Beautiful Outlaw by Emily Minton
Five Years Later
Bonus Epilogue
I look across the bon-fire and smile. My dad is helping the kids make s’mores. I watch as my four year old son, Tobias, shoves one in his mouth, getting more chocolate on his clothes than in his mouth, and can’t stop a laugh from bubbling out.
A year after Bowie and I got married, Dad moved to Kentucky. With Mom gone and neither of his children in North Carolina, he decided that this was where he wanted to be. He rents a little house in town, not far from Nina’s. He’s here nearly every day, playing with the kids. I love having him here. I just wish Mom could be at his side.
Jeremy steps in front of me, taking my attention from Dad. “I’m gonna do a beer run. You need me to pick up anything.”
My brother moved here a few months after Marcus died. He gave up his badge to look for Heather. After that, something happened between him and the woman that he was planning on marrying. He’s never told me exactly what happened between them, but whatever she did tore his life to shreds. She comes down to see him every few months, begging him to come back to North Carolina. Each time she does, he sinks further and further into himself.
“No, I think I got everything,” I say as I look to the beer in his hand. “Are you sure you should be driving?”
“I’m fine. No need to worry, sis,” he says as he raises his drink. “I’ve only had two.”
The brother I knew has disappeared. His obsession took him away from us, and I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll ever be found. He traded his badge for a cut. He’s an Outlaw now and proud of it. He’s harder, doesn’t smile as often. He doesn’t come around much, preferring to spend his time at the clubhouse.
His life now revolves around the club and looking for Heather. He’s determined to find her, or at least find her body; nothing else seems to matter to him. He gave up his life to search for this woman. I understand the need to find her but don’t understand why it’s taken over his entire life.
I smile at him, hoping he can’t hear the worry in my voice. “Just be careful.”
Nodding his head, he turns and walks away. I watch until he reaches the side of the house, then turn back to the party, bumping into to Nina.
“That boy worries me.”
I follow her eyes to the spot Jeremy just disappeared and nod. “Me too.”
“He’s full of hate. He has to get rid of it before he can find happiness.”
“I’m not sure what to do to help him.” I’ve tried everything I can to get him to give up his search, but he won’t even consider it.
“You can’t do anything. He has to fight his own demons. Just pray that, in the end, he finds the answers he seeks.”
“I do every day.”
Before she can reply, Toke walks to her side and wraps an arm around her shoulders. “The kids want to make you a s’more.”
She smiles up at him before turning toward the fire. “My grandbabies know how much I love chocolate.”
I watch them walk away with a smile on my face then turn to see Tin-Man placing a marshmallow on a stick for his daughter. As soon as he’s done, Cori rushes back to the fire. I can hear her giggle as she pushes the marshmallow into the flames.
Walking over to him, I lean in to his side. “She’s getting so big.”
Tin throws his arm over my shoulder and says, “She is, too damn big.”
The words no more than leave his lips before Cori holds up her perfectly roasted marshmallow and shouts, “I made it just like you like it, Daddy.”
“You sure did,” he shouts back before looking down at me. “I gotta go eat that nasty shit now, don’t I?”
Letting out a laugh, I pull away from him. “Yeah, you do.”
He smiles then walks to her, eating his marshmallow in one bite. My eyes move from him to where Rachel is sitting by herself. I can see the exhaustion on her face as she runs her hands over her growing belly. Walking over to her, I ask, “Hey, hun. You feeling okay?”
She looks up to me with a tired smile on her face. She continues to run a hand over her growing belly and says, “Yeah, I’m fine, just a little tired.”
“You can go lay down in Tin’s old room, if you want.”
She looks across the backyard to where Tag is standing. He’s talking to Rollo and Lila, but every minute or two, his eyes move to Rachel. She waves at him then motions toward the house, before climbing from the chair. “I think I will.”
Just before she walks away, I reach out and cup her chin. “Let me know if you need anything, sweetie.”
Nodding again, she says, “I will, but don’t worry. Tag will be inside in a second. If the baby decides to make an early appearance, he’ll let you know.”
As soon as she goes inside, I walk over to wrap my arms around Bowie. I’m just about to give him a kiss when I hear the sound of my daughter screaming. I look to the porch where she has been sleeping in her playpen, and see her sitting up. “She’s probably hungry.”
“You want me to get her.”
I look back to Bowie and shake my head. “No, I’ll do it. I want to get her fed, so I can start cleaning up some of this mess.”
Before I can step away, he leans down to place a kiss on my lips. “Don’t work too much, baby. I don’t want you tired. I’ve got plans for you tonight.”
“I’ll never be too tired for you,” I say as I give him my sexiest smile and walk away.
Just as I reach Chelsea’s playpen, she settles down and falls back to sleep. I look from her sleeping face to all the people I love, scattered around the back yard. A smile spreads across my face as I notice, and not for the first time, my outlaw sure gave me a beautiful life.
The End