Walking into the waiting room, we pause at the sight in front of us. Everyone is here. Channing has her hand cradling her belly, Rylan is holding a sleeping Reese to his chest.
Hutton is sitting down on a chair, her feet elevated and resting on a plastic coffee table. Wyatt’s parents are also here, along with an older lady who must be the infamous MawMaw.
“Is she here yet?” I ask, trying to catch my breath.
Hutton’s lips curve up into a smile, at the same time Channing does the same. “Not yet. She’s pushing.” Channing grins.
“We made it,” I whisper, looking back over my shoulder at Louis. His fingers flex against my hip as he nods once.
Together we make our way toward our friends. The girls call me over to their side, and Louis releases me with a kiss to my temple. Channing pulls me to her side for a hug and I sit down between her and Hutton.
While we wait for news on Exeter, they ask me a million questions about the fight, both of them commenting on the dress that I wore.
“Louis told me to burn it, never wear it again,” I mutter.
“He would,” Hutton snorts. “It was super sexy though.”
“It was, but it really wasn’t me,” I say, shrugging a shoulder.
“It fit the occasion,” Channing points out.
I nod my head in agreement, then it happens. The door opens and Wyatt walks through. His head is tipped down. Slowly he lifts his gaze and even from across the room, I can see it. Tears swim in his eyes.
“Elizabeth Johnson is here. Six pounds, eight ounces and twenty inches long. She’s healthy, happy and Exeter was a warrior,” he announces, his lips curving up into a huge smile.
Exeter’s grandmother gasps. “She gave her my name?” she whispers.
Wyatt turns to her. “I suggested it. Our baby deserves the name of the woman who loved and cared for her mama her whole life.”
We all watch as Exeter’s grandmother walks over to Wyatt, wraps her arms around him and pulls him down for a huge hug. It’s absolutely beautiful and the entire room watches, speechless. It’s so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
“Come on and meet your great-great-granddaughter, MawMaw.”
Tears fall from my eyes. I glance over to Hutton and then to Channing to see that they’re crying too. It’s so beautiful, so unbelievably breathtaking that we’re all in awe of the relationship that this family has.
Louis walks over to me, holding out his palm. I slip my hand inside and he tugs me to my feet. Gathering me in his arms, his green eyes look down at me, searching my face.
“You’re my family, Tulip,” he announces. “I love you so much.”
I’m not only rendered speechless, but I become immobile when his lips crash against mine. I love him too, more than he could ever know. These people surrounding us are my family and he’s given me that. He’s given me pure love and a family, I don’t think that I could ever be happier.
Not ever.
Epilogue
TWO MONTHS LATER
TULIP
Something touches my shoulder.
Lips.
Then wetness replaces the soft touch.
Tongue.
My eyes flutter open and I shift and roll over onto my back. Louis is lying on his side, the sheets pulled up to his waist, his hand cradling his head as he watches me. He lifts his hand and uses his index finger to trace a line from the center of my throat all the way down to my belly button.
“Louie?” I breathe.
He smirks but doesn’t lift his eyes to me. “Can’t believe Exeter and Channing had their babies. Laurie then Hutton are next,” he murmurs.
“What got you thinking about that?” I ask.
Louis flattens his palm against my lower stomach, his eyes focused on me there. My breath hitches in anticipation of what he’s going to say. When he lifts his gaze to meet mine, his lips twitch.
“Want that for us, Tullie. I want a baby with you. I want to start my family with you.”
“Louis?”
It’s the only thing that I can say. The rest of my words have been completely stolen. My eyes search his, but he’s giving nothing away.
“Planned on doing some big thing, but I don’t want to wait, not another fucking minute.”
Then, he lifts his hand from my stomach, shifts behind him and grabs something before he holds it out to me. “Marry me, Tullie.”
Tears immediately fill my eyes. They don’t spill over immediately, I try really hard to hold them back, but as soon as he takes my hand and slides the ring on my finger, they fall. They pour down my cheeks as I try to blink them away to look at the ring on my finger.
A platinum pear cut diamond. I don’t know the carat weight, but it has to be a lot because I can practically see my reflection. Lifting my hand to his lips, I watch as he kisses the ring before letting me go.
“Yes,” I breathe.
“I wasn’t really asking,” he chuckles.
My eyes widen and I lift my gaze to his. “You weren’t?”
Louis shakes his head once. “We’re getting married, baby. You pick the day and I’m there. Then on our wedding night, I’m putting my baby inside of you. Waited so fucking long to have a beautiful life and I don’t want to wait another minute.”
My breath comes out in a whoosh.
“Louis,” I rasp through trembling lips.
He smiles, his eyes twinkling as he watches me. “Baby,” he grunts.
“How did I end up with a man as wonderful as you, a man who shows me unparalleled beauty in this ugly world? What did I do to deserve you?” I ask.
His smile widens and he leans forward, touching his lips to mine. “I ask myself that every fuckin’ day, Tullie.”
We don’t speak, not words anyway. Instead, we talk with our bodies. My fiancé makes love to me and it’s as spectacular this time as it is every other time we’re together.
This is where I have always belonged.
My entire past, Joey and my parents, the cruelty of this world, they brought me here so that I could appreciate all of the beauty that Louis gives me.
LOUIS
We walk into the courthouse, hand-in-hand. Our friends are already seated in the back, no scratch that, our family is seated in the back. I jerk my chin toward them. The women dip theirs in nods, and the men meet my chin jerk with one of their own.
Tulip and I make our way to the front row and I guide her in. We’re here for Charlie, as her support system. Charlie turns around, her eyes already filled with watery tears.
“You’re here,” she whispers.
Tulip nods her head before she reaches out and wraps her fingers around Charlie’s shoulder, giving her a squeeze.
“We’re here,” I grunt.
“Thank you,” she breathes right before we’re asked to stand for the judge.
The trial, fortunately, doesn’t take long. If this fuck hadn’t used the insanity defense, this whole circus would never have happened. Now, we’re sitting here, supporting Charlie, who is on the edge of insanity herself while she has to relive the nightmare that is Mark.
Charlie is the lucky one though. Like with Silas, she wasn’t the only victim, she’s just the only living victim. Their family resemblance, especially in weird kinks, is more than I could have ever imagined. They’re both sick perverts.