Epilogue
Elektra
I tightened my arms around Raine and burrowed my face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of coconut and sea breeze. Raine loved everything beachy, and the smell of her always made me feel like I was on some exotic beach with white sand between my toes and the ocean breeze blowing over my skin.
It’d been a year since I’d kidnapped her and made her mine.
I’d always sort of feared she would try to leave me.
That’d she come to her senses and realize how toxic we were together.
But she was still here. She sought me out when she was feeling lost and unsure.
I was the first person she called when she passed a test—not that I ever expected anything less from her.
Gatlin was a brilliant guy, and he was the perfect tutor for her.
I’d even come to an agreement with him and Finn so Gatlin could keep tutoring Raine after we graduated in a few months.
Because, unfortunately, Raine still had two more years of college after this semester was over.
Thankfully, Finn and Gatlin weren’t planning on leaving the area, so Gatlin would be able to come to our apartment to continue tutoring her.
She was doing so well under his teachings.
I didn’t want her to have to find a new tutor and jeopardize how far she’d come.
The door to our studio apartment suddenly opened, and I shot up, my body immediately moving to protect Raine.
But when I saw my mom standing there, I blew out a harsh breath and flopped back onto the bed, groaning.
Raine sleepily moaned and rolled over, snuggling back into my side, completely unaware that my mom was here and had just barged into our apartment.
Probably had to do with us not going to dinner last night. Mom did her therapy sessions with me at our weekly dinner, and I hadn’t felt like going. In my defense, Raine had a headache, was needy, and didn’t feel like going anywhere, and fuck if I was going to deny her.
But I guessed I’d forgotten to text Mom that I wasn’t coming. Oops.
“Elektra,” Mom sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose, “do you know how worried I was that you’d gone and done something stupid again?”
I sighed. She was still pissed about me kidnapping Raine a year later.
The night I’d kidnapped Raine, I was supposed to be going home for dinner.
But I hadn’t because… well, Raine. I’d had her in my bed.
I’d had her beneath me. And claiming her as mine was a hell of a lot more important than making sure my psyche was still intact.
But since I’d “gone off the rails” a year ago, as Mom called it, she was overbearing as fuck. Raine found it funny and told me constantly it was what I deserved for kidnapping her. But honestly, I’d take all the bullshit Mom threw my way because Raine had a family now who loved her.
My parents adored the ground Raine walked on, and they showered her with so much love and attention, I could never actually be angry with my mom for how overbearing she was now.
Raine slowly lifted her head from my chest, blinking at my mom. Mom’s expression immediately softened, and she smiled at Raine. “Hi, sweetheart,” Mom greeted. “Rough night?”
I reached up to run my fingers through Raine’s tangled, blonde hair. It was clear she was still suffering from her headache, and it made me feel a bit on edge. I didn’t like it when Raine was dealing with something I couldn’t magically fix for her.
“Just a headache,” Reina mumbled, reaching up to rub her eyes. “It’s my fault Elektra didn’t show up last night. Please don’t be mad at her.”
Oh, you sweet fucking girl.
Sitting up, I cupped the side of Raine’s head and pressed my lips to her forehead. “Go shower, little one. I’ll make some breakfast.”
“And I’ll make that drink you like when you have headaches,” Dad announced as he came inside. “Elektra, get up.”
Sighing, I flung the blankets back and got out of bed.
Turning, I helped Raine off the bed, then led her over to the bathroom so she could shower.
Usually, I’d shower with her, especially when she was suffering from a migraine because she could easily get dizzy, but it was clear Mom and Dad had a lecture in store for me.
“I guess this means you still haven’t asked her?” Mom asked as she headed into the tiny kitchen area. Our apartment wasn’t very big, and it held just the basic necessities. Which meant we didn’t have much in the way of a kitchen area.
I frowned. “Asked her what?” I asked, not awake enough for this conversation.
“For Raine to marry you,” Dad said in a duh tone. “Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.”
I huffed. “No, I haven’t asked her yet. Why do you keep hounding me? She wants to finish college before marriage even comes into question. We’re content where we are.” Even if I did want to tie her to me in every way I could, I was comfortable with what we had now. I wouldn’t push her.
Dad sighed, sounding sad. “We just really want her to be our daughter-in-law.”
I rolled my eyes and took a seat at the bar as he and Mom set to work on making breakfast. “She will be. In time,” I promised. I turned to look at the bathroom when the door cracked open, and Raine poked her head out, the rest of her hidden behind the door.
“Can you come help me?” she asked me quietly. Pain laced her voice, and my jaw clenched. God, I hated her migraines. And I hated even more that doctors hadn’t found a cure for her yet because they couldn’t pinpoint the cause of them.
Immediately, I slid off the barstool and headed toward her, slipping into the bathroom. The shower was already on, and she was naked, but she was pale. Before I could ask her what she needed from me, she dropped in front of the toilet and began to throw up.
Immediately, I dropped down behind her, holding her hair back and wrapping my other arm around her.
When she was finished, I flushed the toilet and grabbed the mouthwash so she could rinse her mouth out.
Once she’d spit it out, I turned her to face me, cupping her pretty face in my hands.
Brushing my thumbs over her freckles, I asked, “Getting worse?”
She nodded. I brushed my lips to her forehead, then stood and began stripping out of my clothes.
Once I was naked, I stepped into the shower, then helped her in.
Once we were both under the water, I gathered her in my arms and sank to the floor, cradling her on my lap as the hot water sprayed over us.
“Just rest,” I said softly. “I’ve got you, little one.” My parents could, quite frankly, fuck off until she was feeling better.
She tucked her face into the curve of my neck. Closing my eyes, I let my fingers massage her scalp while I relished in this moment with her. I hated that she was in pain, but I couldn’t deny that I was obsessed with how needy she got for me.
“I love you,” I said softly. Mom had warned me as a psychopath, I might never be able to love anyone. But if I could feel love, I knew it had to be something like this. This need to always be around her. This desperation to take care of her. To protect her and always make her happy.
“I love you, too,” she mumbled. “I’m sorry you got in trouble with your mom.”
I snorted. “I don’t even think she’s upset,” I admitted. “I think she and Dad just wanted to see if I’d asked you to marry me yet.”
Her smile pressed into my skin. “In time,” she whispered.
I tightened my hold on her. “In time, little one,” I agreed.