Chapter-75

EPILOGUE

Months became years, and our love grew stronger with each passing of the seasons.

When children came---a boy and a girl named Matthew and Michelle, we watched them grow into beautiful souls who knew nothing of the chaos we had once danced with.

Rook kept in touch, and our sibling bond grew stronger as did Torin's and his friendship.

Burdock and Ginger had moved away, but we kept in touch through letters and phone calls.

Torin's construction company grew, and employed many of his former MC brothers when Burdock had disbanded the club. Many married, had children and settled into a life of happiness and fulfilment.

Matthew and Michelle, brought a new kind of chaos into our lives, but it was the kind that filled us with joy and love. Matthew took after Torin, with his fierce spirit and an unquenchable curiosity for how things worked, while Michelle had my heart and giving nature.

We had quiet nights, the kind where we could sit outside and just listen to the crickets. But we had our adventures too. We had road trips across the country, camped under the stars, and took family vacations, making memories.

Matthew had inherited his father's stubborn streak, which sometimes got him into trouble, but Torin was always there to guide him with firmness and love. Michelle, on the other hand, faced the world with courage and compassion, and it was clear she would do great things.

Time moved too quickly, and we watched our children grow into young adults. Matthew, tall and strong like his father, decided to join Torin in the construction business, while Michelle pursued a career in social work.

When our senior years arrived, Matthew took over the construction business, when Torin decided it was time to step back. We sold our home in the city and bought a small piece of land in the country. We built a small house, surrounded by trees and rolling fields. We knew it would be a peaceful place to live out the rest of our lives.

One day, while Torin and I were tending to our garden, Michelle approached us, her eyes shining with excitement. "I've been offered a job in a different city," she said. "A chance to run my own shelter for at-risk youth."

We shared a look, a silent conversation passing between us. "We're so proud of you," I told her, and Torin nodded in agreement. We knew she had always dreamed of making a difference on a larger scale, and this was her opportunity to shine.

"We'll miss you," Torin added, a hint of sadness in his voice. But we knew that she had to follow her heart. Just as we had followed ours.

Michelle hugged us tightly. "I'll miss you too, but I promise to visit often," she assured us. "And who knows, maybe one day you'll want to join me?"

We watched as she drove away, feeling a mix of pride and nostalgia. It was a bittersweet moment. Our children had grown into fine adults, and they visited often. Matthew had a son, who Torin adored and taught everything he knew about construction, and Michelle had become a renowned social worker, making a difference in so many lives. At family gatherings, our grandson brought us endless joy, and we watched with pride as he grew.

Years passed, and our visits grew less frequent as our grandchildren grew and started families of their own. But our love remained steadfast, the bond we shared unbroken by the miles that separated us.

The house in the countryside had seen a lot of life. It had been the backdrop for countless family gatherings, filled with laughter and love. Yet, as the seasons changed, so did our lives. Torin's health began to decline, and the once strong and vigorous man grew frail.

I took care of him, every day a testament to the vows we had made all those years ago. Through sickness and in health. And though the shadows of the past had long since disappeared, the love that had always been there between us, remained as bright and as fierce as ever.

One quiet afternoon, as Torin lay in bed, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow, I took his hand in mine and whispered, "Thank you for this life."

He opened his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thank you for being my shelter," he replied, his voice weak but filled with the heat of love.

And with that, he took his last breath, leaving me with a lifetime of memories.

The days grew quieter without him, but his spirit remained. In the rustle of the leaves outside our bedroom window, in the way the sun hit the kitchen table in the morning, in the echo of his laughter in our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren's voices.

I knew he was with me, watching over me, just as he had done since the day we had met. And though the pain of his absence hurt, I found comfort in the knowledge that we had lived a life full of passion and purpose, leaving behind a legacy of love and strength.

Years had turned into decades, and the world had changed in ways we never could have imagined. Technology had advanced, wars had come and gone, but the love between us remained as constant as the stars in the night sky. 

I would sit in the rocking chair on the porch, looking out at the vast expanse of land that we had called home, feeling his presence beside me, his warmth in the breeze that brushed my cheek.

I knew that soon I would join him. I hoped that in the end, our spirits would intertwine like the vines that grew up the side of our old oak tree, forever connected in the quiet embrace of the earth.

When I took my last breath, his hand holding mine, I whispered, "Thank you for choosing me to be in your life."

As the light grew dim, I felt him lean in close, his voice in my ear, "Thank you for saving mine."

The End

Thank you for reading Torin. In the next chapter, you will find the start of book 2, Rook-Shattered Way Down We Go. Book 2 is an **Urban Supernatural Dark Romance.**

DESCRIPTION:

Catalina "Cat" Renauld is a strong-willed and independent young woman who has recently moved back to her childhood home. Cat and her foster brother, Rook Anderson, had shared a deep bond and a fiery chemistry that had simmered for years. Their lives take a dark turn when, on a seemingly normal night, Cat's traumatic past comes to the forefront during a heated misunderstanding and what emerges, no one had suspected.

Triggers: Adult language, dark content, explicit content, assault