Epilogue
A month later
I ran out to meet Cole at the curb where he sat on his bike in front of Jupiter. He’d come to pick me up from my last day of work.
My mentality about things had changed since the last and final incident with Jake. Life was short and I was determined to make the most of every moment. That included quitting a job that I’d been phoning in for years. I was going back to school for nursing. I wanted to do something bigger with my life. I wanted to do something I could be proud of, that my family could be proud of.
I was in my second trimester now and my body had started to visibly change. I had slightly bigger breasts and a small bump that grew day by day. Cole assured me every day that I looked more beautiful than ever as I fretted over getting fat.
“You’re not going to get fat, babe,” he’d always tell me. “You’re pregnant and you look fucking sexy as hell.”
I believed him since he proved on a daily basis that he thought so. I could barely keep him off me long enough to get anything done.
I accepted the helmet from his outreached hand and kissed him before hopping up behind him. We roared off, and I felt the same rush I always did when I was with him on the bike.
The last month had been a time for recovery. I’d had nightmares for the first couple of weeks after Jake had been killed. Cole had woken with me each and every time and held me until I settled back in. His unconditional support and unyielding patience was largely how I’d made it to the other side. The guys had all been amazing, too. Despite Cole’s aggravation at me for pulling my stunt with Jake, the guys all seemed to think it was pretty badass. I’d always had their respect, but now I seemed to have it tenfold.
Cal in particular had become more of a presence. He and I continued to forge a bond that had been born from a love of my father, and it continued through our mutual love of his son. Cole and I had dinner with him at least once a week, and I watched as their bond of father and son grew stronger.
Aside from my own healing, the last month had been spent healing Kat’s wounds as well. Sal had taken off a week after Jake died. He told her he needed some space and had been vague about where he was going or if he’d be coming back. She was understandably devastated. Cole seemed as baffled as the rest of us, but was confident that Sal would “get his shit straight” as he put it. Kat was determined not to wait around. She felt like he’d jerked her around enough already. But he was her first love and it would take time.
She stayed with us for the first few days but had quickly moved into the studio apartment that Cole and I had helped her find. The old place had too many memories, she needed a fresh start. I was concerned with how quickly she seemed to want to move past it all. She needed time to grieve, but I just tried to support her as best I could. She still hung around with the guys sometimes, but it seemed to remind her too much of Sal for the time being. She and I largely did our own thing when I wasn’t with Cole. Day by day it seemed to get easier for her.
For my part, I finally felt like all my demons had been laid to rest. Jake and everything that came with him was dead and gone. Cole and I were building a life together, a life I was living every second of. My past was no longer baggage I had to bear the weight of, it was simply that, my past. I could bring my parents back into the light and not bury them deep in a place that no one could touch. Instead, they were all around us. They were in the photos that Cal had given us that we’d since hung up in our home. They were in the stories Cal told. They’d be in our child’s smile.
My father had met a violent end, but I knew with certainty that he had peace now that I had Cole--a man who cared for me above all else, what else could a father want for his daughter?
The bike rumbled down our street and I grinned as our house came into view. I’d been able to convince Cole to stay in it for now. I’d had enough upheaval and I just wanted to settle. For now we had more than enough room, we could always expand later.
Chief greeted us enthusiastically as he always did when we walked in the door. He had quickly become an irreplaceable part of our family, I couldn’t imagine life without him.
I looked around our welcoming home and sighed in contentment.
“Happy, baby?” Cole asked, coming to stand behind me and as he so often did and he placed his hands on my belly.
“Yeah, honey, more than I ever imagined I’d be.” I smiled, turning my face to look into his gorgeous blue eyes.
“It’s just the beginning you know,” he said with a grin.
He was right, our story was just beginning and I promised myself I’d enjoy every second of the ride.