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Rubble gestured for it to be handed over, and Jupiter’s eyes bugged at the payout. “Twenty million dollars.” She let out a string of curses that’d rival a sailor. “No wonder he wanted me gone so badly. I was worth more dead than alive.”
“I’ll let you sort out this information.” Neffenger stood. “I’m in town until Friday if you have questions.”
Jupiter didn’t see her lawyer leave, but she heard Rubble quietly thank him before the door shut. Too many thoughts filtered through her mind. The truth hurt, but it also set her free.
“Hey, you okay?”
She turned in her seat and noticed the concern in his eyes. A man like Rubble didn’t come around every lifetime. “I can’t accept the money.”
“I know.”
“And you’re okay with that?” She pointed to the paperwork. “It’s a shit ton of money. Not only the insurance, but the assets. It’d set us up for life.”
Rubble scooted to the edge of his chair and searched her eyes. “I don’t need money to be happy, I just need you.”
Her heart swelled and she pressed her lips to his. “Me too.”
He rested his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes. She’d never been one to rely on a man, but he was worth it. He wouldn’t leave her, let alone hurt her.
“What do you think about Macha sponsoring a shelter for women and children who were treated like I was? I can’t think of a better use for the money.”
Rubble tilted up her chin and lightly kissed her. “I think Macha would be proud. I know I am.”
Jupiter sighed, her heart overflowing with love for the man in front of her. She tugged on his unruly beard as she kissed him back. Their pasts didn’t matter anymore. Only their future did. And she planned on one hell of a long future with this Macha man.
EPILOGUE
RUBBLE
Four months.It was how long he’d known Jupiter Quinn. He didn’t regret one moment of it either. He snorted. Well, except perhaps how long it took him to fall for her.If I could go back, I’d love her sooner.
He flipped off the lights to the garage, the larger ones flickering slightly. He made a mental note to order a new set and have the prospects install them before they burnt out. The last thing the club needed was a shop in arrears for repairs.
Locking the side door, he glanced toward Booze & Tattoos. The neon light shone through the early spring evening, but he wouldn’t join his fellow brothers. Not tonight. Tonight, he had something special planned for Jupiter. A private birthday party for her. He hadn’t learned when her birthday was until after the day, so he promised to make up for lost time.
Rubble trudged through the snow to the clubhouse, waving at Dolly and Brewer shooting pool with two nymphs. The brother-sister duo had yet to uncover anything damning about Shovelhead, but both were eager and wouldn’t let the club down.
Glancing around the clubhouse, he couldn’t help but grin. This was his family whether he liked them all the time or not. Snoopy and Legs were in a heated argument in the corner of the room, and a prospect had his arms full with two nymphs, no doubt promising to make their night unforgettable. Cueball and Hawk were at the tattoo parlor while Klink ran the bar. He missed seeing their faces but would catch up with them later.
He walked down the hall and saw Reaper trying to steal a spaghetti noodle from the pot. Queenie playfully swatted his hand away with a wooden spoon before he pulled her in for a kiss. Their no-nonsense relationship was beautiful. Nobody really knew their origin story, but only heard tidbits over the years. He’d bet good money it was a killer one.
Rounding the bend, he noticed Doc and Isa in the den, both cooing over the tiny clothes from their recent baby shower. A tightness gripped his chest at the sight. He’d never have guessed he’d want one. Hell, he probably couldn’t have any, but somewhere inside, he craved a child with Jupiter’s olive-green eyes and maybe even his dark hair. He put a hand to his bald head and smirked.Well, it used to be.
Shaking the thought aside, he climbed the first set of stairs. He passed Kevlar on the way. Nikita was hanging on his back like a kid. He didn’t have to ask where they were going in such a hurry. It was scribbled all over their faces.
Finally, he made it to Jupiter’s floor. She kept her room despite spending every night in his. He wouldn’t pressure her. She’d move in permanently when she was ready. He’d wait. He’d waited his whole life for this woman, so he could wait a little longer.
Rubble eyed his jeans and long-sleeved blue shirt. Getting all gussied up wasn’t in his repertoire, but he tried his damnedest to look acceptable. He patted the ring box in his front pocket for the hundredth time that day.Still there.
Turning the knob, he held his breath and stepped over the threshold. Jupiter was sitting at the desk facing the window, laptop open.
“Hey, you. How was work?” she asked, not looking up from the screen. It was all she’d done the last month. The manager of the trust Nikita founded reached out about Jupiter’s story and asked her to join their cause. Since then, she’d been diligently writing out her own experience in order to help others.
“Same old stuff, different day.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He’d learned to wait until she finished her thought before trying to have a conversation. Talking didn’t work well when she was on a roll.
After a minute, Jupiter closed the laptop and turned the swivel chair around. “My, my, don’t you look nice tonight.” She wiggled her brows. “Any special reason?”
Her gaze drifted over him, and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth when she stopped at the bulge in his jeans. He couldn’t help rocking a semi hard-on when she was around.
