“Okay.” She pauses, looking out the window at the house where she was held. “Is it over? Will he get away with saying I went crazy?”
“Nope. He’s dead. Well, he will be shortly.”
As soon as Loki climbs into the seat beside Marnie, she looks at him, and he tells Miner to drive. We’re a good distance away when he presses a button on a remote, and an explosion erupts behind us.
“That’s for my bakery, asshole.” Marnie laughs, and I chuckle too.
When we arrive home, I have Cy distract Oly so she doesn’t see her mom covered in dried blood. We sneak in through the garage and head for the bathroom. After a shower, a doctor I know shows up and looks at Marnie’s arm. He has to dig out the bullet that is logged next to her bone. She’ll have to have a brace on her arm for a bit while the bone heals.
None of us know how she was able to keep the pain from bothering her too much during the attack. It was as if she wasn’t injured. She never complained until the doctor had to numb the area to get the bullet out. My girl is tough, and I’m so proud of her.
After we get Oly in bed, I lie down, holding my girl in my arms. She hasn’t cried at all for the deaths she witnessed today. I’m waiting for it all to hit her.
“I’m sorry about Juneau. I tried to warn him that Silas was coming up behind us.”
“It’s not your fault, baby.”
“I know. It just hurts. I liked him. He was a sweet kid.”
“He was. He should have contacted backup before you got to the bakery, though.”
“It was my fault. I wanted to get there before any damage could happen.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not your fault.”
I reach down into my pocket and pull out the ring I put there after our shower.
“How did you find me so fast?” she asks the million-dollar question.
“Well, baby, I had a tracker put into your property vest.”
She turns her head to look at the leather cut tucked in a bag, waiting to be taken to the cleaner to get the blood out. I’ll get her a new one.
“That was a brilliant idea.” She turns back to me and rolls me to my back, then straddles my hips.
I grab her left hand and slide the ring onto it. “I’m not asking again. You’re mine. You and Oly are my family now.”
“Yes.” She leans down and kisses me.
I make slow, sweet love to her before she begs me for deep and dirty.
EPILOGUE
MARNIE
TWO MONTHS LATER
Istand in front of the building just down the road from the clubhouse, converted in record time. It’s bigger than my last location, with an apartment upstairs that Quinn is already living in. There are so many people here that I’m a little overwhelmed.
Rylan wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me in close. He’s been amazing. We got married a couple of weeks ago, and he’s in the process of adopting Oly. She’s in Icarus’s arms right now, who is standing beside us. Icarus, along with all the men in the club, have become family for me.
I glance at Harley, barely showing her pregnancy, and smile wide.
I look out over the parking lot. “Welcome to Thatcher French Bistro and Bakery,” I yell loud enough for everyone to hear, then turn back toward the doorway.
The full bistro has more seating and a bigger menu. I’ve hired another chef to help me, along with more staff. But I’m not letting my loyal girls go. Harley and Quinn still work for me.
We wanted to open before Christmas, but it didn’t work out, so now we’re opening right before the New Year’s holiday. I already have bread made, and I’ve refined the menu to include more bread styles while still staying true to my French roots.
