Epilogue
The night I took my brother’s life I nearly destroyed my own. I confused shock with guilt and I couldn’t bear to feel like that. It chills me to think that I could have walked away from the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Sparky.
Sparky has kept his promise to never leave my side and while it’s nice at the moment I can see it becoming a little suffocating if he keeps it up. When Officer Jake Drew and Officer O’Neil came to the clubhouse to take my statement they were satisfied my account of events matched Sarah’s, and with Joe being wanted on various assault charges and being investigated for the disappearance of numerous men and women, they said the authorities were more than satisfied and accepted I acted in self-defence.
When I look at Jason Junior, all I see is innocence. Pure unscarred beautifulness. Joe would not have stopped that night and I know now that I did the right thing. He can’t hurt anyone else now making the world a little safer without him in it. A few times I have wondered if it was my fault I wasn’t enough for my father to love me but I have accepted he was just an evil, bitter man who could never love anyone. That my brother turning out to be an exact replica of Hunter was no surprise. I’ve seen that coming since I was a little girl.
I’ve grown enough confidence to know I am worth loving. Not just by me but by others too. Sparky doesn’t hide how he feels for me. It doesn’t matter if we’re alone or in public. As soon as the officers left the clubhouse I was swung around in Sparky’s arms and told I was marrying him before the end of the month. The way he makes me feel like I’m his everything is the reason why I am wearing a simple, white wedding dress with a wedding band sitting pretty above my engagement ring. Jason Junior is being watched by Alannah for the night and I’m blindfolded, being led out of Sparky’s truck.
“How you doin’ Mrs Carter?” he whispers in my ear, wrapping his arms around me from behind once my feet are firmly on the ground.
There are no words to describe how I am feeling right now so I turn around in his arms and smile. No longer having to force smiles to hide the pain I felt is like a thousand weights off my shoulders.
I lean up on my tip toes and wrap my arms around his neck. This guy is everything to me and I intend to make him just as happy as he makes me. I lean in and claim his warm lips and kiss him hungrily. Choosing to show him how I am doing rather than trying to find the words to say.
“You doin’ good then,” he laughs.
“More than good. Can I take this off now?” I laugh, reaching up to the blindfold.
“Hold on” he says, turning me round so my back is resting against his chest.
“I know how much the old house is ruined for you now and we can’t keep staying at the clubhouse with Jason, so my wedding gift to you is this.”
I feel something cold and hard pressed into my hand. It feels a lot like a key. He unties the blindfold and standing before us is a beautiful white two story house with a porch and land surrounding us.
“This is ours?” I ask, dumbfounded.
“Yeah, our fresh start. Whatever happens in the future this will always be yours.”
Twice in my life I have had tears of joy and now looking at my husband in his cut overlapping his white shirt I have tears of joy for a third time. This man has brought me all I will ever need. His love, and not to mention his body, a family and for the first time a permanent home.
“It’s quite far out from town but I thought you’d appreciate that, this is a little piece of our own world. And look at this,” he says excitedly, pulling me towards the back of the house.
“I can be an ass sometimes but I remember everything you tell me. I lock in every smile you show, don’t ever forget that. There’s nothin’ I won’t do to make you happy,” he says adamantly, “That’s why I brought this place, look over there,” he says, pointing into the distance.
I catch my breath and start walking towards a stream that runs along the bottom of a slight hill. He knows how much I enjoy being at the lakes. He brought the serene and peaceful tranquillity of the lakes to our new home. His thoughtfulness is touching in ways that make me love him even more.
“I don’t know what to say,” I murmur, taking in everything around us.
It feels too much. I know I deserve to have this but my first reaction is still to wonder how long it last? But I am going to work on that.
Sparky made me vow to run to him and by God I am going to. My faith in him is endless.
“You don’t have to say anything. Everything I do is for you and Jason. Whatever it takes to make you happy I’ll do it. Don’t overthink this.”
“Okay.” I smile, “Do you want to know what I’m thinking now?” I say mischievously.
He raises his eyebrows and smirks, “I already know what you’re thinkin’ Bonnie Carter. Just lookin’ at the heat building in your face and that hot sparkle in your eye.”
Hearing him proudly call me Carter makes me want him even more, especially when he pulls down my dress straps leaving it to fall to the ground. I shudder as the cool air hits my bare skin and he slides his fingers across my collarbone.
“Question is, where do we begin?”
“Right here,” I say, stripping him of his cut.
He strokes my arms as I unbutton his shirt.
I promised him I would love him forever and never to run. In this moment, just the two of us, I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave.
My life before Sparky will become a distant memory. The hurt, the pain and all the abuse I suffered will eventually die and all because of this man standing in front me.
I am a wife who is loved and lusted after. I am a mother to a beautiful son who is adored. I am a friend, not just to Alannah but to a club. I’m no longer Bonnie Hamilton, a helpless victim.
I am Bonnie Carter…and I am a survivor.
Biker Faith Page 21