“Marry me…” is the first he says over the shouts of the Russians, ordering everyone to move to the other side of the arena.
I gasp in more air before kissing him again, hitting his back with my own fists in punishment for what he’s just put me through before I realize what he’s just said.
“Wha-”
“Marry me!” he growls, gripping me hard with such an intense look there’s no hint of him kidding around anymore.
My only reply is to kiss him again, telling his body with mine that I’m his forever, that I’ll always be his.
The Marconi goons are rounded up and all the money’s brought down from his office, as well as being taken from whoever’s got any in their hands.
There’s no sign of Marconi himself, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
It doesn’t matter to me and I know Dillon isn’t bothered either, we have each other now.
It’s over. I know he’ll never have to fight again and I’ll have my man forever.
My dad rushes over, patting Dillon on the back, trying to squeeze in between us, drawing a low growl from Dillon because he’s not letting go of me anytime soon.
“You did it! I knew you would!” he cries, beaming from ear to ear.
“Did what?” I ask.
“Exactly what he wasn’t supposed to, and it’s what we all bet on… Only Marconi bet on him being beaten by the Russians, even they knew he’d never go down in a fight, especially once he saw you!”
I still look confused.
“He was supposed to be beaten by those two, but once he saw you, he made up his mind… he’s a man who knows what he wants!” My dad cheers.
“Everybody bet on him being beaten, except me… and all the Russians,” he says again with a sly wink.
“You risked everything for me?” I ask Dillon, figuring that’s two fights in two days he’s thrown because of me.
“I had to,” he says, his voice cracking. “I just had to…” and I kiss him again, the whole arena, the whole world disappearing as I taste the best victory of all.
Having my man hold me in his arms.
Forever after.
Happily ever after.
EPILOGUE
Dillon
“When can we go back? It’s been nearly two months,” I ask him. Mainly for Roxy’s sake. She hasn’t let me forget old Baxter and the house she was sitting, not for one minute.
“Not right now,” Jake says, “it’s not safe for either of you in the city, or the state, but we’re working on that. Marconi’s on the run himself, so…”
I give a dry cough of a laugh. Thinking what a shame it is I can’t be there to see Marconi’s little Empire getting a taste of its own medicine.
“I’m still not clear on the money either…” I start to say, but Jake’s hand is up. It always is now when it comes to money.
There was just so damned much of it.
“I told you, Dillon, those Russians bet on you, I bet on you, we cleaned up.”
“But…” I protest, knowing that there were no real bets paid out. “The Russians just took all that money anyway, didn’t they?” I ask, “No bets were paid out.”
Jake just gives me one of his killers grins and pats my shoulder.
“Not your problem, Dillon, and neither is anything else from now on, so enjoy your hefty cut!”
He turns to leave, ready to hit the road and get back to what he does best, riding.
“All those years ago, Dillon, when we were growing up. The times you saved my ass when I was a runt, could hardly breathe with all that damned asthma…”
I know where he’s going with this and I don’t want him to. It’s too painful a memory for him. Too painful for me.
“And then that day… that day I swore I’d live to try and forget… You were there too. If you hadn't been there, Dillon. I don’t know what that bastard would’ve done to me.”
“Well… He didn’t. And you’re alright. So…”
“I know, Dillon. I know,” he says. “I just wanna be able to look you in the eye from now on and know we’re square, know that I don’t have to lean on you anymore and you don’t have to fight like a girl for money any time soon,” he says, his lip curling as he stifles a laugh.
“Excuse me?” I exclaim, making my fists, ready to prove him wrong, but Roxy comes to the doorway behind me, hooking her thumbs into my jeans from behind.
“Are you two causing trouble again?” she chimes, and I relax fully, feeling her body melt into mine, the sweetest feeling I know.
“I was just goin’ Roxy. Be a little while yet before you can go back to the city,” Jake says, tipping his hat and turning his back.
“He doesn’t like me much, does he?” Roxy whispers in my ear.
“Only because he knows what I do to men who stare at my woman for too long,” I remind her, and I spin around, picking her up as her legs go around either side of me, and kicking the door closed with my foot I take her back to where she belongs.
Our bedroom.
I still have a few places that hurt now and then, but damn, if Roxy’s hands running over me and mine over her fine ass isn’t the best cure for anything at any time of the day or night.
We’ve got all the time in the world now, and her dad Carl even calls up to let us know how he’s doing.
Turns out he bumped into the same couple whose house Roxy was looking after on this round the world cruise he went on after the fight, so they exchanged how-do’s and told him the house is doing fine.
He sold the bike shop as well, to Jake, of course and for a pretty penny by all accounts. The Marconi territory is well and truly Russian and Killer’s MC
