Epilogue
COSETTE
“Ellio! I have your lunch ready!”
I shouted from the kitchen, but he was nowhere to be found as I went out to the living room where he should be.
“Where’s Ellio?” I asked Siege who was on the couch, controller in his hand while he’s playing the new game he had bought last week to ‘de-stress’ from his classes.
Because of course, he would de-stress with a first-person shooting game.
“Uh, I don’t know, little vixen. That’s what you get for wanting to add another guy to your harem when you already got three.”
I rolled my eyes, my hands coming up to my waist as I popped my hip up at him.
“Are you even finished with the business model you’re supposed to submit tomorrow?”
It wasn’t a surprise to me that Siege picked to take up Business Management for uni, even though he’s been groaning about how boring it all was.
Though I knew that deep inside, he’s actually enjoying it, and he already has so many startups in mind once he graduates, keeping his money safe and growing in stocks for the meantime.
I asked him why he didn’t want to start those businesses right away, and he only answered that he wanted to do things the ‘normal way’. AKA, have fun in college with me and the guys before he gets back to work.
Couldn’t blame him. That’s what he’s been trying to get away from when he induced Exodus, isn’t it?
“You mean the business model I’ve submitted three days ago?”
The smug asshole managed to flash me a smirk, making me roll my eyes at him in irritation, feeling like I never win in these petty arguments with him.
That spun him into action, placing the game on pause, before he was pulling me down to him, sitting me across his lap.
“You’re so beautiful, little vixen,” he said in sudden compliment, his finger sneakily coming up my thigh. “Even when you’re rolling your eyes at me.”
“Don’t let me keep you from your game,” I muttered begrudgingly.
One thing that uni has assured me about myself is that I’m a pretty jealous girlfriend. Not just from constantly seeing women hit on my guys—I mean, hell yeah, sisters. Ask men out, why not? Just not my men—but from all the things that keep me from spending time with them.
Like games, apparently.
“You know I’d rather use these fingers on you than play these games.” His voice lowered, husky from want, and he was already leaning in for a kiss, but I pulled away, abruptly standing up.
“You already got some last night. The others would complain and accuse me of having favorites again.”
With a laugh at Siege’s groan, I ran to Dex’s room, seeing that, as usual, he had his head buried in his PC setup, which I swear was getting bigger and more extensive every time I saw it.
It looks like it’s growing with its many cables and screens.
His defense? He wants to take his computer science course seriously.
“Sexy Dexy,” I called out softly, coming up to him and sitting on his lap. I’ve always been welcome to do so, and this time wasn’t any different as he wrapped his arms around my waist, completely halting whatever it was he was doing on his computer. “Have you seen Ellio?”
“Sorry, sweetie. I’ve barely left this room today, and you know I’ve forbidden him from entering my room without my permission.”
I’d figured he didn’t know about his whereabouts, but I was merely finding an excuse to gain his attention.
I know he’s been busying himself lately, trying to figure out if he’s going to major in software engineering or cybersecurity.
We even missed our scheduled individual date last week, but it was just because we couldn’t leave his room.
To say I started thinking I was going to meet my Creator after the fourth round was nothing but the truth.
“I know we see each other every day, but I miss you. Promise we’ll push through with an actual date this Thursday,” I mumbled, nuzzling his nose with mine.
Dex laughed, moving to grip my hips, and I already had an inkling of what he’s going to do before he even lifted me up and moved me to straddle him.
He leaned back a little, making me lean forward slightly on top of him, and I remembered how we had picked out this gaming chair in the store.
We nearly got kicked out after he tested out the chair by doing this exact same position to ‘see if it can serve its purpose when the need arises’.
“You sure you don’t want a redo of last Thursday?” He mumbled, pulling me down and grinding me against his already hard length, making me laugh and stand up.
“You’re just like your best friend.” I tutted. “I’m on a mission. Don’t distract me. If you’re good, you might get lucky after our Thursday date.” I bent down to give him a lingering kiss, to which he groaned as I forced myself to get out of his room.
“Ellio!” I called out yet again, now making my way up the stairs, and of course, I found him in Nero’s room.
Should I be jealous that two of my guys are cuddling without me?
I lowered myself down onto Nero’s mattress, taking up the free space that Ellio wasn’t on.
Burying my face in the crook of Nero’s neck, he immediately moved to lie on his side, forgetting Ellio as he wrapped his legs and arms around me.
“What time did you get home from training last night?” I asked as I felt him take a deep breath, whiffing my smell up that he just loved to do.
“One in the morning,” he mumbled sleepily.
“And why are you cuddling with Ellio? I’ve been looking for him.”
He woke up at that, looking down at me with eyes that were so similar to his bedroom eyes that I could feel my teeth pulling at bottom lip.
“Baby, I thought he was you,” he said, and I just about climbed him.
The endearment never gets old.
Nero finally pressed his lips against mine, kissing me hungrily like I’m a bottle of ice-cold water after football practice.
He didn’t waste time before he was pinning against the mattress, getting on top of me and shoving his tongue down my throat, but of course, my new guy didn’t want to get left out.
Ellio was kissing me in an instant.
Tongue out, licking the side of my cheek that I pulled away from Nero’s kiss in a laugh.
“Ellio,” I cooed, giving him attention as I scratched the top of his head.
“Ellio. Bad dog,” Nero said, and I playfully swatted Nero.
“Don’t say that.” I pushed Nero so that he collapsed on the bed again as I sat up. “Don’t listen to him, Ellio. You’re my good boy, aren’t you? And good boys eat their lunch, don’t they? Go on, get.”
At my insistence and a light pat on his butt, Ellio hopped off Nero’s bed and ran down the stairs.
At the sound, Nero opened one of his eyes again, looking at me with a smirk now that we’re alone.
In an instant, he was towering over me again, desperate kiss after desperate kiss showering my lips, and I welcomed each one.
He was already spreading my legs wide to position himself between them when I heard Dex calling my name.
I thought he was going to let it go, but I could hear his footsteps going up the stairs, and yet Nero wasn’t stopping.
The guys have been… accustomed to seeing me have sex with one or two of them in this house.
“Sorry, sweetie. But I’m going to have to cockblock you. There’s a delivery guy outside, and he needs you to sign for something.”
I pulled away from Nero for the second time this morning, looking at Dex, and judging by the smirk on his face, he did not seem sorry at all.
And unfortunately for Nero, I wasn’t, too.
Because I know what the delivery was for, and I couldn’t wait to get it.
I stood up while Dex told Nero, “If I’m not getting any, you’re not getting any too.”
Boys.
Ignoring the two, I ran down the stairs to a Siege that was leaning against the doorway, sizing up the delivery guy.
With a tap on his arm to tone down the protectiveness, I greeted the delivery guy, a wide smile on my face.
“Alaskan King bed for Miss Cosette Evangelista?”
I nodded, signing the delivery receipt, before the guy walked back to the truck to give the two movers the approval to bring it out of the truck and inside our place.
“What in the monstrosity—“ I heard Dex mutter in awe from behind me.
“Happy third anniversary,” I said, turning my head around to look at each of them in the eyes.
We’ve been making do with four separate rooms in our house near campus for the past three years. And every night, we’d pick a room and sleep there, cramped up in a King or Queen.
I didn’t know why it had taken me three years to get this.
Maybe because it had a hell of a price tag.
Maybe because there was still some fear in me that someone would get sick of this setup and leave.
But now? After three years, I know what I’ve always believed is true.
The brute, who thought he was broken, finally found the normalcy he longed for with us.
The shadow, so accustomed to the darkness, was finally seen and loved for who he was.
The jock could be himself, jagged edges and all, and still be unconditionally wanted.
Our story was not an easy one.
It was full of laughter. Of love.
At times, messy. Dangerous.
Yet I wouldn’t have it any other way, because this?
Us?
We’re forever.
End of Cosette’s story… for now.