Epilogue
two years later
Skye
“Ducane, we said we’d meet them at the beach in fifteen minutes,” I said as he pulled my dress up and slid in. I moaned and leaned forward as he filled me. We had no business fitting a quickie into what was supposed to be family time.
With three kids and a marriage on its second life, that man still reached for me every time he found me in a room.
It didn’t matter who was around or where we were.
It was a blessing to have a man who loved me and liked me too.
Airalynn had been right. Fine was never going to be enough for me. Especially now.
My husband gave his family everything he swore his own father never gave him.
“We’re on the island that brought us back together, and you want me to be cute about it. No ma’am.” His nails dug into my flesh, making me arch my body into him more. I was chasing him like my next hit.
When Ducane’s large hand wrapped around my neck, giving me goosebumps, I remembered why I’d never be able to deny the man anything he wanted.
More kids…his.
More of me…his.
More lovin…his.
“Ouu baby right fuckin there.”
He growled behind me, going harder. Within a few more strokes, we were both breathless, staring at each other with a fire that never went out.
“I love life with you, baby. Real fuckin bad,” he said, kissing my shoulder and letting my dress drop. “Let’s shower real quick before Dena busts in here fussin.”
He put me over his shoulder and walked us into the bathroom in the master suite. When he put me on my feet, tears came to my eyes. I was so happy and feeling so blessed.
The house was mine. I’d wanted a place on Infinity Island since the trip that gave me my husband back. I told Ducane I wanted somewhere we could bring the kids, somewhere they could learn to swim and put their feet in the sand, our own slice of paradise. He told me to find it. So, I did.
I worked with an agent for eight months, flew back twice without him, walked through eleven houses until I stood in this one and knew.
I picked it. I negotiated it. I signed first, and he signed after me.
When the woman put the keys in my hand, Ducane celebrated with an actual Mariachi band. He was so proud of me it was sickening.
But he had every reason to be. I graduated from college a few months ago and took over the Communications Department for Shane you helped with homework and made my favorite meals. I understand now your silence was about survival.”
“Thank you, son.”
“I was worried about you, ma,” I said, blowing smoke from my cigar.
“And why is that, son?”
“You leaving Pop and hiding it. You kept that silent for a whole year. I would’ve been there for you.”
“Son, I left your father mentally twenty years ago. I didn’t need a shoulder to cry on or somebody to make me feel better. Especially not my son, who watched me protect that fucker for years. I moved out and moved on.”
“Twenty years.” I shook my head and thought about the time she lost. “You’re a stronger person than me, ma. My body ain’t give me twenty years.”
She turned in her seat. “What do you mean?”
“A few years back, I had a scare at work.” I looked out at the water, so I didn’t have to see her face. “They put a heart monitor on me for a week. That shit shook me.”
“Ducane. Why am I just finding out about this?” she asked, grabbing my hands.
“I’m good now, ma. I’m telling you ‘cause I’m good.” I looked at her then. “But I sat in that man’s office and understood I was going to win every case and die at my desk proving something to a man that never gave a fuck about me for real.”
“Is that where the entertainment side came from?”
“Somewhat, the entertainment side was something I wanted to do for a while, something new for the firm. When I got the Mudd case, it felt like confirmation. Then he came to me with the perfect setup.”
“Proud of you, Ducane, so proud. Have you heard from your father?”
“Nah, and I doubt I ever will. I’m cool on that nigga. You?”
“Barely, the circles I was in were because of him. I’m a Gigi now. My babies get all my attention.”
“The best Gigi at that. The kids love you.”
“Not as much as they love you. You could never be like your father, son, you hug your babies, you tell them how much you love them often, and you understand that they need you around for more than money and access.”
“And the way you love Skye is probably the thing that makes me most proud. I always knew you’d be a good lawyer; you got that honest, but nothing compares to you being a good husband.”
My mom mentioning Skye made me look back into the house again. It didn’t matter how long we’d been together; I was always pinching myself to be sure it was real. She came back into view and caught me staring. She crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out making me laugh.
“Goofy,” I mouthed to her with a shake of my head. I never understood how anyone could hate Skye. Loving her ass was easy; it always had been. And I couldn’t believe I was the lucky bastard who got to come home to her every night.
“I’ll be back, ma.”
I put the cigar out and went inside. Skye had music playing low from her phone, folding towels into a cabinet. I came up behind her and turned her around before she got the last one folded.
“Here you go, interrupting me with your love.”
“I can’t help myself, baby, I’m a fiend for you.”
I lifted her onto the counter without waiting for permission. I stepped between her legs, and she wrapped them around me, pulling me in the rest of the way. Her forehead touched mine first, then her mouth touched my lips with soft pecks.
“Why can’t I get enough of you?”
“Making up for lost time, I think. I’m not mad or complaining. You good?” she asked against my lips.
“I’m the best I’ve ever been.” I ran my hand up her spine and felt her settle into it. “Just needed to feel you real quick.”
“Is that code for let’s go to bed?”
She smiled and kissed me again.
“Yes, it is,” my mama said behind us. “Y’all hot and ready behinds gon have a house full of kids keep playing around. Gigi gon need a second mortgage to spoil all of them.”
Skye laughed into my chest. I kept my hold on her anyway, because a house full of kids sounded exactly like what I wanted with this woman for the rest of my life.
Booking that trip to Infinity Island changed everything. I went down there running from a courtroom and came back a husband and a father, sharing life with the only woman I’d ever loved.
We’d left this island two years back, hoping life would give us another shot. It gave us three kids, a marriage that finally found its footing, and a piece of the place that started it all.
The End