Epilogue Two
Torch
Walking through the doorway of our new home on the compound, I hear my wife and son playing in the family room. His little giggles are the best. Roman is almost a year and a half now, and tonight we’re taking him to the lake to watch the fireworks for the New Year celebration.
Ruby kneels on the floor, helping him into his tiny boots and coat for the party at the clubhouse. She has him in a black long-sleeve onesie, with a pair of toddler jeans. His dark hair is messy, like mine when it’s between long and short.
As soon as he sees me, his face lights up, and he runs for me. I’m so worried he’ll take a dive and fall, so I take the couple of steps to pick him up before he toddles over and hurts himself.
“Dadda, dadda,” he squeals and pats my face.
I kiss him on his chubby cheeks, then raspberry his neck, making him giggle some more.
When I look over, Ruby is trying to get up off the floor, using the coffee table for leverage, and I rush to her side, helping her up.
She’s pregnant again and due in March, but as we learned with Roman, I don’t give her small boys. My hand rubs her stomach.
“Love you, princess.” I lean down to kiss her lips, with our sons between us.
“Hello, husband. How was work?” she asks, waddling to the kitchen where she pushes the casserole she made for the party along the counter.
“Work was good. How was your day?”
“Good. I have an artist from Providence coming into town to show her work. I’m excited because she creates sculptures from recycled parts.”
“Sounds good.”
I helped her open her gallery, which has been attracting attention. She’s even sold a couple of her own pieces for enough money to build a studio in our backyard to work in, so Roman wouldn’t be underfoot.
Just like Judge, we decided to build a house on the compound. Some of the other guys are doing the same in the woods around the property. My family is safer, protected by the gates, with my brothers close by if they need help.
I can’t stop staring at my beautiful wife moving around our home. She picks up her property vest and slips it over the maternity shirt she’s wearing, her hair hanging down her back. I can’t wait to get her home tonight and make love to her. Just like her pregnancy with Roman, she’s insatiable.
Taking her hand, we walk out the front door and head toward the clubhouse.
Judge and Evie are on their way too, with their young son and newborn daughter.
As with the girls’ first pregnancy, they were pregnant together again.
Little Gigi is only two months old; Roman and Landry are a month’s difference in age, and when our son Caden arrives, he and Gigi will be five months apart.
Whoever thought I’d have a family like this?
After breaking it off with Ruby all those years ago, I knew I could never fall in love with another woman.
Now, I have the family I’ve always wanted, with an amazing team of brothers and extended family.
Spike and I are closer than we were before, and Lyra and Lio have become honorary grandma and aunt.
Life couldn’t have turned out better, and I’m glad both Ruby and I survived Kurti’s revenge.
I really appreciate you reading Property of Torch.