by Jade Kuzma
“What’s so funny?”
“I think that’s why I’m playing,” he said. “I’ve got Faye and Alice. I’ve got a kid on the way. I’ve got this patch on my chest. I don’t know what else I could need. Shit, I could lose all of this money and I’d still be happy as shit.”
“Don’t get any ideas now…”
“Nah,” he said with a big grin on his lips. “I’ve been hustling for too long. It’s nice to know that I won’t have to do it anymore.”
I laughed along with Hunter. I knew all the shit he’d been through to get here. Now I could see the peace in his eyes.
In the middle of Eden Casino, two Devils were down on money but still laughing like we were winning. Because we were winning.
“I’ve got an idea,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“You’ve got everything you need but you can’t go throwing that money away because there’s something else Faye still needs.”
“And what’s that?”
“A nice, big, fat diamond.”
“Ha! You’re one to talk. I’ll get Faye a ring when you get Kristen one.”
“Put your money where your mouth is, Joker…”
“Well… If that’s the case, then I guess I’d better get back to work.”
I burst into laughter as he moved onto the next blackjack table. I didn’t worry about him losing money. Hunter would always find a way to get back on his feet. Being a hustler was in his blood. He could never change that.
There was no better man to represent the patch.
Chapter 31
KRISTEN
Sebastian looked as handsome as he always did. Leather kutte. Hair just the right combination of neat and messy. It helped that he had such a gorgeous smile underneath that growing beard of his.
He leaned back in his seat and held his hands out.
“What?” he said. “What are you staring at?”
“Nothing,” I said with a shrug. “I was just looking at… you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. I just wonder do you always have to wear that kutte of yours?”
“I’m the president of the Devils. I’m proud of it. I don’t see the problem.”
“I figured being here now, things would be a little different.”
“Ezra and Lacey made this restaurant for everybody. You might want to get dressed up but it’s casual, too.”
I looked around the restaurant and noticed all of the patrons looked like ordinary Ivory citizens. A good combination of rich folks and regular people you’d find walking the streets.
“I see,” I said. “That’s a good angle.”
“Ezra’s a hell of a businessman. With Lacey by his side, it’s not surprising why they’ve had so much success with Dream.”
The waiter arrived with our food. Sebastian dug into his BLT as fast as it was on the table. I couldn’t help but giggle at him.
“This is perfect,” I sighed. “Just a nice, quiet lunch between the two of us.”
“You still thinking about all that drama from back then?”
“No. That’s exactly why this is so perfect.”
I took a bite out of my sandwich and couldn’t help another sigh.
“How is everything?”
Ezra walked up next to us. He wasn’t wearing his kutte like Sebastian. If I didn’t know him, I would’ve assumed he was just some business owner who was just trying to please all of his customers.
“Great,” I said. “This food… It’s like nothing I’ve ever had before.”
“That’s what I was going for,” he replied. “Lacey’s got a special kind of training. She’s got her own unique little style. Perfect for a place like Ivory.”
“Indeed.”
“Where is she?” Sebastian said, his mouth half-full.
“She should be here any second now… I always have trouble tearing her away from the kitchen. Ah! There she is.”
Lacey walked out of the kitchen, her white chef’s outfit stretched out over her swollen belly. It was hard to imagine that she was responsible for getting so much work done, considering how pregnant she looked. She was a pretty girl. Short hair and a petite frame despite her stomach.
She put her hands behind her back as she took a seat at the table.
“All right,” Lacey said. “What’s this all about now?”
“I always try to tell Lacey she shouldn’t be working so much,” Ezra said to Sebastian and me. “She never does listen though… Stubborn as always.”
He smiled at the mother of his child and she shrugged.
“It’s my kitchen,” she said. “The people expect a certain kind of standard.”
“You’ve trained them well enough,” Ezra said. “Once you’re on leave, you can rest assured that the kitchen will be in good hands.”
“I understand,” I said. “You’re good at it. You’ve got a talent. If you feel comfortable being the head chef in that kitchen, that’s where you should be.”
“Thank you, Kristen.”
Lacey bowed her head to me with a smirk. Ezra let out a resigned sigh and scratched the side of his head.
“Anyway,” he started. “I’m glad you’re both here. There’s something I wanted to discuss with you. Both of you.”
“Oh? And what might that be?” I said.
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. I had no idea what was going on but from the look on Sebastian’s face, he seemed to be expecting it.
“Dream is successful,” Ezra said. “People from all over Ivory are coming to check it out. They’re coming from other places like Holt and from up north. Naturally, the best thing to do when you’ve got something the people want is…”
“Expansion,” I said.
“That’s right. Sebastian was right about you. You do know what you’re talking about.”
“Kristen’s the best real estate agent in Ivory,” Sebastian said. “If you’re looking for a spot to open up another restaurant, she’s the one to talk to.”
“Not here,” Ezra said. “A place up north, in the city. That’s where the big bucks would start rolling in.”
“That’s a hell of an idea,” I said. “As long as you two are running things, I don’t see how it can go wrong.”
“I can’t wait,” Lacey said as she rubbed her hands together. “Getting to put together another kitchen… There’s nothing like it.”
“There is one other thing…” Ezra said.
He was still in a good mood but there was something solemn about his tone so suddenly.
“…We recently came into a bit of money.”
“That’s your money,” Sebastian said. “You can do with it what you want.”
“I know. The thing is, Dream is making so much money, that there’s no need for it. Business is booming. Lacey and I have decided to donate to the city. There are some people on the streets. Homeless. Addicts. It only makes sense that we do our part to fix it. An anonymous donation. Government comes looking for the money, they won’t wanna take it back.”
The couple stared at one another, smiling softly as they held hands. Nothing could step between them.
“It’s your call,” Sebastian said. “You don’t need my approval for anything.”
“Thanks,” Ezra said. “I just wanted to tell you all the truth… We wanted to share this with you.”
“All I need you to share with me is all of the food you’ve got cooking back there.”
Sebastian took another heaping bite out of his sandwich. I rolled my eyes and giggled.
“A nice, quiet lunch,” I sighed.
I helped myself to my own lunch, grateful that I was surrounded by people who put a smile on my face. Sometimes it was the simple things that made you grateful for what you had.
Chapter 32
SEBASTIAN
Aden leaned up against the wall. His arms crossed and made his biceps bulge even more than they already were. All the bastard had to do was stand there and he was more intim
idating than every other man in Ivory. I never stopped to be grateful that the guy was more than willing to wear the patch.
He looked out into the gym while everybody else was busy at it.
“Sometimes I worry about them,” he sighed.
“Worry about who?” I said.
“Everybody. All these people training here. They’re all talented. Especially that kid right there in the middle. Isaac. He’s got something special. I think he’ll make it big when he goes pro.”
“I don’t see why you’d be worried about him.”
“It’s more than just stepping into a ring and showing your stuff. There was no better freedom than facing a man. All of your focus. All of your energy. The world could be fucking exploding all around you but it didn’t matter. You were just trying to hurt the man that was trying to hurt you. But when you stepped out of the ring…”
It was easy to tell all of the shit Aden’s been through. It wasn’t even just because he was Aden Mercer. The man had a look in his eyes like he’d seen everything life had to offer.
“…There were times when I wished my life was different,” he said. “There were times when I just wanted to do what I was good at and be ordinary.”
“You were never meant to be ordinary, Aden.”
“I know. I don’t regret the life I lived. Not anymore.”
He turned toward me and gave me a nod.
“I want you to know I take this shit serious. This patch means something. I understand what it represents. Thanks for picking me to be the man to teach Blackwell a lesson for what he did to Murph.”
“Blackwell was gonna get what was coming to him one way or another. I figure you were the best man for the job.”
“I’ve fought in front of thousands. Millions of people watched me on TV. For a second there, I recaptured that old glory.”
“How’d it feel?” I said with a smirk.
“It’s a good feeling. No doubt about that. But I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime. I just… I just wanna be plain ol’ Aden now.”
“Have you thought about what you plan on doing?”
Aden stared back out into the gym. His eyes were lost in whatever the hell was running through his mind. As big of a brute as he was, he was probably the most introspective man in the MC. Made sense. You had to have some kinda wisdom to do what he did.
“I got enough to live comfortable for the rest of my life,” he said. “The gym pays well. Danica’s making a good living at Hades. We can’t ask for much more. I gave most of the cash to Yates.”
“Yates? You paid him again?”
“I figure the best way to launder some money is with a guy like that.”
“You sure you trust him?”
“I trust him. He might make a living hustling on the streets but his heart’s in the right place. He just needed a little direction. He’s looking out for the young ones in this gym. Kids like Isaac need some guidance. Yates needs it, too. They can help each other out.”
“All right,” I sighed. “That’s your money. Have you talked to Danica about it?”
“I think Danica’s doing all right.”
Aden’s old lady was off to one side of the gym. She thudded her fists into the heavy bag, making it swing back and forth with every hard punch.
“She’s special,” Aden said.
“No kidding. It’s already bad enough what happens when people find out when she’s with you. Now she looks like she knows how to hurt someone.”
“Hades has been getting a little wild these days. It’s no place for a lady.”
“It’s a place for a Devil though.”
I put a hand on Aden’s shoulder and squeezed.
“Thanks for doing this,” I said. “All of it. You haven’t let me down. Not even for a second ever since you were patched in.”
“I’m always here for you, brother.”
Danica moved away from the heavy bag and walked over toward us.
“Yo, Venom!” she shouted. “You looking to get in on this?”
“No thanks,” I said as I put my hands up. “I get enough shit from Kristen.”
“Come on. What are you afraid of? I’m just a girl.”
I shifted my eyes toward Aden and he laughed so hard that some of the other men in the gym took notice.
“You two were made for each other,” I sighed.
“We definitely were,” he replied.
Danica walked up to him and gave him a hug. A deep kiss in the middle of the gym but nobody gave a shit. Aden was on top of the world once. Now he was back there. Only this time, he wasn’t alone.
Epilogue 1
KRISTEN
The Ivory sun was a lot hotter than it usually was. Sitting underneath the shade of an umbrella, I enjoyed the cool breeze blowing against my skin.
The woman next to me leaned forward in her seat, her attention focused on the baby in her hands.
“How is he doing?” I asked.
“How is who doing?” she said.
“The baby, of course.”
Mia looked up at me then toward the two men sitting off in the distance.
“Which one?” she said with a laugh.
I looked over at Sebastian and Roman while they sat along the pier. Their feet dangled over the edge while they laughed at about whatever it was they were talking about.
“Just a couple of guys fishing,” Mia sighed. “It’s nice to see to two of them relaxing. I don’t remember the last time I’ve ever seen them having this much fun.”
“You and Roman… You two have been through a lot together.”
“More than you know. Dating a Devil is never easy… There was a time when I wondered if Roman and I would even end up together. Now I have him and Owen with me…”
There was nothing like the way Mia smiled now. Something about being a mother changed a woman in a way I couldn’t explain.
“Those two have been through a lot together, too,” I sighed. “I’m glad the drama is all finally over.”
“You sure about that?”
“I’m sure. Definitely sure. They might be running an MC together but I can’t imagine them getting into much more trouble. Look at them. Two guys, sitting on the pier, basking in the sun and just wasting the time away while they fish. That’s the kind of thing everybody dreams about.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Mia smiled down at her son in her arms.
“What about you?” she asked.
“What?”
“What about you, Kristen? What do you want?”
“What do I want? I… I never really thought about that.”
“Oh, come on! Everybody wants something. You had to have thought about it at one time or another.”
“It’s funny,” I said, smiling softly. “When I was younger, growing up here in Ivory, all I wanted was to get older, get a job, get married and start a family, then live my life here until I was old and gray…”
“And now?”
“Nothing has changed. I’m older now. I’ve got the job I want. I’m not married and I don’t have a family but I know who I want to share my world with. Everything is perfect.”
Mia stared at me, eyes narrowed.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “That’s a beautiful dream. It’s even more beautiful now that it’s so close to becoming a reality.”
“Well, Sebastian was never the type to take things too seriously. I know I’ll get a ring eventually but I don’t see it coming. I’m not holding my breath.”
“Speak for yourself. Owen is grown and Roman still hasn’t said anything to me about getting married.”
“You know, for a couple of guys who talk about being the baddest men in all of Ivory, they sure can be cowards at times.”
“If people only knew who really ran the Devils.”
Mia and I shared another laugh. Another relaxing, uneventful day underneath the Ivory sun reminded me of what I had to be grateful for.
/> I leaned back in my chair and put my hands behind my head. A few moments later, Roman and Sebastian arrived from the pier.
“Hey, babe. Check it out.”
Sebastian held up the small fish from his line.
“That’s… nice,” I said.
“Are you kidding me?” he exclaimed. “This thing is a whopper! It’s enough to feed an army.”
“A very small army,” I said with a giggle.
“Ah, what do you know about fishing?”
Sebastian took a seat down next to me while Roman joined his girlfriend.
“This is nice,” Mia said. “Just the four of us, out here by the lake. Alone. No MC. No drama. Nothing to worry about except how much sunscreen to put on.”
“Yeah,” Roman sighed. “It’s perfect… Really… perfect…”
I looked at Roman and noticed a strange smirk on his face. I turned toward Sebastian and he looked just as obnoxious as his friend.
“What is this?” I said. “What’s going on?”
“Hold on,” Sebastian said as he put a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
“What moment?”
“Just watch.”
I looked up at Roman as he got up from his seat. He held his hand out to Mia to help her up to her feet.
“What’s this all about now?” she said, rocking her son back and forth in her arms.
“Mia,” Roman started. “From the moment I met you, I knew you were something special. I didn’t think we’d ever get to this point but here we are. I’m glad that we ended up together.”
“Roman… I feel the same way.”
“I’ve always known it. With you in my life and our son… And with all of our club business settled, there’s nothing more I need. Except this.”
“Except what?”
Roman slowly moved down to one knee and reached into his pocket. Mia’s eyes widened in surprise. I was just as shocked as she was. I turned toward Sebastian and he had the biggest grin on his face as he watched his friend do what he was about to do.
“Mia Palazzo,” Roman said. “I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”