Page 58 of My Single Dad Biker

Eventually Katherine shivers and I take her inside. We lock the doors and go upstairs and get in my bed and she falls asleep with her head on my chest.

I lie awake for a while listening to her breathe and thinking about everything. About the fact that ten days ago I didn't know her and now I can't imagine my life without her. About Louis asleep down the hall who has started calling her Katherine instead of Ms. Hayes when we're at home. About the club solid and ready. About Bloomfield under protection.

About the fact that I told her I love her and she said it back and now everything is different and exactly right.

This is it. This is the life. Danger and domesticity and love all woven together in ways that can't be separated.

And I wouldn't change any of it.

I finally fall asleep with Katherine warm against me and the certainty in my chest that whatever comes next, we'll face it together.

Because she's mine. And I'm hers.

And that's all that matters.

Epilogue — Katherine

Eighteen Months Later

I'm standing at the stove flipping pancakes when Holt's hand slides around my waist from behind.

"You're going to make me burn these," I say.

"You've never burned a pancake in your life."

"There's always a first time."

His mouth finds the spot behind my ear that makes me shiver and I elbow him gently in the ribs. He doesn't move. Just stands there with his chest against my back and his coffee mug in his free hand like this is a perfectly reasonable way to spend Saturday morning.

"Louis is going to come down any second," I say.

"Let him."

I flip the last pancake and turn off the burner. Holt's still pressed against me and when I turn my head his mouth is right there. He tastes like coffee and I kiss him longer than I should with our nine-year-old's footsteps already starting overhead.

The ring on my left hand catches the light when I reach up to touch his jaw. Six months married and I still notice it every time. Simple white gold band that matches the one he wears. We got them the same day we signed the papers at the courthouse with just Louis and Clint as witnesses because neither of us wanted to wait for a ceremony we didn't need.

Holt pulls back when Louis's footsteps hit the stairs. His hand stays on my waist for another three seconds before he lets go and picks up his coffee like nothing happened.

Louis appears in the doorway wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt that's getting too small. He's growing so fast I can't keep up. Almost ten now. Taller every time I measure him against the doorframe. Face changing into something that looks more like his father every month.

"Pancakes ready?" he asks.

"Just finished."

He climbs into his chair at the table and I bring the plate over. Holt serves Louis first like always, then me, then himself. The routine is so automatic now I don't think about it anymore.

Louis drowns his stack in syrup while I'm still cutting mine. Holt eats his in precise squares like he's been doing since the first time I made these two years ago.

"Dad," Louis says through a mouthful.

"Swallow first."

Louis swallows. "Can we go to the hardware store after this? I need wood for my science project."

"What project?"

"Birdhouse. We have to build something that helps the environment."