Epilogue
EPILOGUE
Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
6 MONTHS LATER
Ronan: SOS
I stare at the text for a second, then panic runs through me. Ronan’s calling an emergency? I dart up from my desk, grabbing my coat while I call him up.
“Ronan! What’s going on?”
“Outside. Meet me.” Then, he hangs up.
Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I rush out of my office. I’m still working at the police department. We decided it would be best to keep me on the inside to keep tabs, and because I always minded my own business, it’s easy to stay under the radar. Ronan and Logan’s cases were quietly filed away under closed, pending further leads.
And any further leads went right into the void of my filing.
I dart to the back lot where Ronan’s sitting in his small car. I rip open the passenger door and slide in.
“What’s-s-s wrong? Are you okay?”
Ronan waves his hand at me. “Everything's fine.”
I continue looking him over, checking for anything that could be off. Then, his words hit me.
“Everything’s…fine?”
He just puts the car in drive and tears out of the lot.
“Hey, I’m working!” I turn to look at the disappearing PD, then yank my gaze back to Ronan. “Why’d you text me SOS?”
“Logan wants us.”
Oh fuck. Is Logan okay? My mind is running a million miles an hour.
Ronan pulls out his phone and shows me a text from Logan.
Logan: Meet me in the place I first fell for you *heart emoji*
What the hell? I stare at Ronan, hoping he fills me in. Logan doesn’t seem to be having any issues. Ronan doesn’t say anything, so I dial Logan up. He doesn’t pick up the first time, which spikes my anxiety. He always picks up. Finally, on the third ring, he answers.
“You’re supposed to be finding me. This is cheating.”
“What is going on? Are you okay?”
“What? Yeah, why?”
I groan, slumping back in the seat. “Ronan texted me SOS! I thought you were hurt.”
Ronan mutters, “It was the only way to get you outside.”
I turn to him, taking a long time to register what he just said. “It’s because…I have a job? I can’t jus-s-st leave??”
“You just did,” Ronan says.
“Okay. Turn around.”
“Nope. Finders keepers. I found you, I’m keeping you. Or however the rules go.” Ronan grins at me. “Hang up. You’re cheating.”
I don’t realize I still have Logan on the phone, but when I check, Logan has already hung up.
These fuckers. Why am I the only responsible one here?
I know Ronan won’t drop me back off. Mostly because he’s a stubborn brat, and he loves making me do things I don’t want to do. So let’s just do whatever it is we need to do. I cross my arms, faking being upset. But really, it’s a relief to be with Ronan and outside those walls. I’ve really become a little simp in the past few months, and I’m just as addicted as I was.
“Meet him where he first fell for us.” Ronan takes a turn. “The movie theater.”
The movie theater? I frown. “You mean where Logan almost killed me after you killed someone in front of me?”
“Not in front of you. Before you got there.”
“Oh, my bad . Details, details.” I roll my eyes.
Ronan snickers and turns on the radio. Almost as soon as he does, his phone dings, and he digs it out of his pocket.
“Hey! No texting and driving.” I wrestle the phone out of his hand.
Ronan just gives a frustrated snort. We’ve done this song and dance a few times. I want him to be safe. He likes to bitch and moan, but he’s added my face as a passcode to make it easier for me to help.
“It’s Ember.” I read the text on the screen. “She says: don’t forget Mom’s birthday, or I’ll kick you in the nuts.”
Ronan told us about her and their step-grandpa. Of course, all of us were ready to murder, but Ember told Ronan in no uncertain words that she wasn’t a “fucking kid” and she could handle it her “fucking self” and to back the “fuck off.” They must get their love of cussing from each other. Of course, Ronan wanted to ignore her request, and Logan fought with him over it. He told Ronan that Ember’s choice was taken away so long ago, so don’t take it away again.
Ronan laughs, bringing me back to the present. “Tell her I accept the offer, but it’ll cost her a knuckle sandwich.”
I just roll my eyes and do as he asks.
We keep rolling through town, and some country song comes on the radio.
“Sweet Home Alabama! Love this song.” Ronan cranks it up over the sounds of the wind in the car door. Ronan sings along to the song, spinning the ring Logan gave him over and over.
I huff. I should be at work right now. This is a soft kidnapping. I’m even wearing a gun, and I’m letting it happen. My god, the daddy issues.
Speaking of, Logan’s been trying to find a way to take my dad down. My dad is now working as an auxiliary officer for one of the nearby sheriff’s departments, which just rubs me the wrong way. My dad doesn’t deserve to have that spot. He’s not a protector. He’s an abuser.
It took me a while to come to that conclusion. Logan and Ronan helped me, reminding me of what love actually looks like. Once I learned that, I felt a massive weight lift from my shoulders. I feel free. Except for the fact my dad is still in a position to harm people.
I told Logan he could try to take my dad down, and he could do that however he saw fit, including telling my story. I just…didn’t want to be the one to do it. The memories still hurt deeply. But I told him it also had to be safe. No putting himself or Ronan at risk. I didn’t include Ronan in the conversation. Ronan has grown so much, but he’s only six months sober, and healing takes time.
We pull up to the movie theater, and Ronan is grinning ear to ear. “What do you think he wants to show us?”
I follow him inside, remembering that first day we met. Little did I know it was going to start the best days of my life. Although, that first day didn’t feel so good.
“I don’t think Logan meant this when he said fall for us.” It’s the middle of the day in the middle of nowhere Ohio, so of course, the theater is abandoned. Ronan walks us right past the ticket area, and the employee doesn’t even look up. He drags me to the bathroom, but it is empty, as I expected.
“What the fuck?” Ronan turns in a circle and then opens each stall door.
I can’t help but smirk.
“This is the first place we were all together.”
I think about the text. Fell for us.
Oh fuck. I know where he is. And my knee-jerk reaction is to get pissed.
“I know where he is.” I drag Ronan out to the car. He won’t let me drive—asshole—so I direct him to where we need to go. At first, he has no idea, but then he starts to understand.
He doesn’t argue as we park, and I drag him out of the car. When we get close, I see that I’m right. Because there, in front of the place we buried our first body together, is a pop-up camper with lights strung up all around.
Logan comes out, grinning at us. “Where I first fell. Get it?” He’s practically vibrating.
Ronan puts on a grumpy face. “This is bullshit.” But I see the way he’s trying not to smile.
“Date night!” Logan grins.
It’s not technically night, but I just stifle my grin at how happy Logan looks. It’s stupid how sappy all of this is. And yet…I kinda love it.
We spend the afternoon fucking in every position possible. Logan makes me crawl to lick his feet, then Ronan fucks me from behind, then we switch it up, and both Logan and I team up on Ronan. Then, when we’re panting and hot and completely spent inside the camper, Logan turns on a movie. He makes popcorn over the stove, then settles in next to me.
“I got something for you.”
I turn to look at him. His blue eyes are smiling. He hands me an article that he has printed out. It’s a news report. ‘Officer Stewart Retires After a Career of Service.’
I sit up straighter. That’s my dad in the picture. He’s shaking the hands of the sheriff.
“He’s…retired?” How did I not know this? My dad didn’t want to retire.
Logan grins. “A little…persuasion.”
I turn to him. “You did this?”
He just gives me a small smile. “I know it’s not–”
“No. This is…everything.” My heart wells up, and my throat is tight. I’m conflicted about actually killing my dad, mostly because I’m fucking terrified it’ll put my men on Apex’s radar even more than they are. But also because…it won’t change anything. My dad did what he did, and it’s over now. I just don’t want him to have the power to do it to anyone else.
“What are you guys whispering about?” Ronan butts in, grinning and tossing popcorn in his mouth.
I grin at him. “About how you could probably fit two dicks in your ass at the same time.”
Ronan’s eyes get comically wide. “Well fuck!”
Logan laughs. “That wasn’t a no.”
“No!” Ronan turns to me. “You’re the bottom, that’s all you.”
Oh fuck. This turning around on me was not what I wanted.
Logan turns a lazy smile my way. “I could go again, couldn’t you, Ronan?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“Get away from me.” I scramble up, part fear and part excitement running through me.
“Make me!” Ronan sings.
I don’t even get to the door before they catch me.
And I’m not even mad about it.
The End