Epilogue
The best part of my day is you. Always you. Forever you.
—Killian’s Secret Thoughts
“ D oes Mav seem more pissed than normal?” Lilah asks from where she’s sitting in my lap in front of the bonfire on our private stretch of beach. We decided to forgo traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties for a beach party with our closest friends instead.
In our world, it’s perfect. Low-key. Private. And steps away from the houses we’re all crashing in tonight and tomorrow before our wedding on Saturday.
“He prefers broody.” I smile and bury my face in her neck the way I’m going to bury my face in her lace-covered pussy later tonight.
“Who prefers broody?” Jamie asks as he drops down into the Adirondack chair next to us. “Fuck... you guys aren’t working on nicknames for Killian’s dick, are you?”
“Dude—” I look for something to throw at him and come up empty. “She doesn’t call my dick broody, you asshole.”
Lilah giggles and traces my earlobe with her tongue. “I can if you want me to,” she whispers, and I slide my hand up under her short white dress and dig my fingers into her ass.
Fuck, I love this woman.
“Go fuck in the outdoor shower like the rest of the family,” Dillan laughs as she stands in front of the fire with a wine glass in her hand. “Maybe not Mom and Dad’s though. I’m pretty sure one of our cousins is in there with one of Killian’s cousins.”
“What? Who? And with who?” Lilah asks as she scrambles off my lap and takes Dillan’s hand excitedly.
“I’m not sure. It’s just a hunch.” Dillan and Lilah look like the spitting image of their mother, standing next to each other, and I get a flash of fear for my future. Boys . When we have kids one day, they need to be boys, so I don’t kill every dumb punk that comes near my daughters.
Fuck. I’m going to jail.
“Oh my God,” Lilah squeals, a little tipsy from her drink. The first she’s had since the shooting four months ago. “Come with me.” She tugs Dillan. “Now I need to know.”
Lilah drags Dillan behind her out of my sight, and I stand from my chair and watch them go, until they disappear behind Nattie and Brady’s gate.
“She’s only right there, Killer,” Noah tells me from the chair next to mine, while he strums Baby as I wait and watch.
“Yeah, man. I know. Still doesn’t make it easier though,” I admit, with my whole damn chest feeling tight. Because while I know I have to let Lilah live her life and let her out of my sight, it’s fucking hard to do. Visions of that morning still plague my dreams. A living, breathing, nightmare we both deal with every day. The media frenzy after what happened has forced a level of security my girl will never be okay with, but she no longer fights it.
I push away the fucked up thoughts and turn back to Noah. “She said the meeting with the lawyers earlier went well.”
He holds his hand over the guitar strings, stopping the music and grins. “Yeah, it fucking did. We signed the contracts. Blue Bell Records is in business, and Lilah St. James is the first act we signed.”
I hear Lilah’s laughter and catch her and Dillan stumbling away from their parents’ yard.
Fuck. I can’t wait for her to be my wife.
Wait—what?
“Lilah what?” I ask, because she’s not taking my name.
Not professionally.
“Fuck.” Noah looks from his sisters back to me. “You didn’t hear anything.”
He swings Baby over his back and heads for the house. “Nothing, St. James. You didn’t hear a thing.”
“Umm... what the hell is Noah bitching about?” Dillan asks as she and Lilah laugh, stumbling over the dunes, clinging to each other. Both a little off-balance.
“Lilah...” I lift her up as she steps in to me and then sit us both back down in the chair. “What’s this I hear about Blue Bell Records signing its first act?”
Her cheeks heat, and she rolls her eyes. “Noah,” she yells. “You little bitch.”
She pulls her knees up to my chest and tucks herself against me. “I liked it better when he was keeping things from everyone.”
“No, you didn’t,” I laugh and take a pull of my beer. “So you want to tell me what he’s talking about, princess?”
“Yeah, princess ? How about you speak loud enough for the crowd?” Maverick teases, dryly as he stops on the other side of the fire.
“Oh, princess ...” Jamie taunts, and she flips them both the finger while Dillan raises her glass of wine to them both. Always defending her sister.
“Fine.” She looks up at all the guys and Dillan and shakes her head. “I told you he’d find out.”
“I told you, you should make him fuck it out of you.” Dillan hiccups and finishes her wine. “My way would have been way more fun than this.” She shrugs and smiles.
“I see nothing wrong with that,” I murmur against Lilah’s hair.
“Fine,” Lilah huffs. “You already knew I was taking your name Saturday. But I wanted to surprise you and tell you that Blue Bell Records signed our first act today... me.”
“Sounds like nepotism to me,” Maverick heckles.
“Fuck off, Mav. You play for your mommy’s team,” my girl bites back, pretty as can be.
“Focus, princess. You signed yourself to the label you own, and...?” I prompt her.
“Co-own with your mother. King Corp. owns 49 percent.”
They do.
Lilah owns the other 51 percent.
“And . . .” I push.
“And I decided that when it’s announced next week, I wanted it announced that Lilah St. James is joining Blue Bell Records. Lilah Ryan was before I married you, and I can’t fucking wait to marry you, champ.”
“Have I ever told you how sexy it is when you curse, baby?” I brush my lips over hers, my cock rock hard under her sweet little ass.
“Oh, eww,” Dillan groans. “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”
“Is that what you’re into?” Maddox asks as he slings an arm over her shoulder.
“Wouldn’t you like to find out?” she volleys back.
“I’d totally volunteer for that mission,” Rome announces over his beer, and it’s Lilah’s turn to groan. “I’m a good man to have on the job, little Ryan. Focused. Determined.”
“Dream on, psycho,” Dillan laughs.
“Hey, guys,” Lilah calls out to no one and everyone all at once. “I love you guys.”
“And... that’s enough.” I stand with her in my arms. “I’m the only one that gets your I love you’s, baby.”
“Now I’m gonna puke,” Jamie jokes, and I mouth fuck off as I walk away with my girl in my arms and my friends busting my balls about being whipped.
They can all fuck off because if they had what I have, they’d be happily whipped too.
And two nights later, when Noah lifts the microphone to his face during our reception, I realize they all know it too.
“The first time I knew Killian loved Lilah, we were eight years old. We’d just gotten out of the pool at our parents’ house, and Lilah was crying with a dead butterfly in her hand. Side note—I still think she squeezed it to death. But either way, she was heartbroken. Big, fat, crocodile tears flooded her face, and while Jamie, Maverick, and I all laughed, Killian patted her back, like he was scared if he touched her he’d get cooties, and then he helped her bury it in a shoe box. And Lilah made him dig that hole deep, so our dog couldn’t dig it up and eat it. She was really worried about that.” Noah lifts his beer in the air and smiles at us, and Lilah wipes at her eyes.
“We all knew we’d be sitting at your wedding one day. And I’m especially grateful to get to be one of both the bride and groom’s three best men. Not exactly traditional, but nothing you two ever did followed any kind of traditional path.”
She rests her head on my shoulder and sighs the prettiest sound, and I can’t help but cherish every minute. So completely aware of how lucky we are to be here.
“I’d like you all to raise your glasses and join me in a toast.” Noah turns to us and winks. “To the new Mr. and Mrs. St. James. There’s never been another couple as destined to be together as you. I love you guys.”
“He’s right, you know.” I cup her face in my hands. “I’ve loved you my whole life.”
I wipe her tear with my thumb, and she smiles. “And I’ll love you for the rest of mine.”
The End