Page 127 of Broken Skulls

Elizabeth’s tears fall on her hand as she stares at it. “I can see why. It’s beautiful,” she whispers, tipping her hand in the sunlight. “Are you sure you want me to have it?”

“I do. She would want you to have it too, but don’t think I didn’t notice you haven’t answered my question.”

Slowly, she raises her eyes to me. “Yes. You are my forever.”

I lean in and kiss my fiancée for the first time. Fuck if that doesn’t sound good. It will be even better when I can call her my wife.

The crowd outside is getting rowdy. My brothers are revving their engines, enthusiastic to congratulate us.

“Everyone is so impatient,” I mumble, not wanting to break our kiss.

Our new puppy tries to push his cold nose between us. “I don’t think the club is the only one trying to get our attention,” she murmurs, laughing against my lips.

She scratches the dog’s ear and removes her mouth from mine to kiss him softly on the head. “I hate to admit this, but I didn’t think I would ever be happy again.”

I hug her tight. “If I’m being honest, I never thought love was in the cards for me.”

She looks at the puppy then at me. “I’m glad life proved us wrong.”

“Me too, baby. Me too.”

Epilogue

Elizabeth

Rainbows dance around me as I lounge in the greenhouse. Max, our golden retriever, is sleeping soundly at my feet. The only interruption is the sound of my husband crushing cars.

I don’t mind. In fact, I love hearing him work.

My fingers work quickly as I knit away, humming to the new album Jacob bought me. My goal is to make a blanket for every member of the club. A big task, but I’m loving every minute of it. I kind of feel sorry for Jacob because he got the first one. I’ve gotten much better at knitting since then. Jacob tells me the imperfections are what makes it perfect. I think he’s just being nice. The one I’m working on now is for Tank and Kelsie. It’s going to be our wedding gift for them. They’re getting married in a few months.

Anyway, we found the record I’m listening to in a little shop up north. Thrifting is one of our favorite things to do together.

We’ve been married for four weeks today. Neither of us wanted to wait to tie the knot, so we immediately went to thecourthouse and made it official. I’m not sure the folks working down there appreciated a group of bikers taking over their building. It was crazy and amazing. I’d never felt so alive.

Jacob and I have had a few rough days mixed with the good, but that’s life and I’m here for all of it. One day he sat on the bed in our new guest room and stared at the wall for hours. I let him. Sometimes we just need to feel what we feel. He eventually came out, hugged me around the waist, and laid his head on my lap as I was reading.

My biggest hang up is I still have this irrational anxiety over my daughter. Jacob tells me it’s normal. That’s what mothers do. He reminds me we’re supposed to worry. The problem is, I’m not her mother. I don’t know what makes her heart soar or what fears keep her up at night.

He suggested I find her and introduce myself. She’s an adult, so I guess that could happen, but I’d never interrupt her life that way. At least that’s what I tell him. What I’m really afraid of is that she might ask about her biological father, and I don’t know how to answer that question.

Max sits, and his ears perk. He hears the bike that just pulled up.

“Who is it, buddy?” I ask, setting my knitting aside.

Brody waltzes in, knowing right where to find me. I spend most of my days here.

Max jumps off the lounge and runs to him for pets. Yeah, Max loves everyone. I don’t think he’s going to be the guard dog Jacob was hoping for, but we’ll love him just the same.

“Hey, can I borrow some flowers?”

I laugh. “How do you borrow flowers?”

“Good point. Can Ihavesome flowers?”

“Of course.” I stand up and grab my garden shears. “Are they for someone special?” I tease.

He smiles like a schoolboy. His cheeks turn pink. “Maybe.”

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