Epilogue – June
“Are you excited?” Cora sits across the booth from me, her head resting on her hand, her elbow propped on the table.
I sip my coffee and shrug. “Kind of.”
She reaches for me. “You’re graduating, J, that’s a huge accomplishment.”
Six months after I should have, though.
I had originally taken time off school because of finances, but once the guys found out I was so close to finishing my degree, they insisted I put pen to paper and mark that off my to-do list before fully jumping into the business side of their lives.
In a way, I think they were trying to prolong the inevitable at my joining them in their endeavors—forever doing what they think is protecting me.
Not only did they pay my tuition, but each one of them took turns helping me study my way into getting a nearly perfect score on all of my remaining classes.
An achievement I’m lucky to have completed between getting shot and committing a huge no-no in the criminal world.
Fortunately for me, Simon had no hard feelings for my attempt to kill him, and he put up a rather convincing case to the council that I actually didn’t hurt him and it was, in fact, his men that were in the wrong for shooting me.
And given the circumstances, Coen got off the hook too, based on him acting in self-defense on my behalf.
His reaction was deemed acceptable despite him brutally murdering numerous people that night during his rampage.
Acceptable is a subjective term in that world.
“Yeah.” The ache in my chest remains, an injury that will probably take years until I feel remotely like myself again.
“Are the guys doing anything special for you?” Cora takes a bite of her banana-nut muffin.
“I’m not sure.” I pause. “I doubt it. They’re really busy with work.”
The whole, managing a criminal enterprise thing. All of which they’re complete naturals at. The darkness suits them well.
I change the subject. “What about you? How’s the new job?”
Cora smiles and it warms my heart. "Really great. I love it so much. They tasked me with doing the interior design of that new condominium complex across town. You know the one I'm talking about? It's super high-end, very exclusive."
“Damn, Cor, that sounds incredible.”
She nods. “Minus Jenn, she’s a total bitch.”
I drink another swig of Bram’s locally famous coffee. “What’s up with her?”
Cora exhales dramatically. “So for this project, we had to submit portfolios, but the company requested a blind approach, meaning it wasn't clear who got the gig until they announced it.
I've been there a whopping couple of months and Jenn's been there three years. Safe to say she was pissed when I got it over her.”
I tilt my head. “But, clearly, you’re better qualified then?”
“Exactly.” Cora waves as someone comes through the door of Bram’s diner. “She accused me of cheating the system.”
Magnus slides into the seat next to mine and throws his arm over my shoulder. “Princess.” He presses an aggressive kiss on my temple and turns to Cora. “What’re we talking about?”
“Some bitch at Cora’s new job,” I tell him while leaning into his strong frame.
I’m still not quite used to being in a relationship, but my three men make it feel like second nature.
“Ohh.” Magnus brings my mug to his lips and has a taste. “Want me to kill her for you?”
I throttle my reaction and elbow him in the ribs.
“What?” He looks over at me and then at Cora. “It could be arranged.”
Cora breaks off another section of her muffin. “I love this kind of energy.” She plops the bite into her mouth.
“Speaking of…” Magnus glances at the watch on his wrist. “I have a surprise for you, so I’m afraid I have to cut your little meeting short.”
“You know, I’m not even going to ask how those two things are related.” Cora continues to chew her food.
“It’s probably best you don’t.” I roll my eyes at Magnus and poke him.
He grabs my finger and brings it to his lips, kissing it gently. “You love me.”
Cora speaks up, “Magnus, hey, since you’re giving out favors.”
Oh shit, what is she about to ask him?
“Happy to be of service, what can I do for you?” He gives her his attention while continuing to hold onto my hand.
“I’ve asked June like twelve million times, but I was hoping to get an in with Coen’s friend Miller. I think June said you guys were business associates. We’ve never formally met, but I think we shared a moment.”
Magnus tenses slightly next to me.
Fuck. I've been meaning to tell her that Miller is off-limits, but haven’t found the right time or way of getting that across without hurting her feelings.
It’s not like I can just tell her the truth, that he’s one of the leads of the east coast market and that he’s enemies with my men’s old boss.
Granted, that guy is dead and no longer in charge, it still adds a weird dynamic and isn’t something I’d allow Cora to get involved with.
He might be a decent man, but decent doesn’t cut it with my best friend.
I may have gotten lucky with the three dangerous guys in my life, but I was made from the same dark cloth.
Cora is soft, bubbly, too fucking happy, and kind.
The world I am now involved with would swallow her whole.
What kind of friend would I be if I exposed her to that?
“About that…” Magnus drinks more of my coffee, almost like he’s coming up with some kind of story. “I have a better chance with him than you do.”
I blink at him, not fully processing the angle he’s playing.
“He’s…gay?” Cora leaves her question hanging in the air.
Magnus nods. “Yep. Super gay. The dude loves dick.”
“Oh.” Cora’s shoulders slump. “Well, that’s cool.”
“Yeah. He’s not fully out though, so it might be a sensitive topic if you bring it up to him.”
Cora crosses her arms. “Of course, no, that makes sense.”
Magnus checks his watch again. "Listen, don't beat yourself up about it. Plenty other men would be lucky to have you."
Cora glances up at Magnus and then at me. “Think so?”
Shit, the whole reason I refused to introduce her to Miller was because I didn’t think he was good enough for her.
“Absolutely,” I reassure her. “Without a doubt.”
The smile returns to her face as Magnus bobs his head and agrees with me.
“Where are we going?” I ask Magnus once we’re outside Bram’s diner.
“It’s a surprise, princess. Keyword, surprise.” He tugs me closer to his body as we continue to stroll down the sidewalk.
“Miller isn’t gay, is he?” Because there was no denying that he was checking Cora out when the two of them first saw each other.
“Super straight, but she doesn’t need to know that.” Magnus glances behind him. “He’s not ruthless like we are, that’s for sure. Still, he’s involved with shit that is way too shady for that sweet girl.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“You were right in not hooking them up.” Magnus steers me across the street. “Be different if you didn’t care about her, but you do.”
We approach a dark alley, slipping into the shade and walking until the shape of a man appears.
Coen kicks off the wall when we get closer and comes over to us. “Only a few more minutes, give or take.” He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and looks over at Magnus. “Dom should be here any second.”
And like clockwork, the brute steps into the alley with us.
“Someone want to fill me in on what we’re doing?”
Dom winks and presses his finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet. He points the direction he came, toward a few run-down buildings on this sketchier side of town.
I shove my hands in my pockets and wait impatiently. Don’t they know by now that I hate surprises?
Any normal person would be concerned about being led into a weird alley and yet here I am wondering what kind of fun these men have in store for me?
Magnus nudges my arm and nods ahead for me to focus.
It takes my eyes a second to adjust, but once they do, I lock them on a familiar figure ahead.
Carter. My piece of shit ex-roommate who made my life a living hell while I was stuck sharing an apartment with him and the rest of those losers.
The pathetic douche who stole my rent money, propositioned me numerous times, didn’t care when I came home brutally beaten up, and managed to convince his equally worthless girlfriend to change the locks and kick me out after I’d already given them my share of that month’s rent.
My jaw clenches, along with my fists. With this new world I’m living in, I feel stronger than ever, and the idea of letting him off the hook is one I’m not willing to consider. He’s gone long enough without having any repercussions for his actions and that stops here and now.
Except when I take a step forward, Dominic catches me from going any further. “Give it a minute.”
I glare at him, part of me wanting to rip myself free from his grasp and making a beeline straight toward that fuckboy in the near distance.
“Trust the process, princess,” Magnus whispers into my ear.
A year ago, I’d never put my faith in anyone except me, or maybe Cora, but things have changed. Hell, everything has changed. No longer am I a loner who refuses to settle down with a man. Instead, I’m romantically involved with three ruthless men who claim me as their queen.
And there’s nowhere I’d rather be than at their side.
Carter turns his back to us, cowering in a nook of an old building stoop.
He fumbles with something and does a terrible job at concealing himself from the outside world.
Facing us, he presses his thumb to his nose and inhales numerous times, his gaze darting around at anyone who might be watching.
He shoves his finger into the baggie in his grip, and then pops it into his mouth, rubbing the thing along his gums.
Leaning against the building, he tilts his head up and braces himself.
“Did he just do cocaine?” I ask quietly.
“Wait for it…”
Carter slumps against the wall, his body dropping out from under him. He falls onto his ass hard and steadies himself with his hands.
I hold in a laugh that threatens to expose our concealed position and continue to watch him have what must be one hell of a high.
A hand gently rests on my lower back, and when I steal a glance, Magnus’s strong frame inches closer to me. I lean into him but glue my gaze back on Carter.
If the guys went through the trouble to bring me here, it must be for a reason.
Carter starts shaking. It begins slowly, then turns into a more violent rattle, like he’s having a seizure. Wait, is that what’s happening? Is he having a bad reaction to the drugs? Or is this something more serious—an overdose?
From my spot across the way, I still see the foam bubble up and out of his mouth, a look of terror caked across his hardened face.
All of a sudden, his body stops flailing and he goes limp.
The entire process only takes a short moment, not long enough for anyone to walk by and notice and potentially offer help.
This is probably why he comes to this location to do drugs out in the open, because he won’t get caught.
Little did he know, that very detail could have been the difference between him living and dying.
For this sad sack of shit, his poor decision-making resulted in the worst possible outcome for him.
And the best for me.
A warm hand tugs me backward, further away from the lifeless body and into the shadows.
“Is he…?” I squint to keep my gaze trained on the still man who did his best to ruin my life.
“Yes.”
A wave of triumph courses through me. It’s sick of me to feel this way, I’m well aware of that, but Carter had it coming. Each day he continued to breathe was more than he deserved.
My men continue to guide me back in the direction we came, leaving Carter to lie there alone while his soul leaves his body. A death that still wasn't as cruel as he was.
“How did you know he’d…?”
Coen is the first to speak up. “He’s predictable. Wasn’t difficult at all to find a pattern.”
Leave it to Mr. Head of Security to figure out Carter’s every move.
“Or to give him a hot batch.” Dominic runs his hand over his salt and pepper beard.
“I have to say, this is the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever gotten.” I glance between them.
Magnus nudges me. “Just wait until your birthday.”
A statement that would have normally turned me off and made me run for the hills. Planning for the future with someone was never in the cards for me. But now?
I want nothing more than to spend however many days I have left with these three men.
Dying to find out what happens with Simon…flip the page to read the continuation of June’s story in Villain Era!