EPILOGUE —Alexander #3
I unbuckle my seatbelt and glance at him, my chest tightening at how innocent his confusion looks.
“You’ll see,” I say quietly, then step out of the car.
I walk to his side and open the passenger door.
He’s still sitting there, looking unsure, his brows furrowed like he’s trying to piece it all together.
I unbuckle his seatbelt and extend my hand to him.
He hesitates for a second before taking them, eyes flicking between me and the house.
His fingers are slightly cold, but they tighten around mine as we walk up the steps together.
The sound of the fountain fills the silence between us.
When we reach the front door, I open it and gesture for him to go in first. He enters cautiously, and the soft click of the door closing behind us seems to echo louder than it should. Lucas stops just inside the foyer, his breath catching as he looks around.
The space is bright and empty, with high vaulted ceilings and pale marble floors that catch the evening sunlight through the tall arched windows. There’s nothing in the house yet, no furniture or sound except our breathing, but somehow it already feels alive, like it’s been waiting for this moment.
“It’s empty…” He says as he turns to me, his voice breaking the silence, brows knitting in confusion. “Alex, why are we in an unfurnished mansion?”
I walk toward him slowly. My heart is racing, but I keep my voice steady as I cup his cheeks, my thumbs brushing against his skin. His eyes—those soft, brown eyes that have seen both hell and healing—search mine like he’s trying to read the answer before I even say it.
“It’s ours,” I say quietly.
He blinks, lips parting slightly. “What do you mean?” His voice trembles a little, barely above a whisper.
I let out a quiet breath, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “It’s our house, krasivy.”
He’s staring at me like he didn’t hear right.
After a moment, he takes a small step back, eyes flickering between me and the vast room around him.
Then, slowly, he starts walking deeper inside, his gaze sweeping across the space, taking in the grand staircase that curves gently towards the second floor, the open walls, the way the light glows off the marble floor.
His breath catches, unsteady, like he can’t quite believe it. And as I slip my hands into my coat pocket, my fingers brush against the small velvet box hidden there.
When he finally turns back to me, his expression is a storm of emotions—wonder, disbelief, love—and it takes everything in me not to pull him into my arms right there.
“I don’t… I don’t understand,” he says softly, voice barely above a whisper, confusion flooding his delicate features. “Please make me understand.”
I take a step closer, my chest tight as I cradle his face with both hands. He blinks up at me, lost. I lean in, pressing my lips to his once, twice, three times. Soft, trembling kisses that pull the tiniest smile out of him. That shy, beautiful smile that always undoes me.
“This,” I whisper, brushing his jaw, “is our house, baby. I bought it for us… so you could make it a home.”
He blinks rapidly, lips parting as if to speak, but all that comes out is my name; it’s quiet and full of wonder.
“I want to live the rest of my life with you,” I say, voice thick, heart pounding hard enough to hurt. “I want to be part of your future, no matter what it looks like. I want you to have my last name. I want to build that family you dream about…with you.”
His breath catches as I pull the box from my pocket.
“Oh my God,” He gasps, and before he can move, I’m already on one knee, looking up at him.
He covers his mouth, tears shining in his eyes, and in that moment, he looks like everything I’ve ever wanted.
“I don’t want to put pressure on you,” I begin, my voice breaking a little, “because I know you’re still young, and you have so many incredible things waiting for you. But, baby, in the most selfish way possible… I want you to be mine. Completely. And I want to be yours.”
A tear runs down his pretty cheek as he looks at me, starstruck and completely wrecked.
“You make me feel alive, Lucas. You make me feel human. Every part of you — your quiet, your stubbornness, your softness, it’s all home to me.
And I want forever with that. I want to wake up next to you.
I want to cook for you. I want your laugh echoing through these rooms, your things scattered all over the place, your touch everywhere. I want your dreams here.”
A broken sound slips from his mouth as he rubs his chest.
“I want to grow old with you. I want to call you my husband, if you’ll let me. Because there isn’t a single soul on this planet I’d rather spend the rest of my life with.”
He’s trembling now. His chest heaves with uneven breaths, like he’s trying to stop himself from falling apart completely.
And God, I’m shaking too. Vulnerable in a way I never thought I could be.
But I love it. I love him. I love that he’s the one person I can be weak with, raw with, imperfect, and real.
And no matter where life takes us, no matter what storm comes, I will love him.
I will stand by him. I will protect him from anyone who dares to hurt him, and I won’t hesitate to end anyone who tries, just like I ended Jeremy, just like I ended the monsters who stole his childhood.
As long as I live, I will never let harm come near him again.
“So, Lucas Miller,” I say softly, opening the box. The marquise diamond ring catches the light. It’s slender, sharp, and endlessly brilliant, just like him. It’s the most beautiful piece of jewelry I’ve ever seen, but I know it’ll be even more breathtaking on his delicate, slender fingers.
“Will you marry me?”
He lets out a broken, choked sound — part sob, part laughter — and then he’s on his knees in front of me, cupping my face in both hands like he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.
“Oh, Alex…” he breathes, tears trembling in his lashes. “There’s nothing I want more than to be with you for the rest of my life. You know that. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here in your arms and by your side.”
My chest aches so deeply it almost hurts to breathe. His hands on my face are warm, grounding me. I’ve never seen love so naked, so pure, written across someone’s face.
“You saved me, Alex,” he says, voice shaking but sure. “You held me when I couldn’t hold myself. You stayed when I tried to push you away. You made the silence feel safe again. You brought my voice back. You make living worth it.”
His voice cracks as a sob escapes him.
“Every day I wake up still shocked that someone like you could love someone as broken as me.”
I start to speak, to tell him he’s not broken, that he’s the strongest, most human person I’ve ever met, but he silences me with a trembling kiss.
He pulls back, lips brushing mine as he whispers, “If I could give you one thing in life, it would be the ability to see yourself through my eyes… so you could understand just how much you mean to me.”
“So yes,” he says, voice breaking, “I’ll marry you, Alexander. Please—make me your husband.”
“Fuck, baby…” My voice cracks apart.
I pull him into a deep, desperate kiss. The kind that holds every unspoken word, every heartbeat, every ounce of love I’ve ever felt for him. I kiss him like he’s air, like he’s the only thing keeping me alive.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathless — smiling against each other’s lips, foreheads pressed together.
I slip the ring onto his finger, and it fits perfectly. He stares down at it, eyes wide and shining.
“It’s so pretty,” he whispers, flexing his fingers. “Oh my God, Alex… this feels unreal. What the fuck. I’m engaged.”
He laughs through his tears, looking around the open space, and the way his face glows makes the entire house feel alive.
“This is ours,” he says softly, almost like he’s reassuring himself.
“Yes,” I say with an assuring smile. “But more importantly, it’s yours. You get to make it your home, the way you want it. That’s why it’s not even furnished.”
He blinks at me, confused. “I mean… It’s your home too.”
I kiss the tip of his nose, thumb brushing his cheek.
“You’re my home, Lucas,” I say, voice low and sure. “Nothing matters more to me than you. Yes, this house is for us, for our family, our future, but you’re the one who’ll make it a home. You can decorate it however you want, build it however you dream. As long as you’re happy, it’s perfect.”
He studies me for a moment, eyes soft and glistening.
“When you say ‘start a family’…” he begins, hesitantly, “do you mean kids?”
I nod. “I know you love them. I know you’ve always wanted that someday.”
He nods too, tears threatening again.
“I do. I really do. But… what about you?”
I take his fingers and kiss them gently.
“As long as it’s with you,” I whisper, “I want that too.”
He lets out a shaky breath, his eyes softening like morning light.
“You’re so perfect you don’t even feel real,” he whispers, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his head against my chest. I hold him tighter, my hand resting over the back of his neck—because he still needs to feel that I’m real, that I’m here, that I’ll always be here.
“Are we getting married right away?” he asks after a moment, tilting his head up, a playful glint flashing through his teary eyes. The question makes me laugh.
“No, baby,” I say, my voice low and warm. “You still have a year left in school. We’ll get married after you graduate. That way, you’ll have time to make this place feel like a home. Our home.”
He looks around again, eyes wide with wonder.
“The house is so big… and beautiful,” he says, voice filled with awe. “I need to go check out the other rooms.”
“Go on,” I tell him encouragingly.
I watch him move through the house—his hand trailing along the railings, his laughter echoing faintly off the empty walls.
He opens doors, peeks into corners, and exclaims over the high ceilings and the huge space meant to be the primary bedroom.
Then he runs back outside, his hair bouncing as he spins slowly on the driveway, gazing at the exterior of the house like he still can’t believe it’s real.
When he turns to me again, there’s pure joy on his face. It’s bright, unguarded, alive.
“Hell, Alex,” he whispers, wrapping his arms around my neck, looking up at me with that bright, heart-stealing smile.
“I can never predict your surprises.”
A smirk tugs at my lips. “That’s because I like keeping you on your toes.”
He giggles, the sound soft and breathy, brushing against my chest.
“When did you even buy all this?” he asks, eyes glinting with curiosity. “The ring… the house?”
“I bought the ring when we were in Monaco over the summer,” I reply, running a hand through his hair. We’d spent those warm months along the French Riviera like I had promised, then flown to Thailand again since he loved it so much the first time.
His brows lift in surprise. “You bought it almost three months ago?”
“Yeah,” I say with a small smile. “And the house—I bought it last month. I just needed to finalize a few things before bringing you here to propose.”
He gives me a teasing smile, “That’s actually really sweet. Now I have to get you a ring too.”
I arch an eyebrow. “You don’t have to.”
“Of course I do,” he argues, pouting adorably. “If I’m wearing one, then you are too. There’s this Cartier gold band with diamonds around it. I’m sure it would look so good on you. Or maybe the Trinity band—”
I don’t let him finish. My mouth finds his, swallowing the rest of his sentence in a kiss that steals both our breath. He lets out a soft, startled sound, his fingers gripping the back of my shirt as he melts into me.
I deepen the kiss, tasting the sweetness of his lips, the warmth of his breath, the way his body melts for me. Every time I kiss him, it’s like falling again—harder, deeper, without a chance of ever finding the bottom.
When his tongue brushes mine, I groan, breaking away before I lose every shred of control and rail him against the wall of our new house.
He’s flushed and dazed, lips parted, eyes glassy with emotion.
“I love you so much, Alex,” he whispers, voice raw and trembling.
I rest my forehead against his.
“I love you more, baby,” I breathe. “More than I ever thought I could love anything.”
His lashes flutter as he exhales shakily.
“Take me back to the penthouse,” he murmurs, cheeks pink. “Please… I need you.”
I give him a small knowing smile. There’s no need for words; I already understand. I need him just as badly, maybe more.
So I kiss him again, slow this time, deep and promising. A kiss that says I’ll show you when we get home. Then we walk hand in hand to the car, the air cool around us, but my chest burns with something fierce and steady.
When we settle inside, the quiet hum of the engine fills the space between us. He keeps staring at the ring on his finger, turning his hand as if he still can’t believe it’s real. Then he looks at me and smiles.
It’s the kind of smile that could make a god fall to his knees.
“You make me the happiest person in the world,” he says softly, voice almost breaking. His eyes glimmer with something I know I’ll never get tired of seeing—love, unfiltered and whole.
And in that moment, watching him, I realize this is forever, and I will protect it as long as I live and never take it for granted.