Epilogue

 

Abe

 

Several months later…

 

“What did you decide to do, wear your ugly Christmas tie?” I ask my brother Gabriel when he meets me outside of the church in a suit with snowmen on his bright red tie.

Dark eyes just like mine look me up and down, taking in my black button-down shirt with black jeans and boots, and then he snorts derisively. “You’re supposed to wear a suit to church, man, especially on Christmas. I know Mercy has explained this to you at some point.”

“I don’t own a suit. Hell, she bought me this shirt. The first time I met her and her mom here for the service I wore one of my t-shirts. Apparently, some of these old birds were scandalized,” I say with a grin as I clap my brother on his arm, then join the line of people slowly making their way into the chapel.

“Mercy and her mom already inside?” Gabe asks.

“Yeah, they’re in there with the camera crew, getting some shots of the holiday service for the show,” I tell him. “Thanks for agreeing to come with me and be a part of this. I still get a little nervous about the cameras, you know?”

“You afraid you’re gonna forget they’re watching and try to adjust your junk on film?” Gabe says with a laugh. “I still can’t believe Torin agreed to this. He really must be in a better mood lately.”

“Yeah, he was cool as long as there were no cameras in any of the club’s private areas and no club business got discussed around the crews,” I agree. “He knew it was a personal favor to me too. I want Mercy to be successful; and if that means going along with this for a few months, I can deal with it.”

“Put your game face on,” Gabe says in mock seriousness as he holds the door to the chapel open for me. “Your adoring fans are waiting.”

Mercy and her mother are just inside with the camera crew, who instantly focus on my brother and I as we enter. With a huge grin, I stomp over and gather Mercy into a hug, giving her a brief kiss.

“She okay, Red?” I whisper to Mercy.

“My mother will be fine. She’s gotten used to you, so meeting Gabe should be easy,” Mercy mumbles in reply before breaking our embrace. “Gabe, thank you so much for coming tonight!” Mercy gushes as she gives my brother a hug.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Gabe tells her. “I love seeing my brother with you and feeling like a part of your family.”

“Well, isn’t he a polite one,” Mercy’s mom says from behind her.

“Gabriel, this is my mother Loretta,” Mercy introduces them, using his fancy biblical name before stepping aside to snuggle up to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Gabe says sincerely, holding out his hand to Loretta. “Your daughter is a treasure, and I can see where she gets her looks!”

“Oh, thank you, Gabriel. What a beautiful name for a beautiful face,” Loretta says with a smile as she pulls Gabe in for a hug. “I have to tell you it’s good to see more of your kind joining us here at worship.”

Mercy pokes me in the side, and I realize I’m scowling at the mention of your kind, but Gabe doesn’t seem the least bit flustered. Mercy steps away and takes her mother’s arm, turning her towards the rows of pews.

“Shall we go find a place to sit?” Mercy asks, guiding her away under the camera’s watchful eye.

Gabe watches them walk away before turning to me and giving me a half-hearted shrug.

“Your kind,” I snort as I watch Mercy and her mother walk away.

“Abe, it’s fine…” my brother tells me quietly.

“I know,” I snort. “I just don’t like her lumping you in automatically as a biker because you’re with me. Hell, you look good in that suit; and if I didn’t know you, I’d think you were a lawyer or something.”

Gabe just stares at me silently for a long moment before shaking his head and laughing. “Come on, bro, let’s get down there with the ladies before they pick up any more super fans like that dude, Joseph. What happened to him anyway? He still in jail?”

“Oh, yeah. Once he got extradited back to North Carolina, he took a plea to three years, which Mercy was happy about. She didn’t want to have to go to court and see that little bastard anymore. He won’t be a problem for her again. I’m pretty sure I knocked all the love and affection right out of that…”

“Language, please!” Loretta interrupts as we stop beside the pew where she and Mercy are sitting.

“Sorry, Mrs. Daniels,” I grumble as I scoot past her to sit with Mercy.

“Sit here, dear,” Loretta tells Gabe, patting the bench just beside her. As my brother sits down and adjusts his suit jacket with a smile, I put my arm around Mercy and lean in close to take a deep breath of her mango scent.

“They seem to be getting along well,” I whisper.

“I know. Isn’t that awesome?” Mercy gushes. “It may just be because we’re in church. Mom is always on her best behavior here,” she tells me in a low, soft voice.

I watch the camera crews get settled around the area as the producer and his staff walk around, talking to the parishioners and making sure they’re ok with being a part of the filming.

“I’ll be glad when this part of the show is all over,” I grumble, shifting uncomfortably on the hard pew.

“Oh, Abe, tell me the truth. Has my Big, Bad, Biker Boyfriend been awful for you? I know you’re not used to all of this, and you’ve been so good about everything,” Mercy says, looking worried.

“No, Red, that’s not what I meant,” I reply. “I’m just ready to get onto the next part of the series.”

“The next part?” Mercy asks with an adorable little puzzled crease in her brow.

I catch the gaze of the producer, Ryan, and wave him over to us. “You got that paperwork ready for her to take a look at yet?” I ask him when he slides into the pew beside us.

“Almost!” Ryan says with excitement. “The network suits loved the idea. Mercy, what did you think? Does it sound like something you want to do?”

“What do I think of what?” Mercy says in exasperation, looking between the two of us.

“You didn’t ask her yet?” Ryan asks, his eyes widening.

“Well, I wanted to check out the set a little more, see what my brother thought, you know…” I say innocently, waving my arm to encompass the entire church.

“What are you talking about?” Mercy laughs, poking me in the ribs.

“I’m talking about where we should film our Big, Bad Biker Wedding…if, you know, that’s something you might be interested in doing down the line,” I tell Mercy with a grin.

“Are you trying to propose to me right now?” Mercy gasps, her eyes threatening to water.

“Well, I would want you to read the paperwork first, and…” I begin, before Mercy throws her arms around my neck, choking off my words.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Mercy exclaims. “A thousand times, yes,” she continues, before grabbing my beard and pulling me in for a kiss.

“Well, that’s great!” Ryan says, edging away from us. “I’ll make sure we get the paperwork and…yeah, I’ll leave you guys alone,” he finishes lamely, standing up and nodding to the cameramen to make sure they’re capturing everything.

“Oh, god,” Mercy says as she breaks our kiss. “I just realized, I’m never going to hear the end of this from Sasha!”

I bark out a laugh before agreeing. “You and me both, Red. Honestly, though, I don’t think I would ever let her forget. I want her to remember that she introduced me to you and gave me the gift that the MC always promised — love and a family to call my own. I love you, Red, in ways I never knew I could. Thank you, for everything.”

“Stop it, big guy,” Mercy tells me as she swipes at her eyes. “You’re gonna make me cry in front of the cameras.”

“Let it all out, baby,” I reassure her. “Your fans will eat it up, and everyone watching will know once and for all that you’re my Queen.”

 

The End