Epilogue
Sebastian
Six Months Later
A crash in the closet makes me rush out of the bathroom to check on Ely. I find her standing in the middle of the closet, clothes circling her in a ring on the floor, a pair of shoes by the entrance. "Ely?"
She spares me a glance but then shuffles through her clothes again. "I don't have anything to wear. Nothing freaking fits me anymore."
I skim my gaze down her rounded belly poking out of the silk robe she's wearing. "Well, you’re growing a baby inside of you. That's to be expected."
She pins me with a look that almost—almost makes me want to take a step back. "Are you calling me fat?"
I step over the shoes and enter the war zone coming to stand beside her. "Of course not. I'm just saying our baby has grown a lot in the last month and now we have to adjust, at least until she arrives. Do you want me to order you something to wear?"
She shakes her head with a huff. "No, it's a waste of money when I won't be able to wear it very long. I'll put on one of my flowy dresses. It won't be as formal as what everyone else is wearing, but I can wear flats with it, and that is important."
I nibble her earlobe and cup her round belly gently. "You can wear anything you want. I'll proudly lead you into the graduation party in whatever you choose. If anyone has something to say they can deal with me."
She leans up and kisses me, turning so she can press into my chest. With every month that passes she spends more and more time climbing onto my lap to take her pleasure when she feels it riding her hard. Her fingers skim down my shirt buttons, and I catch her fingers.
"As much as I would love to take you to bed right now, we are already late, and I don't feel like dealing with Lee's bitching when we arrive even later."
She huffs then falls from her tiptoes down to her heels and turns to face the clothes again. "Fine. Then get out so I can find something to wear in peace."
I leave the closet and head back into the bathroom to finish my tie and grab my jacket off the hanger near the door. I slip it on carefully, button up, and exit in time to find Ely standing outside the closet donning a pair of diamond earrings. She looks amazing in a floor length, sequined gown that cinches just above her rounded belly and flows out around her feet in a champagne bell shape. "Beautiful."
She drops her eyes as a pink flush washes up her neck. I love that I can still make her blush for me. After she slips into a pair of flats by the bed and grabs a small handbag that matches her dress, we head down to the car that’s already waiting for us out front. A driver steps out and opens the door for Ely to slip in while I go around to the other side of the vehicle and slide into the backseat beside my wife.
The Mill's graduation party is always a semi-formal affair, and the most expensive party the club throws every year.
Ely shifts beside me, the black leather creaking beneath her with each movement. I grab her hand and tuck it against my lap. "You okay?"
She nods but continues to stare out the window. "Yeah, fine. Bel has been texting me for twenty minutes asking where we are. I wasn't about to tell her we're late because you decided we needed to have sex for the third time today."
I press my hand to my chest in mock affront. "What? Me? You think I'm the one dragging you off to fuck every five minutes. I hate to break it to you, Little Prey, but that is all you."
She ducks her chin and scans the passing scenery out the window. "I guess I have been a little...needy lately. The doctor says it's because of the baby hormones. It's supposedly normal."
"I'm not complaining, baby.” I squeeze her knee and give her an exaggerated leer.
We ride in silence, my phone vibrating in my pocket almost the entire drive. My friends are no doubt texting to see where we are, one by one. I'm actually surprised Lee hasn't called me already to get a face to face update. The drive is over before it starts.
Peering out the window I see that the Mill driveway is lined with soft lanterns and flowers in the school’s signature colors of yellow and black leading up to the parking area.
The vehicle rolls to a stop and I give Ely’s hand a little squeeze. It's now or never. The driver slips out and around the car to open Ely's door while I climb out, button my suit jacket, and walk around to take her arm.
Several couples stand outside the house, sipping champagne and talking. I don't see Bel or Drew, so they must be inside. It doesn’t appear that we’ve missed much.
The front door is wide open, letting in the early summer air. Candles and soft lights dot the inside of the house, with waiters passing out drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Long gone are the frat boy and secret society antics. Every space in the house gleams, chairs line the walls for seating and a large dance floor takes up the living room with a five piece instrumental group playing at the top of the stairs.
Bel is the hostess for the evening, and she did an amazing job. I scan the other partygoers, keeping an eye out for my sister or one of our friends.
Ely leans in and points toward what is usually a small dining area, now cleared for people to grab food and drinks. "Over there."
We head for Bel and Drew. Both dressed to the nine looking, amazing in black, with Drew wearing a black on black suit and Bel in a long black sheath dress that hugs her body, her long blonde hair hangs in ringlets around her hips. This is the first time in a month I've seen her without her signature messy bun. I’m not sure I like it.
We approach and I press peck to Bel’s cheek. "Whoa, no hoodie tonight."
She swats at my arm playfully. "Haha. I have to be comfortable to plan a party, okay?"
"So you're in planning mode all year round?" I quip.
This earns me a narrow-eyed look, but she's smiling as she hands Ely a champagne flute. "This is ginger ale. I stashed some away so you don't feel so weird carrying around something different than everyone else."
Ely takes it with a grateful smile. "Thank you."
Turning to face the room I scan the crowd again. "Where are Lee and Aries?"
As I finish speaking Aries comes sauntering into the room, approaching our group. He's wearing a tuxedo shirt tucked into slacks, an open bowtie, and a jacket. His hair curls against the collar of his shirt as he studies us. "Well, don't you all look like a happy little bunch.”
He gives Ely a long look that makes my blood boil, then his attention jumps over to Bel, his gaze lingering a little too long. Enough that Drew appears to notice and takes a threatening step towards him, his head cocked to the side. "Problem man? I know you've been busy with your father a lot lately and we haven't seen you, but I doubt I need to remind you who she’s with.."
Bel gently squeezes his forearm. "It's fine. I doubt Aries was looking at me like that .”
Aries merely shrugs. "Of course I wasn’t.”
Drew stares him down for another long fraught moment before deciding better of it. Slowly he recedes back to Bel's side. "Let's go dance."
They head away and I step into the space to get out of the crowd's movement. "What the hell was that about?"
Aries shrugs, his expression noncommittal. “It’s nothing. Drew’s just being overly sensitive like always. He’s like a dog with a bone when it comes to her.”
I wouldn't call Drew overly sensitive, but maybe something is going on and they just don't want to share right now. We all have our problems.
"Where's Lee?"
"I don't know I'm not his fucking keeper," Aries snaps and downs a glass of champagne before walking back out into the crowd, moving toward the kitchen and away from us.
"That was weird. What's his problem?" Ely asks.
All I can do is shake my head. “I have no clue. Something has been off with him lately, but I can’t pinpoint it.”
He's been acting weird as hell lately but I figure it has something to do with his family, and the pressure from the upcoming election. It's always family pressure with Aries, his father grooming him to step into politics as soon as he graduates. It doesn’t matter what Aries wants for himself...which is definitely not politics.
“I kinda feel bad for him. He doesn’t show interest in anyone, never really does anything except sports, and now he’s graduating and seems even more miserable.”
I understand her concerns, because Aries is my friend, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
“Stop worrying about everyone else and enjoy yourself. Let’s go dance.” She smiles up at me, and lets me lead her out onto the dance floor. I gently spin Ely, then pluck the glass from her hand and deposit it on a passing tray.
When I curl my arms around her she sighs, folding against me, resting her head on my chest. Her belly is a little hard to maneuver around but I love every second of seeing our child growing inside of her. Each day is a new discovery and I seek out moments to feel the baby kick, or to rub Ely's feet so she can rest. She's been pushing herself hard at the animal shelter. It's almost time for me to start insisting she stays home and hires someone to take over until after the baby arrives. That’s a conversation I’ve been avoiding though knowing she’s going to argue with me about it.
"Did I tell you how amazing you look?" I whisper into her hair as I gently sway us.
A loud crash clatters through the room and everyone pauses including us to look in the direction of the noise. Drew steps away from Bel and heads toward the kitchen. Aries steps up from beside the dance floor and tucks Bel into his arms.
I keep my gaze locked on them over Ely's shoulder. Bel doesn't seem concerned and Aries isn't doing anything to her but something is pinging in the back of my head. He's always been protective of our little family but lately he hasn't been around, and when he has it's been arguments, fights, and catty comments that drive Drew insane.
The song changes and Bel steps out of Aries' grasp and I hate the sense of relief I have from that action. But Aries doesn’t appear to release Bel, and after a moment she pulls her hand back and slaps him across the face.
I'm already moving, Ely's hand in mine, when Bel turns and steps in front of me blocks my path. "Please leave it alone. I don't want Drew to kill him."
"Drew isn't the one he needs to worry about," I growl, trying to get around both Ely and Bel now.
Aries shoots me the middle finger, stuffs his hands into his pockets, and saunters toward the entryway. If he's leaving I won't press it, but soon he and I are going to have words.
Drew returns, sees my face and immediately moves to Bel's side. "What happened?
Bel presses her hand to his chest, well giving her head a shake. "Nothing. What happened in the kitchen?"
"One of the staff dropped a bottle of wine. Nothing significant." Even as he speaks to Bel his gaze is on mine. We’re both thinking the same thing right now.
We step off the dance floor, and I'm already wishing we were home. "What the fuck is going on with Aries?" I ask both Drew and Bel again.
Drew clenches his jaw and circles behind Bel to tug her into his chest. "I have no fucking clue. He's been really fucking weird lately."
"And where is Lee? It’s our graduation party, doesn’t anyone else find it unusual that he’s not here?”
“Definitely.” Drew says while nodding his head in agreement.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I dig it out to look at the screen. For the second time today I’m getting a call from: Unknown number.
Who the hell would be calling me from an unknown number?
Anxiety bubbles in my gut and I tuck Ely into my side and lead her to a quiet corner, hitting the answer key on the phone. "Hello?"
"Jesus fuck, man. I thought you'd never answer. I had to bribe this asshole to let me call you again when you didn't pick up the first time."
Wait. What? "Lee? Where are you? And why are you calling me from an unknown number?" He rarely calls, almost always preferring to text.
"Well you see there’s been a little problem, and I kinda need your help.”
“What kinda problem?”
Ely leans in so she can hear, mouthing at me to turn up the volume or switch to speaker.
I hit the speaker button so she can hear too.
Lee's voice cuts through the line loud and static-filled. "The type that involves cash, and driving over to Jackson county to get me out of jail.”
Oh fuck. What the hell did Lee do now?