EPILOGUE ONE

Bones runs his hand through his hair, and I chuckle, because he really reminds me of our dad when he does that.

“You’re sure she’s pregnant?”

I’m slightly thrown off by his question.

“Yeah. The doctor did a test and said she was.”

“Congratulations, Reaper. Wow. That’s a lot to take in.”

I sit in the seat across from his desk and shake my head.

“I’m happy. Can you not be fucking happy for me?”

Bones folds his hands over his desk and sighs.

“I’m happy for you, Nico. I am. I just worry about you. How does a baby fit into your life of homicide?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. People get date nights, right?”

He looks to the ceiling like it’ll help him.

“Okay, maybe we still do it, but slow down a little.”

“Or you kill people I tell you to. We’ve got the Abruzzos to deal with still.”

I hold my hands up. “No guarantees, but I’ll try, alright? But you’ve got to let my girl in on it.”

He shakes his head no.

“There’s no fucking way she’s coming with us to kill those fucking assholes. It’s dangerous, and if she’s carrying my niece or nephew, not a chance.”

“Uncle Bones. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

He chuckles, and then his face gets serious again.

“I know you’ve always felt like the odd brother that doesn’t fit with the rest of us, but you do. We all kill, you aren’t that different, you just literally seek it out. None of us think you’re a monster. As I lead this family, it’s part of my job to minimize the problems, so I need you to maybe think a little more about who can see you, and who the person is. Maybe stay away from rival families, until you’re told to go after them.”

I nod. “Yeah, that was reckless, and could’ve ended badly for Bella.”

Hell, it did end badly, but it could’ve been worse.

“Look at you, Papa . Already growing up,” he says with a smirk, but then his face turns serious.

“We need to beef up the men on your property. You’ve got Bella now, a baby on the way, and working for the family will attract enemy attention. They’re unlikely to go after you, Reaper. Your woman and child will be the target, so let’s protect them.”

I nod in agreement, because I know this to be true, and I’ll do anything to prevent them from being hurt.

He reaches out his hand and I shake it.

“Welcome back, brother, where you belong.”

“Thank you, Bones.”

He shakes his head as he sits back and takes a sip of his drink.

“For what it’s worth, our father didn’t handle things appropriately with your situation, and he did far more damage with how he approached things. You were a casualty of that choice. Had we known, we would’ve killed that fucker a long time ago. Family or not. And instead of using your gifts, he cast you out. I’ll never agree with that decision.”

Bones rises from his chair and nods to the door.

“Let’s get back to the others. I’ve reached the limit on how long I can be away from my butterfly.”

There was a time I would’ve thought that was pathetic, but I get it now. After being away from Bella for too long, the edginess sets in, and I’m ready to jump out of my skin. If I can’t touch her, she isn’t fucking close enough. Some people might say it’s an unhealthy obsession, but I think it’s a perfect one.

We walk down the stairs together, and I have to swallow the lump in my throat as I watch her interacting with my family, as if she’s known them forever. Psycho is showing her his special knife. He was fourteen, and made his first kill with his enemy’s knife, and he took it and it’s sort of a trophy for him. I watch her talk animatedly, as she regales my two brothers with all the details of her kill from earlier tonight. I love that Athena, who isn’t really like us, listens attentively. That’s probably my favorite thing about my brother’s wife. She accepts you even if she doesn’t necessarily agree with your choices. I can already tell that she and my Bella are going to be friends. Can a serial killer actually have a happy ending?

Fuck. It would appear so.

I can’t imagine an asshole like me could get any happier than this.