Epilogue
WRATH
TWO MONTHS LATER
Move-in day.
I’m not sure who is more excited about this day, me or Alex. Elodie is excited, but that’s more wrapped up in nerves. The guys are all here helping them move their shit out of their apartments and into the townhouse that closed escrow last week.
Just as I knew they would, Alex and Elodie decided to settle on the slightly older place with the better amenities. Mainly, both of them are dreaming of lazing by the pool. And since Nevada is hotter than fuck than any other type of weather, they opted for a pool. Can’t deny I’m not mad at that.
We’re going to remodel it next year, but for now, we’re all moving in, me included. Although I’m only going to be there on a somewhat part-time basis. I’ll still have my space at the clubhouse when I need to be there, and I’ll be here when I need to be here.
Judging by the amount of time I’ve been spending at Elodie’s place in the last two months, I have a feeling my room at the clubhouse is going to stay pretty fucking empty. And I’m more than good with that.
“Can’t believe you really fucking did it,” Hippie mutters. “Fell in love, locked her down, and tatted her.”
Yeah, tatted her is right. My gaze scans the room before landing on Elodie. I know there is still fairly fresh ink just below her collarbone. It’s written in cursive, and it’s my name.
Not Coast, but Wrath.
It marks her as mine in the eyes of the club. She is my wife as far as any of them are concerned. And soon enough, there will be a ring on her finger so the rest of the world will understand she’s mine, too.
“When it happens, Hip, you’ll get it.”
It’s all I can say. Because it’s exactly what I feel. I would have never understood it before I met her. Before I fell in love with this girl and realized there was a whole fucking life I was missing and didn’t even know could exist.
We finish clearing out the apartment, then head over to Alex’s to do the same. When I walk in unannounced, I wish I had knocked. Because in the middle of the room are Alex and Fantasy, their lips locked in a kiss and embrace.
They jump apart, and I lift my hand. “Sorry about that,” I mutter.
“Uh, fuck, that wasn’t—” Fantasy begins, but I don’t let him finish. I interrupt him because, contrary to what a lot of people believe, I don’t give a flying fuck who kisses or fucks whom—not in the outside world and not in the clubhouse.
“You two have zero to explain. I don’t have an issue with anything I just saw. I’m just sorry I didn’t knock, because I don’t want you to feel any type of way,” I state.
Fantasy runs his fingers through his hair and opens his mouth to say something, but the small studio quickly fills with the others, and they get started gathering Alex’s shit and carrying it to the moving van.
Fantasy pretends like none of this shit happened and gets busy.
But Alex watches me, waiting for a moment to speak.
I consider making it hard on him, mainly because I really don’t give a shit, but I can see the worry on his face, and when my gaze finds Elodie’s, she’s watching him and wearing a worried expression as well.
So this conversation is more for her than Alex, but whatever.
“You don’t need to explain shit to me,” I mutter as I walk up beside him. “I pretty much clocked you were into guys the minute I met you, and I knew you were hanging out with someone at the clubhouse, just didn’t give a fuck enough to find out who.”
He nods once, his eyes moving around the room before he brings them back to meet mine. “I don’t know how I expected you to act. But just to say, I like men and women. I don’t really have a preference, but Fantasy is different.”
My lips twitch into a smirk. “I’m glad. You becoming part of the club is good. It’ll make Elodie happy. That’s all I give a fuck about.”
“She deserves it, happiness that is. Went through a lot of hell.”
I know what she’s been through, and she knows what I’ve been through.
We’ve had a lot of long nights, and while naked, we’ve talked about where we came from and what makes us who we are.
Telling her about Kaitlin, about our childhood, and how it ended up affecting her was one of the most vulnerable moments we've shared.
“Yeah,” I grunt, then I jerk my chin toward him. “Pretty sure you deserve it, too.”
And that is that. I walk away from him to let that shit soak in and finish moving him out of his studio and into a townhouse with a fucking pool and a gym… rent-free. I’m setting them up so they can work on their business and their lives, and while they do that, be in a safe place.
It’s the least I can do for the woman who is mine. No walking away. Mine for fucking ever.
ELODIE
ONE MONTH LATER
Looking over my shoulder, I watch as the men gather around the pool. I don’t know that I have ever seen so many badass bikers in swim trunks lounging around in my life. It’s freaking great. We rented the townhouses’ pool for Speed’s fortieth birthday.
There’s a cake, burgers, beers, music, and as much as I hate it, clubwhores, too. Thankfully, they’re wearing swimsuits instead of their normal nakedness. Loot is sitting on the end of a lounger, so I take a beer over to him.
Clearing my throat, I hold the bottle out for him. He lifts his head, and his eyes find mine. “Hey,” he calls out.
“Beer?” I ask.
His lips twitch into a smirk as he reaches for the aluminum bottle. “Thanks, but don’t let Wrath catch you serving drinks to another man.”
I laugh softly, shaking my head. “He won’t mind. Just wanted to say thank you.”
His brows snap together. “Thank you?”
“For finding this place. It’s perfect, and I really appreciate it.”
He lifts his beer to his lips, taking a sip before he smiles. “Babe. You deserve it. Putting up with his ass, you deserve it all.”
Before I can say anything else, a strong band slides around my waist, and I know exactly who is standing behind me. I feel his lips touch my neck. Then those lips slide up my throat to my earlobe, which he tugs on with his teeth.
I hear a phone ring and watch as Loot lifts his device to his ear. “What? Yeah. Fuck. No, I’ll be there. Give me thirty minutes.”
He curses again, placing his beer down before he stands. “Gotta go,” he grinds out.
“You good?” Coast asks from behind me. I can feel his warm breath wash over my skin.
“Baby mama drama,” he grumbles before he walks away.
Turning around, I tip my head back as I look up at Coast. I open my mouth to ask about what just happened, but Coast shakes his head once.
“He’s got a kid with someone in Henderson. Don’t know her, never met her, but there’s always some drama with her. And she’s always threatening to take him to fucking court and get him locked up.”
Wow.
That’s really sad.
He cups my cheeks, and his lips move closer to mine, then I feel them touching, and he swirls his tongue inside my mouth, tasting me. I break out in goose bumps, my nipples hardening instantly.
When he breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead against mine, and my entire body melts—for him and into him. He shifts his hands from my face and wraps his arms around my back to pull me against him.
Then he lifts his head, his eyes searching mine. “I love you, Coast Riley.”
“I’m a fuckin’ old man, and you love me?” he asks.
My lips twitch into a smirk. I shake my head a couple of times, arching my back so that my aching breasts can press against his chest. God, he feels good. So damn good. I wish we were in my townhouse, alone… and naked.
“Yeah, Coast. I love every ounce of your old ass.”
He slaps his hand against my ass cheek. The sound echoes around us, but again, I do not care. All I can think about, all I give a shit about, is this man right here in front of me.
I do love him.
Every part of him.
The grumpy, the alpha, the asshole, and the sweetheart.
Every part of him is exactly what I could have ever dreamed of.
I really don’t think I could have created a more perfect man for me.
I would have gotten something wrong, missed some quality that Coast possesses.
Because there is perfection in his imperfections, and I love every single one of them… even the annoying ones.