This is everything.
"I love you," she whispers when we finally break apart.
"I love you too. More than anything. More than my own life."
"Take me home."
"We are home."
She shakes her head.
"No. Our home. Our house. I want to sleep in our bed. Just us. Just tonight. No clubhouse, no noise, no anything. Just you and me."
I smile.
The first real smile in what feels like forever. "Yeah. Okay. Let's go home."
We walk toward my truck, her hand in mine.
Behind us, the club is celebrating.
Cheers and laughter and the release of tension that's been building for weeks.
Brothers embracing.
Ol’ ladies crying with relief.
The sound of victory.
But we don't join them.
Not tonight.
Tonight is just for us.
For the future we almost lost.
For the life we're finally going to build.
EPILOGUE
Ingrid
Two weeks later.
Valentine's Day.
My wedding day.
I stand in front of the mirror in the room that used to be mine, staring at a woman I almost don't recognize.
Not because of the bruises this time.
Those have faded to nothing—just faint yellow shadows that disappeared days ago.
No, I don't recognize myself because I look happy.
Radiant.
