Epilogue – Kai
Six months later
“Where’d you hear about this escape room?”
“It’s brand new.” Silas practically bristled with excitement as he led us through the industrial estate towards a unit in the back. “Just opened.”
“Mm-hmm,” I said dubiously, eyeing our surroundings. The presence of both Rhys and Dylan steadied my worries. After our onstage declaration, we hadn’t been able to leave the house without multiple security guards. Half a year on, the presence had dwindled. But still, we weren’t taking any chances.
Better safe than sorry.
Dylan drew level with me. My once-cheerful guard now wore a mask of stress at all times. “How’s Sadie?”
He startled at my question, his lips thinning into something almost resembling a smile. “She’s…okay. Every day is much the same as the one before, really.”
“I’m sorry.” I reached out to squeeze his arm. “Do you need to take some more time? We don’t mind.”
“No, it’s okay,” he said hurriedly. “Honestly, being here is a distraction. I need that right now.”
“Okay, well, the offer’s there if you ever change your mind.” After her accident, he’d taken some time off to help her rehabilitate. But even with access to the best physiotherapists, there was only so much they could do to help her regain movement in her legs.
We’d paid Dylan his full wage while he was off, ensuring he knew we’d do that for as long as needed. Our hearts broke for him when Sadie woke from the coma to the news she’d never walk again.
Silas continued bobbing along in front of us, like a cork in a bottle of champagne ready to be popped. “He does know where we’re going, right?”
Dylan blinked. “He does. It’s just up ahead and on the right. I came here earlier to get the NDAs signed.”
That was thoughtful. “Thanks, Dylan.”
He nodded again, stepping back like he was trying to fade into the shadows. Ahead of us, I saw Rhys clock his friend’s movement, his face tightening.
As promised, I spotted a sign in the distance: Escape Rocks.
Catching up to Silas, I gestured at the frontage. “Escape Rocks. Lemme guess, it’s all cave-themed.”
He slid his hand into mine, and I instantly felt at home. “No, muppet. It’s rock-themed…as in rock music.”
I perked up. “Okay, that’s pretty cool.”
Silas poked his tongue out at me. “To think you doubted me.”
A small gasp from behind us had us halting. Rhys stared at his phone screen, his mouth open in shock.
Oh god, it was just like with Dylan. “What is it? Who’s hurt?”
“What?” Rhys jolted. “Nothing. Sorry.”
His gaze slid behind us before widening. “Shit, Dyl.”
Dylan was slumped against the wall, his shaking hands covering his face. “No-no-no-no-no.”
Silas and I jogged over, arriving just as Rhys dropped to his knees. I put an arm across Silas’s chest to stop him from getting closer. We’d both seen Luca through more than one anxiety attack. The last thing Dylan needed was us crowding him.
“Dylan, listen to my voice.” Rhys spoke firmly but kindly. “Everyone is fine. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
A broken sob came from behind Dylan’s hands. Silas cocked his head to the side with a grim frown, and we drew back several paces to give them some privacy.
After a few minutes, Rhys was helping Dylan to his feet and brushing off his trousers. Pity settled in my stomach at the bright splotches on Dylan’s cheekbones.
“Sorry about that,” he said as he joined us, his voice quavering.
“Don’t apologise,” I said firmly. “You’ve done nothing to be sorry for.”
“Kai’s right,” Silas added. “And we’re going to insist you go home and take a few days, Dylan. Spend time watching Netflix and eating shitty food. Whatever it is you do to relax, that’s all we need you to do.”
He nodded miserably. “I think you’re right. I’m a liability at the moment.”
“Oi,” Rhys barked, his hand wringing around Dylan’s bicep. “You are not a liability. Don’t talk about yourself that way.”
Irritation flared in Dylan’s eyes, more emotion than I’d seen from him in months. “Listen, you can’t just—”
I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling like this was turning into a moment Si and I shouldn’t be part of. “Why don’t you both take off? We can do this another day.”
“No!”
The word came from all three of them simultaneously, making me narrow my eyes in suspicion. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Silas said airily. Too airily. “But we should probably head in.”
“Wait.” I turned back to Rhys. “Everything is okay though—yeah?”
He rubbed his hand over his head sheepishly, exchanging a look with Dylan, who just shrugged. I guessed Rhys had filled him in while he was calming down. “I guess it can’t hurt to tell you…you’re going to hear sooner or later. Jack’s resigned.”
“What?” Silas and I exclaimed in unison.
Rhys held up his hands. “That’s all I know. He’s leaving, effective immediately.”
Silas and I looked at each other, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing.
Arlo was going to be crushed.
On that bombshell, our guards turned back towards the cars, Rhys promising to be there to collect us when we were done.
“Can’t believe Jack’s leaving,” Silas said.
“Me either.”
“Think Arlo knows yet?”
I grimaced. “If he doesn’t, he will soon.”
“He won’t take this well.”
“We’ll get him through it,” I said, pulling open the door and gesturing for Silas to enter first. “It’s what we do.”
Half an hour later, we were blitzing through the room. Music pounded through the speakers, a combination of rock from our childhood up to the present day.
“This theming is great,” I said to Silas with a grin.
“It really is.” He was looking at the photos on the walls. “Ha! Look, there’s one of us up here.”
Dropping the lock I’d been twiddling with, I leaned my chin on his shoulder. Sure enough, surrounded by several other images, there was one of us at our very first stadium performance. We’d opened for Vanity Flair, who’d been at the top of the charts for a whopping sixteen weeks.
Only to be knocked off by us. Their supporting act. Fortunately, they’d been good sports about it.
“Oh look, there’s another one.” I pointed at a frame to the right. “Where’s that one?”
Silas peered at it. “Ah, Rome, our first tour. That was the first time we performed ‘Tease.’ Remember that?”
My cock thickened at the memory. “I remember I had to rush back to the hotel and jerk off. Several times. Jesus, feeling you dance against me. I couldn’t decide if having you touch me like that felt like heaven or hell.”
Silas leaned back into me. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I pressed a kiss against the top of his head. “I look back at those memories now, and I’m…happy. If anything, it makes me laugh to think how oblivious you were.”
“Meanie.” He rolled his eyes goodnaturedly.
We continued to peruse the photos, and almost instantly, I found another of us. “Wow, they really like Caffeine Daydreams here.”
“They must do,” Silas mused, running a finger along the edge of the frame. “This was at the charity gala in 2012. That guy wouldn’t leave you alone, so I ended up dragging you onto the dancefloor.”
“We stayed there all night,” I remembered with a chuckle. “Yeah, you really should’ve realised your feelings weren’t just platonic.”
“Probably,” he said with a smile.
There were a few more shots, ones from award shows, performances, and galas. It was like the owners had found every highlight of our careers and decided to showcase them.
When we came to the final photo, I froze. It was the one I’d stared at in Mexico. My birthday, Silas beside me as I prepared to blow out the candles.
That photo wasn’t public. How the hell had the owners got their hands on it?
“Ooh, look, this one’s crooked,” Silas exclaimed, indicating the birthday shot. Unlike me, he didn’t seem perturbed by it being here. “Wonder what will happen if we straighten it?”
“Silas, wait—”
But it was too late. Silas had levelled the frame. There was a click and a hidden door to our right opened.
“Aha!” Silas said triumphantly, throwing me an over-the-top wink. “After you, good sir.”
I put my hands on my hips. “What are you up to, Si?”
“Me? What makes you think I’m up to anything?”
“Tree number three, remember?”
He shoved my shoulder impatiently. “Just get in there, Kai.”
My amused grin slipped off my face as I stepped into the hidden room. It wasn’t big, probably six feet by nine.
Every inch of the walls was covered in photos of Silas and me. Tiny fairy lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating so many moments from our past.
Silas on my shoulders at Reading Festival, a fake plastic crown on his head.
Both of us in our school uniform, hunched over homework at my kitchen table.
Sat on the curb outside my childhood home, mud all over our knees and ice pops in our hands.
In the music studio at college, an extremely young Arlo in the background on the drums.
My family and Silas at Ruby’s graduation.
Silas and me dancing at Mia’s wedding.
Then there were the ones from all the places we’d travelled: Rome, Milan, Sydney, Bali.
It was our whole life in pictures.
Right in the centre were two that were bigger than the rest. I didn’t need to ask where these had been taken.
Both contained a little part of my soul.
The first was our kiss during the final show of our tour. The kiss that gave Silas a realisation he hadn’t expected…and sent me running halfway around the world.
The second was another kiss. This one was the LondonFM Autumn Festival, where we finally confirmed what our fans had suspected all along.
Two moments in time that had shaped us indefinitely.
“Silas, what is this…” My voice trailed off as I turned around.
To see the man I loved.
My best friend.
Down on one knee.
“I thought a lot about how to propose,” Silas said huskily. “We’ve shared so many good times together. If I look back over my life, all my happy memories involve you. Every. Single. One.”