Epilogue
EPILOGUE
RIVER
Two Years Later
“ A re you almost ready?” Montoya asked as she swept the box at my feet off the ground. “Jesus, what’s in this thing? It weighs a goddamn ton.”
I snickered. “Books.” Her eye roll was audible. “H-hey,” I held my hands up, “Blame Bane.” My brow furrowed, and I picked at the rough skin by my thumb nail. “He wanted me t-to have a hobby.”
“So you chose books?” she asked incredulously.
“Oh, yeah.” A smirk lifted my lips. “T-trust me, you’d love them. It’s all boom, boom, bang and the villain gets his dick?—”
“Oh my god, you’re a smut fan?”
I shrugged and stared out at the yard of the rental, watching as Shadow chased off some birds that had just landed to eat the worms. “What can I-I say? It’s like therapy. The really bad guys end up d-dead and the main character ends up in love with s-someone who would burn the world down for them. What’s not to love?”
Montoya snorted and adjusted the box in her arms. “Whatever makes you happy, River. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”
“Mmmm.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stepped up to the sliding doors leading out onto the deck.
The clomping of her boots faded as she headed to the U-Haul we’d hired for the day. It was hard to believe we’d lived here for two years. It passed in the blink of an eye, and yet it seemed like it had taken forever. When I’d been released from the hospital a few days after Bane and the guys caught the Mitchell brothers, Bane had refused to take me back to his house. He’d said after what happened there, it wasn’t his home anymore. It was just bricks and mortar, and that his home was wherever I was. I felt that in the marrow of my bones. From that first time I’d found myself in Bane’s arms in that interrogation room, it’d felt like coming home.
“Hey angel, how are you doing?” Bane nuzzled into my neck, peppering the sensitive skin with light kisses. I tilted my head to the side, allowing him access, and melted into his embrace as his arms wrapped around my waist.
“I-I’m okay,” I said softly, losing myself to his touch. One hand splayed across my abs, fingertips toying with the top of my pants. “It’s just…”
“I know.” His hot breath puffed against my damp skin, making me shiver and him chuckle as he squeezed me tighter. The low tenor had heat pooling in my gut. “Today is the sentencing hearing, but you have nothing to worry about. None of them will be getting out.”
God, how I hoped that was true, that they wouldn’t trade any plea bargains in exchange for information. We wanted lifetime convictions for all of them and everyone else associated with Black Dahlia, but it would have been na?ve of me to think everyone would serve time. Christine Hamilton, aka the Dahlia I knew, was the head of Black Dahlia. When her true identity came out, her whole family fell under the umbrella of the investigation. When the press revealed the mayor’s involvement, it sent shockwaves through Holme Oaks, rocking the town to its core. The scars this atrocity left would be visible for generations to come.
“I hope s-so.” I licked my dry lips. “Because if they c-come for me…”
“I’ll be waiting, angel. No one is getting their hands on you ever again.”
Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I was stronger than that. Ever since that day in the hospital when Bane, Montoya, and Jordan took down the Mitchell brothers, I’d decided I’d be strong and wouldn’t let the past hold me back. I had a life I could have only dreamed of, and I was going to fucking live it.
A sob slipped from my lips as I turned in his arms, looked up at him, and gave a watery smile. Bane’s eyes glistened, haunted by the memories we shared and the stories I’d told him over the years. There were no words that could describe how much he’d single-handedly altered the course of my life.
My eyes dipped to his full lips, then back to his eyes, which now sparkled as he watched me, a brow arched in question. I didn’t need to think about it. I pushed up onto my toes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him down to seal my mouth to his.
A deep groan rumbled in his chest as our lips met. He was warm and soft and oh so eager as his tongue swiped across the seam of my mouth. It had taken me months to feel comfortable enough to initiate things between us. I was always terrified I was either going to be punished, or he was going to freak on me again like he did with BJgate, but after a few sessions with Joelle, things started to improve. But it took work. We both had to learn how to communicate better and being honest about what we wanted was the first step.
Bane’s tongue pushed into my mouth, making my knees weak as it wrapped around mine. His taste exploded across my tongue, and his decadent cedarwood and leather scent drugged me with every inhale. We kissed like it was our last time—all blinding passion and heart-stopping need. He cupped the back of my head, holding me in place as he devoured me and sucked the air from my lungs.
“Fuck, angel,” he gasped, his breath coming out in ragged puffs, and rested his forehead against mine. “I want you so much b-but—” He stuttered when my hand toyed with his hard length over his jeans. “You little shit.” I laughed and buried my head in the crook of his neck as he lifted me so my legs could wrap around his waist. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Hmm.” I rolled my hips. My hard length against his was all I could focus on.
“Stop.” Large hands gripped my hips, his fingers dipping into my crease. “I’m going to hate myself for saying this…” Bane’s voice was rough and sex drenched. “But we need to get Shadow and get on the road. It’s a couple of hours to our house from here. We should get moving.”
The front door banged, shaking the walls of the rental, quickly followed by heavy footsteps. “Oh, come on, you two,” Montoya grumbled. “Jordan and I have been waiting for you and the dog for fifteen minutes. I want a tour of your house, preferably before it’s dark outside, and he’s hungry and won’t stop whining.”
I peeked over Bane’s shoulder to find her with a shit-eating grin on her face. My face flushed as I slid down his body and adjusted myself.
“On it.” I grabbed Shadow’s leash and slipped out through the sliding doors. The cool midmorning air hit me like a slap in the face, but I hoped by the time we made it to our cabin—our new home—the sun would be out so we could sit in the backyard and relax. Bane was looking forward to using his new grill, and I wanted to watch the stars.
Shadow came running to me the second I stepped outside. His black coat glistened in the sun, highlighting the flecks of white that now dappled his coat. He’d become my self-appointed emotional support dog and went everywhere with me, rarely leaving my side. I was hopeful this new beginning would lighten the load he carried on his little shoulders as I left my demons behind in Holme Oaks.
His wet paws landed on my thigh, his tongue hanging out as he panted. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?” I cooed and kneeled down so I could give him some fuss and clip the leash onto his collar. “Are you ready to go on an adventure?” He yipped happily and licked my face as a wave of trepidation washed over me.
I’d tried to keep my emotions on lockdown today, but they occasionally crept up on me when I was least expecting it. Dealing with change was hard. I needed security and the control a routine offered me, and with moving today and everything happening with the Black Dahlia court case, it was throwing me for a loop.
“Come on, Riv,” Bane called as he stuck his head out the door. “Let’s get going and start our new life.”
“Sounds perfect.” Bane’s fingers slipped through mine as we locked the sliding doors, left our keys on the counter, and shut the front door for the final time.
The drive to Copper Hills passed in the blink of an eye. I’d fallen asleep as we’d left Holme Oaks. In my defense, I had hardly slept the night before. I couldn’t tell if it was nerves or excitement that kept me awake, but I’d seen the moon travel across the sky and dawn break and chase away the darkness. It felt like a metaphor for my life as I’d sat on the deck with a cup of cocoa in one hand and my Kindle in another, watching the first rays of sunshine appear on the horizon.
Our new home slowly came into view as Bane maneuvered the U-Haul up the winding track that would become our driveway. We’d spent the last six months fixing the cabin up, turning it from a crumbling ruin of rotten wood to a gorgeous home that encompassed both of our tastes.
The cabin was a decent size, according to Bane, though to me it felt more like a hidden wooden mansion tucked away in the woods, safe from prying eyes. It featured three bedrooms on the first floor, along with a spacious, open-plan living area that seamlessly blended a lounge, dining space, and kitchen. The design was a charming mix of rustic wood and brick contrasted with sleek, modern touches. Floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the space with natural light, and the kitchen looked like something straight out of a magazine.
Bane had been like a kid in a candy store when he first saw it, and it warmed my heart to see him so excited. I was perfectly happy to give him free rein to decorate the space however he wanted. After all, I wasn’t planning on spending much time in the kitchen. My culinary experience had officially ended after a failed attempt at making him a grilled cheese nearly burned down our rental. Honestly, I didn’t mind. My man could create magic in the kitchen, so it was really a win-win.
The second floor, though, was mine, and I’d poured my heart into it. Our bedroom was my pride and joy. A custom-made bed stood proudly in the center of the wall opposite the expansive windows, which offered a stunning view of the surrounding woods. I couldn’t wait to wake up in the mornings, lying in bed and watching the world come alive outside. Having never spent much time in nature, I was eager to explore our new surroundings, and maybe, if I was brave enough, take a dip in the river running down the mountainside.
But first, I had a plan. After unpacking the essentials for our room, I was going to sink into the Jacuzzi tub we’d had installed. It was big enough for me to sprawl out like a starfish if Bane wasn’t with me, though I hoped he would join more often than not.
BANE
I was grateful when River fell asleep on the way to the cabin. He hadn’t slept much over the past week, whether he was nervous over the move or stressed about the Black Dahlia case, I didn’t know, but the bruises blossoming under his eyes told me everything he didn’t. He was struggling, and I hated it. While we had both come a long way in communicating—River especially—there were still times when it felt like I was banging my head against a wall because I didn’t know how to get him to open up.
He woke up just as we hit the track up to the cabin, blinking awake as he jostled from side to side. He looked at me from under his lashes, and my heart skipped a beat. I’d never know what I did to deserve his love, but I was grateful every day for it. Seeing the biggest smile I’d ever seen on him take over his face as we pulled up to our new home was everything I needed to settle the frantic worry coiling inside me.
“Surprise,” I said, as tears glistened in his forest-green eyes. They darted around, taking in the little finishing touches Montoya and I had done over the last week. We’d stained the cabin with creosote, turning the large logs black, so they blended effortlessly with the forest that surrounded it. Montoya planted some window boxes and placed large planters at the edges of the steps leading up to the front porch. The addition of a handcrafted swing finished it off.
“Welcome home, angel.” I leaned over the console, pulled him into me, and slotted my lips over his. He kissed me back with an enthusiasm that continued to gain traction every time our lips met. The wet heat of his tongue sliding against mine had me opening immediately, desperate to have him closer. As he licked into my mouth, his tongue wrapping around mine, I forgot about everything bar the beautiful boy in my arms.
When we eventually pulled apart, panting hard, trying to regulate our breathing, we caught sight of Montoya and Jordan sitting on the porch swing, laughing. It turned out they were taking bets on how long it would take us to get unpacked once they’d left. I felt sorry for Jordan, because Montoya had an unfair advantage. He had no idea what I had planned. Our first night in our new home and new life would be one to remember. I just hoped everything went to plan, but the outcome rested solely on River’s shoulders, even though he didn’t know it.
“This place isn’t half bad, Benson,” Jordan said as he took our cabin in for the first time.
“Yeah, it’s something special, that’s for sure.” I smiled, but my eyes weren’t on my new home—they were on River. Jordan laughed when he followed my line of sight and slapped me on the back before heading down to help River open up the truck while I unlocked the door.
“You going to be happy here?” Montoya asked as she set a box down in the kitchen while I plugged the kettle in to make us all a drink.
“More than.” This was everything I’d never thought possible—a home with a family of my own. “Now, if I could only find some mugs.”
“Here,” Montoya said, opening the box she’d just brought in and handed me a couple of mugs. “Would you look at that. Looks like someone knew I’d be in serious need of caffeine to get through this torture.”
“You love it, really. You’ve gone all soft since you met Boston.” Deep burgundy stained her cheeks, and she shook her head, looking more bashful than I’d ever seen.
“Is that him now?” I asked when her phone buzzed. She pulled her dark brown eyes off the screen to glare at me. “Ha! It is.”
She huffed a laugh. “Nothing, umm, personal.” I waggled my eyebrows, and she stuck her tongue out at me. “He went to watch the sentencing because we were here today.”
“Yeah, I told him I was trying to keep River’s mind off it because he’d been struggling recently. So, good news?”
I waited with bated breath for her to finish reading. My heart was thundering in my chest because we needed this conviction to stick. Otherwise, we’d spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. And for all River’s strength, I didn’t think he’d survive living another twenty years like that. He was the strongest of us all, but everyone had a breaking point. I just hoped he’d never find his.
Montoya cleared her throat and lowered her voice, impersonating the authority of Jude Mikelson. “Christine Hamilton, known as Dahlia, the head of the Black Dahlia organization, has been sentenced to one thousand years in prison. She was convicted on a hundred counts, eighty involving trafficking.”
“Holy fuck.” My knees gave out, and I collapsed to the floor, clutching my chest as I struggled to breathe. I could hardly believe it—it was over. It was finally, finally over. Montoya’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, steadying me. Without her unwavering strength and determination, I wasn’t sure we would’ve made it through to the end.
This case had shaken the very foundation of our lives, bringing changes we never could have foreseen. But most importantly, it had saved countless lives—more than we could ever measure.
By the time Montoya and Jordan left, the sky had turned a dusky blue, and the surrounding forest had come alive. River sat in one of the Adirondack chairs, hands outstretched toward the fire pit, and Shadow curled up at his feet. He seemed at ease for the first time today, as I walked down from the deck, drinks in hand.
“Here you go, angel,” I said, passing him a hot cocoa. Shadows from the flickering flames danced across his face as he took his cup.
“Aww, marshmallow and cream, too.” His breath hitched as he pinned the full weight of his gaze on me. “T-thank you.” He rolled his bottom lip through his teeth. “Today has been…”
“A lot.” I finished for him, and he nodded. We sat in relative silence surrounded by nature, and for the first time since we’d reconnected, it felt like a weight had been lifted off our collective shoulders.
“It has. B-but, totally worth it.”
“I’d do anything for you, angel.”
He let loose a breath and finished his drink. “You have given me the world.” He blinked back the glassiness in his eyes. “You have given me more than I ever thought possible.” A tear glides down his cheek, sparkling like a diamond in the firelight. “I never knew it was possible t-to feel this…”
“Happy?” I hedged.
“N-no. Complete.”
I felt ten feet tall at his quiet confession, and confidence suffused my veins. It was time to bring an extra dash of magic to the day. “Why don’t you go up and have a soak in the tub? I know you’re dying to.” River snorted, the sound so carefree I had to tuck my hands under my thighs, because they’d started to shake. “Come and find me when you’re done.”
River eyed me curiously, and it took every last bit of control I had not to blurt out my plan. I had to have patience, because he deserved perfection. He deserved to feel like the center of my universe, because that’s exactly what he was, and I’d spend a lifetime showing him.
“Alright. Wait for me here?”
“Of course.”
He pushed up from his seat, Shadow at his heels, handed me his cup, and brushed a sweet kiss to my lips before sauntering back into the house.
“You’ve got this,” I coached myself as I quickly rinsed the dishes before loading them in the dishwasher. I crept up the stairs and heard the water running along with River’s voice through the open doors as he chatted to Shadow.
River loved to wallow like a miniature hippopotamus, so I figured I had a good forty or so minutes to get everything into place. Our backyard was vast, stretching farther than the eye could see. The areas that had been reclaimed from the forest and laid to lawn followed a gentle slope down to the river, and was the perfect spot to sit and watch the stars glittering in the sky at night. With no light pollution, the view would be spectacular but wouldn’t hold a candle to the man who owned my heart.
“What’s going on?” River asked when he came downstairs. I shut Shadow in the house and took his hand.
“I thought you might like to sit and watch the stars?”
“Y-yes.”
We walked hand in hand down to the river, the sound of the water rushing over the rocks doing little to mask the pounding of my heart in my ears. I was thankful for the warm night and the glowing fireflies illuminating our way.
“Oh my god.” River gasped and stopped at the top of the bank, his eyes transfixed by the blanket bed and pillows I’d laid out for us. It was surrounded by large citronella candles to keep the mosquitos away, and if you looked hard enough, you could make out the champagne bottle sticking out of an ice bucket and a small wicker basket filled with all the sweet treats River loved. It really was the perfect night to wish on a star. It just so happened mine wasn’t in the sky. “Y-you did all of this?” I nodded, feeling my face flame as he watched me with a wondrous look on his face. “W-when?”
“While you were wallowing in the tub for the last hour.” River chuckled and tucked himself under my arm, his hand cinching tight around my waist, pulling me closer. “Admit it, how many times did you top up the hot water?”
I helped him down the bank and onto the shore. “Umm, maybe a couple?” His cheeks pinked, and his eyes glimmered in the darkness like they were lit from within.
“So what you’re saying is we have no hot water left?” I chuckled at his gasp and pulled him down in between my legs as we settled on the blankets. His back vibrated against me, giving away his silent chuckle.
“You could say t-that.”
I kissed the top of his head and felt the tension leave his body as my hands worked the muscle fibers in his shoulders and down his arms until my fingers laced through his. I brought each hand up to my mouth, brushing a kiss on each knuckle.
Night in Copper Hills was a whole other level of sensory experience compared to the suburbs of Holme Oak. The forest felt alive as it lived each moment with us. The sky was a velvet black backdrop to the millions of glimmering stars and planets above us. River was enraptured by the sight, unable to drag his eyes away as I fed him little bites of chocolate cheesecake and strawberries. He sucked my fingers clean of the juice with a singular focus that had my dick responding, wishing his full lips were wrapped around it instead.
Hours passed, and the candles burned low. The stars grew brighter, and my nerves grew brittle. A full moon hung in the sky, illuminating everything like it was silvered daylight. River turned and straddled my lap, heat burning in the depths of his eyes. His soft lips kissed a path up my neck until his face was tucked in against my throat, each stuttering breath tickling across my skin.
“B-Bane?”
“Yes, angel?” I inhaled his sweet cinnamon and orange scent. A needy groan caught in the back of my throat, and I felt his lips curve into a smile. My hands traveled down his back and settled on his hips, my fingers sinking into his ass so I could pull him closer.
River’s hands came up and cupped my face, his thumbs tracing the shape of my cheekbones while his lips peppered tender kisses all over my face. I felt treasured, seen, and wanted. His hot breath smelled of sweet strawberries and indulgent chocolate as it heated my lips, the only place he hadn’t kissed. I was a desperate man as lips sat a hair’s breadth away from mine.
The warm evening air was charged with electricity that zapped across my skin in pulsing waves. The stars shone brighter, growing in intensity as I lost myself in the fevered heat in his glistening eyes. My heart was pounding against my chest, tattooing my love for him on my bones. I could feel the echo of his through the layers that separated us. River’s body trembled, and the color in his cheeks flushed in waves, building like it did when he was lost in the throes of ecstasy.
His tongue darted out and wet his lips, feeling its slow glide against mine. That simple touch rocked me to my core. My cock was thick, aching and throbbing with every roll of his hips. I’d never seen River so incandescent and bright. His light put the moon to shame.
“I-I…” River huffed a breath in exasperation. His brows furrowed before he steeled his shoulders and increased the pressure of his hold on my face, so I couldn’t look anywhere but him. Not that I wanted to. Ever. “I...I.” He cleared his throat, words sticking on his tongue like they did when his nerves consumed him.
“You can tell me anything, angel,” I said, pulling him so close there wasn’t even air between us.
“I want to keep you forever.” Heat radiated off him, but I wasn’t scared of being burned. I’d walk through fire if he asked me to. “I might not know what love is to you o-or… even if what I feel is…l-love or o…obsession. B-but… I want it until all I see is the stars of heaven.”
“You mean?” River nodded, tears shimmering on his cheeks like shattered diamonds, the fractals of light dancing amongst the shadows. “Mmm.”
“Will you marry me, River Lane?” His wet lips trembled against mine as I searched my pocket for the ring I’d been carrying around for the last week.
“W-was it ever a q-question? Yes, a thousand times, yes.”
I shook my head because I knew he was quoting something he’d read to me or we’d watched together. Not that I could remember it, because every part of me was consumed with this moment. It was my turn to tremble, and I prayed to god I didn’t drop it before I got it on his finger. I gently peeled his left hand from my face, and he sat back on his feet, his inquisitive eyes watching my hand intently.
His eyes widened when he saw me pull the ring I’d had specially made for him—a single band of platinum engraved with endless waves to signify my endless love—from the black velvet pouch and held out his left hand. It slid onto his finger and it looked like it had always been there.
“I-I.” I cleared the tightness from my throat. River beamed like he was floating in the sky above us with the stars. “I had this whole speech planned, but you got there before me?—”
He snorted and licked his tears from his lips. “Sorry, not sorry.”
My lips brushed his, chasing away his breathy laugh until he melted into me and breathed my love into him. “I love all of you, angel, even the parts you think are not worthy of love. I love them twice as much.”