Page 46 of Find Me

She finally roared, “Phoenix.”

“Now that’s the truth,” he praised, grasping her hips, and surged into her. “Good girl.”

The crowd was forgotten, the show no longer on his mind. One hand moving to her clit while the other held on to her waist tightly, his thrusts became harder, faster, causing her to bite her lip. Her back arched again in response, pushing herself deeper onto his cock. He growled, his hands gripping her hips tighter.

He pulled out almost completely before slamming back in with hard, hungry strokes that filled the air with her screams and his groans. He held on to her hips as he drove into her, deeper and harder, his breathing harsh and ragged. His fingers danced over her clit, and her walls clenched tight around him.

“I—” she gasped.

“Yes. Come,” he growled, his voice low and commanding, as he pushed deeper still.

She cried out as pleasure washed over her, shaking from head to toe.

“Fuck,” he roared his pleasure, Penny’s walls clenching around him, drawing out every last drop, as they finished to the loud applause of the crowd.

EPILOGUE

Four months later…

Hawke leanedagainst the kitchen doorframe in the two-story redbrick home in New Rochelle, a suburb twenty-five-miles from Manhattan. His gaze fixed on Penny as she bent down to grab a bottle of wine from the rack. “Red, those jeans are going to be the death of me,” he groaned.

She stood up and laughed playfully. “Why don’t you take them off then?”

He chuckled and made his way over to her. “Don’t tempt me,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her.

Their lips met in a fiery kiss that he never wanted to end. But luck wasn’t on his side, when suddenly they were interrupted by a chorus of cheers and whistles. They broke apart to see Elise and Archer grinning at them.

“Get a room, you two,” Elise teased.

Penny took a step back, while Hawke just laughed and pulled her tighter against him. It was no secret to their friends how their love had bloomed. They’d all seen the whirlwind of the last four months. They’d also bought a house together. He would have proposed by now. He already bought the ring, but he didn’t want to rush her. They had forever. She washis, and she needed time.

“Come on, lovebirds,” Archer said, gesturing to the backyard. “Rhys is about to give his speech.”

As they stepped outside, he was wowed by what Penny and Elise had done to their yard. Paper lanterns in vibrant hues swayed from the trees, casting a warm glow over the whole backyard. Upbeat music pulsed through the air, as every person Hawke had met through Rhys came to celebrate his and Penny’s housewarming. Ronan and Nessa, Kieran and Hazel, Hunt and Lottie, Rhys and Zoey, as well as all their children, and all of the Phoenix security team filled the backyard with laughter.

Rhys suddenly whistled. All eyes turned to the man who had brought them all together. The very reason he now had this wonderful chosen family.

“We are so glad to be here celebrating Hawke and Penny’s new house,” Rhys began, his smooth voice carrying easily across the yard. His gaze swept over his friends, landing for a moment on Hawke and Penny. “But I also have an announcement to make, and with Hawke and Penny’s blessing, and with all of us together, now seemed like the best time.” Rhys’s expression grew serious, though his eyes remained warm. “As you know, my priority is protecting my family. With everything that has happened, I’ve made the difficult decision to sell Phoenix.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Hawke knew why—the club had been the cornerstone of Rhys’s empire for over a decade.

“This wasn’t an easy choice,” Rhys continued. “Phoenix has been my passion and my refuge. But some things are more important.” Rhys’s eyes flicked to his wife and children and softened. “The club is where we all came together. It will always hold a special place in my heart, as I know it does in yours. But now, it’s time for new adventures for us.” Rhys raised his glass, looking across the crowd. “To the future, and the family we choose.”

“Hear, hear!” Glasses clinked in agreement—the end of an era, and the beginning of something new.

As the chatter of the crowd resumed, Hawke turned to Archer, putting a voice to a thought he’d recently had. “Perhaps it’s time we start that private security company we’ve joked about.”

Archer paused and nodded. “It’s not a horrible idea for us to go into private security. And with Phoenix closing, we have a whole team at our disposal.”

Penny smiled. “You know I’m in.”

“We’d be lucky to have you,” Archer said, wrapping an arm around Elise’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Archer,” Penny said with a sweet smile.

Hawke pulled her close, pride swelling in his chest. With Penny by his side, he knew they could build something great. Something that made a difference.

“And me too,” Elise said. “It’d be a new start for all of us.”

As Archer and Elise began talking about the new undertaking, Hawke gazed at Penny, his heart warming as he saw her beaming smile at Elise and scanned all the faces around her. He’d remembered what it felt like to find his chosen family. First, in the Navy SEALs, and then with his friends in Phoenix.

He cradled Penny close and pressed a kiss to her hair, breathing her in. “You’re happy,” he stated.

Penny melted into his embrace, her body molding against him. “I’m happy.”

Tilting her chin up, he asked, “You ready for this new adventure with me?” he murmured. “Whatever the future holds for us?”

She smiled up at him. “Always. I love you,” she whispered.

Hawke cupped her chin, brushing his lips against hers. “I love you, Red. Always.”