Epilogue
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Kevin sits in the cold, sterile lecture hall, his stomach churning with a mixture of anger and humiliation. The faces looking back at him are young, eager, and untainted by the harsh realities of the legal world.
How he envies their na?veté.
"Welcome to Legal Ethics 101," he says, his voice flat and lifeless. "I'm here to tell you a cautionary tale. A story of ambition, corruption, and the steep price of losing one's way."
As he launches into his court-mandated lecture, Kevin can't help but marvel at the cruel twist of fate. Instead of serving time behind bars, he was sentenced to relive his misdeeds, to expose his shame to the bright-eyed idealists who represent everything he once was.
Each word tastes like ash in his mouth, but he forces himself to continue. He speaks of the allure of power, the seductive whisper of greed. He recounts the moment he crossed the line, the first compromise that set him on a path of no return.
"It starts small," he warns, his voice taking on a haunted edge. "A little white lie here, a bent rule there. But before you know it, you're so far gone that you can't even recognize yourself in the mirror."
The students listen, some with rapt attention, others with a mix of pity and revulsion. Kevin sees the wheels turning in their heads, each one convinced they could never fall prey to the same temptations.
If only they knew.
As the lecture draws to a close, Kevin feels a wave of exhaustion wash over him. This is his penance, his cross to bear, and he will carry it for as long as the court deems necessary, a living testament to the dangers of unchecked ambition.
brOOKE
“We’re out of beer,” Damon hollers.
My brother’s house erupts in a chorus of dismayed protest.
“Outside,” Sierra corrects, shooting him a look. “You’re out of beer outside .” She gestures to the neat stack of cases in the corner.
The kitchen at Jay’s house is bustling and packed with bodies. I’m surrounded by the familiar chaos of holiday preparations for the Labor Day BBQ.
“If you’re here, who’s on the grill?” Jay leans over the island toward his teammate.
Damon lifts the apron off his head. “Atlas.”
“Atlas can’t grill.”
“Dude, this is my first summer here. How the hell am I supposed to know that?!”
A plume of smoke drifts across the window. “Fuck.”
“On it!” Nova says, dashing toward the door in a blur of denim, her pink ponytail bouncing.
“Bet you didn’t think you’d need twenty-four champagne glasses,” I say to my brother.
“You did.”
That’s why I got them for his housewarming.
“Who are we missing?” I’m pouring the twentieth glass from the fifth bottle of Dom and scanning the open-concept area critically.
Most of the team is here, minus the guys traveling for the holiday.
My parents are here too, and Miles’s grams, plus Nova’s sister and brother-in-law, Harlan. They’re all sitting around the living room, talking eagerly. Mom’s smiling her genuine smile, not the campaigning one.
“Rookie.”
The sound of the door closing has us looking up.
“My name is Ryan,” he calls. “We went through this last year.”
“When you sign a new contract, we will stop calling your Rookie,” Jay says.
He pulls out his phone with a flourish. “It’s done, assholes!”
The guys all holler their congratulations.
The warm, comforting scents of the grill fill the air, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the Kodiaks.
My eyes are drawn to Miles, who looks extra hot in dark jeans and a dress shirt that matches his eyes.
As sexy as he is, he seems fidgety. He's standing by the counter, his hand constantly dipping into his pocket as if checking for something.
“Tell me you’re not stressing about the games again.” I arch a brow. “They’re months away.”
His new goal is to make the national team next year, and he’s devoted himself to an extra-rigorous training regimen to make it happen.
He flashes me a grin. “Nah, it’s not that.”
“Well, you’re definitely distracted. Which means you must be reliving the way we celebrated after your last game of the season.”
His eyes glint wickedly. “Now I sure as fuck am.”
I feel myself flush as he steps behind me, resting a hand lightly on my waist. I love the way he touches me, and the fact that we can do it in public without having to hide it anymore. “But that’s not it, either. You need a hand?”
“You can help by passing these out.” I wave to the champagne flutes, and he obligingly distributes them.
Once everyone has a glass, my brother gives a toast to the team.
“Because winning a championship is hard but running it back is harder. To the Kodiaks family.”
We all drink.
As I move around the kitchen, helping Jay with the last-minute details, I feel Miles's presence beside me. His hand finds mine beneath the table, and he leans in close.
“Can I steal you away for a moment?” he whispers, his breath warm against my ear.
Curiosity piqued, I nod and allow him to lead me into the hallway.
Miles takes a deep breath, emotion rolling off him in waves. “From the moment I met you, I knew my life would never be the same. You've been my rock, my guiding light through the darkest of times. Your strength, your compassion, your unwavering belief in me… it's everything.”
Tears spring to my eyes as I’m overwhelmed by the depth of his words. My hand tightens around his, anchoring myself in this moment.
“I can't imagine my life without you,” Miles continues, and suddenly he's dropping to one knee. My heart leaps into my throat. “You make me want to be better, even when things are hard. And I want to spend the rest of my days proving myself worthy of your love.” With trembling hands, he pulls out a small velvet box and opens it, revealing a stunning diamond ring. “Brooke Ellis, will you marry me?”
For a moment, I'm frozen, overcome with emotion. Through my tears, I find my voice. “Yes,” I whisper, nodding emphatically. “Yes, I will.”
As he slips the ring onto my finger, a sense of rightness washes over me. This is where I belong—by Miles's side, ready to face whatever life throws our way.
Hand in hand, we return to the dining room, our faces glowing with joy. My family and our friends erupt in cheers and congratulations when they notice the ring. Miles pulls me close, and I melt into his embrace.
“I love you,” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “I want to do everything with you—in public and in private. I booked us an island trip where we can go surfing and swim with dolphins and do all the things we talked about.”
My chest squeezes, but it’s the best feeling in the world.
“I love you too,” I reply, my eyes shining with the promise of our future together.
As the celebration swirls around us, I know that this is just the beginning. A new chapter in our story, one filled with love, laughter, and the unshakable bond we've forged through adversity.
Together, we're ready for anything.
Thank you for reading Hard to Break! Miles and Brooke have etched a place in my heart, and I hope you love them as much as I do.