Epilogue

IVY

A Few Days Later

It’s been a little crazy since I prospected into the club. The guys have been on me like nothing else. They want me to embrace what it’s like to be a part of the brotherhood, and they’ve not given me any slack because I’m a chick.

Not that I would want them to.

Hell, I’d give them shit if they did.

The only one treating me a little differently is Void. I guess it’s because I’m also his Old Lady. It’s hard for him to find a balance between mad respect for his misses and no respect for the prospect. I just keep telling him while we’re out in the club, I’m a prospect, but in the bedroom, when it’s just us, I’m his Old Lady. He seems to be managing a little better now.

But with me becoming a prospect, it means the club has three.

That’s not how it usually works.

So, Dash and West knew things were on edge for them. But this morning, Dash was promoted and patched in a relaxed ceremony. Even though he appeared freaking proud of himself, there is an air of sadness sweeping over him, so I make my way over as he sits at the bar.

He received his road name, Justice, and I think it fits, all things considered. He’s always the one putting himself in danger. Always the one putting the needs of others before his own. He’s the one fighting for justice in everything he does.

It feels right.

I slide onto the stool beside him at the bar and throw my arm around his shoulders, pulling him to me in an embrace. “Justice, I’m so fucking proud of you.”

His eyes shift to me with a subtle nod. “Yeah. This patch is all I’ve ever wanted.” His tone is flat as he turns back to his beer.

Sighing, I drop my arm, signaling to Stacey to bring me a beer. “You okay? Like, really okay?”

He rolls his shoulders, not looking at me. “I’ve been spending most of my time at a bar across town. It’s just… difficult seeing you with him.”

Damn! His somber tone hits me right in the guts. I knew Dash had feelings for me, but I had no clue how deep they ran. “I’m sorry, Justice, but I love Void. I always have.”

“I know. Anyone can see it. And he loves you too. You’re perfect for each other.”

“You’ll find someone. Someone much better suited to you than me.”

His lips turn up in such a genuinely sweet way, with just the right touch of cheekiness. It assures me Dash is still in there somewhere, and he’s not going away.

“Maybe,” he says. “Until then, I’ll keep going to the bar.”

I rest my hand over his. “Don’t drink and drive.”

He snorts. “I’m Defiance, Toxin. It’s what we do.”

I frown. I’m Defiance now, and after Void’s episode with alcohol, weed, and his ride hitting the asphalt, I’m not going to be drinking and riding anytime soon. That shit scared me. It fucking scarred me. “Be safe, Justice, that’s all I’m asking.”

Justice stands and downs the rest of his beer. “I’ll catch ya later, Toxin.” He turns, heading for the door. My feelings toward Justice are nothing but friendship, always have been, but he’s had way too much to drink to be riding, and I do not want to see him hitting the asphalt the same way Void did. So I’m going to follow him.

He takes off on his ride out the gates, so I hop onto Reva, not bothering with a helmet.

Keeping a reasonable distance behind Justice so as not to be recognized and knowing he won’t hear Reva over the roar of his own Harley, I follow, and it doesn’t take long for him to pull up at a bar across town. I park down the road, but within walking distance, so he doesn’t spot me as he heads in. I wait a couple of minutes, then make my way in and stand at the back, observing him with my arms folded across my chest. I want to make sure he is actually okay.

I might even pay the bar bitch to put him in a cab when he’s done for the night.

Justice orders a drink from the waitress. She’s pretty—real pretty—and she’s paying extra special attention to Justice. He finally clicks that she’s talking to him, and he lifts his chin and starts chatting back, a faint smile appearing on his face. She flicks her hair over her shoulder, flashing her pearly whites.

Oh, that old trick.

Justice sits forward further, really engaging in the conversation, even laughing and smiling as they talk, clearly flirting with each other.

I inhale, finally letting myself relax.

Watching Justice allow himself to be happy makes everything right again. I never wanted to be a source of anguish for Justice. So maybe, just maybe, he can start to move on with his life now.

The bar girl reaches out, placing her hand on his forearm, and giggles with him.

When his eyes drop straight to her cleavage, I snicker before I turn to head for the door.

Yeah, Justice is going to be just fine.

I walk back to Reva and throw my leg over her. I can’t wait to get my own ride. Reva’s a little big for me, but Void’s taking me shopping for my own bike in a couple of days. We’re going back to see Paul, who’s having a custom bike built for me.

I haven’t had any input. Void’s done the whole thing.

He said to trust him, so I have.

In the meantime, I get to have a few more rides on Reva. Actually, I’m sure I’ll get in deep trouble for taking the VP’s ride without asking. As a prospect, I’ll be put on some kind of shit duty, but it was worth it to ensure Justice is okay, and I’m good with whatever punishment Void wants to dish out on me.

I kick over the engine, Reva roaring to life. Her vibration sends my excitement levels into overdrive. I rev her a couple of times, then take off back to the bunker. The wind whips through my hair, helping me feel finally free to be who I’m meant to be.

Toxin—a real Defiance biker.

Not Ivy the innocent virgin.

That’s not me.

She was never me.

I had to be unleashed on the world, and I needed to meet Void to help me with that. And fuck am I glad I did, because trying to keep Toxin inside back in Cuba would have been a hefty ask.

At least here, she’s free to roam wild.

And wild she will be.

Pulling back into the clubhouse, I park Reva, the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. I rush inside the bunker to find my Old Man, who’s playing pool with Nerve. Striding up to him, I throw my shoulders back assertively. “VP?”

Void turns, his eyes shining in happiness when he sees me. “Yeah, prospect?”

“I stole your bike.”

Nerve chuckles to himself as Void groans, placing the pool cue down on the table. “Jesus, Toxin, again?”

I raise my hands to placate him. “Before you start, it was for a good reason.”

Void folds his arms over his chest, his bulging biceps sexy as hell, and I lose all concentration for the briefest of seconds. He widens his eyes at me, and I continue. “Shit, sorry. Yeah, so I was worried about Justice. He’d been drinking, then he got on his ride.”

Void instantly relaxes his posture. “You didn’t want him to crash.”

I nod, and he gestures for me to keep going. “I wanted to follow him, make sure he was okay. He went to a bar across town. I was going to tell the bar bitch to send him home in a cab when he was done, but I have a feeling a pretty little blonde will help him home instead.”

Void purses his lips. “You’re a good friend, Toxin. A bad prospect, but a good friend.”

I smirk. “Yeah, I’m kinda breaking all the damn rules, aren’t I?”

He groans. “So, I’m gonna have to restrict you to a cage for the next month. And… I’m gonna make you clean the domes every day for the next week for stealing my ride.”

I slump, pouting. “Urgh… sometimes I hate that you’re the boss of me.”

He narrows his hooded eyes. “And sometimes you love it.”

Nerve groans. “Yep, that’s me done.” He places his pool cue on the table. “Will you two just go fuck already. You trying to fight your urges right now is making me want to gag,” he calls out as he leaves.

Void grabs my hand and leads me toward the stairs. I’ve moved most of my stuff into his room. The VP’s Old Lady can’t be seen living in the Cell. But Void knows if we want to explore our kink, we head downstairs.

There’s something wrong with the both of us, we get that, but we get turned on by the fact we’re fucking next to a room full of the people we’ve killed.

There’s a reason they called me Toxin.

Because I have chaos in my veins.

I live for the thrill of death. I am Defiance. An Old Lady.

I’m more than anyone ever thought of me.

But, more importantly, I’m everything to Void.

And he is everything to me.

And that… that is all that matters.

“I love you, Void,” I murmur.

“Love you too, Toxin.”