One year later…
“You’re not going anywhere just yet, buddy,” I say to Sammy, smirking as he lets out a determined grunt. Beside me, James is holding Jimmy, who’s doing the exact same thing.
I glance down at Sammy, who’s squirming in my arms, his tiny hands reaching toward the new toy cars scattered across the lawn.
The house is alive with laughter. I love it. I don’t know how I ever lived without it.
Kids dart between clusters of brightly wrapped presents and a bounce house that has become the main attraction. The smell of barbecue wafts from the grill, where one of the neighbors mans the flames, flipping burgers and hot dogs.
“Please sit still for two seconds,” Erin pleads, holding her phone up to take a picture. Her voice sounds exasperated, but there’s laughter in her eyes. She’s standing by the picnic table, which is loaded with food and a cake shaped like two race cars—one blue, one red.
“We’re trying,” James says, but the grin on his face tells a different story. Jimmy giggles, his little hands batting at James’s face.
Around us, the sprawling yard of what is now our cabin in the woods stretches out like a dream. The addition of fences and a playground are for the boys’ benefit. They have plenty of space to run, explore, and be as loud as they want.
Tiffany breezes past, laughing as she tries to wrangle a group of toddlers chasing each other with balloons. She waves a hand at Erin. “Good luck getting those two to pose!”
Erin sighs, lowering her phone. “Fine,” she concedes with a laugh, waving us off. “Go ahead. Let them loose.”
With Mommy’s permission, the twins are off, hauling butt to their toy cars. The little vehicles light up and make engine noises as the boys clamber onto them, chatting to each other in their secret twin language.
Erin laughs, shaking her head as she watches them. The sound of her joy settles deep in my chest. I’ve stared death in the face more times than I care to count, lived through enough chaos to last a lifetime, but this moment is pure, simple happiness. The kind I never knew I needed.
The adults gather around the patio table, keeping a close eye on the kids while casually chatting and drinking. James leans back in his chair, Jimmy’s sticky juice handprints still on his shirt.
“Got some news,” he says. “Kailee’s been found.”
Erin stiffens beside me, her hand pausing mid-reach for her glass. “What? When? Where?”
James chuckles, shaking his head. “Turns out she was the one who’d stolen the money. Sounds like she hoped Misha would tag you for it. Anyway, she got arrested trying to sneak into Canada. Apparently, she had an unregistered gun on her and what remained of the cash.”
Erin’s jaw drops. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious,” James replies. He seems a little amused by it all. “She was scared Misha’s men were after her. She’d been keeping a low profile here in the States, but I guess something spooked her and she tried to flee across the border. Clearly, she was sloppy about it.”
Erin sinks back in her chair, shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”
I glance at her, then at the twins, who are happily racing their cars across the yard. “Guess that clears your name, huh?”
“Not that I needed any clearing. Misha’s long gone, doing his witness protection act or whatever. I’m not exactly concerned with getting back in his good graces.”
I chuckle, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
It’s been a long, but good year since the boys arrived. The club’s still making money hand over fist. Erin’s back in school working toward her master’s in social work. But she still does me the kindness of running a shift here and there at the club.
As the last of the party winds down, the remaining guests move into the house. Before too long, everyone starts trickling out, calling their goodbyes. Tiffany is one of the last to leave, bending down to kiss each twin on the cheek.
“Bye, Sammy. Bye, Jimmy,” she says. “And happy birthday.”
Erin laughs, stepping forward to hug her. “Lunch next week?”
“You bet your butt,” she says. “Shoot me a text tomorrow and we’ll figure out where.”
Once everybody is gone, Erin and I sit down on the stools surrounding the kitchen island.
“It doesn’t really seem fair, does it?” she says, her voice sharp. “After all the horrible things Misha’s done, Kailee’s the one who gets arrested while he roamed free for years. And even now, he still technically gets his freedom.
I nod. “No, it’s not fair. But at least he’s paying some consequences. That’s something. He became a rat and helped put some bad men behind bars. And for a guy like Misha, living under the radar in suburban Indianapolis, or wherever he ended up, is its own kind of prison sentence.”
The truth of the matter is I know exactly where he is. Some of my Denver PD buddies were able to loop me in. Misha is an assistant manager at a QuikTrip in Kansas City. I made sure to drop him a line in secret, letting him know I’ve got my eye on him if he ever tries anything with my family.
And I told him to keep working hard—maybe one day they’ll bump him up to manager.
Erin’s gaze softens as she looks at the boys, now slumped over their toy cars, barely staying awake. She smiles, the tension melting from her face. “I guess being safe is what matters.”
The house is nice and quiet. The golden sunset comes in through the slats of the blinds. I glance at the boys, both of them slouched in their cars, their eyelids heavy. I notice how Sammy’s hair curls at the nape of his neck, while Jimmy’s cheeks are still round, giving him a cherub look. Their resemblance to both Erin and me is uncanny.
“They’re wiped,” Erin says. “Let’s get their little butts to bed.” She scoops up Jimmy, who stirs just enough to rest his head on her shoulder, his little hand curling into her shirt.
I lift Sammy into my arms, and he immediately melts against me, his small fingers gripping my collar.
“Big day for them,” I say. “They’ve earned their rest.”
“And a big day for us, too,” she says with a smile. “One year down as parents.”
“And a lifetime more to come. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
She gives me a quick peck on the cheek.
We carry them through the house, their weight warm and familiar in our arms. The soft glow of the nightlight makes their room feel cozy. Erin gently places Jimmy in his crib, tucking his favorite blanket around him as his thumb finds its way to his mouth. I lay Sammy down in his, and he snuggles his stuffed tiger, a tiny murmur escaping his lips before he drifts off.
Standing there, watching them sleep, I can’t help the wave of gratitude that washes over me.
“Can you believe they’re ours?” Erin whispers, leaning against me.
I slide an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Best thing we’ve ever done,” I whisper. “Nothing else comes close.”
She tilts her head up, meeting my eyes. “I love this life. I love you.”
I kiss her forehead. “I love you too,” I say simply. No need to say anything more.
As we leave their room, Erin nudges me playfully with her elbow, her smile turning mischievous. “Speaking of going to bed…” she says, her tone teasing.
I chuckle, taking the baby monitor from the dresser as we step out into the hallway and quietly close the door.
“Yeah, I’m pretty wiped too. Time for sleep.”
She winks. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, sleeping isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
She grabs my hand and pulls me toward our bedroom.
Before we even reach the bed, her lips are on mine and the world narrows to just us—the way she looks laying beneath me, her hair fanned across the pillow, her lips parted, her eyes full of love.
She’s breathtaking, every inch of her. The soft glow of the room casts shadows on her skin, making her look like a painting.
We quickly shed our clothes, and I grip her thighs, spreading them wide, positioning myself against her. She’s already wet for me, her gorgeous pussy glistening.
Erin’s fingers wrap around my hardness, stroking me slowly. She brings me closer to her entrance, and I take the time to tease her for a bit, rubbing my head against her clit.
“Shit,” she moans. “That feels so damn good.”
“I don’t know how much longer I can wait to be inside you. Are you ready for me?”
“So damn ready.”
The heat of her, the way she stretches to take me in, pulls a groan from deep in my chest. It’s overwhelming in the best way, and I can see the same intensity reflected in her eyes.
“God, Erin,” I growl. “You’re perfect.”
Her back arches, her hands clutch my shoulders, and the sound she makes—a soft gasp that turns into a moan—hits me like a shot of adrenaline. I move slowly at first, letting her feel every inch of me. Her body responds instantly, her hips rising to meet mine, and it’s almost too much.
I slide my hands up her sides, her skin sheened with sweat, warm to the touch. I stop at her wrists, pinning her down and holding her in place. My thrusts get faster, deeper, her moans intensifying. I drive into her hard, savoring the way she grips me.
“You feel incredible,” I say. My gaze locks onto hers, refusing to let her look away. “You’re mine, Erin. Always.”
“Always,” she gasps, her nails digging into my shoulders. The sting of it only drives me harder, the way she clings to me like I’m her anchor, her everything.
Her head falls back, exposing the delicate curve of her neck, and I lean down, pressing my lips to her skin. The taste of her, the feel of her trembling beneath me, sends a surge of possessive pride through my body. She’s mine in every way—every sound she makes, every shiver that runs through her—all of it.
Her cries grow louder, more desperate, and I can feel the tension building in her, the way her body tightens around me, pulling me closer to the edge with her.
“Let go for me,” I say. “Now.”
She shatters, her body arching beneath me as she cries out my name.
The sight of her—flushed, trembling, lost in the moment—pushes me over the edge. My movements grow erratic, deeper, as the release hits me, leaving me groaning her name.
I thrust hard one more time, draining myself deep inside. She wraps her hips around me, as if wanting to hold me in place as we ride out our orgasms.
My body stills, and I rest my forehead against hers as I catch my breath. Her arms wrap around me, holding me close, and for a moment, I can’t move. I don’t want to.
Finally, I slide beside her and she places her head on my chest. I watch her for a long while. Erin has that effect on me, making me just want to stare at her. I can’t explain it.
“We’d better be careful,” I say, “or we’re going to end up with another set of twins.”
She grins. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”
For a long moment I just look at her, drinking in her beauty. “You’re the most gorgeous damn thing I’ve ever seen. You know that? You’re my everything.”
She grins, planting a sweet kiss on my chin. “I could listen to you talk like that for the rest of my life.”
“Then I’ve got good news.”
She laughs, and we kiss again.
Lying here with Erin curled against me, her head resting on my chest, the world seems perfect. The rise and fall of her breathing is steady and soothing, and I run my fingers lazily through her hair. Her warmth, her presence—it’s everything I never knew I needed.
I realize there’s no moment like the present to give her my surprise, the surprise I’d been keeping for weeks.
I originally had a different plan in mind. Something bigger, grander. But as I lay there with her, knowing our boys are sleeping soundly in the other room, I realize this is the perfect moment.
I take a deep, slow breath. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I’m nervous.
“Erin.”
She tilts her head up to look at me. “Hmm?”
God, where to begin? It isn’t like I’d prepared a speech.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life. I’ve seen and done things I don’t care to remember. And there have been times when I’ve been damn sure that what I’ve been through made me different, took me away from the normal rhythm of life, meant I wouldn’t get the things I’d always wanted. I was sure I didn’t deserve them. But then you came along and changed everything.”
Her lips part slightly, her brows furrowing in that adorable way when she’s caught off guard.
“You’ve shown me what it means to truly live, to love again,” I continue. “You’ve given me more than I ever thought I deserved—more than I thought I’d ever have. And I can’t imagine spending a single day without you.”
She blinks, her eyes glistening. I reach over to the nightstand. From the drawer, I pull out the small box I’d hidden there days ago. Sitting up slightly, I open it, revealing the ring inside—a simple yet elegant band with a brilliant diamond that catches the light.
“Erin, will you marry me?”
Her hands fly to her mouth, a gasp escaping her lips. For a moment, she doesn’t speak, her eyes darting from the ring to my face and back again. Then she laughs—a soft, incredulous sound that makes my chest tighten—and launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Yes,” she whispers against my ear, her voice trembling. “Yes, Samuel, of course I’ll marry you.”
Relief and joy flood through me as I pull her closer, our lips meeting in a kiss that’s soft at first, then deepens, full of love and promise.
We’re in love. It’s all damn perfect. And I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
