Epilogue II

Ariana

Happiness is fleeting. Merely a temporary emotion, a rush of dopamine that soothes one's soul, but that's it. I want to be at peace, always. I want to be able to get out of bed every morning and look forward to the day.

Fortunately, it's precisely the kind of life I've been living ever since we fought and defeated the Black Hand. There were plenty of ups and downs in between, however. There were moments when I thought I might not make it all the way through. Moments when I was so overwhelmed that I almost gave up.

But Sky was there to keep me focused. Raylan was there to keep me smiling. And Kendric was there to keep me safe. I still am all of the above and more, and it's been one hell of a ride ever since.

Everton City is as clean as it's going to get, and that's good enough for now.

It's been two years since the Black Hand was destroyed, and most of its members are currently serving ten to twenty years in prison for a slew of crimes, ranging from bribery and racketeering to conspiracy to commit murder and murder in the first- and second-degree.

I'm outside the Concord Correctional Institute, staring at the plain, beige building and trying to gather the nerve I need to go in. My father is expecting me. It's my third visit since he was sentenced for his share of crimes, and it's not getting any easier for me to do this. But I have to. I owe it to myself and my family to face this man and finally move on.

I think I finally have what it takes.

Cradling my baby bump, I take a deep breath. Expecting kiddo number two kind of puts things into perspective, especially after my business went national. It's funny how one's mindset can change once affairs are in order and their troubles are in the rearview mirror.

Finally, I go in and patiently walk through every step of security checks before I'm allowed into a private visiting room. My father is already there waiting for me, clad in an orange jumpsuit and looking ten years older as he stands up to greet me.

"Ariana!" he exclaims, his face lighting up.

The room is mostly empty, with the exception of the table between us and two plastic chairs. The door closes behind me with an annoying clang, and I know the guard is ready to intervene if I need him to. I won't. My father is a lamb among wolves in this place. I can easily tell that prison doesn't suit him.

"You're getting thinner," I mumble.

"They keep me in a caloric deficit," my father chuckles humorlessly. He motions for me to take a seat at the table while he does the same. "You, however, look wonderful. Pregnancy looks good on you."

"Thanks. I almost never became a mother because of you."

His joy fades. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I am in here, atoning for my sins," he says, his voice trembling slightly. "Hoping that someday you'll forgive me."

I have a hard time believing him. A man like my father doesn't change. He doesn't suddenly see the fault in his ways, nor does he genuinely repent for his crimes. He's simply serving a sentence handed down to him by a judge.

"The forgiving part is easy for me. It's the forgetting part that I have trouble with."

"I know I don't deserve any of your kindness."

"You absolutely do not," I shoot back. "But I am here, nonetheless, just to remind you that you failed to get what you wanted."

My father sneers and I am reminded of the real him again. The face behind the lie. "You're here to torment me. To punish me some more."

"You're quite good at punishing yourself."

"I know I've made some terrible mistakes. I can never take them back. I got involved with the wrong people. Made the wrong choices at every turn. It got my wife killed, and it almost got my daughter killed, too. I'm paying for all of it now."

"You are, yes," I calmly reply.

"Did you only come here to remind me that I lost it all?"

"Not just that. I came to let you know that my jewelry business has just gone national," I say. "After Thierry lost his Everton property, I went in and bought his store for pennies on the dollar. Arianne is now a recognized and coveted brand, I might add. The first lady commissioned a special ring for her wedding anniversary. It's going to be featured in Forbes magazine next month."

He smiles softly. "Good. I'm glad to hear that, honey. I'm glad to know you're doing what you love. Had I been more supportive, maybe we wouldn't be here."

"No, we're here because you broke the law and hurt a lot of people just to get your ass in the mayor's seat," I snap. "Not because you were a crappy, selfish father. Let's not get the two mixed up."

He scoffs and shakes his head, but he doesn't dare argue further on the matter. He knows I've got a burn for everything he might think of throwing my way. "How is Dylan? He must be growing into a handsome little tyke."

Of course, my father doesn't know of my intimate arrangement with Sky, Raylan, and Kendric. Marriage is obviously off the table since I can't marry all three of my men, but as far as the public is concerned, I'm in a happy and loving relationship with Sky. It's the only way to keep our dynamic protected and away from any kind of scrutiny. It allows us to grow as a family unit and to protect our children from the rest of the world.

"He's good," I say. "Already king of the kindergarten. The other kids love him. He's friendly and bubbly, always up for a game."

"And that little one?" he asks, nodding at my belly.

"Healthy. Growing fast. He's due in April. Or she. We don't know yet," I reply.

"Can I see some photos of Dylan, at least?"

I'm inclined to say no, but since my father will never be allowed to meet his grandchildren, the least I can do is show a smidge of mercy and let him look at a few photos. Mom would want him to know that despite his crimes, this family survived and thrived without him as best as we could. He flips through the photos on my phone, and it unsettles me to see that he is unable to show any emotion. His voice sounds soft, but his eyes betray him.

This man has a piece missing from his soul.

I take the phone back and slip it into my purse. "That's enough," I say.

"Yes, you don't want me getting too attached. I understand."

"Oh, by the way, Thierry is looking at a five-year stretch in Folsom," I shoot back with a wry smile. "They finally caught him last week. He didn't stand a chance in court."

My father's face drops. "That old fool."

"You really thought he'd make it, huh? Thierry may have been smart to leave shortly after he got you out of the house that night, but let's face it, it was only a matter of time before Interpol would find him. He wasn't as smart as he thought, going back to France. In fact, that was the dumbest thing he could do, considering that France has a solid extradition treaty in place with the US," I say.

"Well, justice is finally being served across the board. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"It's what I deserve. It's what every person who ever suffered at your and your friends' hands deserves," I bluntly reply. "Look at me, Dad." He won't. He stares at his hands, splayed across the table. "Look at me." Finally, he raises his gaze to meet mine. "I forgive you. But I will show you no kindness, no mercy. You helped the Black Hand destroy our family. You covered for them after they killed my mother. And when the Steel Knights kidnapped me, you used my misery, my nightmare, as an opportunity to gather some much-needed sympathy votes for your senate run.

"Not once did you have my best interest at heart. And I will never forget that night at the cemetery. It's seared into my mind forever. The way you looked at me, the way you walked away. You left me there to die so you could protect your career. So, everything that has happened since, it's on you, Dad. I'm under no obligation to come here, and I sure as hell don't intend to let you anywhere near my family. Ever."

"Ariana, you're being cruel," he whispers as the truth of my words starts to sink in.

"No, I'm just being honest. Isn't that what you used to tell me when you expressed your disappointment that I didn't pursue a political career like you?" I ask, half-smiling. "I'm just being honest, unlike you. You've told so many lies. You've probably told yourself the most lies now that I think about it. You built this fantasy world in your head where you were the king, and we were all your idiot pawns, yours to play with as you wished. Well, it's over. You're probably going to die here, especially if you don't take better care of yourself.

"And if the day ever comes that you do get out of here, rest assured, Dad, you will never be welcome in Everton ever again. There's actually a pretty high chance that a Steel Knights convoy will be waiting for you at the prison gates, ready to take you as far away from New Hampshire as possible."

"Why are you telling me all this now?" my father asks.

I get up and take a deep breath. "Because this is the last you'll ever see of me. Because you no longer have a place in my life. Because I've finally found my peace and joy, and you'll never get close enough to ruin it ever again. Goodbye, Dad."

"Ariana …"

It's too late. I'm already out the door, swallowing back tears as he keeps shouting my name.

"Ariana, don't do this! Ariana!"

The farther I get, the easier it becomes. The lighter my steps, the lighter my heart. The path becomes brighter ahead as I walk out of the prison, tears streaming freely down my cheeks.

The summer sun kisses my face as I step through the main gate, a smile stretching over my lips as I see my men waiting by the car.

They smile back.

Dylan jumps out from behind them, laughing and rushing over to jump into my arms. "Momma! Momma, look what I got!"

"What's that, honey?" I laugh and wipe the tears away as my little boy hands me a dandelion. He's so proud of it, too.

"A dandelion. I found it on the side of the road!"

He looks just like Sky. He has a mop of black hair on his cute little head and eyes as dark as the night, eyes that soothe my very soul. I kiss his tiny nose and receive the dandelion with an enchanted gasp, then let him take my hand and escort me back to our guys.

His fathers.

My men.

"Are you okay?" Sky asks with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"I am now," I say and lift my heels so I can kiss him.

"How's the old man?" Kendric asks.

I give him a wink. "As good as prison will ever let him be, and not my problem anymore."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Raylan asks, his eyes worriedly searching my face.

I said goodbye to my father a long time ago. "I promise you I am more than fine. I've got three stunning men taking good care of me. I've got a gorgeous son who picks dandelions off the side of the road for me. And I've got another one on the way who's probably going to be another handful, which is great because I love handfuls of wonderful things more than anything else."

"Yeah, we need to get some pecan pie into this incredible woman ASAP," Kendric jokingly concludes.

And just like that, I'm free. My soul weighs as much as a feather, my conscience but a breeze across the valley. The road opens ahead for us, and I can already smell that pecan pie.

The End