Page 88 of Tusk's Fury

Tusk frowns. “It was something Queenie did. Remember how she talked about being really messed up for a long time after leaving the church?”

“Yeah, I remember her saying that’s why she gave her boys strong names hoping it would be some kind of protection. I hope she ended up getting herself some help.”

He tells me, “I don’t think she did because she was obsessed with something happening to you, so she wrote a will gifting you a map to a religious artifact when you turned thirty. She thought they’d take care of you if you were destined to lead them to something religiously important.”

After thinking it over for a minute, I say, “She wasn’t wrong about that. My parents were strict, but I was treated way better than my friends. It almost felt like I could do no wrong or like I was living a charmed life growing up. That’s why I took it so hard when they insisted that I marry Silas Harper.” After thinking it over, I ask, “Won’t that just make him all the more determined to get me back?”

“Nah, there’s no treasure, but we brainstormed a couple of things that should change his mind about wanting you. We left behind a bike with an envelope in the storage compartment. It’s a copy of Queenie’s will and a key to the safety deposit box with a fake map. She said her religious sect is always tracking some religious artifact or another. They mostly end up disappointed. Levi had the outstanding idea to make him think you inherited a congenital disease. Dr. Patch faked up a really nasty one and put it on his office letterhead. It looked really official.”

I look up at him, awestruck. “Since he’s got a way to obtain the map and would be embarrassed if our kids ended up with obvious abnormalities, that means he’s got no reason to circle back around to me, right?”

“That was the plan. Siege texted me earlier that Harper is on his way to the bank even as we speak. I’ve already decided that if that ignorant fucker shows back up, I’m giving him a dirt nap.”

“That was really clever, all the way around. From Queenie making sure they saw value in keeping me safe, to tricking Silas Harper into losing interest in marrying me.”

“He’s probably gay,” Tusk grumbles. “Any man with eyes would want you.”

“My friend said he never pays any attention to men either. I think he’s asexual or something along those lines.”

Tusk snorts a laugh. “Don’t insult asexual people by comparing them to him.”

Like always, he’s not wrong about that.

“So, where does all that leave us?” I ask him. “Because to my mind, it sounds an awful lot like this whole debacle has been successfully concluded, without anyone dying.”

Tusk frowns. “Harper’s followers took some hits. Don’t know how many died, but several were down when we rode out of there.”

“Oh, I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“Harper is also gonna have his hands full for the foreseeable future, ‘cause those three teens went to the police to report how he had them locked up in his basement. Zen found security footage of him refusing to feed them because they were gay.”

“Serves him right,” I say. “What about us? Where do we stand?”

“Together,” he responds firmly. “Always together.” Leaning down, he presses his forehead to mine. “I want us to get hitched. I bought the ring ages ago. I just need to make popping the question special, something you’ll always remember.”

Always the impulsive one, I say, “Do it now. I don’t need you to make an event out of asking me to marry you. Being asked by you is special enough all on its own.”

His hand goes to the inside of his vest pocket so fast, I get bumped a bit. He pulls out a small velvet ring box, and excitement doubles, then triples in my chest as he opens it. The ring is absolutely gorgeous. It’s not flashy, just a neat white gold band with a diamond. “Brittany, you’ve been my girl since the first time I laid eyes on you. What I want to know is if you’ll also be my wife, you know, to have and to hold until death do us part and all that?”

I hold up my hand, thrilled that he actually listens to me and gives me exactly what I want, instead of what he thinks I need. I love that about him. “I’d love to be your wife, and I plan to do a lot of having and holding.”

He slips the ring on my finger and asks, “Sex or sleep. Which is it gonna be tonight, sweetness?”

“You know the answer to that, babe. Silas and his followers are not strong enough or clever enough to traumatize me. Making love to the man I love is the best way to put all their nonsense behind me.”

“You sure about this? We can stop at any point if you’re not feeling it.”

“Shut up and take off your clothes, babe,” I tell him teasingly.

“Yes, ma’am. This is living proof that you and I are always gonna find a way to keep the love and intimacy going strong in our lives.”

“You got that right, mister. Nothing can keep me from wanting my hot, tatted-up biker,” I tell him. “Not pregnancies, babies, four rambunctious boys, a crazy cult, or even long-lost relatives.”

When Tusk takes me into his arms, I feel like everything has suddenly righted itself in my world. Why worry about the past when my happily ever after is staring me right in the face? Tusk is all I’m ever going to need for the rest of my life. He’s not only my salvation, he’s my chance at something better—at love, family, and a future I can’t wait to experience at his side.

Epilogue

Brittany

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