Epilogue
Ashley – Four Months Later
“Okay Socks, I need you to put on your best cute face you can think of, meaning no hissing, no fighting with Ginger, we want Ty to instantly fall in love with you and we need Dirty to fiddle with the vets cameras otherwise me and Brit will be in big dog doo-doo,” I say to the one year old female cat that was brought into the vet office three days ago with her tail cut off and bleeding.
Her owner was demanding I stitch her up so he can take her back to his kids who had actually caused the cats accident as we walk up to the front door, Socks looking at me like I’m crazy.
The little shits had actually cut the tail with garden scissors, and the dad didn’t even care.
After giving her surgery, there was no way I was leaving her to go back with that family, so I may have lied about her dying to the family, that she’d lost too much blood, and I can’t even feel bad for it, especially when Brit was looking at me with pride.
I swear the woman is a bad influence.
Anyway, the owners think she’s dead, the kids are in shock and hopefully they’ll never do this again but the mother is wanting proof via CCTV because I claimed she was too much of a mess for them to see her meaning I need Dirty’s help.
Brit said she’ll speak to him so I can sweet talk my husband into keeping her because hers has put his foot down where animals are concerned for now anyway.
I walk into the house and smile slightly.
We’ve redecorated it, Ty and I, together, and yes, we did end up having sex a lot throughout our decorating experience, covered in paint, a lot of laughter always echoing.
It brought us closer together. I mean, don’t get me wrong —it’s only been four months since I said we could try, and there are days when I’ll pull back from him out of habit, out of fear, but he’ll instantly pull me back in.
He knows I don’t trust him just yet, and he understands it, just like the brothers see why I’m still barely at the clubhouse. Though I do speak to them more now, even if I still also don’t trust them.
Baby steps.
I gently put Socks on the floor so she can sniff around, and I sigh with relaxation, looking forward to a family evening with Ty, Cole, and Tyson, who has been home for three months now, weighing a whopping seven pounds, which is just amazing really.
The boy is a fighter and loves his big brother.
I slowly toe off my shoes and groan with satisfaction, the past month returning to work kicking my butt.
I’m not back full-time, honestly, I’ll probably never go back full-time after Ty begged me not to, but the little reprieve to work with animals —it’s a perfect balance between homelife and work life.
Again, things haven’t always been easy, especially when it came to my work, but as we learned in therapy, we sat down and spoke about it, just like when we sat down and talked about Hazel’s jabs. She actually met me at the end of the driveway and apologized looking terrified.
Guess the brothers threatened her place at the club.
I smile slightly seeing Socks sniff Ty’s boots and despite the fact we’re taking things slowly, I feel settled, at peace even.
I look up as I put my keys on the dish and pause, seeing a long, silk off white dress with a note demanding, ‘wear me and meet me outside,’ and I furrow my brows in confusion as I gently grab the dress up while my heart flutters.
For the past four months, every day Ty does something special, whether it’s a picnic in the gazebo or a bubble bath with him or demanding I spend time at the tattoo shop.
He showers me with so much attention, and he’s makes sure I don’t second-guess my decision, even when he goes on a run, he facetimes several times.
He’s made me fall in love with him all over again and though the pain still lingers, it isn’t as noticeable lately.
Shaking my head as a small smile appears, I go to the bathroom in his study and quickly change, smiling when I see how amazing the dress fits, clinging to all my natural curves, the slit down the middle of my breasts adding to the sexiness, making me feel amazing.
Damn, the man did good and I have to admit, I’m looking forward to him taking it off later, preferably with his tongue licking between the slit.
In between my legs throbs with need for my husband and I grin like a loon at my thoughts. I go to walk out of his study but pause, seeing a pair of silver wedges with a single pink rose on top of them near his bookcase, and I swear this man…
With my eyes tearing, I pick the rose up and smell it before slipping my feet into my sandals, then walk out of his office and head for the garden, knowing he’ll most likely be at our gazebo.
“Ty?” I question as I walk out of the kitchen, then look up, but freeze when I see brothers filling the garden, the women looking at me with tears, and my stomach tightens when I notice them all in fancy clothing and it all hits me all at once.
Oh my…
I look towards the gazebo, and I suck in a breath with shock.
Ty stands at the top wearing dress pants, a white button-down shirt, and his cut, Cole standing next to him, dressed the same but with a blazer and a big grin on his face, while Tyson is in his dad's arms on the other side of him, Doc standing between them.
He just planned a wedding that we didn’t have.
“Tyler…” I whisper, full of emotion, as I notice flowers everywhere, petals lacing the floor, and his smile is wide as I slowly walk over to them while the brothers all look at me with pride and Scar meets me at the bottom of the steps, and we lock eyes.
“I know I’m not your blood dad, but I see you as my daughter, I always have, and I’ve always thought your parents were idiots for not being a part of your life,” he says, and I sniffle.
I haven’t spoken or seen Mama since that one chance meeting.
Last I heard, she and Daddy packed up and moved after being shunned from their community when everyone learned I was indeed alive.
“Would you give me the honor of giving you away?” Scar asks full of emotion, and I nod as he moves his arm, and I hook my hand over his elbow before he guides me up the steps towards my husband. He gently passes my hand over to him, and Ty grips mine tightly while I hold the rose in my other hand.
“What did you do?” I whisper with surprise, and he rasps, “Finally giving you the wedding you deserve...”
Damn this man, my man…
My eyes tear up, and he grips my hand tighter as Doc announces, “Brothers, today, we’re finally here to witness the reunion of our brother and his one and only, a woman in the eyes of the club, a club princess.”
The brothers all cheer, and I giggle, looking out to the crowd Brit catching my eye as she gives me a thumbs up with Rose practically jumping next to her before looking back at Ty as my tears fall, and he steps closer to me.
Tyson babbles behind us while Cole grins widely and Doc says, “Tyler…”
My husband cups my cheek, and he chokes, “I made a huge mistake. I lost you, I lost our family, and I didn’t realize what I had until it was gone. I took you for granted, pixie. I took your love for granted, and I hurt you, something I will never forgive myself for doing.”
My mouth parts as I shake my head, hating that he’s still beating himself up over it when we promised to try but he continues before I can say anything, “I have loved you since I was ten years old, I have grown with you, I have watched you become this amazing, strong woman willing to do anything to make things easier for me, for our kids, I have fallen even deeper in love with you when I never thought that was possible.”
He smiles slightly as he brings up a ring I recognize, it’s one I pointed out to him years ago, the diamonds shining, and letting go of my cheek, he slowly grabs my left hand and glides it on my finger, before taking my old wedding ring off and putting it back where it belongs, and more tears fall at how right they feel.
“Today, I make a vow to never let you have to fight on your own, to never leave you to deal with your emotions by yourself, to never, never, hurt you again, and always put you first because, I love you, Ashley, I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” I choke, my emotions flooding through me.
Doc clears his throat as he announces with such emotions, “I now pronounce you once again, not just husband and wife, but Ashley, you are family, you are a club princess and we will never take you for granted again, never take your trust for granted and we will always put you first, never forget that,” I let out a sob, realizing this is their way of pulling me back in and he demands, “Trigger, kiss your bride.”
Ty cups my cheek and presses his lips against mine in a hard, bruising kiss, and I melt into him as I grip his cut, and everyone cheers just as we hear smashing glass and hissing and I freeze.
Ah crap, I forgot about Socks…
“Pixie?” Ty whispers against my lips and I smile as we lock eyes, trying to act all innocent and hum, “Yes, my husband?”
“Where did that damn cat with white paws chasing Ginger come from?” he asks, not removing his lips from mine, and I nip his bottom lip.
“You married me again, no take backs,” I instantly state, and laughter surrounds us as Tyler grins wide, causing me to smile as he pulls back a little and demands, “You want to keep the cat, you need to wear your cut again, every. single. day.”
My eyes race between his, and I nod and agree, “Okay,” and absolute relief etches from him as his shoulders drop and the club erupts again. Ty kisses me yet again as Cole wraps his arms around us and we both smile, Tyson's babbles hitting our ears.
I know things still won’t be easy and this is his way of giving me everything I dreamed of but honestly, forgiving him, it will become one of the best decisions I ever made.
He’ll prove to me I’m his only reason for waking up and despite the threats, despite the fact we were told I may never get pregnant and his struggles with his guilt and depression, in a few years after a very stressful and terrifying pregnancy, I give birth to a healthy baby girl.
She’ll making us a family of five with several animals and so goddamn happy.
While I never forget what he did, and that I sometimes had my doubts, I finally learned to forgive him and the club, bringing us even closer than I ever thought we could be and we get to live out our happily ever after…