Epilogue
Julia
I’m ushered onto the private jet with no clue where we’re headed, just a promise that it’s a surprise. Today’s my birthday, and Maksim insisted we spend it together. After so many years of doing nothing special, I would’ve been happy with a coffee date in the park.
I lose track of time in the air, drifting off to sleep somewhere above the clouds. When I wake, Max is brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead, telling me it’s time to get off the plane.
Before I can even stand, he’s tying a black scarf over my eyes. I almost laugh because ay Diosito, what has this man planned?
I brace myself, half expecting to trip down the steps, but Max is right there, his arm steady around me, guiding me so I don’t fall.
The air is warm for this time of year, sunlight pressing against my skin.
“You know, we could’ve just taken your motorcycle, gone for a ride on the highway, stopped for coffee and that would’ve been perfect,” I tease, genuinely confused about all this effort.
He mutters something under his breath, but I can’t make it out.
I’m bundled into a car, and we drive for another half hour.
When we finally stop, I want to shout “Hallelujah!” but I bite my tongue.
I don’t want to ruin his mood even if I can’t imagine what kind of surprise could possibly be worth all this.
His hand finds mine, fingers lacing tightly as he leads me forward. The sun disappears, replaced by cool shade, and after what feels like ten minutes of walking, we come to a stop.
I hear rustling, whispers, the faint sound of laughter, but nothing makes sense until he finally pulls the scarf away.
My brain takes a few seconds to catch up.
We’re standing in the middle of a monarch butterfly sanctuary, the same one I visited with my parents when I was little.
And then, as my eyes adjust, I see them: the twins, Roman and Luna, Niko, Akim and Andrea, Victoria, and Anuska.
Every person who matters most to me, all gathered in my favorite place on earth.
I want to hold it together, but tears spill over before I can stop them. I’d forgotten what it felt like to have people care about my birthday. Akim and Max tried every year to make it special, but something was always missing.
“SURPRISE!” they all shout, but I’m a mess, a carousel of emotions spinning out of control. I want to hug everyone, thank everyone, kiss every single cheek, but instead, I turn away, stomping my foot as if that might stop the tears.
“Julia, amor, are you okay?” Maksim’s voice is right at my ear, his rosemary scent wrapping around me, grounding me.
“I don’t deserve all this,” I whisper, my lower lip trembling. “Not this much.”
These people have companies to run. The twins came from college. Akim and Andrea flew in from Russia. And from the looks of it, Max must have rented out the entire sanctuary just for us.
“Baby, they’re all here for you. Because you deserve this and more. Will you please turn around? For me?”
There’s so much love in his voice, I can’t say no. With tear-streaked cheeks and a crooked smile, I turn to face the people who mean everything to me.
Victoria is the first to leap forward and wrap me in a hug. “?Feliz cumpleanos, hermana!” she says, her accent so American it makes me laugh through my tears.
“Gracias, nena!” I say, kissing both her cheeks, my heart so full it aches.
After a whirlwind of hugs and birthday wishes, I finally have a moment to take in the scene around me.
Sunflowers in every shade are strung from the branches, swaying gently above our heads.
Monarch butterflies float everywhere, but they’re not alone—brilliant blue butterflies drift down, some so close I could reach out and touch them.
I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open at how magical this place looks.
To my left, Niko is already asking about champagne. Roman and Luna are off admiring a cluster of butterflies as they burst from the woods, and my heart feels like it might actually explode from happiness.
Before I can say a word, Max slips his arms around me, pulling me close. I lean into him, feeling his warmth even before his skin touches mine.
“How did you pull all this off?” I ask, still in awe.
He presses a few kisses to my neck before answering.
“The twins found an old photo of you and your parents here and gave me the name of the sanctuary. After that, it was just logistics. For the right price, they cleared the whole place for us today so we could set everything up. Akim, Roman, and Niko hung the sunflowers in the trees—don’t ask me how.
All I know is Roman grumbled the entire time.
The girls brought the desserts, food, and drinks. And I brought you.”
I listen to every word, barely believing how everyone came together to make this happen.
“And the blue butterflies?” I ask, still amazed.
“They just got a few new swarms in yesterday. They wanted to see how they’d do with the monarchs.”
I nod, looking around at all the laughter and love swirling in the air. I know I’ll never forget this day.
“Wait…did Roman actually climb a tree to hang those sunflowers for me?”
Max’s laugh is so infectious it sets me off too. “Let’s just say he was motivated when Niko bet he could hang more flowers than him.”
After we cut into a caramel cream cake with chocolate and pineapple, my favorite, I pull my sisters into a hug. Amalia’s studying at MIT now and helping with the organization in her spare time. Lupe decided to chase her dream of studying law and got into Vermont Law School.
I look at them, so similar yet so different, each carving out her own path. We talk every day, the one rule I made when they left for college, and getting to hug them on my birthday feels like the best gift in the world.
“We didn’t know what to get you, but we hope you’ll like this…” Amalia says, handing me a small package.
Inside is the photo of me and my parents in this very place. Dad is looking at Mom and me like we hung the moon, while I’m lost in wonder at the butterflies swirling around us. If I had to describe pure love, it would be this photo.
“It’s one of the only pictures we could save after the explosion,” Amalia whispers. “Tío Felipe kept it in an album at his house. When Max asked about your childhood butterfly place, we knew this was the right gift.”
“It’s more than perfect,” I tell them, hugging them both tightly.
Lupe is still quiet, a little withdrawn, but every time we video chat, I see more of her old spark returning. She’s making new friends, and I know she’ll heal in her own time.
Luna comes over, a little shy, and hands me a small box. “I wasn’t sure if I got it right, but we can always return it.”
Inside is a delicate gold necklace with a tiny machine gun pendant with a single butterfly on top.
“I’m speechless.”
“Max told me about your love for butterflies and the machine gun was kinda obvious, and I thought they’ll fit nice together. But if you don’t like it—”
“It’s perfect, Luna. Thank you.” I nearly squeeze the life out of her as I hug her.
She helps me fasten it around my neck, and for a moment, I stand alone, watching the butterflies swirl, that same sense of magic wrapping around me as it did more than twenty years ago.
“So, do you like it?” Max’s voice is suddenly close, and I wish I had a word strong enough for what I’m feeling.
“Like it isn’t even close,” I say, my voice thick. “I love what you did, Max. But I still think it was too much trouble. We stopped everyone’s lives just so they could come here for me.”
He just smiles, brushing his thumb over my cheek, and I know I’ll never forget this day or the people who made it possible.
“Everyone wanted to be here for you, Julia. And since we’re all together…” He hands me a folder, and I frown, confused, as I take it from him.
It takes me a full minute to read through the papers and realize what I’m holding.
“MAKSIM BORISOV, TELL ME YOU DIDN’T BUY AN ENTIRE NATURE RESERVE FOR ME!”
My shout probably scared every damn butterfly out of the trees, but I can’t help it.
I know he has money, but I also know how he earned it.
I remember all those sleepless nights, waiting for him to come home from a mission.
I know every cent he took from Ivan went into the organization that’s tearing apart the trafficking network, so I can’t accept him spending that kind of money on me.
“I can’t accept this. It’s too much, amor,” I say, my voice softer now.
He just smiles, trying to explain. “You told me this was your favorite place in the world. I wanted you to know that no matter how hard things get, you’ll always have this place. No matter how dark the sky gets, you’ll have this refuge that’s just yours.”
I study him, see how much he wants me to understand, how badly he wants to convince me. But he’s missing the point.
“My favorite place on earth is wherever you are,” I whisper, my lips brushing his. “You’re my refuge. When everything goes dark, I want your shadows wrapped around me and nothing else.”
His eyes go soft, shining in a way I’ve never seen before, and for the first time, I think he truly believes he deserves this love. That he deserves my whole heart. He doesn’t have to buy me anything, doesn’t have to prove a thing.
“I’ll keep this place so it’s ours,” he promises. “So when life gets too heavy, we can come here and remember there’s still a little magic left in the world.”
I kiss the man who’s been my past, my present, and will be my future.
Suddenly, Roman’s voice cuts through the moment from behind us, loud and incredulous.
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?”
We all turn, startled, as the Chicago mafia boss hangs up his phone and looks at us.
“We need to get to a wedding.”
Luna blinks. “What wedding?”
“Damien’s wedding. To Roxy.”
I can’t hide my grin because if there’s one thing I know, that wedding is going to be explosive. Literally and figuratively.