Inflame

Epilogue Part 2

Cohen

The Not-So-Distant Future

WITHOUT KNOCKING, I let myself into Knox’s house straight into the chaos that awaits me. Kale, Jace, and Knox are sitting in the middle of the living room at what looks like a glamorous tea party. I’m laughing at the pink boa around Knox’s neck when my legs are attacked by my oldest niece, Chloe.

“Uncle Cohey’s here!” she exclaims as her tiny arms wrap around me. Four more pairs of eyes gleam when they see me, and I prepare myself for the attack.

The tea party’s abandoned as my nephew, Cade, leads the charge against me, and I pretend he knocks me over easily. A massive dog pile ensues and Chloe does her best to tickle my most sensitive side as the rest of the brood continues the attack until I’m begging for mercy from this little gang of hooligans.

I’m given a reprieve when my sister-in-law Charlie calls out to them. “Kids, we’re leaving!”

They scramble to get off me, and I sit up, catching my breath. I watch as all the kids race to the front door to say bye to their moms. Charlie, along with her best friends Lucy and Lexi, are all dolled up, ready for a night out on the town in Nashville.

Rising to my feet, I make my rounds, greeting the women, and when I lean in to give Charlie a kiss on the cheek, she gives me a wicked gleam. “Don’t worry, Cohen. We’ll take good care of her.”

I let out a low chuckle and shake my head. “That’s what scares me.”

“She’s in good hands. You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” Lucy chimes in.

My arms fold across my chest as I cock an eyebrow up at them. “Right. Like I don’t remember what happened last time y’all went out.”

Charlie gives me a sheepish grin, and Lucy waves me off. “Oh, that was nothing. I bet that jerk will think twice before he slaps a married woman’s ass next time he’s out patrolling for a quick lay.”

“That’s a pretty safe bet. At least it is if she locked him in an arm bar anywhere near as tight as it was when she did it to me. Although, in my case, I was just caught off guard,” Branson explains, arriving just in time to see the women off. Charlie gives him a playful scowl. “Ladies. Looking beautiful as ever.”

Charlie reaches up to pat Branson’s cheek. “Keep telling yourself that, Bran. All right, we’re out of here. Good luck, guys,” she offers, giving us a wink.

The women call out their goodbyes, and once the door’s closed, Branson puts his arm around my shoulder as we watch the rest of the guys removing their tea party gear.

“You ready for this, kid?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

As my gaze continues to rest on Jace, Knox, and Kale, the sound of the kids running around fills my ears. My mind goes back to Knox’s engagement party and the way the guys all laughed at Kale’s guarantee. When he leaned in close and told me that I was next, I didn’t believe him for a single second.

And let me tell you. I’ve never been more wrong in my life.