Page 14 of Ciao Bella

“I did. You gave me our precious girl, and more than that, you gave Mac and Alec their redemption against The Ghost.”

“Again, is anyone wondering how we could possibly all fit together like this?” asked Rose. “If you remember Alec, Tailor, and Trak, you all gave me the courage to end my ex-husband. Me. I used to think I’d regret it, but I don’t. I’m proud of myself for what I did. For ending the misery he was putting out into the world. I believe that things happen as they should, but I think our group is seriously pushing the limits.”

The entire plane full of people laughed, nodding their heads. Tailor smirked at his old friend, giving him a head nod.

“We’ve had a wonderful life together,” smiled Lena. “And there’s much more to come.”

“And I will be here to be certain that he doesn’t gorge himself with pasta,” said Trak, frowning at his old friend.

CHAPTER TEN

“This vacation is starting out wonderfully,” smiled Ally. “I get to see Wilson, Lena, Cruz, and some of the others all the time because we’re always working together. But the rest of you, I don’t see as much sometimes. I feel like I need to see you every day.”

“I guess we didn’t think about that,” said Vince. “The men see one another every day. We have our morning PT and then our meetings. Maybe you all should start doing the same.”

“We have our girl time,” said Lily. “We should probably start thinking about doing that on a regularly scheduled basis so that we can really connect all the time.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” said Ally. She looked around at the couples, lovingly holding one another, snuggling in the large, plush leather seats of their private jet. “You know, when I met Vince, I certainly never thought I’d end up here. I just thought he was a dirty biker out to rape and kill.”

“Turns out I was chasing a killer and rapist,” he frowned.

“Yes, you were. And you found him. In the process, you helped to save Cait and Corey.”

“Well, I think Axel had a lot to do with saving Cait and Corey. There was so much that came out of that whole horrible situation. So much good,” smiled Vince. Connecting with all of these idiots was pretty remarkable.”

“If I recall, asshole, you left us and went to work for Miguel. Seeing you with that gang was a shock. Especially because you were all jacked!” said Nine. Vince laughed, shaking his head.

“I had to keep up with you muscle heads,” he chuckled.

“You know, we’ve talked a lot about how things work out. The strangeness of ending up where we are, with who we have,” said Bull. “I’m older than everyone here. I was old before my time.”

The others just laughed, knowing what he meant. The abuse they placed on their bodies was more than most could handle. Bull had been jumping out of airplanes his whole life, and that lifestyle was catching up with him when he met Lily.

“Going down to Louisiana to work with REAPER-South, as you were called then, was the best decision of my life. I met Lily because of that choice.”

“Yes,” she said, nodding at him. “You met me beaten, broken, dirty inside a shipping container.”

“But you were alive,” he said, kissing her, “and I was going to keep you that way.”

“And you did.” She huddled closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. “It wasn’t long after you and I met and married that Luc met Montana.”

“Yes,” she exhaled. “My infamous drunken one-night stand with the man I would marry.”

“Lucky me,” laughed Luc. She playfully punched his arm, laughing. “What? Besides, it was Lily who introduced us. I almost walked away before I saw you.”

“Why didn’t you?” asked Montana, staring at him inquisitively.

“Because you were wearing that sexy-as-fuck yellow halter dress, and your magnificent, ivory, freckled chest was out there for me to see. That’s why. Then I held you against my body, danced with you, did shots with you, danced some more, walked in the moonlight, and made love to you all night long.”

“Oh,” she blushed. “Yes, that was why. Then you saved me.”

“Honey, like all the men here, you saved me. Not the other way around. I married myself a brilliant weapons engineer, and because you came to Belle Fleur, Jazz found Gray.”

“Again. Strange things happen,” said Nine. “I mean, look at how Savannah and Rafe met. Grip’s funeral.”

“Grip’s funeral,” nodded the chorus.

“I totally forgot that’s how she came to Belle Fleur,” said Gabe. “You served with Doug, and that’s how you knew Grip.”

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