Epilogue Two #2
“You’d better be naked beneath these robes,” he signs fluently as I keep groping him.
Another hobby he decided to take up when Clay learnt how to talk dirty to me in sign.
What can I say, it did more than send me feral, and Rhys wanted in on the action.
My smile turns wicked, a challenge setting alight within my eyes.
“Why don’t you find out?” I reply, raising an eyebrow. Rhys grabs my hand the moment I finish signing, dragging me through clusters of proud parents and families gathered around their graduates.
“There’d better not be a single hair out of place when you get back!
” Klara’s voice calls after us, fading as Rhys pulls me around the side of the cafeteria and into a brick alcove.
He hoists me up, my legs circling his hips, and his hands slide beneath my robe to find my bare ass.
A groan rumbles through his chest as his tongue claims my mouth.
I grind shamelessly against him, the kiss turning brutal.
“Wait,” I breathe, pushing at his chest as sense briefly returns. “Where’s Clay?”
“He’s practicing his speech and gave me full permission to sate you beforehand,” Rhys says. “Something about getting wet for him in the aisles.”
“He did not say that,” I snap, smacking his shoulder, only to gasp as his fingers slip inside me.
“Okay, fine,” Rhys admits. “I paraphrased. But it is my turn. He had all your attention last night.”
“He was nervous about his speech,” I groan as his lips drag across my neck. His fingers are soaked, working lazily, circling my clit as my head falls back against the wall. Sorry, Klara.
“Well, I’m nervous too,” Rhys murmurs into my receiver.
I force my eyes open, searching his face for sincerity, and it’s there.
I soften in an instant. The thought of how far he’s come, how he’s worked so hard to drag his reputation back and be top of our classes, how he apologized to those he hurt, and how he’s concerned on Clay’s behalf, all makes my chest ache.
Dipping his eyes to my lips, Rhys exhales unevenly.
“Nervous I might explode if I don’t get my dick inside you in the next five seconds. ” And that’s the illusion shattered.
Giving him another shove, I roll my eyes.
“Be quick about it then. We can’t miss his speech.
” Without needing to be told twice, Rhys pins me with his body and shifts his robes aside.
Somehow, his slacks were already unbuttoned, his dick whipped out, and in one smooth motion, he fills me instantly.
His piercing drags inside me deliciously, his skilled fingers teasing at my ass.
Rhys doesn’t hold back. He slams into me, brick pressing into my spine with every thrust. My g-spot sings, an immediate orgasm building and hovering just out of reach. Our breathing turns ragged, colliding with the sound of skin slapping together to artfully mask Clay’s approach.
“I thought the afterparty was supposed to be after the ceremony,” he chuckles calmly.
His hands are on me immediately, fingers slipping between us to circle my clit.
Through the robes, he palms my breast. The orgasm rips through me, Rhys following moments later.
The desire between us hasn’t declined over the years.
It’s been refined. Fingers, tongues and cocks have mapped my body, knowing exactly where and how to press my buttons.
Dare I say, I’ve become rather spoiled and far more demanding.
“Ah,” Rhys pants through our haze, still nestled inside me.
“We might not have thought this one through.” His eyes lower between us, Clay’s hand withdrawing to pat himself down for some kind of spare cloth amongst his robes.
Sharing a look between the three of us, I bite down on my lip before we all burst into laughter, the force of it oozing warmth down my legs.
“I’ll get some tissues,” Clay says, rolling his eyes and smirking as he walks off.
“My hero!” I call after him. Rhys pulls himself free and cups me with his hand until Clay returns, somewhat helping to wipe semen off my robes. I can’t say it’s the first time we’ve been caught up in some ridiculously embarrassing situation, and I seriously doubt it’ll be the last.
When we emerge into the courtyard, everyone is already seated and looking dreadfully bored.
Klara spins in her chair, jerking her head to the stage to signal that Clay should have already been on it, and that’s before she sees my hair.
After kissing Clay for luck, Rhys and I slip into a spare pair of aisle seats, ducking our heads like naughty schoolchildren.
“Ahh, here he is. Ladies and gentlemen, your valedictorian!” Dean O’Sullivan announces, holding out a hand to welcome Clay onto the stage.
The audience breaks into applause, led by his mom, Della Mae and Aunt Marge in the front row.
As the honorary guest for the event, Phillip stands to the side of the plinth, his face beaming with pride.
Our combined, haphazard families have grown incredibly close.
While my aunt can only leave her cats with the sitter for a day at a time, we still manage to have bi-monthly trips out, typically to the seaside.
Della Mae spends her days at the clinic with Clay’s mom, cross-stitching or reading dutifully at her side.
As for Phillip, he’s been working behind the scenes of a charity focused on helping those with congestive heart disease and similar ailments.
He prefers to be an anonymous contributor, his time in the spotlight a distant memory.
At the clearing of his throat, I watch Clay step in front of the mic, his eyes locking on mine in the back as Rhys reaches out and grabs my hand.
I lean into him, the smile aching against my cheeks as my heart expands to the point of bursting.
I couldn’t be prouder of my men for how far they’ve come, succeeding against all odds.
“Board of Trustees, principals of colleges, deans, directors, our beloved teachers, parents, and my fellow graduates. I’m honored to be addressing you all today.
Before I begin, I’d like to take a moment to remember those who could not be with us today, taken from this world too early.
In their memory, we honor them with our success.
We cherish them with our perseverance to rise above our grief, and with our ability to love and live. ”
Through the speech that I’ve heard a hundred times but still manages to make me cry, Clay stands tall, his wholehearted smile pulling a lump into my throat.
I can’t hold back my sobs as I use Rhys’ sleeve to wipe away the tears as he presses soft kisses to the top of my head.
Bullshit aside, Rhys is just as affected by Clay’s words as I am.
His chest shakes with unsteady exhales, his fingers knotted tightly through mine.
These two aren’t just bound to me as partners.
They’re united as best friends, thicker than thieves and each other’s lifelong confidants.
Further down the front, Huxley sits off to the side.
Even after Hux left the academy, the two remained in close contact, with their memory of Jeremy serving as the anchor of their friendship.
Despite starting as a favor, Clay continues to attend sessions from Hux’s therapist friend, working through years of damage one step at a time.
As the speech comes to a close, the entire courtyard rises to its feet in applause.
I lose sight of Clay as a sea of mortarboards fly into the air, mine and Rhys’ joining them.
Cheers fill my head, and joy beats through my chest. This is it.
The start of a new chapter, and I can’t wait.
As the crowd begins to form a line, Klara already stationed at the edge of the stage, Rhys kisses my cheek and promises he’ll be right back.
Addy replaces him almost instantly, linking her arm through mine.
“Nice girls finish last, right?” she muses, tugging me toward the very back of the line.
Shrugging, I scan the crowd to watch my men take turns hugging their moms. “Are you sure you can’t come to New York with me?
” Addy pouts as we shuffle forward in tiny steps.
I tilt my head, attempting to look stern.
“We’ve been through this. Rhys starts his entry-level position at one of Chicago’s top forensic science labs next month. He’s got to pay off his student loans somehow.”
I can’t suppress my grin as the words leave my mouth.
Filling out those forms with Rhys was the day I saw the biggest change in him.
By turning down Phillip’s offer to pay his way, he’s never looked back or lost the excitement to earn his own money, to make his own way.
In fact, he managed to pay the entire deposit on the cozy apartment awaiting us in Chicago by booking modelling shoots.
Who knew women liked stock photos of sexy, tattooed men so much?
“And what about you?” Addy presses, just as I knew she would. I’ve heard this argument multiple times before. “You can’t put everything on hold while Rhys chases his dreams. You have dreams, too.”
“I’m not putting anything on hold,” I reply.
“But even if I were, I wouldn’t care. Rhys has come so far, and I’ll support my men as they’ll support me.
I’ve got a small gig lined up as a teaching assistant at a school for the deaf until I find the right apprenticeship.
Clay has interviews lined up at a few pharmacies, hoping to work his way up.
It might all work out, it might not, and honestly, I don’t care, Adds.
I’m living my best life, and I’ve never been happier. ”
“That’s all I wanted to hear,” she says with a strange little smirk, turning her back on my frown.
Shaking my head, edging forward, I mull over her words.
Sure, the three of us have had our ups and downs over the years, mostly when the guys are horny enough to completely eradicate rational thought, but I try not to let them reach that point too often.
Only occasionally as punishment for making decisions on my behalf or leaving the toilet seat up.
I really don’t get why that’s so hard to remember.
But I meant what I said. I’m thankful every single day these men barreled into my life.
Reaching the steps at last, I glance up to see Clay and Rhys waiting for me on stage, a curled piece of paper tied with a red bow held between them.
I slow to a stop, my eyes darting instinctively to Phillip, who has taken a deliberate step back from the line of handshakes, his arms folding loosely across his chest as if he knows, as if everyone knows, that this moment isn’t his to officiate.
The courtyard feels impossibly still despite the crowd, like the world has sucked in a breath and is holding it just for me.
I can hear my own heartbeat in my ears, feel it thrumming right down to my fingertips as I climb the final steps, my gaze never leaving my boys.
They both look devastatingly handsome in their gowns, eyes bright and fixed on me with a familiar reverence that still knocks the air from my lungs every single time.
Clay reaches me first, carefully placing the diploma into my hands as though it’s something sacred rather than a rolled piece of paper, his fingers lingering over mine for a second longer than necessary. He leans in and presses a warm, proud kiss to my left cheek, murmuring quietly.
“We’re so proud of you.” A fresh wave of tears stings behind my eyes. Rhys mirrors him on my other side, brushing a kiss to my right cheek, his thumb sweeping just beneath my eye to catch the tear that escapes anyway.
“You’re our everything, Babygirl,” Rhys says softly, his voice meant only for me.
“From the first moment we saw you, we knew you were perfect. Even when we’ve been giant assholes, your faith and love in us has never wavered.
All the time in the world wouldn’t be enough to express how much we love you, but we can start by making you smile every day for the rest of our lives. ”
His voice trembles by the end, and that’s what finally breaks me. I laugh and cry all at once, clutching the diploma to my chest. Clay wraps an arm around my waist, resting his forehead briefly against mine, his smile shining.
“I’m not the only one who has been practicing a speech.
Master Taylor here worked on that one all by himself,” Clay grins with the same certainty of the promise swirling in his eyes.
Flanking me down the steps on wobbly legs, their presence grounds me as the applause swells around us.
Addy whoops somewhere behind us, Klara shaking her jazz hands like she’s auditioning for Broadway, our family and friends on their feet with hands pressed to their mouths.
Standing amongst them all, surrounded by the people who helped shape us and who loved us through every misstep and triumph, I realize this moment isn’t just about a degree or a ceremony.
It’s the new beginning we fought for. About choosing each other, over and over again with open hearts and stubborn hope.
As we walk through the crowd, our hands linked, I know with an absolute, unshakeable certainty that no matter where we go next, no matter what the future throws our way, I am exactly where I belong.