Epilogue
Hunter
Six Months Later
M y eyes scan the room until they find Willow radiant in her wedding gown, her smile brighter than I’ve ever seen. She glances at Tristan, her orbs full of a love and happiness that makes my torso tighten. It’s the kind of love I once had, but now it’s a distant, impossible dream.
Next to her, Lana dances with her newly found family, her laughter ringing out like music. My sister and my little niece have finally found the happiness they deserve.
The wedding is beautiful—meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. But this type of thing… it’s not for me. It once was, but that’s gone now.
Love is a complex, messy thing. It has left me standing alone, haunted by the memory of what I lost.
I glance at the towering wedding cake, the extravagant floral arrangements, and the endless stream of champagne. All I see is the emptiness behind it. I had dreams of the big day once. Those dreams became a huge nightmare when my fiancée was taken from me one cruel night.
Weddings are meant for others. Never for me.
My brother, Brandon, makes his way toward me, his tall, muscular frame cutting through the crowd. His presence commands attention, but tonight, that strength only serves to deepen the pit in my gut.
He stops in front of me, standing still, his gaze sharp and assessing. There’s an unspoken tension between us—the kind that’s been simmering beneath the surface for years and never fully addressed. He’s the eldest. He has all the answers, and he’s always been there to shoulder the burdens of the family. But that duty now clashes with my need for distance.
Brandon arches an eye, studying me. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Yeah.” I shrug, looking away. “Been busy.”
“Busy, or just avoiding us?”
Pain shoots up my neck.
He’ll never understand why I’m up there. He can’t fathom why I would choose to live apart from the family and away from the craziness of Vegas. But there’s more to it than that.
I meet his gaze. “The people up there need me.”
Brandon’s eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. “And these people are more important than your family?”
I blow out a hot breath. “Yes. When two stranded hikers are facing life or death on the side of a mountain—yes. That’s more important than sitting around a mansion, eating caviar and reminiscing about old shit.”
The truth is, seeing family only reminds me of what I’ve lost and of the life I’ll never have.
Brandon takes a step closer, his gaze unyielding. “You can’t keep running from this, Hunter. You’re still part of this family, whether you like it or not.”
Standing my ground, my stays low and firm. “I don’t belong in this world anymore. I’m different now. Someone else.”
Brandon stands there, his eyes narrowing.
For a moment, I see the same pain in his eyes that I feel in my own.
“You can’t keep shutting us out, Hunter. We may have been through hell as a family, but we’re still here. You still have us, even if you’d rather be anywhere but here.”
My face tightens. “Come on, Brandon. You act like you don’t remember what happened.”
He scoffs and shakes his head. “I think about it every single day, but life goes on. You don’t take that pain and hide out in the fucking mountains. You deal with it.”
I tilt my head. “Well, we’re all different, and this is how I cope. Look, I appreciate your concern, but I’ve already decided. I’m headed back tonight.”
Brandon’s shoulders relax just a fraction and his expression shifts. His firm hand grips my shoulder. “Just don’t disappear on us completely, okay? Mom misses you. We all do. Even if you’re a pain in the ass.”
My mouth stiffens as I nod. “Sure. I’ll be in touch.”
Brandon’s hand lingers on my shoulder for a beat before he lets go, his expression softening into something almost brotherly. “Take care of yourself, Hunter. And don’t be a stranger. If you do, I’ll drag you back myself.”
“I will. Watch over Willow and Lana for me.”
Brandon nods, his gaze lingering on me for a second longer before he turns and walks away, leaving me alone once more, surrounded by the noise and the chaos of a world that no longer feels like mine.
The wilderness calls me. The solitude is a balm for my restless spirit. I miss the crisp air, the quiet rustle of leaves, and the vast, open space where I can breathe freely.
Vegas, with its constant noise and chatter, only serves to remind me of all I’ve lost. I can’t wait to return to my life, away from all this.
With one last glance back at the ballroom, I step outside into the hot desert air, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. The city lights fade as I head towards my car. The promise of solitude and the comfort of the mountains pull me back to where I belong.
Love might be what brought us all here tonight, but for me, it’s a wound that never heals, a reminder of what could have been.
Solitude is the only thing that brings me peace now, and I’ll never trade it for anything in the world.
What happens when reclusive billionaire Hunter Garrison returns to Vegas, only to confront the ghosts of his past, his family legacy, and a love he thought he’d lost forever?