Epilogue One
………………………….
Ily
Six months later…
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: HAVE you told him yet?
I stopped making the bed in the guest room, swatting away my ponytail that’d fallen over my shoulder. I should really learn not to do two things at once. Trying to fluff the pillows while checking to see if Peter had landed ensured the jobs took twice as long.
Grinning, I typed back.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Not yet. He’s due back any second. He’s been in a meeting with Ben, Stew, and his brother all day.
I snickered at our phone names for each other. It’d started as a joke when Henri managed to track down all of the jewels—thanks to Q keeping record of where they went home—and set up a group on What’s app to stay in touch.
Sometimes, we’d share a fear that resurfaced or we’d discuss a trigger that made life miserable. But over the past few months, the group had become a place of healing instead of hardship.
Rachel had had her baby and spammed the group with photos. To start with, the response was strained. Some still saw Victor in the adorable fat-cheeked baby. But as he grew and switched from scrunched up caterpillar into a smiling bright-eyed boy, no one saw Victor anymore, just Rach.
She called him Asher. Apparently, it meant happy one or blessed.
On our weekly video calls, Rachel slowly shed the past and the lines around her eyes smoothed into laughter instead of fear. Her uncle played a huge role in Asher’s life, taking him to work on the small farmlet he had, bouncing him on his hip as he fed the two horses their daily hay. She hadn’t met anyone romantically. She said she didn’t want to. But she was content and safe and happy.
Most of the jewels were.
Henri had even tracked down Faiza (she’d returned home to Abu Dhabi) and May (the cook who’d helped so much) had been reunited with her daughter in England. He’d also found Melanie and Rose—the two doctors who’d patched up our many wounds. We sent them gifts and money, worthless things after what they’d done for us. Melanie had kept me alive and one day, we’d visit as many of the jewels and friends we could to make sure they were as happy as we were.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: How’s that going by the way? They still catching bad guys?
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Good! Ben and Stew finished writing the software two months ago, so the Mercer men can track every trade that flags certain keywords. They’ve already caught so many. I hate that there’s so many. But I’m glad they’re getting what they’re owed.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Nice of Victor to tell us how to track them down, huh?
I doubted that was his intention, but Victor had been fundamental in increasing the extermination rate. Thanks to him sharing his business endeavours the night he raped me, we had insider information on how traffickers traded these days. Peter might have saved my life by stepping in front of a bullet, but Ben and Stewart? They’d been the ones to tell everyone to engage when Victor went to cut my throat.
Because of them, we’d all won that night.
Because of them, we were able to put down all the men who thought they could trade and mutilate a human being.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: I still have nightmares about those keywords we all brainstormed. Little girl’s dress. Gracie skirt. Ages instead of sizes. All that code.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Yeah, but how many has Henri ‘visited’ now? Fifteen? Twenty? Just off tracking online sales? That’s obviously not including the other thirty-four when he went a little crazy. Your fault, by the way. Poor chap thinking you’d died on him.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Ha ha. I think it’s seventeen. And you’re right. It’s a great start to a partnership that I think will do really well. Anywho…are you in France yet? Tell me you are. I can’t wait to see you!
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Jeez, calm down. You saw me last month. Having contacts with billionaires has made me accustomed to the high-roller lifestyle . I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fly coach after this private plane nonsense.
I laughed and threw the final beaded cushion onto the bed. Paavak despised throw cushions. The first thing he did when he stayed with us was shove them all on the floor and forbid me from ever putting them back.
Of course, it only made me cover the bed with so many there was literally no room for him at all.
It’s the little things.
Standing by the window, I sighed and drank in the green meadows and late summer sunshine. My fingers fluttered to my stomach and the surprise tucked deep inside.
We’d been so busy.
We thought we’d have time to pause and breathe then decide what jobs to get and how we wanted domestication to go. But that was before Ben and Stewart badgered Henri to let them visit. Before the four men—Q and Henri, Ben and Stew—sat in Q’s office for hours and somehow came out as business associates.
Ben and Stew’s guilty conscience after going to Victor’s island for so many years and sleeping with Abby and Pen while they were collared—two women who were now their devoted, happy wives—needed a way to clean their karma.
That was how Q committed his team of mercenaries. Henri agreed to play the role of Master long enough to get in the front door. And Ben and Stew used their hacking abilities to break into the bank accounts of rapists and steal their funds.
Not only did the bastards lose their lives, but they also lost every penny to those they’d ever hurt.
Henri had found a job playing his true self: slaughtering the monsters and saving their slaves. When he was at home with me, he was just Hen. If we weren’t playing of course. But when he was out hunting, he was the blackhearted monster who fed on pain with no remorse.
The first few times he’d flown off with his brother to do a ‘job’, I’d huddled in front of the fireplace in panic. Tess had come to visit. She’d plied me with enough wine to ensure I was giggling instead of crying and kept me sane enough to accept that we’d fallen in love with men who would never have a desk job.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: You still alright if I crash with you guys? I never like to assume.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: You know if you tried to stay anywhere else, we’d come over there and kidnap you.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Careful. You might give me flashbacks .
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Doubt it, you’re far too stubborn for that. How’s the bar work at the local pub going by the way?
My mind slipped down memory lane. When Peter called us from dropping in on his parents unannounced, everything about the prickly proud man who’d taken me under his wing on Victor’s island had changed.
He’d looked instantly younger. He couldn’t stop smiling. He made inappropriate jokes and valued every second of his freedom. Within a few weeks, he’d found a room to rent with another single guy and got back into living a life as if he’d never been collared.
His strength astounded me. The shiny skin on his hands and feet and his many scars under his clothes were the only signs he’d ever been used so badly. And the best thing about his impromptu announcement to his parents? They hadn’t died of a heart attack.
Thank God.
He’d even called me so we could have a video chat where I apologised profusely for giving them misinformation, only to be invited around any time, day or night.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Funny you should ask about that. It’s good. Better than good. I…you know what? That news can wait until I see you.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Now that’s just rude.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Speaking of news. Can I be there when you tell him?
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: No, definitely not. How you even figured it out before he did has to go against some sort of friendship code .
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Can’t blame me if I’m observant.
I laughed and cupped my still flat belly.
I didn’t even know I wanted children until those two little lines appeared.
I was nervous as hell telling Henri but…excited too.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: What gave it away?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: The fact that you went bolting off camera when we were video chatting last month. Henri might’ve bought your story that it was food poisoning, but I have the advantage of not seeing you every day.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: What advantage?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: You’ve always been gorgeous, jaanu. But each time we spoke after that night you seemed to glow.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: What if he doesn’t want one?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Then I’ll punch some goddamn sense into him.
The front door opened downstairs.
The energy in the gorgeous gatehouse that we’d accepted as a gift from Q—but insisted on paying rent for—instantly filled with love.
My skin prickled with it. My heart fluttered with it.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: I’ve got to go. See you in ten minutes or so?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: Definitely. I’m looking forward to seeing his face when he figures out he’s gonna have a daughter.
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Oh God. Don’t even joke. He won’t handle having a daughter. He’ll slaughter every man he ever sees—good or bad.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: I just laughed so hard the driver swerved. Hey, Ily?
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Yeah?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: If I asked to bring a guest next time…would that be okay?
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: Ahhhhh!!!!! Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: :) :) – that’s my face. See it smiling?
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: You met someone?
Henri’s heavy footfalls sounded on the stairs.
PETE AKA ‘THE GOOD GUY’: I met someone.
The landing creaked with its weathered floorboards as Henri passed the guest room where I stood by the window. He headed into our room on autopilot. When he didn’t find me there, his rich delicious voice rose. “Ily?”
ILY AKA ‘THE NIGHTMARE’: We are so speaking about this when you get here. Tell the driver to go faster.
Throwing my phone onto the ridiculous mountain of cushions, I almost floated toward my husband-to-be.
The woollen string around my finger had frayed within the first few days.
We hadn’t told anyone that we’d officially gotten engaged. It was our little secret until we had time to plan a wedding and say the vows we’d already said each night we fell into each other’s arms.
However, this might hurry along those plans.
I felt a little dizzy at the thought of telling him.
How silly we’d both been.
Irresponsible really.
I blamed happiness for making me forget. But a small part of me wondered if fate had played a small role.
As Henri stepped over the threshold of the guest room and found me framed in sunshine, his handsome face lost its harsh, hollow angles as his grey eyes turned into molten pools of silver. “There you are. Everything ready for our guest?”
I nodded. My mouth suddenly dry.
My fingers linked over my belly, shielding the surprise, trying my best to figure out how to tell him. Even armed with new words and helpful cues that I’d learned from my online psychology course, I had no idea where to begin.
“I, eh…I have something to tell you.”
For a moment, shadows cloaked him. Blackness claimed him. He stalked around the room as if searching for a threat, but then his eyebrows knotted as his gaze landed on my linked fingers.
And…fate prevented me from having to say anything, after all.
Staggering backward, he crashed against the wall. “You’re not…no.” Raking a shaking hand through his hair, he shook his head. “You can’t be. The injection—”
“Melanie administered that over a year ago. She said it was only valid for six months. It was stupid of me not to think about contraception, but I honestly totally forgot. We’ve been so busy…”
“Oh fuck.” Sliding down the wall, his knees came up. Wedging his elbows on them, he buried his face in his hands. “Y-You’re pregnant?”
Crouching down in front of him, I tugged his hands away from his eyes. “I took a test this morning.”
“And?”
“It’s positive.”
He groaned and hung his head. “But…I can’t. I can’t pass on this—this curse to anyone else. I just…I can’t.”
I smiled softly, ignoring the kick of fear. “I’ve seen you write back to Rachel in the group chat. Asher might’ve been half made by Victor, but his genes have nothing to do with his future. You said that yourself.”
Slowly, he reached for me and dragged me onto his lap. “But…you told Victor that you’d leap off a roof if I ever got you pregnant. I know things are different between us now but…you didn’t want this. You didn’t want a child with me.” Terror made him rush. “I never wanted to hurt you, Ily. And now I’ve gone and done the one thing that will guarantee you pure agony. Shit. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking—”
“Hey.” I planted my hand over his mouth, shutting him up. “Henri, listen to me.” I sucked in a breath. “I love you. Everything you just said—and I don’t mean this in a nasty way—is absolutely ridiculous. How could you even think I wouldn’t want your child after what we’ve been through? What we’ve done and shared and become? I don’t blame you for getting me pregnant. It’s just one of those things that’s happened. We were both irresponsible. And now that it has happened…” I blushed. “I want this. Very, very badly. And you’re scaring me that perhaps you don’t, and I honestly don’t know what that means for us and—”
Slapping his palm over my mouth, he pulled mine away from his. “Seems we’re both being a bit ridiculous.”
I went to tug his gag off me, but he dug his fingers into my cheeks. “I love you with every shred of my soul, Ily. You want the truth? Until this very second, I’d never envisioned myself as a father. Who am I to even think of multiplying? But with you? You’re the best person I know. You’d balance out all the shit inside me and I’m not afraid that our child would end up like me. I know they’d be all you, and it would be my honour to protect both of you.”
I jerked my head back, dislodging his hold. “Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem?” He sighed heavily. “The problem is…I already have too much. I don’t deserve this. It’s too much. I…” He glanced at his hands. “I’ve got blood all over me, little nightmare. I can’t—”
Fear pricked my heart. I leaned back in his embrace. Terror I hadn’t felt since the island crashed through me like ice. “You mean…even though you want this…you don’t want it at the same time? I know we’ve never had that conversation but…”
“Don’t want ?” His eyes shot wide. “Don’t deserve . How am I supposed to survive that level of happiness when I can barely survive you?” He pressed a fist to his chest. “My heart threatens to pop every time I look at you. Every time I come home to you, I almost sob like a fool.” Cupping my cheek, he whispered, “I’m so fucking lucky. I’ve already been given so much. Too much. If I have anything else, it might get taken away and—”
“Ah, Henri.” The ice of fear melted into flames of love. “Hen…listen to me.”
He froze, his eyes churning with shadows.
“Nothing will get taken away. And you do deserve this. Just tell me you want this and…everything will be okay. I promise.”
His gaze fell to my lips. “I want this.”
I shivered. “You do?”
“The more minutes that tick past knowing you’re pregnant with my child? Jesus Christ.” His jaw clenched. Heat rolled off him. “A child I put in your belly.”
In an instant, he had me flat on my back. His hands flipped up my summer floaty skirt and tugged at my underwear. “I need you. Fuck, I need you.”
I laughed. “But Peter is due any moment—”
“Don’t care.” Fumbling with his belt, he shoved his jeans and boxers down just enough to free himself. “It’s nothing he’s not seen before anyway.”
Scooting me beneath him, he kissed me hard just as his cock found me.
I was ready for him.
I was always ready for him.
We might be partners in life and twin flames of the soul, but he was still the ruler of my body. After six months of playing our games and shattering apart with mutual ecstasy, the moment I heard his voice, my body melted for him.
It’d come in rather convenient.
Mounting me, he grunted with pleasure.
My legs flopped wide as I surrendered to the bliss only he could give me.
Hard or fast, cruel or careful, Henri knew exactly how to push me out of mere want and straight into delirium.
Clawing his scar-laced back, I gasped as he thrust.
“You know you’ve already put a baby inside me, right? You don’t need—”
“Fuck, say that again.” His teeth landed on my neck, igniting my blood with fire.
“You’ve impregnated me, you fool.” I giggled then groaned as he bit me. “You can’t do it twice.”
“Watch me.”
I laughed and clung to him.
“You know this means we have to get married, right?” He rocked and thrust, driving me into the carpet. “No more waiting for families and friends. No pretty invitations. No big event. We do it tonight. Right now.”
I moaned as his pace increased.
The gravel outside crunched with car tyres.
“Perfect. Paavak is here.” Henri grinned. “He can do it. We’ll get him ordained online and make him marry us.”
The front door opened and closed. “Oi. Anyone home?”
“Don’t come up here,” Henri roared. “We’re busy.”
A chuckle sounded from down below. “She told you then.”
“What?” Henri stilled inside me. “He knew?”
I smirked, not afraid he’d get jealous. Him and Peter were close. Maybe even closer than him and Q. “He guessed.”
“And he didn’t tell me? Why that treacherous motherfucker.”
“I can hear the floorboards creaking!” Peter yelled up the stairs, unable to hide his laughter. “Get off her, you animal.”
“He can hear us, huh?” Henri smirked. “Well then…let’s give him something to listen to.”
“Henri…behave.”
His teeth flashed. “Ily…scream.”
I cried out as he bit me.
I moaned as he fucked me hard.
And I screamed like he commanded as he shoved me headfirst into an orgasm that made me see a million twinkling stars.