Epilogue
Amara
“ W here are we going?” I ask for the tenth time tonight, though I know I won’t get an answer. Nicholas has been annoyingly secretive, only telling me to get dressed and that we’d be taking his helicopter. I’m not great with surprises. I need to know or at least have a hint.
He just grins at me, his hand gently cupping my face as he looks down with that twinkle in his eyes. “You look so fucking beautiful,” he murmurs, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that sends my heart racing.
I narrow my eyes. “You think sweet-talking me will distract me from the fact that you’re still not telling me anything?”
A slow grin spreads across his face. “No.”
Before I can press him again, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a strip of black silk. Nicholas twirls the fabric between his fingers, tilts his head. “Do you trust me?”
I swallow hard, heat creeping up my neck. “Always.” With my life .
A slow, satisfied smirk tugs at his lips. “Good.”
He steps behind me, and I stand perfectly still as he ties the silk in place, his fingers brushing the sensitive skin at my nape. The moment my world fades to black, every other sense sharpens. The warmth of his breath at my ear, the featherlight touch of his hands adjusting the knot, the steady press of his palm against my lower back as he guides me forward.
I hear the helicopter door open, feel the shift as he helps me inside and buckles me in, sliding into his seat a minute later.
“The last time you didn’t tell me where we were going, you ended up fucking me in front of an audience,” I remind him, my face flushing at the reminder. We’ve been back to the club a few times since, and the anticipation of returning has my heart knocking against my chest.
Nicholas chuckles as the sounds of flips and switches fill the cabin. “And you loved every second of it, didn’t you?”
Heat floods my cheeks, and I’m grateful for the blindfold hiding my expression. “So… is that the plan tonight?”
His fingers find mine, lacing through them. “Not tonight,” he murmurs. “Tonight, I want you all to myself.”
His words send a flutter through me, and as the helicopter lifts off, my heart starts to pound. The first time I was up here, I was nervous. My hands were sweaty, my breath shallow… but ever since then, whenever we’ve taken Nicholas’s helicopter, there’s no fear, only anticipation.
The flight feels endless. Without the ability to see, every sensation feels heightened, the sounds and subtle tilts of the helicopter invading my senses as I feel Nicholas start to descend.
When we finally land, Nicholas moves first, unbuckling my seatbelt. I hear the door open, a rush of cool air hitting my skin, and then his hands are on me again as he guides me onto the ground.
As soon as my feet hit the ground, the scent hits me.
Peonies.
The air is thick with them, filling the air with the sweet, floral scent.
Where is he taking me?
Nicholas leans in close, his lips brushing my ear with a whisper. “Ready?”
I nod, my heart thudding in my chest.
He unties the blindfold, gently, the silk slipping off my skin, and my eyes blink rapidly, adjusting to the light as I glance around.
The first thing I notice are the skyscrapers, towering over New York City, a view I’ve become way too familiar with during the last six months I’ve been working as a decorator for Blackwood Hotels.
I feel a subtle warmth at my back, and I turn, a gasp catching in my throat when I see hundreds of candles spread out on the rooftop, and peonies scattered on the ground.
I look up, finding Nicholas standing behind me, hands in his pockets, his smile warm as he watches me.
“Nicholas…” I breathe, shaking my head.
His smile widens as he nods toward the skyscrapers. I turn around, brow furrowed, not sure what I’m supposed to be seeing. But then a light flickers on one of the buildings, grabbing my attention.
A giant W lights up, and my heart stops. I glance to the building beside it as the lights flash again—an I.
L.
L.
No. This isn’t… Is he… He can’t be… right?
The lights keep coming, forming the message, letter by letter, until it’s complete.
Will you marry me?
I freeze, hands flying to my mouth, tears welling up as I spin around to face him. He’s smiling, watching me, and I’m shaking my head, unable to believe this is real. Unable to do anything but look at him.
The man I love… lighting up the sky for me.
“I could’ve taken you anywhere,” he says, his voice rough as he swallows harshly. “Paris, Rome, a private island—hell, I own one.” His lips twitch into that infuriatingly gorgeous smirk before his expression softens again. “But this city is where I met you. It’s where you stormed into my office and turned my world upside down.”
His hand curls around my waist as the other cups my face. “I’ve spent so much of my life chasing things that didn’t matter. Money, business deals, headlines. But you’ve made me realize that none of that means anything without you. Without us . You’re the one thing I know I can’t live without.”
Tears fill my eyes. “Nicholas.”
“We may have entered an engagement under false pretenses, as a business deal,” he continues, “but what I feel for you is real.” His hand shifts from my waist to my hands, his thumb brushing over my engagement ring. “The moment you put this ring on your finger, I knew there would be no one else for me. No one else could’ve been my fiancée. It was you. Only you. And tonight, I want to make it official.”
I gasp, my tears drying as I shake my head up at him. My heart feels like it might burst, and I’m still not sure this isn’t all a dream. But being with Nicholas feels like a dream every single day.
Nicholas drops to one knee, and my breath catches in my throat as he opens a small velvet box, revealing two gold wedding bands.
“You already wear my ring, and we’re as good as engaged, but this is me asking you, not out of obligation or a deal, but because I want you. I need you, and I want to spend every day with you, loving you, cherishing you. I want to be the man who makes you smile, who makes you feel safe, who makes you feel like the most important person in the world. I want to love you for the rest of my days. I want to make you mine, completely and forever.”
More tears well up, and my heart swells with emotion. I don’t try to stop them. This is everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve spent so long wondering if I’d ever get engaged for real, if I’d ever find someone who would love me the way I’ve always wanted to be loved. And now, I’ve found it.
The words swirl in my chest for what feels like forever, before they tumble out in a rush. “Yes. Yes, Nicholas. Of course I’ll marry you.”
In an instant, Nicholas stands, pulls me into his arms, and lifts me off my feet, spinning me around as I let out a laugh, tears still falling down my face. His smile is wide, his eyes locking on mine as our lips meet in a kiss.
“I love you, Amara Winslow,” he whispers against my lips, his forehead resting against mine. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“I love you too,” I breathe, my heart full to bursting.
I used to wonder if heartbreak could somehow kill you. But now, feeling his warmth, his touch, I realize that the pain is worth it, because it brings you exactly where you’re meant to be. I don’t regret a single thing. Not the heartbreak. Not the loneliness. Because it all led me here… to him.
And this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The End