Epilogue
One year later…
April was right about one thing.
After all the shit she put me and the others through two years ago, I was now super-famous—even though that was the last thing I ever wanted—and a TV streaming network had just contacted me to tell me they were doing a special docuseries on everything that happened. ‘Incident at Icarus Hall’ was the working title, and they wanted me to fly to LA for several interviews if I was interested in taking part.
A publishing house had also contacted me last year to gauge my interest in writing a book about my experience. I’d accepted their offer, figuring I could really use the money. I’d worked with a professional ghostwriter and editor between college classes over the last eight months, and now Wicked Games was set to publish in a few more months.
As for April… she was exactly where she belonged now. Prison. She contacted me every so often, trying to get me to visit her, but I ignored the letters. I had no idea how she got my new address in Boston, but I wasn’t surprised that she did. She had a brilliant mind. It was just a shame it had turned out so awfully dark and twisted.
Her parents had been sentenced to life without parole too, and the judge presiding over the case had made one thing abundantly clear during the trial: their stacks of money and influential connections weren’t going to help them a single bit. The whole world was sick of watching rich people get away with heinous crimes, and the judge intended to make an example of them to dissuade other too-rich assholes from assuming they could get away with anything, just so long as they had enough power and money.
A sharp rapping sound snapped my attention to my door, and I smiled and hurried across the room. “Hey,” I said as I threw the door open. “How was your last class?”
Maverick stepped inside and slid his arms around my waist. “It was okay. How’s my favorite writer?”
I laughed softly. “I’m hardly a writer.”
“You’re about to publish a book.”
“I know, but I had a ton of help,” I said, lightly shrugging. “I feel like I can’t really call myself a writer.”
Maverick smiled. “I think you definitely can. But let’s start again. How’s my favorite computer science major?”
“Good.” I grinned back at him. “How’s my favorite finance major?”
“Also good,” he said, leaning down to briefly peck my cheek. “My econ professor offered me a spot in his internship program next semester.”
My eyes widened. “That’s awesome! We totally need to celebrate!” I said, heart swelling with pride. “We could go and have dinner at that new Greek place on Trowbridge. I’ve heard it’s really good.”
“Yeah, let’s do it. But I have a surprise for you first.” Maverick’s lips twisted into a wicked smirk, and he reached into his pocket.
“Uhh… what is that?” I asked, watching him pull out a black strip of fabric.
“A blindfold.”
“Is this a sex thing?”
He laughed. “It could be. But no. It’s for you to wear in the car so the surprise isn’t spoiled.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” I said, standing up on my tiptoes to kiss his nose. “Let’s go.”
Once we were in Maverick’s car, he tied the blindfold at the back of my head and adjusted it until he was sure I couldn’t sneak a single peek at my surroundings. We drove for around fifteen minutes—very slowly for most of it, because of the damn traffic—and then Maverick carefully led me over a street and up several flights of stairs. I heard a key turning in a lock, followed by the sound of a door swinging open. Then I was slowly led forward again.
“Here it is.” Maverick untied the knot behind my head and pulled off the blindfold. “What do you think?”
I looked around with wide eyes, soaking it all in. We were standing in an open plan apartment with gleaming hardwood floors, marble countertops, stainless-steel appliances, and abstract art hanging on the walls. The whole place was bathed in light thanks to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, and I could see the Boston skyline with the Charles River catching the sunlight in the distance.
“Oh my god.” I turned to Maverick, brows rising high on my forehead. “Did you buy this place?”
“No.” He smiled. “I rented it, because I wasn’t sure if you’d like it or not. But we don’t need to live on campus anymore, now that our first year is done, so I figured it was about time we moved in together. What do you think?”
“I think it’s amazing,” I said breathlessly, taking another quick spin to assess the furnishings. “But there’s no way I can afford half the rent on a place like this. My book advance is still pending, because the stupid bank keeps—”
Maverick cut me off by pressing his lips to mine in a soft kiss. “I already paid the rent for a whole year,” he said when he pulled away. “My gift to you.”
“But…” I stared up at him, eyes saucer wide. “That’s too much for a gift. Way too much. And I don’t want to mooch off you.”
“I don’t think you’re a mooch at all,” he said, sliding an arm around my waist. His free hand went to my face, thumb lightly stroking my jaw. “We already know we want to share each other’s lives, and that means we’re going to be sharing our finances at some point, along with everything else. So let’s do it. Right now. Let’s finally move in together.”
I craned my neck to check out the view again. “It’s a really beautiful place,” I said. “I love it.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“Not yet.” A mischievous smile curled up my lips. “I have a question first.”
Maverick’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “What is it?”
“Why did you say finally?” I asked. “We’ve already lived together, remember? Back at Babylon, when we had to share a dorm.”
He laughed, head slowly shaking. “Oh, man. That was crazy. I can’t believe the school actually allowed that shit.”
“Me neither,” I said, giggling lightly. “We were at each other’s throats all the time.”
“I know. I was so stupid back then. Such an asshole.” He rubbed his jaw, still grinning. “Who would’ve ever thought we’d end up like this, huh? If they saw us back in the day.”
“Probably no one,” I said. “But anyway… yes. I really want to live with you again.”
Maverick leaned down and kissed me, long and deep, arms tightly wrapped around me. “We can make some better memories this time,” he murmured when he finally pulled away. “I promise.”
“I promise too,” I whispered back, smiling so hard my cheeks ached. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
With that, he leaned in for another electrifying kiss, sending tingles racing up and down my spine. I closed my eyes and melted into his embrace, sighing with happiness.
The two of us had fallen in love so fast after we were flung together in those twisted games at Icarus Hall, and that love had lasted and grown with every moment, every challenge, every milestone.
From here, it would only grow more and more. He was mine and I was his, and we were going to spend the rest of our lives making unforgettable memories together.
THE END