"Are they all dead?" Galvin asked, rubbing her shoulder then heading toward the van.

Lauren followed along with Mace.

"I don't think any more leaders of the Tenth Street gang will be looking to avenge any brothers," Harper told them and Lauren saw Orlando and Rafael dead inside of the van along with two other men.

"I think not," Galvin said and placed his arm over her shoulder as sirens filled the air and the police arrived on scene.

Epilogue.

Lauren and her sisters couldn't stop hugging one another. Carly and Daisy kept winking at her and were completely impressed that Lauren snagged such hot guys. Galvin teased Daisy and Carly about the guardianship rule and how there were already men interested in staking claims to each of them. That seemed to upset both of her sisters as Daisy and Carly were very shy and timid, and had a lot of fears stemming from that frightful night their parents were killed.

"So, have you decided on the location for the sweet shop you both are going to establish here in town?" Harper asked them as Lauren smiled at Galvin, who pulled her onto his lap.

"We're still debating about the spot between the stores. But I don't think it will really matter. This town is as wonderful as Mary and Lauren had described," Daisy told him.

Lauren sat back and listened as her sisters talked about the sweet shop and any possible names for it. Lauren watched her men as they smiled and engaged in conversation, and how Aunt May and Mary whispered and more than likely planned to set Lauren's sisters up with some special men. It was all so nice and comforting. They were all a family now and life didn't seem so tragic and violent anymore to Lauren. Instead she thought about things she'd never considered like family, children, settling down, and enjoying life instead of letting it pa.s.s by in a blur of violence as a workaholic.

Out here in Texas, and the town of Pearl, there was time to breathe, to appreciate the simpler things in life and most importantly be consumed by the love of her five men.

Deciding to hang up her badge of honor had been difficult. But leaving the police force wasn't so hard because of her men. She knew she'd made the right choice to settle here in Pearl and finally enjoy life. She didn't have to worry about money anymore or struggling to care for her sisters and Aunt May. Life was good. She no longer had to look over her shoulder and she finally felt like she was safe again, instead of having to always be on guard.

"How about just calling it the Sweet Shop?" Aunt May suggested as Daisy and Carly rambled off possible names and then the men added some ideas, too.

"I don't know. This town seems so special and stands for a lot of great things. We want something that fits in well," Carly stated.

"How about Sweet Sensations?" Lauren suggested as she let the word sensations roll off her tongue as she held Mace's gaze.

"Ohh. I like that," Daisy said and the others agreed.

"To Sweet Sensations," Galvin toasted as he raised his beer bottle. They all raised their drinks and cheered together.

"Sweet Sensations. Get ready town of Pearl. Here we come," Cary said with excitement and they all cheered and laughed. The excitement, enthusiasm, and confidence filled the room, as feelings of love and happiness filled Lauren's heart.

She would continue to look over her shoulder, would live in fear and on the edge wondering when someone connected to the Tenth Street gang or even Maxwell would come for her. It could be months, years, or even for the rest of her life. What life? How could anyone live like this? She should have died. Twice.

She reached back, letting her palm glide over the handle of the thick, hard Glock before she squeezed her hand over it, her finger near the trigger. She closed her eyes, sighed at the feelings of safety, security, and power she felt within her grasp.

"I'll be ready. I'm a cop, a detective, trained by the best. You want revenge? Come on then. Come get me, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and I'll kill you, just like I killed the Tenth Street gang."

She drew her weapon, fired with speed and accuracy, and hit the mock target with precision and grace. "You can't break me down. I'm ready, come and get me."

THE END.

WWW.DIXIELYNNDWYER.COM.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind my name with all my readers.

My momma was born and raised in New Orleans. At the age of twenty, she met and fell in love with an Irishman named Patrick Riley Dwyer. Needless to say, the family was a bit taken aback by this as they hoped she would marry a family friend. It was a modern day arranged marriage kind of thing and my momma downright refused.

Being that my momma's families were descendents of the original English speaking Southerners, they wanted the family blood line to stay pure. They were wealthy and my father's family was poor.

Despite attempts by my grandpapa to make Patrick leave and destroy the love between them, my parents married. They recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

I am one of six children born to Patrick and Lynn Dwyer. I am a combination of both Irish and a true Southern belle. With a name like Dixie Lynn Dwyer it's no wonder why people are curious about my name.

Just as my parents had a love story of their own, I grew up intrigued by the lifestyles of others. My imagination as well as my need to stray from the straight and narrow made me into the woman I am today For all t.i.tles by Dixie Lynn Dwyer, please visit.

www.bookstrand.com/dixie-lynn-dwyer.

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