Epilogue
JULIAN- 5 YEARS LATER
T he roar of the crowd is deafening, a wall of sound that drowns out everything else. My lungs burn, my legs ache, and my heartbeat pounds like a drum in my chest. The clock is down to its final seconds. Twenty yards to the end zone. One play left.
I crouch behind the line, scanning the defense. Sweat drips down my face, but I keep my focus razor-sharp. This is it—the championship, the culmination of everything we’ve worked for all season. But for me, it’s more than that. It’s the pinnacle of everything I’ve fought for my entire life.
“Set!” I bark, the sound hoarse but commanding. The team responds, their energy matching mine.
The ball snaps into my hands. Time slows as I drop back, scanning the field. My wide receiver is covered. The defense is closing in, a sea of bodies charging at me like a tidal wave.
I fake a pass to the left and pivot right, breaking into a sprint. The crowd explodes, but I can barely hear them over the pounding of my feet on the turf and the blood rushing in my ears.
Ten yards.
Five.
I dive, stretching the ball out just as I’m tackled. The impact rattles through me, but I don’t care. I know before I look—the ball crossed the line.
The referee’s whistle blows, and the stadium erupts into chaos.
We did it.
“LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOO!” my teammate yells, but I can barely hear him over the pounding of my heart.
The trophy ceremony is a blur. The weight of the championship trophy in my hands is surreal, its polished surface gleaming under the stadium lights. People will say this is the highlight of my career, but they’re wrong. It’s not this.
It’s him .
As the chaos of the celebration swirls around me, I glance toward the sidelines.
There, holding a press badge like it’s the most natural thing in the world, is Felix.
He’s dressed sharp, his tailored blazer a stark contrast to the boisterous fans and players around him.
But it’s his smile that catches my attention—proud, steady, and full of the quiet confidence that’s always grounded me.
Felix.
My anchor.
He’s come so far since we met. After law school, he carved out a career as a sports lawyer, working tirelessly to advocate for athletes and protect them from the kinds of exploitation and pitfalls that almost derailed me. He’s brilliant and relentless, and he works closely with my management team now. It’s not just my success—it’s ours .
Our eyes meet across the field, and for a moment, it’s just us in a sea of chaos. He gives me a subtle nod, a private gesture in the midst of the public spectacle.
The locker room is a circus. My teammates are celebrating, dousing each other in champagne and shouting over the music. Reporters hover around, trying to snag interviews, but I’m barely paying attention.
I spot him immediately, leaning casually against the wall near the back of the room. Felix . He’s watching me with that same soft smile, his arms crossed, looking completely out of place yet exactly where he belongs.
I weave through the madness, ignoring the slaps on my back and the calls of my name. When I reach him, I don’t say anything. I just grab his hand and pull him into the quieter hallway outside.
The noise fades as the door swings shut behind us. For a moment we just stand there, the tension and adrenaline from the game still thrumming through my veins.
“You did it,” Felix says, his voice warm and steady.
“ We did it,” I correct him as I take his face in my hands. “None of this would’ve been possible without you.”
Felix’s brow furrows slightly, like he’s about to argue, but I don’t give him the chance. I lean in and press my lips to his.
It’s not the kind of kiss that comes from adrenaline or celebration. It’s slow and deliberate, a grounding reminder of everything we’ve been through to get here.
When we pull apart, Felix rests his forehead against mine. “I’m proud of you, Jules. Not just for tonight—for everything.”
I can feel the emotion threatening to spill over, but I hold it back. Instead, I grin and tug him closer. “Well, now that the championship’s over, I think I deserve a reward.”
Felix rolls his eyes and laughs softly. “Your reward is not getting tackled by 300-pound defensive linemen for the rest of the night.”
“Not what I had in mind,” I tease as I lean in to steal another kiss.
I push him into a quiet office, my hands already undoing his tie and shirt buttons.
“Julian, shouldn’t we— fuck .”
My hand is already in his pants, stroking his full length.
Felix gives me a disapproving look, but the flush in his cheeks tells me everything I need to know. “Five minutes.”
I get on my knees. “Ten.”
“Eight, hmm…” Felix leans against the desk, his knees almost buckling just from the sensation of my tongue against his cock. “Fine, ten.”
***
The sun is setting over the city skyline, painting the horizon with hues of orange and gold. From the balcony of our home, I can see the lights flicker on in the buildings below, one by one, as if the city itself is settling into a calm rhythm. I take a sip from my glass of wine, the crisp taste grounding me as I lean back in my chair and let the warm evening air wash over me.
Felix is beside me, his laptop open as he goes through a few last-minute emails. He’s always working, always thinking three steps ahead, even when we’re supposed to be relaxing. I don’t mind. Watching him work, seeing that sharp focus in his eyes, is one of the many things that still amazes me about him.
“Take a break, counselor,” I say, nudging his foot with mine under the table.
He looks up, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. “Someone has to keep these athletes from signing away their souls. Not everyone has a team as loyal as yours.”
I chuckle and set my glass down. “And who do you think made sure my team’s loyal?”
Felix rolls his eyes, but doesn’t deny it. He’s been my rock through all of this—navigating contracts, managing endorsements, and making sure no one tries to take advantage of me. The fact that he does all of this while carving out a name for himself as one of the top sports lawyers in the industry only makes me prouder.
Our home reflects us—a blend of modern sophistication and lived-in comfort. The sleek lines and neutral tones of the furniture are softened by the personal touches Felix insisted on: framed photos from vacations, my first game-worn jersey hanging in the hallway, and a shelf filled with books he’s read and ones he says he’ll get to “someday.”
Life is so different now. The danger, the lies, the weight of the Greco name—they all feel like a lifetime ago. It’s not perfect. There are still whispers, reminders of the world we left behind. But we’ve carved out something real, something good .
Felix finally closes his laptop and leans back in his chair, stretching. “Okay, I’m officially off the clock. What’s next, Mr. Superstar?”
“Relaxing,” I say, reaching over to take his hand. His fingers curl around mine instinctively, and I give them a squeeze. “And maybe reflecting on how far we’ve come.”
Felix smirks. “You’re feeling sentimental tonight.”
“Can you blame me?” I gesture toward the skyline. “Look at this. Look at us . Who would’ve thought we’d end up here?”
He follows my gaze, his expression softening. “Not me, that’s for sure.”
We sit in silence for a moment, the hum of the city below filling the space between us.
“I still think about it sometimes,” I admit quietly. “How close we came to losing it all. How different things could’ve been.”
Felix turns to me, his dark eyes steady and reassuring. “But we didn’t lose. We’re here. Together. And nothing’s going to change that.”
I smile and lean over to press a kiss to his forehead. “You’re right, as usual.”
He laughs softly, and the sound warms me more than the wine or the setting sun ever could.
Raising my glass, I nod at him. “To us. To everything we’ve built and everything we still have ahead of us.”
Felix lifts his glass and clinks it gently against mine. “To us.”
As we drink, a deep sense of peace settles over me. It’s not just the success or the fame or the penthouse. It’s this—sitting here with Felix and knowing that no matter what happens, we have each other.
Later, as we sit wrapped in a shared blanket, watching the stars blink into existence, I find myself overwhelmed by gratitude. We’ve fought for this life, bled for it, and now it’s ours.
“Hey,” Felix says, his voice cutting through the quiet. “You okay?”
I look at him, at the man who’s been with me through the darkest moments and the brightest triumphs of my life. “I’m more than okay. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”