Epilogue
Alec
Two Years Later
With her head on my shoulder, I closed my eyes, and not for the first time, I fell asleep... and I did it easy.
The nightmares that had plagued me for the past eighteen years... were few and far between.
Almost to the point where it was getting harder to recall the last one.
That was all thanks to my Cassie.
My lover.
My best friend.
My wife.
My Marvel.
And together... we were Marvelous.
Cassie
I sat on our back porch and smiled.
Alec and Krispin were playing a game of war, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
The smack talk they had going was hilarious.
And when Krispin cried out, “Die, you pussy.”
He froze.
Then he turned wide eyes to me.
As did Alec.
I lifted a brow, then I called out, “Who said that near you?”
Krispin bit his lip, “Umm.”
I stared at him then wiggled my fingers, telling him to come here.
He did so.
His head hung low.
When he reached me with Alec at his back, I asked, “Krispin. Who?”
He sighed, “Uncle Hyde.”
Then I put my hand in front of my mouth to hide my laughter.
Alec walked over to me, buried his face in my neck, to muffle his own laughter.
Once we both got control, I put a little more force in my tone and said, “We don’t say that word. Okay?”
He nodded.
I winked, then said, “Go play.”
He smiled.
Alec removed his face and winked.
I pinched his nipple.
He jumped back and said, “Trouble.”
I lifted a brow. “Who made friends with them first?”
He nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”
Then, once the two of them were playing again, I pulled out my phone and started my own text thread.
When You Piss Me Off Text Thread
Cassie added Ghost, Wolf, Ice, Hyde, Jekyll, and Smoke.
Me – So, I have a bone to pick with one of you.
Ghost – It’s not me.
Wolf – I haven’t talked to you since yesterday.
Jekyll – Fuck. What did I do?
Ice – I haven’t seen you today.
Hyde – Haven’t seen you in a few days.
Me – Oh, no.
Me – But one of you has done something.
Me – Who plays Call of Duty with Krispin?
Ghost – All of us. *snickers*
Wolf – Fuck.
Hyde – Shit.
Jekyll – Umm.
Ice – Shit.
Smoke – Fuck.
Me – Who was the one to say, Die, you pussy.
Wolf – Hyde
Jekyll – Hyde.
Smoke – Hyde.
Ice – Hyde.
Hyde – Shit. Fuck me.
Hyde – What’s my punishment?
Me – No Boston Cream Pie for you on your birthday this year.
Hyde – No. Anything but that. Please.
Hyde – Pretty please.
Hyde – I look forward to that all year.
Me – Fine. Then you have to shave your beard.
Hyde – Can’t.
Me – Fine. Then you have to take a girl I know on a date.
Hyde – Who?
Me – Winnie
Hyde – What does she look like?
Me – Excuse me?
Hyde – Fine.
Jekyll – *snickers*
Ice – *rubs hands together*
Ghost – You didn’t.
Me – I so did.
Ghost – You're fucked.
I snickered.
Then I put my phone down and turned it on silent.
Hyde
I’m going to kill her.
Not really
But fuck me.
She had just sent her tea back because it didn’t have a slice of lemon.
Repeat that a, a as in a single slice of lemon, got it? Okay.
The waitress brought back a glass with a slice of lemon in it.
She sent it back because it only had a slice of lemon in it.
Then she fluffed her over-bleached hair, “I swear, some places.”
I nodded because I could feel a headache coming on.
All brought on by her.
Then I pulled out my phone and wiggled it, showing her I was on it, which she didn’t see because she was scrolling over there on Instagram.
Me – You couldn’t have warned me?
Ghost – Fuck no.
Ghost – I don’t ever wanna piss her off.
Me – She’s trouble.
Ghost – Abso-fucking-lutely.
Then the waitress brought her glass back with two slices of lemon, and Winnie nodded, then sarcastically said, “Good job.”
The waitress forced a smile but nodded, then she asked, “Can I take your order?”
I gestured for Winnie to go first.
Then I ordered.
I was looking around the restaurant, at the red tablecloths and little candles in small glass jars, when Winnie asked, “So, how do you know Cassie?”
“She’s married to a buddy of mine,” I said.
Winnie sneered, “Ugh, you too? Gah. War is so stupid.”
I bit my tongue. Hard.
So hard I tasted blood.
I swallowed it down.
Trying not to snap.
Just then, I was saved when another waiter brought our food over and left.
Obviously, our waitress had asked someone else to bring it.
I didn’t blame her.
Then I looked at Winnie, who now sneered at the types of green lettuce in her salad.
Then she waved the waitress over, and the moment the woman got over to our table, I put my head in my hand, as she said, “This lettuce is disgusting. It’s old. You served me old lettuce.”
The waitress nodded, then said, “Yes, that’s how it’s supposed to look. It’s called a red leaf lettuce.”
“Well, I’m not eating it. Bring me another one without that stuff in it.” The waitress forced a smile on her face and took the plate and left.
I pulled out my phone.
Me – She just bitched about the purple lettuce in her salad.
Me – I won’t do it again.
Me – Swear it.
Cassie – Hmmmm.
Me – Cassie.... please.
Cassie – Fine. What restaurant are you at?
Me – Renaldo’s.
Cassie – Give me a minute.
“I hope you’re not texting another woman over there. I give out. Freely,” she said as she pushed her tits together.
I wouldn’t put my dick a hundred feet near you.
Then my phone rang.
I saw it was Cassie and answered it, “Yes?”
“Make a disgusted face,” she said.
I did and caught Winnie’s eyes.
“Now, say, no fucking way,” she said.
“No, fucking way,” I said.
“Now growl,” she said.
I growled.
“Now stand up, toss money on the table, tell her that someone just broke into your house.”
I almost asked, really, but I didn’t.
I stood up, tossed money on the table, and said, “Cassie just called, someone broke into my house, I gotta go.”
Then as I walked away, I pulled a hundred from my wallet, and headed to our waitress as I said, “Sorry about her. She was a dare of a date.”
The woman nodded, “What did you do to earn that one?”
I winced, “Said a bad word to my nephew.”
She nodded, “You deserved it then.”
I looked down at her name tag, then I walked out, climbed in my truck and left.
Vowing to never say bad words around Krispin again.
Georgia, darlin’, I plan on coming back here, just to see you.
***
And a month later, when Ice did it. I snickered.
He was texting and calling for an out with Winnie too.
As were Jekyll.
And Smoke.
Tatum
No. Fucking. Way.
I was just seeing things.
That had to be it.
Right?
Me – Honey. You won’t believe what I just saw.
Honey – 199.
Honey – What?
Me – Granger’s clone.