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“Is this really ours?” I whisper.
He nods. “It’s not all finished, we wanted you to pick out some furniture, but there are ten bedrooms and nine baths, a pool out back, a gym, a garage, two offices, a library, a game room, a basement, and so much more. It’s home, love, however you want to make it that.”
“Home,” I murmur, as arms wrap around me from behind.
“Our home,” Kenzo whispers excitedly. “An opportunity to be nothing like our father. It will be filled with laughter and, hell, probably bloodshed, but I can’t wait, can you?” he offers wistfully.
I swallow as I look around again. I can feel them all watching me for a reaction. This couldn’t have been easy to do, but now that I’m here, they are right, it feels like home. I love the apartment, but it would be nice to have more space. I almost snort at that. Jesus, when did an apartment not become enough for me?
To think I was once a girl living in a flat situated above a bar. It feels like a fairy tale, only these boys aren’t the heroes. They are the villains…even in the bedroom.
It only makes me love them more.
With them next to me, I turn and take in their eyes. “You keep saying you don’t want to be like your father.” I look to Kenzo and Ryder. “Your mother.” I look to Diesel. “Your anger and hate.” I look at Garrett then. “But the question isn’t who you don’t want to be, but who you do want to be. I think you’ve finally decided,” I whisper, tears in my eyes. “And so have I. I want to be yours.”
When you find love, you hold on hard. It’s a fragile little thing, and once it’s gone, it leaves a hole and memories, we all know that. Ones you wish you could relive, but from every love, you learn something. Something important.
From my mother, I learned to be strong.
From my father, I learned to embrace pain.
From Rich, I learned to love while it lasts and that endings aren’t always a bad thing.
From my Vipers, I learned love is unconditional and can come at the strangest of times and places.
And from myself? I learned it’s okay to love yourself. Even the darkest parts of you. No matter the shape, size, or weirdness you came with. Embrace your scars and never be ashamed to be who you are, because there is only one of you.
And if you don’t love you, how can anyone else?
I am imperfectly perfect. I am a lover and a fighter. I am strong and weak. I can be cruel and a killer, but also kind and a healer. I am all of those things, and loving my weaknesses means I can embrace my strengths and be just whom I want to be.
With their arms around me and our new house over our heads, I have hope. Hope for a better future, and hope that, for the first time, the darkness might just be a good thing.
I am theirs.
They are mine.
And it’s time to start our lives together.
Epilogue
ROXY
Six months later…
“Where are we going?” I ask for the eighth time. I had been busy setting up the last bits in the fifteenth Rich’s bar. That’s right, fifteenth—they were a hit. Taking off so rapidly I didn’t even know what to do. I guess now I’m also rich. Not that the guys care, they still spoil me like they are making up for a lifetime of neglect.
I let them of course.
The last six months have been a whirlwind. We moved into our house a couple of months back, and it’s not quite finished yet, but it’s fucking close. I love it, waking up every day there and having breakfast with my men. Ryder is still super busy with work and running the city. Garrett has three new gyms now, and spends most of his days helping underprivileged and street kids get new opportunities and find ways out of their difficult lives.
Diesel…well, Diesel is Diesel. He spends his days inventing new torturing toys for me and anyone who crosses us. We will never go legit with me, after all. There is just so much fun and money had to be bad.
Kenzo opened his twentieth casino the other week, and there was a big grand opening where we were pictured shaking hands and kissing. Fuck, it even went international in advertising. If anyone ever knew what we truly where…I almost laugh, making Kenzo look over and wink at me.
Which brings me to today. They kidnapped me from the bar and dragged me to the car. “I swear to fucking God, you assholes, I will still kick your asses. Where are we going?” I snap again, as we pull up into an underground parking lot. They all seem excited. Diesel is nearly bouncing in his seat, and as soon as we stop, he’s out and dragging me after him.
The others laugh as we head up some stairs, and when it turns into marble floors, I frown. We head to an office at the back. It’s late, so I’m surprised when we open the door to see an old, grey-haired man in judge’s clothes sitting behind this desk.
