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Ruin exhales hard. “Todd Rogers is on the move. The Edwards assholes went quiet after Chip disappeared, but they might regroup. Our safety remains in flux, and we have more to lose now. However, I feel more like the man I was in my twenties.”
“You mean, ready to hack enemies to death to make a point?”
“Exactly,” he says and smirks. “But I’m not that guy anymore, either. I have Selene and Joie. I can’t help going soft, I guess. They need me to do more than kill for them.”
Nodding, I get his meaning. Now in our forties, we might feel as powerful as ever, but we’ve changed. Not all the guys or Goose will want to walk down our paths. Relationships don’t interest most of them, but Ruin was open to it for Joie. Now, he’s gotten himself a woman worth suffering for.
As I return home to Landry, I know she’s mine. Even when I worry she’ll leave, I never suffer any doubt over whether I’ll miss her. She’s everything I need. Not many women could put up with me. Many men were blind to the prize they had with her. Together, we fit just right.
I find her in the family room, holding Brigitte against her chest while Brooklyn leans half on her lap. Blair and Beau are shoved together in a chair, watching the old cartoon “Dumbo.” Beckett is stretched out on the other end of the couch with his feet resting on his mama’s thigh. They look so comfortable. Despite less than two months here, they view this house as their home.
Entering the room, I notice how their gazes warm at the sight of me. Landry smiles as if I’m the sexiest motherfucker she’s ever known. The kids seem relieved to know I’m nearby.
I was born into one dysfunctional family before ending up with another one. My time living at the Pigsty offered me the friendship and acceptance I lacked, yet I also craved the soft kind of family I never had with either set of parents.
Now, I rest in the recliner near Beau and Blair and smile at Landry. In my heart, I admire the family I hoped for back when I was hiding in the woods behind that little house in Beehive Ridge.
LANDRY’S EPILOGUE
Ayear after Silasenters my life, I officially become his wife. First, we jump through the many legal hoops to get my divorce approved without my “missing” husband’s participation.
The wedding takes place at the Pigsty. When Wynonna suggests the location, I figure she’s messing with me. But once I get a look at the former lodge with its lush backyard and gorgeous view, I immediately picture a perfect kid-friendly event.
My simple white dress leaves me feeling like a princess but also allows for carrying babies and rounding up toddlers. Silas looks like the most delicious sin in his buttoned-up black shirt and slacks. His hair is tied back, showing off his beautiful baby blues. As I walk down the aisle with my babies, I’m in awe of the man who noticed, stalked, and claimed me.
That evening, surrounded by the club and our friends, Silas and I make our family official. I take his name like Brigitte and Brooklyn already have.
“Would you like my last name?” Silas asks Blair at our wedding reception.
My daughter’s face says everything. She loves her new father, calls him “Dad,” trusts him enough to spit sass from time to time, and seeks him out for comfort after a bad day. Of course, she wants to legally become his daughter. Soon, all of my babies will share the same name.
Beckett and Brooklyn never ask about Neal. I doubt they understood his relationship to them. The little ones don’t ask about any of the Copper family. After the first few months, they never mention the old house.
Beau flourishes in his new life. He attends the special preschool class, giving him a chance to engage with non-siblings. Plus, a student from the women’s college comes out twice a week to work with him. We put up a schedule for Beau to follow and a communication board for him to explain what he wants. I also work with a specialist to learn how to react consistently to his behavior.
Thanks to Silas, I’m able to become a better mom. No longer just getting by, I can spend quality time with each child. I never got to be alone with Brooklyn or Beckett. Now, I can take him to the park or her to the indoor playground.
