Filthy Devil (Dark Horse MC #6)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

JAMES

ONE MONTH LATER

Little girls dream of this day their entire lives. But not me. I didn’t think it would ever happen. So, where others had plans and ideas, I had nothing except one thing. I wanted Shawn to make my wedding cake. She has full and complete reign over the dessert. I just want to have fun.

It’s not a big ceremony. Friends and family only, which really means Dark Horse MC only. I don’t have any friends or family outside of the club. There is a knock on the door as I stare at my reflection, although I’m not seeing anything. I’m staring, completely dazed.

Before I call out for the person to enter, I watch as the door creaks open slightly and someone slips into the room. Turning around, I see Shawn lean against the closed door and let out a sigh.

Her eyes open and find mine. Her smile is wobbly as she watches me for a moment. I’m not sure what she’s upset about, but I can tell it’s something.

“James,” she whispers.

My heart stops beating in my chest, and I feel my belly heat as anxiety begins to build inside of me. My breathing becomes labored almost instantly at the tone of her voice and the serious expression on her face.

“Did something happen to Nash?” I ask.

She shakes her head, her lips curving up into a smile. “No, not at all,” she says. “But there is a problem.”

“What?” I demand, unable to hide the panic in my voice.

Shawn takes a step toward me. Then another before she reaches for my hands, taking them in hers. She squeezes them gently before she speaks. “Your father is here.”

Those words take me off guard. I haven’t seen or spoken to my parents since they walked out of Nash’s house a few months ago. It doesn’t surprise me that she doesn’t include my mother, though. She’s way too stubborn to swallow even an ounce of her pride. And on that same note, I’m shocked as shit that he would go anywhere without her.

“Do you want to see him?” she asks, taking me out of my thoughts.

Pressing my lips together, I think about it. I want to allow him into this room, into my life. But at the same time, I know it is just going to reopen wounds and create heartache. Shawn’s fingers flex, causing my attention to return to her.

“I only talked to him for a moment, but he seemed to really want to see you.”

“Closure,” I whisper

She squeezes my hands again and takes a step backward, then lets out a sigh and reaches behind her for the door handle. “I’m staying right here unless you want me to leave.”

Dipping my chin in a single nod, I give her a smile. “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

I know she’s technically my daughter-in-law, but that’s just too weird, especially since she’s older than me and has two kids. She opens the door, and I watch as my father walks into the room.

He’s not dressed to attend a wedding or walk me down the aisle or anything, not that I wanted him to, but I just assumed that’s why he was here. He slowly lifts his gaze from the floor to meet mine.

“You look stunning,” he whispers.

He doesn’t have to tell me that. I know I look amazing. This dress is a light-blue, off-the-shoulder tulle dress with white lace detailing that hugs me at the chest and waist, then goes down to an A-line tulle skirt that has an extreme slit all the way up to my hip.

I don’t respond to my father because there isn’t really anything to respond to. Keeping my eyes on his, I wait for him to tell me why the hell he’s here. I know that my mother is probably tracking him, and he’s going to get into trouble, but I don’t care. That’s his business, not mine. It stopped being my business a long time ago, not that it ever really was.

“I just wanted to see you.”

“And what?” I ask.

He clears his throat. “Tell you good luck, but also let you know that if you don’t want to do it, I’ll help you in any way I can.”

A few months ago, I would have laughed in his face. Right now, I just feel pity. “I don’t need anyone’s help. I have all I need right here with Nashville. These people love me. I’m good.”

He looks down at his shoes, then shifts his attention back up to meet mine. “Whatever you need, I’ll do whatever I can.”

Laughing softly, I shake my head a couple of times. “I know you mean that, but I also know that it wouldn’t happen. So, thank you, and if you’ll excuse me, I have a man to marry.”

Thankfully, he doesn’t say anything else. He doesn’t get the opportunity. Shawn opens the door and stands beside it, waiting for him to leave. He dips his chin, then walks toward the door but stops right before he steps through.

He looks over his shoulder at me, then gives me a small smile before he leaves. That interaction should make me feel some sort of way, but it doesn’t. No, I take that back. It does. It makes me feel sorry for him.

My father has already lost his daughter, his granddaughter, and any great-grandchildren. All he has is my mother. Nothing and nobody else. Just her. I can’t imagine living life that way, allowing one person to push my whole family away for no damn good reason.

“Are you ready?” Shawn asks.

I inhale a deep breath, let it out slowly, straighten my shoulders, and smile. “I’m ready.”

And I am.

So damn ready to become Mrs. Nashville Stanley.

NASH

ONE WEEK LATER

Lifting my hand, I knock on the door. She’s been in there a while, but I want to go out and enjoy the sunset on our last day. Hawaii was everything I thought it would be and more. Most of the honeymoon we spent in as little clothes as possible, fucking at sunrise and fucking again at sunset.

“Yeah?” James calls out.

“You ready for dinner?”

She doesn’t know it, but I booked a private dinner tonight on the beach. Just the two of us, under the stars and hopefully eating some good food. Then, hopefully, we’ll fuck on said beach before we come back to this room and fuck again, either before or after dessert.

“Yeah, just give me a minute,” she says.

Then I hear her moving around the bathroom, and I can’t help but smile. I never had to wait on a clubwhore for anything. There was never a woman who I thought was worth waiting for, except Shawn and now James.

The door to the bathroom swings open, and she stands in front of me wearing a little white dress that isn’t skintight, but I can see everything I need or want to see. Holding out my hand, I wait for her to slip her fingers inside.

When she does, I curl my fingers around hers and gently tug her behind me. Together, we walk out of the suite and head down the stairs to the beach. The table is already set up with little twinkly lights hanging around the gazebo.

Pulling out a chair for James, I watch as she sinks down and thanks me. She’s been quiet on our walk down here. That doesn’t surprise me. I’m sure she’s reflecting. It’s our last night before we begin the rest of our lives.

Without a fucking clue about what that looks like—but I’m excited as fuck about it. But James is beyond quiet, far too quiet. I don’t like anything about it. Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around her wrist.

James lifts her gaze to meet mine, her eyes searching mine for a moment. “I’m pregnant, Nashville.”

Pregnant .

I stare at her, keeping my fingers wrapped around her wrist, unsure of what to say. What to do.

I stare and blink, then stare and blink some more, all in silence.

Pregnant .

“I’m sorry, Nashville. I know it’s probably not what you wanted so soon. We’ve only known each other for a few months, and we literally got married last week. I swear I didn’t do it on purpose, or maybe I did. I don’t know. I didn’t really pay attention to birth control or anything. I guess I should have. I’m sorry.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I snap. Her eyes widen at the same time her lips part in awe. I’ve never talked to her that way, but I needed her to stop fucking talking. “I’m happy, sweetheart. Holy shit.”

“Holy shit,” she whispers.

“We’re gonna have a baby.”

She smiles, leans forward, and whispers. “We’re gonna have a baby.”

JAMES

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Nash drives toward Pineville, the bike in the back of the pickup truck. He reaches across the truck, wrapping his fingers around my thigh, and then slides his hand upward to cup my belly.

“I can’t believe that in just a few months, we’re going to have a baby,” he murmurs.

It’s Chase’s first birthday party, and it’s the first time we’re coming to Pineville since our wedding. I am so excited to see everyone again. I have never felt as welcomed as I did with this group of people.

Every single person was kind, supportive, and even sweet. I can see why Nash would want to live here, but I’m not sure I want to settle somewhere so close to my parents. I still haven’t spoken to them, and I don’t plan on it. I have completely and totally mourned the loss of them.

I am in a good place, but I don’t want to live in the same town as them either. Nash guides the truck through town and thankfully pulls into the parking spot downtown that is right in front of Shawn’s bakery.

Without a single word, and before he can even shift the truck into Drive , I am out of the truck and running toward the bakery. Tugging the door open, I hear the little bell above me jingle and take a step into the room.

The scents fill me instantly.

God.

It’s amazing.

Ryan is behind the counter. She lifts her head, her eyes find mine, and a smile takes over her entire face.

“James,” she calls out as she moves from behind the counter.

Her arms wrap around me in a hug, and I do the same, closing my eyes as I take in the moment. When Nash walks through the door, Ryan abandons me to greet him. I smile at the sight of them, and then Nash’s eyes meet mine, and he gives me a wink.

“Okay, how long are you in town for?” she asks. “Longer than just the party, right?”

“We’ll see,” Nashville murmurs.

Ryan loads up a box of treats, making sure to add all the things she knows Nash loves. As she does that, she tells us all about the party and that Shawn is setting up today so she doesn’t have to do everything tomorrow.

“Oh, does she need help?” I ask.

Ryan shakes her head. “All the other girls are helping. I’m holding this fort down.” Her lips turn up into a smile. “All you need to do is show up with a smile on your face.”

“We can do that,” Nash murmurs. “But we’re also going to go and help.”

Ryan hands me a giant pink bakery box. “I put a little extra in there for the baby,” she says.

Thanking her, we say goodbye and head back out to the truck. I know I’ll see her tomorrow, along with Spencer, Kyle, and Dillion.

I can’t wait.

I love hanging out with them, and I wish we could do it more often. But that would require being closer to my parents, and I don’t think I can do that just yet. A few moments later, we’re in Shawn and Elvis’s driveway.

“James,” Nash calls out from beside me.

Turning my head, I look over at him. I’m gripping the box in my lap, but my fingers loosen as I turn toward him. Nash smiles at me, his gaze searching.

“I love you, sweetheart. Thank you for coming to Pineville with me.”

“Where else would I be?” I ask.

His lips twitch into a smirk. Leaning forward, he touches his mouth to mine. “I know Pineville isn’t your favorite place to be, so thank you, sweetheart.”

“Anywhere with you is my favorite place, Nash.”

He reaches over and touches my belly again. “And you are my favorite fucking person, James.”

I cannot believe this is my life. I’m sitting outside Elvis and Shawn’s house, getting ready to help them set up a first birthday party for our grandson. I know I’m nowhere near a grandmother’s age, but I am a grandmother, ready to become a mother, and I am loving it.

Nash and I have spent the last six months traveling around clubs. He does whatever it is he does, and I explore the area. But I’m ready to settle a little as well. I doubt we’ll ever be completely settled anywhere, but I want this. What we’re standing in front of. I want a house with family around and people who love us.

“I want to move to Pineville,” I announce.

His eyes widen. “What?” he asks. “I thought you didn’t want to live here because of your parents.”

Tears fill my eyes. “I don’t care about them anymore. What I care about is this, this family. I want our baby to be part of this.”

My old man’s lips curve up into a smirk at the same time his blue eyes search mine. “I would really fuckin’ love that, sweetheart.”

His lips touch mine, his tongue slides across the seam of my mouth, and then he lifts his head, pressing his forehead against my own. “I love you so much, Nashville Stanley. We’re in this until the end.”

Nash chuckles. “Sweetheart, I love you more than I ever imagined it was possible to love another person. There is only you for me, James. I am so over the goddamn moon happy.”