Epilogue

Five years later

Mac

Her everything…

IWALK WITH A SMILE on my face toward a very pregnant Mia. She's seven months pregnant and more beautiful than ever. I chuckle to myself because I find myself thinking the same thing every day. And it's true. Every day she gets more and more beautiful. I have no idea how it's possible, but it is.

She's wearing a white dress with tiny straps. There are little lavender flowers thrown here and there. The dress hugs her ample breasts and then flows over her round belly and legs. The white is a stark contrast to her natural tan and the colorful ink all over her arms, chest, and shoulders. On her feet she has on a pair of lavender sandals. She's grown her midnight-black hair out the last several years, and it now goes to the middle of her back. I loved her pixie style, but her longer hair reminds me of a younger Mia. Not to mention, it's a good handle to grab while I'm fucking her from behind.

I grow hard with just the thought of it and discreetly adjust my hardening cock.

Later, I tell myself.

T is standing beside Mia as I make my way toward them. They have become very close in the last five years. I think he considers Mia as more of his mom than his actual mother. He's become extremely protective of her, especially since she became pregnant.

Tessa was sent to prison for five years, but got out at her four-year mark for good behavior. We never heard a word from her after she was released. I'm secretly grateful. I know it hurts T, but I feel he's better off without her in his life.

We got a surprise letter in the mail a couple years ago informing us that Shady was killed in a prison brawl. My gratitude for that was not so secret. Mia feels the same. We still haven't told T about Shady, but I know it's about time we do.

"Hey there, Sheriff. What are you smiling for?" Mia asks when I'm standing in front of them.

"Just thinking how beautiful you look and how lucky I am," I tell her, and bring her wrist to my lips.

She scoffs at me and rolls her eyes. "You've finally lost it, Mac, if you think this is beautiful," she says, while sweeping her hand up and down her body. "But I will admit, you are pretty lucky."

I bring her body as close to me as I can without squishing her stomach.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Pix. You carrying my baby makes you even more so."

"Listen to him, Mia," T says beside her. "All my friends think you're hot as shit. They're constantly asking to come over to the house just to see you."

I look over at T and scowl. He just shrugs as if it's no big deal. He better watch his little friends.

I look back down at Mia and ask her, "You ready?"

She plasters a huge smile on her face and nods quickly. "Yes," she says with excitement.

I bend down and help her slip off her sandals. I turn with an arm around her waist, and the three of us walk toward the boardwalk that leads to the beach. It took us years to get here, but I'm finally taking my girl to see the ocean for the first time. We had to get special permission from her doctor saying it was okay to fly this late in her pregnancy. He agreed, but said he wanted her back within two weeks. We're making the most of it and staying the whole time.

As we walk across the wooden planks and the beach comes into view, I look over at Mia and see such rapture on her face. Her eyes sparkle with enjoyment, and the biggest smile I've ever seen graces her face. It makes me feel like the king of the fucking world, giving this to her.

Mesmerized, she walks away from T and me, closer to the water. She looks down at the water as it rushes over her feet. She stops and throws her arms out to the sides and spins in a circle with her head thrown back, laughing, wind whipping through her hair.

I smile and look over at T. He's watching Mia with his own smile. My boy has grown into a good-looking and honest young man. Because of the blood that Shady and I share, T carries some of my features. I know it's because we get them from our mom, but I like to think it's just T taking after me.

"She's crazy," T mutters, smile still in place.

"She is that," I tell him. "But it's a good kind of crazy. To see her like this makes me one lucky man. We're both lucky, T."

"Yeah, Dad, we sure are," he says softly, already knowing how special Mia is.

We both stand there and watch as Mia takes in the beauty of the beach with such exuberant excitement. She looks so innocent and carefree standing there staring out at the ocean that I feel a pang in my chest. I used to ask myself how I got so lucky to have her. I've since stopped wondering, just accepting and cherishing every minute I have with her. I've learned that those answers aren't out there. We're with who we're supposed to be with. Mia and I may have been separated for a while, but I now realize we were always meant to end up back together, because without us together, the world wouldn't be right. Everything would be out of place and off center.

A world without Mia and me together wouldn't be a world worth living in.