Epilogue
CARNAGE
A few months later
“Is everything ready?”
“Calm down, man.” Specter pats my shoulder. “We’ve got it handled.”
I nod, rubbing my hands together. “I just want it to be perfect.”
“It will be because it’s you and Rue.” Colson smiles. “He’s gonna love it.”
“Yeah. Okay.” I blow out a breath as I head to the stairs to go up and retrieve my man. This night has been in the making for months, and hiding it has been difficult, but I think I’ve pulled it off.
If someone had asked me six months ago if I ever thought this would be my life, I would’ve laughed my ass off.
But then Rue came along and changed everything for the better.
I’ve done my best to help him find direction and passion in his life, supporting him as he enrolled in culinary school, hated it and dropped out, then tried regular jobs but found it too hard to adhere to the structure and arbitrary rules, to finally starting his catering business only to drop that too when he learned about all the regulations required.
Since then, he’s landed on cooking for us and managing this house, organizing our lives outside of work and filling a gap we didn’t know we had. We’re all healthier and happier now, and so is he, thriving and finding his own lane.
Now it’s time I pay him back for everything he’s done for me. I look around the room at my brothers and their partners, those of us who have them, and it fills me with so much pride and happiness I could burst. I never knew living could feel so good. I was just existing until Rue came along.
I get to the top of the stairs and head to our bedroom, where Rue is waiting for me.
When I open the door, he stands, running his hand down the silk shirt he’s wearing.
He looks amazing in loose fitting slacks tailored perfectly for him, his blond hair longer now than it used to be, curling at his collar. He smiles and walks toward me.
“Hi.”
“Hi, precious. You look amazing.”
“Thank you.”
I lean in and kiss him, but I have to keep it brief or we won’t make it down to the party. “Come on. Our friends are waiting.”
He takes my hand, squeezing it gently as he lets me lead him. Boone meets us at the bottom of the stairs and hands Rue a single red rose, and as we walk deeper into the rec room, each of my brothers and our friends hand him another one.
He’s giggling, his cheeks a pretty pink as he looks around. “This is so much.”
“You deserve it.” I hand him the rest of the roses so his arms are full.
Then, even as my knees shake, I take my spot in front of him, glancing around at this room filled with all the people I care about. Never in a million years did I think my life would lead to this, but here we are, and I can’t think of anything I want more.
I drop to one knee in front of Rue. His smile morphs into a look of surprise.
“Carn, what are you doing?”
“What you deserve.” I take one of his hands in mine.
“There’s no way either of us thought that a rushed meeting in a bar a year ago would lead to the life we have now, but I can’t even remember who I was before you.
You’ve made me whole, Rue. You’ve pushed away darkness and sadness and a belief that I was incapable or unworthy of love.
Meeting you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you feel loved and desired and protected.
I want you to know that you’ve found your place. You belong and you have a family.”
Exhaling slowly, I dig in my pocket and pull out the ring box I’ve been holding on to for months. I open it, showing off what I hope he loves.
“Oh, Matias,” he whispers, so softly I know no one heard him but me. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful. Rue, my love, will you marry me?”
As his eyes turn glassy from tears, he nods happily. “Of course. I’d love to marry you.”
Our friends clap and cheer as I slide the ring, a single elegant band of diamonds, onto Rue’s left ring finger, then rise to kiss him. Someone takes the roses from Rue and then I lift him, swinging him in a circle but never breaking the kiss.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Oh, I love you too. So much.”
Ghost and Phantom pass around trays of champagne while Whisper and Specter bring in the cake I had custom made by a fancy-ass bakery in Crestvale.
“I have one more surprise.”
Rue’s face lights up. “I don’t know how you could top this.”
“How about a private performance from Crimson Velvet at Segreto?”
His mouth forms a perfect O. “No way.”
“Yep. After cake, we’ll go.”
“Is Cashmere dancing?”
I shake my head. “No, Blush is the headliner tonight.”
“Ooh. Whisper must be excited.”
“He’s playing it cool, but you know how that goes.”
“Gotta give him props for persistence.”
“We do.” I kiss him again before I set him down. “That ring looks good on you.”
He holds his hand out, admiring it. “It’s perfect. Like us.”
“We work together, don’t we?”
“Like we were made for each other.”
“I think maybe we were.”
Rue slides his arms around my neck. “Now I get to call you fiancé. Ooh, and then husband. Wow. That’s gonna be so cool.”
“What kind of wedding do you want?”
“Hmm. I’ve never even thought about it.”
“Time to start. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen.”
“Maybe something just like this. Our friends and family, but somewhere warm. Ooh, a destination wedding.”
Chuckling, I nod. “Like I said, whatever you want.”
“All I really want is you. We could get married right here in the rec room for all I care.”
“I can do better than that.”
“Time for cake, lovebirds,” Stealth says, handing each of us a plate.
“Dang, now I kind of want to put a ring on it,” Wraith whispers, gazing at Pax.
“Congrats, guys.” Bellamy beams at us. “I just love love.”
“It’s coming for you too, Bell,” Rue says, squeezing Bellamy’s arm.
Bellamy just shrugs before he walks off, leaving us alone again.
“Do you think so?” I ask.
Rue nods. “It’s the longest running will they, won’t they I’ve ever seen, but I believe in them.”
“And by them you mean Shadow and Bellamy, or Stealth and Shadow, or Stealth and Bellamy or—”
“Yes,” Rue says, laughing.
“Hmm. Well, stranger things have happened, right? I never thought I’d see any of my brothers settle down, and definitely didn’t see it for myself, but here we are.”
“Here we are, all in love and stuff.”
“It’s amazing.”
“The best thing ever.”
Rue sits on my lap while we eat our cake and drink champagne. I’m going to marry this man as soon as possible. He deserves to know how loved he is and how committed I am, and for the first time in my life, I can admit that I deserve him.
My road to Rue was a bumpy one, but it was worth the ride.
***