.
Sitting here with my wife next to me and our kids running around the yard and playing with the other kids in the family.
Today’s been a perfect day. Our ceremony was so very us, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kimbra’s dress is casual, flowy, and she walked down the aisle on her brother’s arm, barefoot with her hair down and a flower behind her ear.
She’s the most gorgeous bride I could ever imagine, and now she’s my wife. I am one lucky son of a bitch.
Our reception is casual, with food prepared by our club, and our cake is cupcakes that Jane made.
We aren’t having a honeymoon really, just going away for the night.
Next school break, we’re going to take a family vacation together instead.
I look over to the kids and see Bently and Branson taking turns twirling Bailey around to the music, which, of course, is an ABBA song.
It’s nearing the end of the song, and I see Logan give me a signal.
I squeeze Kimbra’s hand, and she turns toward me right as the current song playing ends.
“What would you say to a dance with your husband?” She gives me that beautiful smile that she gives only to me.
“I would say absolutely and lead the way.” We both stand up and go toward the makeshift dance floor.
The chords of the song I picked start playing.
I take a hold of my world in my hands, spin her around, and then pull her in close, our foreheads touching.
I sing along with the words that mean the most to me.
“...I’m so in love with you, honey…” I knew the moment Logan played a few options that Danny’s Song was just right.
It mentioning a family where there wasn’t one is exactly what Kimbra loving me has brought me.
Who knew something as simple as taking my niece to her doctor’s appointment would bring me everything I was always too scared to dream of.
Kimbra moves her head back and looks me in the eye.
“Thank you for loving my imperfect self so perfectly. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my days as your wife.
” She leans in and gives me a kiss. Cheers are heard all around us, and I know that this family, blood or not, is what life is all about.
EPILOGUE ONE
One week later
Him
Time to make a move. I’m tired of our family waiting for the past to affect our present again . This shit needs to end now. I’m thinking it’s time I take control and take care of shit. Time to make a plan.
EPILOGUE TWO
One month after that
Ben
There’s been no sign of Taz or Brander since the Norse Rogues saw them flee through the trees a few months ago.
All our contacts have heard nothing, and it’s as if they’ve gone radio silent.
The Feds ended up coming out and did identify almost all of the bodies found in the freezers at the two locations.
There’s been no signs that either Taz or Brander has been back to either location.
Hell, we don’t even know if Brander survived his gunshots.
Since there’s been nothing, Jon asked Mike, Tripp, Erik, and me to go over the documents that Erik found up on the mountain.
He’s thinking that one of us might find a clue or a name from the past that could lead us to where he’s hiding.
He figures, if not us, that Erik might find something since he knew so many of the names from back then.
We pull up to the parking lot and park. It’s pretty empty since it’s a Saturday.
I doubt his assistant is working today, which will make discussing what we are looking for easier.
The fewer non-club ears listening, the better.
Erik pulls up in his pickup. He gets out and has two trays of coffee in his hands.
“Hey, I know this shit is not how we want to spend our Saturday, and I know my nephew is always down for caffeine, so I stopped and got us all a cup because I know he can’t make a decent cup of coffee himself. ” He’s not wrong.
We all head into the building and head to the office on the right.
Mike opens the door and walks in, stopping so fast that Tripp and I almost crash into him.
“What the hell, brother?” Mike steps to the side and points.
“Look, something’s very wrong.” I look around Mike and see papers strewn all around.
The front desk looks like a tornado hit it, with everything thrown around and the file cabinet drawers open.
We all instinctively take out our guns and follow Mike further into the office.
The next door is open a crack, so he lightly taps it open with his foot.
He looks at the floor and pales. Erik pushes past me and shudders as he looks at the floor.
I look around him. “Holy shit, that’s a ton of blood.
” It looks like at least a gallon of blood on the office room floor.
Enough that makes you wonder if whoever’s blood it is could’ve survived.
Mike looks at us. “What the fuck happened here?” Erik, with a concerned panic, asks the most important questions.
“Who’s blood is it, and where the fuck is Max? ”
EPILOGUE THREE
Eleven years later
Kimbra
“I don’t like it.” I didn’t think a grown man could pout, but my darling husband is proving me wrong as he crosses his arms and leans against the doorway to the kitchen.
“It’s the prom, not some swinger’s party she’s going to.
She knows her curfew and has never been late.
She’s seventeen. We have to give her a little freedom.
” He walks over to the fridge and gets a beer out, still pouting.
“It’s not her freedom I’m worried about.
It’s the boy.” I can’t help but roll my eyes.
Both Branson and Bentley had plenty of girlfriends in high school and college, and Ben didn’t have any issues with any of them, even though some were very…
questionable. His little princess growing up and having her first boyfriend at seventeen? That he can’t handle.
I move around the counter and give him a hug.
“Don’t worry, she’s going to be fine. You know he’s a good young man.
Hell, he’s a prospect, for goodness’ sake.
” He glares down at me. “That doesn’t make it any better, Doc.
I know what boys that age think about, and it’s not okay.
She’s too young.” I hug him again. “You know, no matter what, you’re always going to be special to her, just like no matter what, she’ll always be your princess.
” He kisses my temple and mumbles something about me making sense.
Heaven help all of us when he sees her dress. I better get more beer in the fridge. Turns out Unicorns are thirsty.
THE END...
Until Book 7