EPILOGUE
ABOUT A YEAR LATER
JORDAN
“Are we ready for the performances?” I had to speak so loud over the din of voices in Seven’s apartment that I was nearly shouting. A few heads turned. I’d never seen so many people in Seven’s apartment before, but we’d never thrown a Christmas party like this before, either.
Not just a Christmas party. This was a pole dance exhibition, employee banquet, and family get-together all in one. But Axel had insisted we go all out, so that meant a professional holiday decorator had come in the day before to spruce the place up with fancy wreaths, enormous ornament displays, and so much gorgeous, sparkling garland that every corner of the apartment could have become an Instagram backdrop.
My brothers were in attendance with their beautiful counterparts, as well as Willow, Legs, Legs’ wife Harietta, Harry, Chico, Liam, Trojan, Jessa’s friend Kendra, and Roxie. Mercedes’ ex-sister-in-law, Maddie, was in town with her daughter Grace, visiting New York City for the first time for the holidays. Zero was here with Axel and Cora. He’d been on-and-off tailing Ranger, who seemed to enjoy the brief chases that ensued.
I’d been training Jessa, Cora, and Mercedes on the pole for almost a year, and my brothers finally joined the lessons about six months ago. Tonight, they would showcase their talents and have some fun. Even Seven was going to do the routine I taught him.
They were my first students, but hopefully not the last. Not if everything went according to plan over the next year. I was currently collaborating with my brothers to bring something new to the seventh floor of their charity building—a pole dance studio and classroom. Teaching Cora, Jessa, and Mercedes showed me how much I loved teaching. And how much I loved showing women the power of their own bodies, the inherent strength they held between their legs and in their femininity. It gave me a shiver every time I thought of their journeys and all the journeys that were yet to be discovered.
Eventually, everyone stopped chattering and looked my way. I smiled brightly at the familiar faces. “Who wants to go first?”
When nobody raised their hands, I pointed at Seven. “Thank you for volunteering, honeycake.”
Laughter rippled through the room. I sent him a shit-eating grin. “You ready?”
Seven sent me a smirky-smile and put his beer down. “I entered this world equipped. Make me set the tone, why don’t you?”
A year later, and still finding creative ways to say born ready. “I’m not gonna go easy on you just because you’re sleeping with the instructor,” I called out. More laughter, but Axel and Damian groaned.
“Can we not do the sex jokes?” Axel asked me in a withering tone.
“You’re only going to get more of them since you said that,” Damian warned him.
I cackled. “You are so right.”
Roxie operated the Bluetooth speaker set up near the pole. Electronic music sprang to life. With a sexy look back over his shoulder at me, Seven tore off his shirt, and then ripped off his performance-ready sweat pants like Magic Mike.
“Oh God, he even gave her bedroom eyes,” Axel muttered.
Clad in just his performance undies, as we called them, he grabbed the pole and began his routine.
“Look at how he works that pole,” I said, internally counting the beats as he went through the routine. Everyone started cheering as he scaled the pole. “Almost as good as I work his.”
Trace snort-laughed. Damian fought a grin, while Axel just sent me a glare.
“You are being such a snotty little sister right now,” Axel informed me.
“Still trying to make up for all those years you missed,” I said with a laugh. When Seven extended his hands away from the pole, clinging only by his muscular thighs, I cupped my mouth and hollered. “That’s my man! Root Bear!”
“Root Bear!” Roxie shouted, our gazes meeting across the room.
“Root Bear!” Trojan echoed, clapping loudly for his best friend.
Chico and Liam were hollering too. Over the past year, the three of them had formed quite the security team at Silva Security. Of course the Fairchilds hired Silva Security back immediately after the hearing. Seven even resumed his prior headquarters space in their building. I loved seeing him as CEO—watching all the ways he handled hiccups, worked with clients, and navigated business issues. He was on track to hire three new close protection officers this year. Watching him not just start this business but grow it was inspiring—I hoped to draw inspiration and guidance from him as I launched my own pole business.
Once Seven wrapped up his performance, sliding gracefully down the pole with only minimal thigh-squeaking, he lifted his fists in victory. The crowd went wild.
“How the fuck is anyone supposed to follow that act?” Axel muttered.
“So I take it you’d like to go next?” I asked him.
“I’m still training,” Axel said. “Maybe next year’s Christmas party.”
Jessa was the next to volunteer. She shimmied out of her jumpsuit, revealing a black spandex bodysuit. Roxie changed the music, and Jessa’s routine began. Seven leaned against the kitchen island beside me, dipping down for a kiss.
“How’d I do?” he asked, sweat glistening on his chest.
“The best you’ve ever done,” I told him.
“Thanks to my awesome teacher,” he replied.
I cupped the side of his face, getting lost in his caramel gaze. “I love you, you know that?”
“I do know that. Are you aware that I love you?”
I laughed. “I’m aware.”
“Endlessly and forever and through the eons?”
“I suspected that, based on how many wooden cooking utensils I’ve acquired over the past year, yes.”
His heartbreaking grin nearly split me in two. I pushed onto my tiptoes for another kiss. If we didn’t have a full party in swing, I would have snuck off with him to the bedroom.
Cora crossed the room, heading straight for me. Axel grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips before she started speaking. “Jordan, listen to this! I just got a text from my assistant. Eli’s been convicted in one of the cases brought against him.” Excitement poured out of her, her green eyes brimming. “He’ll have to register as a sex offender.”
I gasped, my hand shooting to cover my mouth. After we’d overturned the case last year, Eli had gotten into some trouble regarding his involvement with the SEC scandal. Mostly fines, unfortunately. Cora and I worked together to get him arrested for what he’d done to me at his house party. In the process, other women came forward with their own stories involving Eli. It ballooned out of control—so much larger than we’d ever imagined. My own case against him didn’t make it too far, but a few were very solid. And finally, justice.
Seven wrapped an arm around me, pressing a kiss to my temple. “That’s music to our ears.” He spoke the words I was thinking in my head. We were that kind of couple now.
Axel pumped his fist in the air. “Fuck yes! The looner goes down! That was the last square on our bingo card.”
Cora sent him a satisfied look. “I think we’ll all be breathing a little easier from here on out.”
The entire Margulis brand went down in flames after the Fairchild SEC trial was dismissed; they were still a functional business, but with almost zero influence after all the damning exposés had come out about Allan’s alleged involvement with federal corruption. It must have been too much for old Allan to handle, because he passed away from a heart attack about four months after the trial concluded. Cora didn’t attend the funeral, and she still hadn’t spoken a word to her mother since their initial fracture when Cora separated from Eli.
Through all of our excitement, we’d missed most of Jessa’s performance. I cheered extra loud as she finished up.
She dropped to the floor, red-faced and beaming, and then let out an ear-piercing whoop. “I was made for the pole, mothercluckers!”
Everyone applauded. Near the front, Mercedes leaned down to point something out to Willow and Grace, who both watched the pole transfixed. Maddie clapped gleefully at her side. It was nice having another Kentucky girl in the mix, though I sensed she might become another northern convert after this visit. It sounded to me, based on what Mercedes said, that there wasn’t much for Maddie in Kentucky anymore after her contentious split with Mercedes’s brother Jericho. I was just about to call up the next performer when I spotted a too-sweet sight: Zero and Ranger cuddling in the corner. Zero had laid down to take it all in, and Ranger was tucked up against Zero’s glossy coat, looking too comfortable.
“Look at those lovers,” I whispered to Seven.
“They couldn’t be more different, but on the inside, they’re just the same,” he said. “Even though one is clearly taller and built like a Greek god, and one is roughly ten years younger and very good at climbing things, they’re made for each other.”
I looked up at him. “Trying to say something profound?”
His ear-to-ear grin was contagious. “Maybe. Metaphors are one of the few things I’m not good at.”
When I had recovered from the side-splitting laughter we shared, I drew a deep breath and turned to Trace. “Should Mercedes go next?”
He looked over at me, something heavy in his gaze. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. Then he said, “You should ask Mercedes if she thinks that’s a good idea.”
An odd response. I called out for Mercedes, waving her toward the kitchen. She and Willow came our way.
“Do you want to go next?” I asked her.
Her brows dipped together. “I really did want to perform today. But I found out something a couple weeks ago that I…” She glanced at Trace, rolling her lips in as she handed Willow to him.
“Tell them if you want to,” Trace said softly. “It’s up to you.”
Mercedes looked back at me, her cheek twitching from the effort of hiding a smile. “I’m pregnant.”
I gasped, covering my mouth again. Cora shrieked, wrapping Mercedes in a hug. Jessa showed up a moment later. “Don’t tell me I missed some big news.”
“Congratulations, Mercedes!” I gushed, claiming the next hug. Jessa heard the news from Cora, and she also shrieked. Soon, we were all hugging. Axel, Damian and Seven all clapped Trace on the back. He beamed as he looked over at Mercedes.
“Our little Christmas present,” he said.
“It’s so early,” Mercedes said, “but I want to be extra safe. I had a loss before this, so…”
“I completely understand,” I told her. “Maybe Willow can go up there and do a little dance in your place?” I suggested. “If not, I’ll just send Roxie up there. She’s champing at the bit, anyway.”
Axel appeared at my side, glancing around the room. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Oh, you’re going to perform after all?” I asked.
He shook his head, his gaze not wavering from the front of the room. Then his meaning clicked into place. We’d talked about the possibility of this. “You mean…for the…” My gaze drifted to Cora, who chatted with Mercedes.
He licked dry lips, nodding. “Totally.”
I gave him a gentle push toward the front of the room. “Go for it, big bro.”
Axel headed for the pole, but instead of beginning a routine, he called out a quick, “Hey, guys” over the din. The chatter in the room quieted, all eyes turning to the front. “I just wanted to thank you all for being here. Big thanks to Seven for hosting this unconventional Christmas party. It’s the only kind of party we’d have, as Fairchilds, I suppose.” Laughter trickled through the room.
“I mostly just wanted to share how much you all mean to me. I’m so thankful you’re all in our lives, that we’ve come through to the other side together.” He shifted his gaze to Cora, who had started to drift closer to the front of the room as he spoke. “Cora, come here, I need to touch you while I’m being sappy.”
She laughed and drifted his way. Axel slid his arm around Cora’s waist, smiling out at everyone. “There we go. Now I can think properly. We’ve had a crazy ass couple of years. And now that we are officially out of our financial fraud chapter, I’d like to propose the start of something new: wedding season.”
Laughter swelled as Axel tipped his chin down to gaze at Cora. Electricity snapped between them as Axel reached into his pocket, pulled something out, and then sank down onto one knee.
“I wanted to wait until our family was around us.” Axel spoke more quietly now, which caused us all to step closer and listen in. Between his thumb and forefinger, he held a sparkling ring. “Our chosen family. And I wanted to wait until everything was resolved with the storm clouds that have been following us around the past couple of years. This is a decade overdue, babe, but everything’s in place now for us to enjoy the rest of our lives in peace and bliss. There’s never been anyone else for me, since the day I laid eyes on you our sophomore year of college.” Axel paused to brush away a tear, which made me tear up as well.
“It’s always been you, Cora,” he went on. “We’re ready for the best times of our lives. Let’s finally do this right. The way we could only dream of before everything got derailed during grad school. Will you marry me?”
Cora watched him with her hands clasped over her mouth, eyes watering. In lieu of a response she sank down onto the floor in front of him and threw her arms around his neck. She clung to him, and I could tell from the way her body trembled that she was sobbing. After a few moments, she pulled her head out of the crook of Axel’s neck and said,
“I said yes, by the way!”
The room erupted into cheers. I spotted Seven rummaging in the cabinets in the kitchen. A moment later, champagne popped, which started another round of cheers. Axel slipped the ring on Cora’s trembling finger, and they hugged again.
I helped Seven pour and pass out champagne flutes to celebrate. Once Cora and Axel had stopped crying and hugging, we all began our rounds of congratulations.
“There’s a lot to celebrate in this room,” I told Seven, knocking his hip, just as an unexpected peal of laughter grabbed my attention. Maddie. She had Grace in her arms, bouncing her, as she chatted with Trojan. She was the tiny blondie next to his burly, lumberjack beefcake. I tilted my head, watching as Trojan grinned endlessly at her.
I jerked my chin in their direction, leaning toward Seven. “You think that Trojan might be…I dunno…”
His gaze followed mine. He assessed them for a moment, then said, “Hm.”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”
“Trojan is a self-proclaimed bachelor, Jordan,” he finally said. “Maddie is the epitome of sweet, loyal schoolteacher. I bet she decorates her house for every single holiday. I don’t think we can expect anything to happen there.”
“That’s probably what you told yourself when you met me, huh?” I elbowed him. “Just a sassy little stripper, ten years younger than you, your client’s little sister. Nothing’s gonna happen there.”
He dipped his chin, that dark gaze of his drinking me in, turning desirous. “You may have a point.”
“I know I do.” I grinned up at him, loving the twinkle in his eyes, the energy that pulsed between us, and, more than anything, the fact that he was still in his performance undies. “Are you gonna stay in the boy shorts all night?”
He shrugged. “They’re pretty comfortable. Now that he’s finally come out to play, Root Bear wants to stay awhile.”
I tipped my head back as laughter cascaded out of me. I wrapped my arms around Seven’s warm torso and hung on for dear life.
I never wanted to let this life go.
I’d lived through hell and rebuilt from nothing…and discovered paradise on the other side.
Now that I’d found it—and fought for it—it was mine. Ours. All of ours.
Forever.
THE END