The tears fall as he leans in and kisses me, his lips soft and warm against mine. The kiss is slow, tender, filled with all the things we can’t put into words. When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine and I can see the pain in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers. “I wasn’t there to protect you. Seeing you hurt like this... it’s killing me, Rose.”
I shake my head, my hands moving to his cheeks. “Don’t,” I say softly. “Don’t blame yourself. I’m just glad I found the courage to escape. I couldn’t let you fight again. I couldn’t let them hurt you. I love you too much.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them, they’re filled with so much emotion that it takes my breath away. “I love you too,” he says, his voice rough. “More than anything. And I swear, I’ll never let anything like this happen to you again.”
I nod, leaning into him, letting his warmth and strength surround me. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel safe.
But then a thought creeps into my mind, and I pull back slightly. “What happened to the Russians?” I ask cautiously. “Did you...?”
His expression hardens. “Don’t worry about it,” he says firmly. “They won’t be a problem anymore.”
They’ll be punished, though I don’t know to what extent. A part of me wants to ask, but I push the thought to the back ofmy mind. Right now the only thing that matters is being here, in Rage’s arms.
I notice the flash of red on his knuckles. My stomach tightens, but not with fear. He must have hit someone, probably Ivan. But this time, his violence doesn’t scare me. He would have done anything to save me, to protect me. It’s who he is, and I accept that. Sometimes there is a need for violence. Just like I had to fight my way out of a dangerous situation.
I rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I’m just glad you’re okay,” I whisper.
He holds me tighter, his lips brushing against my temple. “We’reokay,” he says softly.
TWENTY-ONE
INFINITE JOY, INFINITE LOVE
Five months later
Rage
The sun is high,casting a glow over the backyard as laughter and the smell of grilled meat fill the air. The club is gathered around, beers in hand, voices loud and full of life. But my focus is on her. Rose. She’s sitting next to me, her face lit up by the sunlight. Her smile is my euphoria.
I reach over and take her hand in mine. Her skin is soft and warm. I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss on her knuckles. She looks at me, her eyes sparkling, and I swear the world fades away.
“Oh yeah, baby,” Axle teases from the other side of the table, his grin wide and mischievous. Elena elbows him in the ribs, muttering something about letting people have their moment. I ignore him, my attention still on Rose. She laughs softly, shaking her head, but I can see the blush creeping up her cheeks. God, she’s beautiful.
The conversation shifts as Elena and Milly start talking about last night. Zara was rushed to the hospital, and we got the call early this morning—she had the baby. A healthy boy. They named him Chester. The news has the whole club excited, and now we’re celebrating the newest addition to the War Brothers MC family.
“To Chester!” Reaper says, raising his beer. We all follow suit, glasses clinking together in a loud toast.
Reaper and Ava don’t stick around long. They’re heading to the hospital to see Zara and Bomber to congratulate them on behalf of the club.
The rest of us stay, and the laughter and chatter continue as the afternoon stretches on. But even in the middle of all the noise, my world is quiet. Peaceful. Because she’s here.
I’ve been amazed by her strength, her resilience. She’s had a few nightmares since the kidnapping, but she’s coping, healing, and every day I see her getting stronger.
As for me, I’ve found my own way to heal. I’ve turned my struggles into strength. Now I work at the local gym, teaching self-defense to women. There’s something deeply fulfilling about helping others, giving them the tools to protect themselves and feel empowered.
Letting go of the fighting feels right, like surrendering to something better, but it wasn’t easy. For a long time I was restless, like I was stuck in a cycle I couldn’t break. That changed when I found the job at the gym. It gave me purpose, a way to channel my energy into something meaningful.
On my bad days, instead of running myself into the ground with endless exercise, I talk to Rose. Having someone who supports me, who loves me for who I am, faults and all, has made all the difference.
The men who took her? They’re in the ground. Am I happy? Yes. Do I feel remorse? Fuck no. They deserved it. The womanthey had with them... we let her go. She was threatened before she left to keep her quiet, but the men suffered, and that’s what matters. Demon’s been a happy boy ever since—he got to indulge in his wicked ways. All I care about is that they’ll never hurt Rose again.
My father drained the light from me, broke me in ways I didn’t think could be fixed. But Rose... she pulled me out of the dark. She helped rebuild what was broken, piece by piece.
She’s wearing the ol’ lady vest I got her, the War Brothers patch on the back. Seeing her in it fills me with pride. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her. She’s my addiction, my drug, and I’ll happily binge on her for the rest of my life.
Rose brought me back to life. She gave me everything I didn’t even know I was missing. With her, the hole in my heart is gone. She’s the reason I wake up every day feeling like I can take on anything.
