Epilogue
“It’s getting harder by the day to keep staying out this late. I have to get home early tonight. Elise and I are going for a long drive, and we’ll probably be out the entire night.”
Xavier leaned back with a smug grin, his eyes sweeping over the men gathered around the table at the club as though he had just delivered the most important news of the evening.
Lucius watched the expressions around him change.
Elias, Cassian, and Maverick exchanged looks that suggested they were dangerously close to dragging Xavier into the walk-in freezer and leaving him there beside the club’s supply of meat.
Xavier knew exactly what he was doing.
Their wives had all gone on a month-long girls’ trip to Australia, leaving the three married men behind.
Rose had originally planned to join them, but an important business commitment had kept her in Manhattan.
Now that the meeting was over and her schedule had finally opened up, Xavier had been making full use of the extra time he had with her.
And he had apparently decided that tormenting his friends was part of the privilege.
“Should I leave early?” Xavier asked, looking from one man to the next as though he genuinely wanted their advice. “Or should I—”
His phone began to ring.
The moment he saw Rose's name on the screen, his grin became even more self-satisfied. He lifted the phone to his ear.
“Rose?” he said, answering immediately. “I'll be home soon.”
Elias slowly turned toward Cassian, his expression murderous.
“How about I grab his neck while you smash a bottle over the back of his head?”
Cassian didn't hesitate.
“You hold him down. I'll do the bottle.”
Maverick looked between them.
“Where do I come in?”
“You grab his hands,” Cassian said. “I don't want blood on me.”
Maverick gave him a thumbs-up.
The corner of Lucius's mouth lifted.
After everything that had happened between Elias and Maverick, he had once wondered whether their friendship would ever be the same again. Their fight had been over Maverick's sister, and neither man had been willing to back down.
But eventually, they had worked through it.
Now, seeing them sitting together again, threatening to murder each other over something as ridiculous as Xavier's love life, Lucius couldn't help being glad they were finally acting like friends again instead of trying to tear each other's heads off.
“All right. I'll be home in a minute.”
Xavier ended the call with a satisfied smile.
Elias immediately pushed his chair back. He had barely gotten halfway to his feet when Lucius's phone rang. Every head at the table turned toward him.
Maverick stopped and pointed at him.
“Don't tell me you've secretly gotten married too, and that's your wife calling.”
Lucius frowned at him.
“Shut up.”
He picked up the phone and answered without bothering to explain himself. The music in the club made it difficult to hear, so he switched the call to speaker.
“Mr. Frost.” Nial's voice came through clearly enough. “Ms. Stella Benson has returned to Manhattan. Just as you instructed, I've been keeping an eye on her.”
The faint amusement that had been lingering on his face disappeared, and his fingers tightened around the glass in his hand. He set it down, his attention suddenly fixed on the phone.
“When did she come back?”
His voice was sharper than it had been a moment earlier.
“Last night. She's currently at a restaurant on Ninth Avenue, meeting with several business partners.”
Lucius's eyes narrowed slightly.
“Send me the address.”
He ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
The men looked at one another before Elias slowly turned his attention toward Lucius, one eyebrow raised.
“Who is Stella?”
“No one,” Lucius answered nonchalantly.
He leaned back in his chair and reached for his drink again, deliberately avoiding their curious looks.
“You're not going?” Cassian asked.
Lucius took a slow sip before setting the glass down.
“No. I have nothing to do with her anymore. Nial must have forgotten.”
Cassian stared at him in disbelief.
Lucius ignored him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys, tossing them impatiently from one hand to the other. His movements had become restless, and the slight tension in his jaw gave away the thoughts he was trying to hide.
Only a few seconds passed before he suddenly pushed himself to his feet.
“Where are you going, then?” Cassian asked.
Lucius reached behind the chair and grabbed his jacket, slipping one arm into the sleeve before pulling the other into place.
“Nowhere. Just for a walk.”
Elias's mouth curved into a knowing grin.
“Since when do you take walks right after leaving a club?”
Lucius paused as he adjusted his jacket and gave Elias a displeased look.
“You don't have to worry about that.”
That only made Elias's grin wider.
He leaned back in his chair, watching Lucius with open amusement.
“You know, for a man who spent the last year looking like he was fucking depressed for no apparent reason, you're acting like you're about to run straight into her arms right now.”
Lucius didn't even look at him. He turned toward the entrance and started walking, his expression carefully composed.
“So you're going to Ninth Avenue now?” Elias called loudly after him.
Lucius stopped for half a second but didn't bother turning around.
“I'm not going there for her. I have business nearby.”
Then he continued walking and disappeared through the entrance.
The men exchanged amused looks.
All of them knew it was bullshit.
Xavier leaned back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face.
“I think we should give him five minutes before he realizes he left his dignity somewhere in the parking lot.”
***
Six Months Later
A private celebration was underway at Aurelia Palace, where the ballroom had been transformed for the evening. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light across the room, and music drifted through the air.
The occasion was worth celebrating.
Licius had officially gone international.
Stella had barely managed to take a breath all evening.
Every few minutes, someone approached her with another congratulations, another toast, or another question about the company's expansion. She smiled through all of it, accepting the praise with a glass in her hand while occasionally glancing across the ballroom.
And every time she looked toward Lucius, she found his eyes already on her.
He stood on the other side of the room with Xavier, Cassian, Maverick, and the others, surrounded by conversation.
The men were doing what they always did when they were together.
They talked over one another, argued about things that didn't matter, laughed at each other's expense, and drank as though none of them had any intention of going home anytime soon.
Lucius seemed to be participating in the conversation.
But his attention kept drifting back to her.
She caught him watching her again.
This time, she smiled.
The moment their eyes met, something shifted in his expression. He barely gave her another second before excusing himself from the conversation and making his way across the ballroom.
Stella watched him approach, unable to stop the smile from growing on her lips. The entire evening, he had been hovering around her, as though he couldn't bear to stay more than five minutes away.
When he reached her, his hand settled naturally around her waist.
“You've been avoiding me,” he murmured.
Stella laughed. “I've been talking to people.”
“I know.”
His gaze moved over her face.
“You've been talking to everyone except me.”
“You've been surrounded by others all night.”
“They're not you.”
Before Stella could answer, a familiar argument broke out nearby.
She turned toward the sound and saw Juliet standing beside Cassian, one hand resting on her hip while she pointed accusingly at him.
“I still can't believe you said that.”
Cassian looked completely unbothered.
“I said you were wrong.”
“You said I was always wrong.”
“I said you're usually wrong.”
Juliet stared at him.
“That's worse.”
Cassian laughed as she shoved his shoulder.
Lucius glanced toward them, then looked back at Stella.
“Should we save him?”
Stella smiled.
They walked toward the group together, Lucius's hand remaining at Stella's waist as they joined the others.
“What did you do this time?” Stella asked Cassian.
“Nothing,” Cassian said immediately.
Juliet scoffed.
“He has a very interesting definition of nothing.”
The others laughed.
Within moments, the conversation had grown into the usual chaos. Xavier made a comment that dragged Maverick into the argument, Maverick took Cassian's side simply because he enjoyed irritating Juliet, and soon everyone was talking at once.
Stella stood beside Lucius, laughing as she watched them.
For a moment, everything felt perfect.
Then the music stopped.
Not gradually.
It simply cut off.
The sudden silence made everyone turn toward the ballroom entrance.
A second later, voices rose outside. Someone hurried past the doors. Then another.
Lucius's expression changed immediately.
“What the hell is going on?”
The guests began moving toward the windows, trying to see what was happening outside. Stella instinctively stepped closer to Lucius as he turned his attention toward the glass doors leading to the gardens.
A distant rumble grew louder. Then came the unmistakable sound of helicopter blades.
Everyone moved outside.
The cool night air swept across the garden as they stepped onto the terrace.
Stella looked up.
Several helicopters were moving across the dark sky, their lights cutting through the night as they passed over the palace.
But that wasn't the strangest part. Beyond the estate gates, the roads were almost completely empty.
No traffic.
No headlights.
Nothing.
Maverick narrowed his eyes as he stared toward the main road.
“Why the hell is the city empty?”
Before anyone could answer, headlights appeared in the distance. A black car came speeding toward the palace. The gates opened, and the vehicle drove straight through before coming to a sharp stop near the entrance.
Elias climbed out, adjusting his jacket as he made his way toward them. Amara stepped out beside him, looking stunning in a dress that immediately drew a few appreciative glances from the men nearby.
“What happened?” Maverick asked.
Elias barely seemed to notice. His attention was fixed on the group as he approached.
“The city is suddenly under lockdown,” he announced.
Maverick's brows pulled together. “What?”
“I just got the news. Several roads have been blocked, and the city is being heavily patrolled.” Elias glanced toward the helicopters still moving across the sky. “Apparently, Silas is behind it.”
Cassian stared at him. “Why?”
Elias gave a small shrug.
“The girl he loves is leaving. So I guess that's his way of stopping her.”
“Romantic,” Amara giggled.
“What bullshit,” Elias muttered under his breath at the same moment.
Amara's smile vanished. She turned her head toward him.
Elias saw the look in her eyes and immediately realized he had just stepped onto very dangerous ground.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Amara planted a hand on her hip.
“So you're saying you wouldn't do anything to pacify me if I tried to leave you?”
Elias's eyes widened.
“Amara, that's not what I meant.”
“You know what?” She shook her head, her expression turning offended. “Consider this the end of our marriage. I'm leaving right now!”
She turned on her heel and stormed away.
“Wait.”
Elias hurried after her, reaching out as though he could physically stop the situation from getting any worse.
“Baby, you know that's not what I meant.”
She didn't even slow down.
Stella pressed her lips together, fighting the smile threatening to appear on her face. The moment Amara passed her, Stella quickly followed and slipped an arm around her shoulders.
“Leave after the party, okay?”
Amara's steps slowed. She still wore a deep frown, but after a moment, she nodded with complete sincerity.
“All right. I'll leave him after the party is over.”
Stella finally let out a quiet laugh.
Behind them, Elias looked as though he had just been handed a death sentence.
“Amara!”
He hurried after her again.
Lucius watched the entire exchange with a long-suffering expression before releasing a deep sigh.
Stella glanced back over her shoulder.
The moment her eyes met his, a smile touched her lips.
Lucius's expression changed instantly.
His mouth curved into a smile, and something in his chest seemed to lift at the sight of her.
Without another word, he grinned and followed her inside.