Epilogue
I’M GOING TO FUCK HER UP
Three months later…
Xander
That was the quickest hand of poker I’ve ever lost, but I didn’t really want to play in the first place. One of my brothers will win the pot anyway, so at least my quarter of a million buy-in is staying in the family.
I weave my way out of the poker room and through the casino floor. Cash catches up to me and lifts his chin, grinning as we go to find our wives. At least I’m not the only one in the family who is totally obsessed with their girl.
Quinn is behind the bar, smiling as she talks to a group of customers while mixing their drinks.
When I first left rehab, Quinn told me she didn’t want me to visit her at work anymore because hanging out in a bar could be hard for me.
What I needed to make her understand was that the only addiction I truly have is her.
Everything else, I’d give it up in a heartbeat for her.
She’ll be my first choice every single time, no matter what.
As soon as she sees me, her smile grows, and that warm feeling inside me spreads as I take in my beautiful wife. Now that she’s in her second trimester, she’s no longer getting sick and is sleeping better. She’s glowing, if you ask me.
I wink at her and head over to sit next to Cash and Jordyn at the far end, so we’re out of the way of paying customers. Most employers probably wouldn’t approve of an employee’s family hanging out at work with them, but it’s a good thing we make the rules around here.
The entire time she works, I watch, admiring every curve of her body as she makes customers fall in love with her over and over again.
It doesn’t matter how much money I’ve tried to give her; she hasn’t touched any of it.
She still comes to work and does her job because she enjoys it and it gives her a sense of independence.
If I could buy that feeling for her, I would, but she explained to me that it is something she has to do for herself. I call bullshit, but whatever.
Before I went to rehab, I’d already buried Mike Baker in the middle of the desert. After I’d tortured him, of course. What that asshole was doing to Quinn was unforgivable.
It wasn’t until after I got home that I took care of Jason. It was only the fact that he had helped Quinn get away from her mom that I gave him a little mercy and just put a bullet between his eyes before I buried him. That, and I wanted to get back to my pregnant wife.
Quinn hasn’t gone to see her mom, and I’m not sure if she ever will.
She’s currently working that out in therapy every week.
I never thought I’d be the type of guy to believe in therapy, but it’s truly helped me, and I’m so proud of my girl for deciding to try it.
All she needs to know is that I’m going to support her and have her back in whatever choices she makes.
If, one day, she tells me she wants me to slit her mother’s throat, I will skip the fuck out of our house with a filleting knife.
Because my only goal in life is to make my wife happy and know she’s loved.
My thoughts are interrupted by a gasp coming from Jordyn. Tearing my gaze away from my wife, I glance at my sister-in-law, but she’s staring at something in the distance.
“What’s wrong?” Cash asks, trying to look in the direction she is.
“Nicola,” she hisses.
Every hair on the back of my neck stands on end as I turn and scan the space until I find her.
My ex.
And when I do, I feel absolutely nothing toward her.
But suddenly, I feel even more protective of my wife.
Quinn
What are they looking at? It’s like they’ve seen a monster.
I turn and try to see what it might be, but nothing jumps out to me. Shrugging, I notice someone approaching the bar. I go to greet the woman, but when I get a look at her face, I freeze.
It’s her.
His ex.
The one I decided to internet-stalk one night after I found her last name in a random article online, naming her as Xander’s date to a fundraiser.
I wasn’t proud of myself that night, but I had been surviving on zero sleep, and I was missing him terribly.
It was a low moment in my life, to say the least. I haven’t looked her up since because she doesn’t deserve my energy, but now, seeing her here, in his bar.
In my bar. I’m not feeling quite as Zen.
Just as I take a step toward her, a large hand wraps around my bicep, stopping me.
My Daddy.
“Baby, no,” he says quietly.
I turn to face him, eyebrows raised. “I trust you and let you handle the people who have hurt me. Give me the same gift in return. I’m a big girl.”
He stares at me, and I can tell he doesn’t like it. Not one bit. But he also knows I’m right. He’s struggling with both his need to protect me and his desire to make me happy.
“But you’re my girl. And you’re carrying our son.”
Reaching up, I cup his face between my hands and rise onto my tiptoes to kiss him. “So I know you won’t let anything happen to us. Go back to sit with your brother.”
He looks over my head for a second and then nods, and I turn around to face my enemy.
Josh has already gotten to her and is in the middle of mixing her drink and chatting with her when I walk up and smile at her.
“Hi.” I reach for a metal shaker cup and a bottle of grenadine. “How’s your evening going?”
My voice is sweet and bubbly, like I talk to every other customer. This bitch. I fucking hate everything about her. From her overly processed hair to her high-end designer fashion. It looks uncomfortable as hell. It’s also hideous. I don’t think her terrible sense of style helps matters, either.
“It’s good,” she says as she stares in the direction of my husband.
After picking up a cocktail napkin with my left hand, I slap it down on the bar with force and smile at her when her head snaps my way in surprise.
I don’t miss the way her eyes jerk down to my engagement ring.
I told Xander all I needed was a simple band, but he insisted on a diamond the size of Mars.
He also insists I wear it, even at work, even though I’m terrified I might lose the stone.
The man is something else… and I love every bit of him.
“Sorry. I wasn’t sure if you saw me right here in front of you.”
Her eyebrows pinch, and she looks at me like I’m insane, which, at the moment, I might be.
“So what are you up to tonight? What brings you to Velvet Sins?”
Josh is staring at me like I’m from Mars, but he hasn’t said a word.
Nicola’s attention goes back to the end of the bar while I pour cranberry juice into the shaker. “I came hoping to see someone, and, actually, I see him right over there.”
Making a show of looking in that direction, I struggle not to laugh at the look of horror on both Xander and Cash’s faces. Meanwhile, Jordyn’s smiling as she brings her glass up to her lips, clearly enjoying the scene unfolding in front of her.
“That guy over there?” I ask, motioning toward Xander.
She makes a humming sound. “Yep. That’s him. A little advice,” she says as she lowers her voice a bit like she’s going to tell me an epic secret. “Find a casino owner to fuck and you won’t have to work inside one of these places ever again.”
When she throws her head back and laughs, I do the same and catch Josh’s gaze. He looks even more horrified than my husband. Poor guy doesn’t know what’s about to happen.
I lean forward, resting my elbow on the bar and my chin on my hand, my ring facing out toward her. “A little advice for you,” I say casually, looking down at the crowd of people forming. Kian, Beckett, and Caleb are all there now, watching.
“Instead of just fucking the casino owner, marry him and have his baby.” Then I stand up straight and let my barely there tummy protrude as I give it a little rub.
“But do it for the right reasons instead of being a conniving cunt. I was going to let it go. Let you get on with your life while we live ours. But you decided to come here and try to put my husband back through hell. Let me make one thing clear.”
With the shaker in my hand, I reach across the bar and pour the dark red liquid down the front of her white dress. “I’m going to destroy you. Your reputation. Your career. Your life. Just wait, sweetheart, because you fucked with the wrong wife.”
She squeals and leaps up from the barstool while a crowd of people watches and laughs around her.
“You bitch!” she screams as she tries to shake off the drink.
“Want me to take the trash out, Mrs. Savage?” Roman asks from behind her, a barely there smile that she can’t see on his face.
“Absolutely,” I spit out as I glare at her. “I win, bitch.”
With the flick of my hand, I send the metal shaker flying in her direction. She stumbles, trying to miss it, and only just keeps from falling on her ass before Roman grabs hold of her and pushes her toward the exit.
I stride away into my husband’s arms, right where I belong.
“Jesus fucking Christ, sunshine. I want to put another baby in you right now.” He presses his lips to mine in a demanding kiss that is absolutely not appropriate for the workplace, but neither of us cares.
“I’m going to destroy her,” I say breathlessly after we pull apart.
He laughs and touches his forehead to mine. “She’s not worth it, baby. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. That’s all that matters to me.”
Narrowing my gaze at him, I pop a hand on my hip.
“Listen, buddy, you can’t become all ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ now.
I need to have my fun with at least one person before I become a mom and have to lead by example.
I get this one time to fuck someone up, and she’s who I’m going after.
Besides, Jordyn already gave me Cassian’s number. ”
Xander raises his eyebrows and leans down so his mouth hovers just over my ear.
“That’s two spankings tonight. One for calling me buddy, which I am not, I’m your husband and your Daddy, and another for having another man’s phone number.
Now, tell me you love me and I’ll let you finish your shift before I paddle your ass. ”
“I’m still gonna fuck her up. It will be worth whatever punishment you give me.” I grin up at my husband and slide my arms around his neck, loving the way he has his wrapped around my waist, holding me against him. “Also, I love you, Daddy. Today. Tomorrow. In the afterlife.”
And I mean every single word of it.
Are you ready for a man who is a little more easygoing, like Kian? Somehow I get the feeling he’s not quite as chill as he seems…