EPILOGUE

Blood—

I rested my hands on the wrought iron railing of my balcony and looked out over the courtyard and the rooftops of the Quarter beyond. The scent of bougainvillea carried to me and I breathed it in. I loved this place. The Quarter had always had a rich history of music, food, architecture, and an atmosphere all its own. It was home—always had been, always would be.

The rumble of a motorcycle echoed up through the surrounding brick buildings as a Prospect for the club rode past. The club patrolled this part of town now. Black Jack was dead, his compound burned to the ground, and his stranglehold on this Parish broken.

Drugs and prostitution weren’t completely eliminated from the area, and probably never would be, but a dark, dirty part of it was gone for good. The club had kicked up their presence, intent on not letting another dirty player step up and fill Black Jack’s void. Not today. Not ever, if I had my way.

The Death Heads were long gone, too. Word was the national officers had believed Black Jack had turned on them, not realizing we’d had any involvement. There would still be turf wars to deal with in the future, clubs always wanting to push out their territories, but not today.

“Blood, you’re missing the game!” Ghost called from the living room where a bunch of my club—correction, my family—were gathered to watch the first Saints game of the season.

Skylar stepped out on the balcony with me, her infant snuggled against her chest. “You okay, Blood?”

I gave her a smile, my finger reaching up to tickle the tiny baby’s cheek. She clutched onto it with a tight grip, and Skylar and I exchanged a laugh. “Little Bit has a strong grip.”

“Her name’s not Little Bit, Blood. It’s Rebel.”

“Well, Miss Rebel, you keeping mama up at night?”

“She’s having a hard time getting her days and nights straight, that’s for sure.” Skylar yawned.

“Here, let me hold her.” I reached for the baby, and Skylar gladly passed her over to me. I cuddled her against my chest, her little butt supported with my forearm while I cradled her back with my big hand.

Dipping my nose to the top of her downy head, I breathed in that new baby smell. It was even sweeter than the bougainvillea.

“You look good with a baby in your arms.” Skylar smiled up at me. “Maybe you should get one of your own.”

My eyes lifted to hers. It wasn’t something I’d let myself consider until now. “Think so?”

She nodded. “I do.”

“Don’t know what kind of a father I’d make.” Not two weeks ago, the idea would have been preposterous, unthinkable. Now, not so much.

“If you have love to give, that’s all you need.”

I huffed out a laugh and teased her, something I was good at. “Yeah, babe. Think the Beatles wrote a song about that.”

She punched my shoulder. “Shut up.”

I smiled down at her, and she smiled back. The baby clutched my soft black t-shirt, her toothless gums gnawing on it and leaving a wet spot. As her tiny fist found her mouth, and she suckled on it, her tiny jaw working, I thought about how life sure could change on a dime. It hadn’t been long ago that I’d sat on this very balcony and thought about how something was missing from my life, how there was a part I thought would never be filled, how I thought I’d never get beyond the pain and damage of a tortured past I thought would haunt me forever. Somehow I was starting to put it behind me with the help of a good woman—a woman who was filling that gaping hole in my life and my heart.

I glanced down and saw a car rolling into the courtyard.

Cat.

She climbed from the vehicle and glanced up, spotting us. I could see her face soften with love as she took in the scene on the balcony—me holding a baby to my chest.

She smiled up at me, her face bright as the sun, and my heart flooded with warmth.

And for the first time ever I could see a future that contained more than just the club—a future with this woman. A future that looked bright as that smile she gave me.

Cat—

I climbed from the car after just having come from the clubhouse. My sister was still staying there, refusing to be far from Undertaker. It was the only place she felt safe. He was kind, patient, and wonderful with her, and I was so grateful to him, but I knew this couldn’t go on much longer. I’d already made plans to get her counseling, I was just going to have to take it slow. Undertaker had graciously agreed to let her stay as long as she needed.

He really was sweet with her, and it was a sight to see.

I closed the car door and looked up.

Blood stood on the balcony with Skylar. They both smiled down at me. I was glad the boys had come over to spend some time before some of them would be leaving town, heading back home. Blood needed it. He’d never admit that everything that had transpired had rocked him. But I knew better.

Everything he knew to be true had been shaken, turned on its head, and that took some time to adjust to. That was okay. I’d make sure he had that time.

Now, seeing him with that baby cuddled to his chest, so tiny that his hand covered her entire back from cute little tush to the base of her wobbly neck—it did something to me. A feeling like warm honey spread through my chest and melted my heart.

I wanted to give him that—a family of his own. Maybe one day he’d be ready. Maybe, judging by the way he grinned down at me, a look of contentment on his face, it would be soon.

I know it had all happened fast, a matter of weeks really, but I also knew, rock solid and true, down to the essence of my being that I loved that man. Already I couldn’t imagine a life without him, and I hoped I never would have to. He took care of me, watched out for me, protected me, and made me feel safe in a way I knew he always would.

That was just his way, and I loved that about him. I knew I could count on him to always be there when life went sideways and things went wrong. That moment we’d shared in the shower the first time I was in his place—he’d told me to hold on to the moment, to remember it when times got rough. And I would, but I also knew there would be many more precious moments to share, other moments I could remember and take out and hold onto when times got bad.

Life held promise now—the promise I’d hoped it would hold when I’d first moved to New Orleans. I’d wanted color in my life, and now I had it. I just hadn’t expected it would come with a man who wore colors of his own on the back of his leather.

I smiled. I was good with that… more than good.

I headed inside to drink a beer and watch the Saints game with my man and the people he loved and thought of as family—people who were fast becoming family to me as well.

As I walked toward the stairs I looked up at Blood and lifted my chin to him. It was kind of our thing. He winked at me and lifted his chin in return.

And that was all I needed.

The End