Epilogue
Five Years Later
Reeve
The streets run red with trails of bodies and high-tech battlegrounds. The games have completely dominated the world, exposing us all to their brutality.
Nothing is safe anymore.
We flew back to the cottage Romina had given us a month prior to the second cyberattack that struck the rest of the world. We have a small community here that makes it feel somewhat normal. For now, this is our reality. Even though our lives here are a big question mark, it’s our best option.
Not many were able to escape it and hide on islands, in secret facilities, or go underground. Most are out there playing the games, while others try to bring The Creators down.
Thanks to Romina Bishop and BLACKBIRD, I can protect my family and build a life far from all the chaos that has condemned the earth.
This is all I’ve ever wanted.
My own family.
My starting point wasn’t pretty, but I still built a life for myself. It had its ups and downs, bumps along the way, and a near-death experience, but it shaped who I am today.
I’m overprotective, and I can’t stand to take my eyes off my treasured loved ones, but that’s one of the many reasons they love me.
I always have their back.
Everyone knows that no one threatens what is mine; otherwise, they’ll face the edge of my blade or the barrel of a gun.
I really was a naive boy. I thought my mom loved me, not knowing she had used me for fifteen years in exchange for more money. I can’t comprehend that. Just the mere thought of my little girls going through the same thing makes me see red. Fury takes over, mixing with…
It doesn’t matter now.
I’ll never let anything happen to them.
I hold the note I wrote for Winona between my fingers and place it on her nightstand. We still exchange notes every day—a tradition worth keeping.
I spin on my bare feet but pause halfway to take one last look.
My ghost will chase you forever and whisper to you in a language only you understand. In the dead of night. At first light of dawn. Beneath the blazing sun or pouring rain. You are mine, Winona, and I am yours forever.
I step out the door and jog downstairs, passing Titan’s pictures on the wall.
The girls often ask about him, and we always tell them about our goofy Cane Corso, who had a beautiful life with us and was a brother to our first girl for two years until he passed away from old age.
Winona and I still cry when we talk about him or see his pictures.
No matter where we go, that grief will always stay with us; we will never forget him, no matter how much time passes.
We both have tattoos in his honor.
We now have our Cane Corso, Trixie, who the girls adore. And I adore her because she’s as fierce as Titan was and protects the girls I love so much.
“Zoe and Clark come to eat dinner,” I shout so Zoe will hear upstairs as I quickly run to our second garage, Winona’s studio. “Get your sweet ass in the kitchen, mama, or I’ll spank it. Again.”
“Promise?” She giggles behind me as I skip back into the kitchen.
I had to run my quick errand, but I’ve already set the dinner table, and each plate has steak, a salad, and mashed potatoes as my girls requested.
“Ahh, steaks?” Zoe comes running, clapping her little hands with a mischievous smile, looking exactly like her mama. Her aquamarine eyes flash brightly, similar to the eyes I fell in love with all those years ago.
“Yes, princess,” I answer, kissing the top of her head. “Take a seat.”
Clark walks out of the playroom a few minutes later, running straight to me. “Daddy, up.” She gives me her cute puppy face, and I scoop her up and lift her over my head before I pretend to eat her belly.
Her little giggles and rolling laughter warm my heart and fill me with pride. She just turned three, and from a closed-off toddler, she’s starting to be more verbal and try new things.
Her blue eyes are beaming, and I fix her dark hair into a ponytail so it won’t sweep all the greasy sauce and mashed potatoes while she eats—she’s the best kind of messy eater.
“Look at you, my babies,” Winona says as she steps inside the house after a long session. I wonder what her next project will be. Every house on the island has at least one picture with her signature. She makes them for free to bring more light during this difficult time.
I grab her throat and steal a quick kiss. She leans into it, wanting to linger a bit more, and I let her. I’m dying to have her again after the morning we’ve had in bed.
“Look at you, my baby,“ I whisper, pulling out a chair and waiting for her to sit on it as I eye her swollen belly.
Fucking perfect.
She grins at me and then at the girls as she grabs her fork and sticks it into her piece of steak.
“Mmm, it’s so good,” she moans around it, and the girls mimic her, making cute little sounds.
“Mmm... yummy.” Zoe giggles, taking another bite.
Winona laughs. “Yeah, daddy knows how to feed us well.”
“Yes!” Clark chimes in. “Daddy is the best.”
“He is.” Winona grins from ear to ear, eyeing me up and down hungrily. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you later. I smile at that and take a seat next to her.
I bend down to kiss her pregnant belly, and she rakes her fingers through my hair.
“Hello, little one, I hope you like my steak too.”
“He does.”
The doorbell rings and I immediately stand up from the chair. “I’ll get it.”
Walking to the door with Trixie by my side, I already smile, knowing Romina, Koy, Braxton, and Mitch are outside arguing about something trivial as usual.
“Noooo, I don’t want to listen to this anymore,” Romina declares, pushing past me with a wicked grin. “Looking good, Reeve. Where are my girls?” she clicks her heels toward the dinner table.
“Eating steaks,” I reply with a grin of my own.
“As they should,” Koy laughs, patting my shoulder and catching up with Romina.
“So I was thinking—” It’s never good when Mitch starts a conversation with that statement. “We should have a pet section in our gym for kids.”
“I can’t. I’m helping Romina,” Braxton immediately declines, stepping inside. Mitch follows after him.
“Why not? Why are you being so stubborn? You saved so many pets on our missions. You basically have a small zoo.”
We have our own gym, Combat Skills & Books, where we teach self-defense using various combat techniques we’ve learned over the years, including calisthenics and weaponry classes, to a few hundred people on the island.
Pets do sound like a nice addition.
“Come on, Reeve, we have to convince him. That’s a family business. He is part of the family. The kids will love that.”
“Not if they murder my bunny,” Braxton retorts.
“Why would they do that?”
“Zoe already tried to warm him up with her butt when she was two.”
I let out a sigh as I close the door and lock it. Damn, I love my family. We’re each other’s crazy ride, and there’s a long road ahead. Probably more crazy to come.
“Trixie, there’s only one last thing to say.” I look down at her. “Sweet Death, I’m coming to collect my reward.”