“I’m yours. I’m always yours, Clayton. There’s no way for us to be married. There’s no priest.”
“Actually, that’s my job,” Pete said. “We can’t exactly marry you, but we can bind you together with this.” Pete held up the design that could be inked around their wedded finger.
“This is better than any ring,” Clayton said. “This one will stay on. You won’t be able to remove it. You’ll be mine as I’ll be yours.” He opened his shirt for her to see her name written across his breast, right across his heart. “This is where you’re always meant to be. I’m not playing games with you. I’m not lying to you. You and me. This. Us.”
“Yes,” she said as more tears spilled down her cheeks.
He pulled her to him, cupping her cheek and kissing her as their crew cheered. Sliding his tongue across her lips, he held her close, not wanting to let her go, even as he was terrified of what her answer would be.
Taking her hand, he went to Pete, who was already set up to make the rings around each finger.
Maggie went first with him to follow. The moment their ink declared them as each other’s, their crew went wild.
He held Maggie in his arms as the celebrations began.
This was right. This was everything he could have hoped for. Stroking her hair back, he stared into her eyes, knowing no matter what, he would protect and love her for as long as he lived.
Slamming his lips down on hers, he felt her response, and he knew it was going to be one of the best nights of his life.
Epilogue
Five years later
Maggie buried the spade into the soil, turning it over and getting the ground ready for them to pot some fresh potatoes.
“Mommy, Mommy, come quick,” Eliza, her oldest daughter said, coming to grab her hand.
She wiped the sweat off her brow as Eliza led her out to where Clayton stood, holding their son.
She’d given birth to Junior less than three months ago, and the little guy was still going strong. Two pregnancies and each one Clayton hadn’t enjoyed, especially the birthing process.
No medicine.
No hospital.
No doctors.
Just her, Lee, a couple of other women, and well, sheer fucking willpower had brought her two babies into the world. She’d been lucky. She knew that. There weren’t many women who had the same kind of luck.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Newbies, beyond the gate. We’ve allowed them to approach. They had weapons but they’ve been removed. It looks like a family. A man, woman, and child.”
She took hold of Eliza’s hand as more of their crew came out. Over the past five years, they’d built themselves a safe haven. There had been a few attacks, trying to take what belonged to them, but they’d fought them off each time. They were happy to have people come to be part of their world, but they wanted peace, no violence.
If they couldn’t follow Clayton’s rules, they were out.
They’d all found peace within the chaos.
Resting her head on his arm, she rubbed her thumb across his wedded finger. They couldn’t have traditional weddings, but Pete bound each couple together as they requested it. It was their ceremony. Their way of bringing people to each other.
When the man approached, they stepped forward.
“Speak your business and leave.”
Both the man and woman bowed down and the child followed. “We want peace,” the man said. “We don’t fight. We come to join you. We’ve learned of your camp and have been traveling one month straight in search of you.”
Her husband stared down at the man who stayed bowed. She’d seen this happen many times. Their crew had grown. Families came from far and wide, people who were alone. Anyone looking for peace.
“I’m Clayton Knight. This is my family.”
He was vicious when he had to be, smart when it was required, and sweet to her and their children. But above all else, he was loyal.
Tilting her head back to him, she was so fucking happy.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank my wife. She’s the one who convinced me to let outsiders in.”
That wasn’t the truth, but as Clayton gave the instruction, she snuggled in close to his body as Eliza wrapped herself around her. This was home. This was her family and above all else, she was happy.
The End