Without a word to Vienna, I took off running. He turned and the frightening expression on his face melted into pure affection.
Even though I wanted to be furious with him, I couldn’t get to him fast enough. My hands were dying to run through his thick, messy hair. My legs couldn’t wait to wrap around his waist.
My heart thumped against my ribcage as if I wasn’t running fast enough.
I slammed into him and he caught me, burying his face in my hair while I squeezed the ever-loving daylights out of him.
“Juliet,” he rasped. “Fuck, I missed you.”
“Me too. Me too,” I whispered.
He squeezed me tighter, then he pulled away to stare at me for a few agonizing seconds before fusing our lips together.
We kissed for what felt like the first time in our lives. His lips as soft and demanding as I remembered. In his arms, I was home again. Safe. I inhaled his crisp wind scent—now mixed with oil and leather.
Leather.
Only when we parted and my heart stopped racing, did I tear my gaze away from him long enough to see the leather vest he was wearing. Similar to Uncle Dex’s but without the same patches.
“Where’d you get this? The bike? How’d you get out?”
“One thing at a time.”
“I missed you.”
His eyes softened. “Missed you too, butterfly.”
I slugged him in the stomach, which probably hurt my hand more than his gut. “I’m mad at you.”
“You should be.”
“Take me home.”
He lifted his chin in Vienna’s direction. “You two have plans?”
“Just to try on graduation dresses. But I don’t think I’m going to the ceremony now.”
“Oh yes you are.”
“I want to spend time with you.”
He leaned down, staring into my eyes. “And I want to watch you graduate.”
Forty-Nine
Roman
I made two stops after leaving Dex.
The next day I cooked in the sun for two hours waiting for Juliet to walk the stage. It felt good to be outside.
After graduation, I took Juliet out to dinner. The restaurant had a water fountain out front and at night it lit up into a rainbow of colors.
That’s where I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me.
“Yes!” She jumped into my arms and hugged me so hard, I almost fell backwards and dropped the ring I’d so carefully selected the day before.
In between declarations of love, she peppered my face with kisses. “I love you so much.”
Two weeks later I married her on top of a mountain at sunrise.
It had taken some money and convincing to open up Fletcher Park so early, but my girl wanted to get married on a mountain at sunrise, so she did.
She wore daisies in her hair and carried a bouquet of pink roses down the aisle.
Dex and Vienna stood next to us as we pledged to love, honor, and cherish each other for the rest of our lives.
Pip had been moved to a new home. It took time to track him down, but I did. The kids there were closer to his age and he seemed happier.
Because of my recent incarceration, I couldn’t even apply to foster him, but Juliet and I visited him often.
We sold Mrs. Shields’ house. To a young family looking to put down roots.
Juliet and I had never had roots. We grounded and centered each other. Home to me was wherever she was.
I wanted to love and protect this woman for the rest of my life. Together we had everything.
“Are you ready to go?” I asked.
She took one final look at the house before taking her helmet from my hand. “I think so.”
We’d packed the bare minimum. We only had a vague idea of where we were going and what we wanted to see. That suited us fine.
For weeks, maybe months, we planned to live like Nomads. Ride from town to town. Move on when we’d seen enough. See things we’d only read about. Let our hearts lead the way.
And that’s exactly what we did.
Our two lonely, damaged spirits became one.
The open road healed both our souls. Our love mended them together for eternity.
Epilogue
A few years and many roads later…
* * *
“Are you all packed?” I shout down the hall. Juliet’s been dawdling which isn’t like her. I want to get on the road before sunrise.
“Just a minute!”
“Babe.” I tap on the bathroom door. “Can I bring your bag downstairs?”
She hesitates before answering. “Sure.”
We have a long ride ahead of us to get to Florida. We planned to meet up with Dex at the rally.
Sometimes she gets annoyed with him for the clubs he’s hooked me up with. For the riskier jobs I take on. I’m not sure what she’d say if she knew that not too long ago Dex and I paid her uncle a visit. Either way, last I knew she was looking forward to seeing him again. So I don’t understand the sudden hold-up.
“Roman,” she calls out. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
My mouth quirks. “Already saw all of you this morning, butterfly.”
I push the bathroom door open and stare at my beautiful wife dressed in nothing but a pair of white lace panties. Like the greedy bastard I am, I stand there and drink all of her naked beauty in.
“You’re killing me,” I groan. “I wanted to be on the road early. But now I want to take you back to bed.”
“Roman.” She draws out my name in a low, sing-song voice and waves something in my face.
“Is that a tampon? You want to push the trip back a few days?”
She doubles over laughing. “No, you goof.”
I look closer. Rapid Pregnancy Detection.
“What is that?”
“Really, Roman?” She’s the only person in our lives who uses my real name anymore. Love hearing it from her lips.
Holy fuck!
“Are we having a baby?”
“Ding! Finally.” She sets the test stick down and throws her arms around me. “What do you think? Can an outlaw-nomad like yourself take some paternity leave?”
“Butterfly, I can do whatever I want. What about you? The hospital can’t seem to function without you.”
She rubs her hand over her still-flat stomach. “I want this more.”
“Think it’s time to move back to New York?”
“Maybe.”
My phone buzzes and I pull it out of my pocket. “It’s Prophet. Give me a second.”
She rolls her eyes. “What does he want now?”
I tap out a quick text, telling him I’m headed out of town before returning to Juliet.
“You gonna tell Dex when we see him?”
“No, maybe we shouldn’t tell anyone yet. Just in case.”
“Maybe we should cancel the trip.”
“No way. We’ve been planning this for months. Besides, it might be the last road trip I take for a while.”
Shit, riding without Juliet at my back? Just the idea seems wrong.
“Might be time to trade in the Green Flame for a cage.”
“I’d never ask you to do that.” Her voice drops. “I love you, Roman. I always want you to be happy.”
“Love you too. You’re what makes me happy.” I brush the hair out of her eyes. My gaze drops to her naked chest. “You look good.” I yank her up and against me and carry her out of the bathroom. “Let’s go back to bed and celebrate.”
I fuse my mouth to hers.
Soft minty breath washes over me and I stroke my tongue against her bottom lip.
She pulls back, blinking up at me. “What about Florida?”
“It’s not going anywhere.”
* * *