Page 25 of Blade's Runaway Bride
She shakes her head. "I need to do this. For Amy. For myself." She places a hand on my chest, right over my heart. "And for you."
"For me?" I can't hide my confusion.
"You spent your life fighting other people's battles, protecting everyone but yourself." Her hand slides up to cup my cheek, her touch gentle against my scarred skin. "Let me fight for something that matters to me. Let me be brave like you."
Brave. No one has ever called me that before. Brutal, yes. Efficient. Deadly. But not brave. And yet, looking at this woman who's willing to walk into danger for her sister, who survived captivity and still retained her humanity, I'm humbled by her courage.
"You're already the bravest person I know," I tell her, meaning every word.
She rises on tiptoe, pressing her lips to mine in a kiss that's too brief but full of promise.
"We're going to win this," she whispers against my mouth. "And then we're going to build something better. Together."
Together. Another word that's never applied to me before. I've always been alone, even surrounded by my brothers. But standing here with Kelly, I can almost see it: a future that's more than just surviving from one fight to the next. A future with purpose beyond violence.
A future worth fighting for.
I kiss her once more, deeper this time, pouring everything I can't say into it. When we break apart, her eyes are shining with unshed tears and something that looks dangerously like love.
"Let's go get your sister," I say, taking her hand and leading her toward the door.
Outside, the club is mounted up, engines rumbling in the early morning air. I swing my leg over my Harley, feeling Kelly climb on behind me without hesitation. Her arms wrap around my waist, her body fitting perfectly against my back.
Reaper looks back at the assembled riders, his face set with grim determination. This is it. The moment we've been working for. The final battle with Charles and his men.
I should be focused solely on the upcoming fight, on the blood that will inevitably be spilled before the day is done. Instead, all I can think about is the woman pressed against my back, and the promise of something I never thought I'd have.
A future. A purpose. A reason to come back alive.
As Reaper signals and the convoy begins to move out of the lot, I feel Kelly tighten her grip on me. Whatever happens today, I know one thing for certain. I'm no longer fighting just for the club or for revenge.
I'm fighting for her. For us. For the chance to discover what "together" really means.
And God help anyone who tries to take that away from me.
Epilogue - Kelly
Three Years Later
"James Davidson, if you throw those peas on the floor one more time, Mommy is going to be very upset with you."
My two-year-old son grins at me, his dark eyes, so like his father's, sparkling with mischief. He's got a fistful of peas poised and ready to launch, but at my stern look, he reluctantly drops them back onto his high chair tray.
"Good choice, little man," I say, ruffling his thick black hair before turning back to the stove where chicken is sizzling in a pan. I'm still not the world's greatest cook, but I've improved significantly since those first disastrous months of marriage when I nearly burned down our kitchen trying to make lasagna.
Our kitchen. Our home. Even after three years, I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe this is all real. The modest but beautiful house on the outskirts of Pine Haven, the thriving flower shop downtown, my gorgeous son, and the man who made it all possible.
Second Bloom opened two years ago with the help of a loan from the club. Reaper had waved away my tearful thanks, gruffly explaining that investing in local businesses was "good for the community." But I knew the truth. I was family now, and the Outlaw Order takes care of its own.
The shop has flourished beyond my wildest dreams. It turns out Pine Haven had been desperately in need of a second quality florist. Between weddings, funerals, holidays, and everyday orders, I've had to hire two part-time assistants to keep up with demand.
Amy comes by several times a week to help, though she insists it's just to "keep an eye on her little sister." The transformation in her over the past three years has been nothing short of miraculous. After six months of intensive therapy and rehab following her rescue, she slowly found her way back to herself—stronger, wiser, and determined to reclaim her life.
No one was more surprised than me when she and Viper fell for each other the moment they met. The club's youngest member with his quick smile and deadly skills seemed an unlikely match for my cautious, suspicious sister.
Whatever it was, watching them together at the clubhouse… Her quiet laugh at his outrageous stories, his protective stance whenever she's near, it's clear they've found something real. They've been living together in his cabin at the edge of town for almost two years now, and the happiness radiating from Amy is all the approval I need.
The rescue mission that brought us all together still haunts my dreams sometimes. The sound of gunfire, the smell of smoke as parts of the compound burned, Blade's face spattered with blood as he shot down anyone who stood between us and Amy. And Charles's final moments—his cold eyes widening in shock as he died, ending his reign of terror once and for all.
