Page 129 of Jase

“Gut him.”

The camera pointed to the exposed, jagged wounds I’d already placed, moving in to give the viewers an up close and personal view. When Rush switched hands, he kept the camera close as he buried the blade deep. He sliced fast and hard, releasing his anger with every split in Vitor’s skin. Within seconds, a waterfall of wetness and weight fountained at our feet. Voices sounded in the distance, and I knew we were out of time. Rush leaned back just as I squeezed Vitor’s throat and pulled the trigger. The sound was a finalization to a lot more than V’s life.

It was a goodbye to my past.

An end to captivity.

It was the beginning of me and Kody’s forever.

Epilogue

Kody

“I’m not sure they really go together.”

“Sure, they do. I’ve never seen anything more perfect in my life. It’s…art. It’s…” Jase’s hand stayed hovered as it pointed to the wedding portrait surrounded by paintings of gruesome medieval battle scenes. His face drew in, and I nearly smiled as his lip twitched.

“It’s not so bad, I guess. They can stay.”

“No, love, I think you’re right. I’ll move them into the office.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s probably better that way. We’re supposed to host next week’s dinner meeting. People will notice and want the story behind it. The less I have to socialize, the better.”

I did laugh, then. Jase had worked hard catching up with You2. The company was thriving. He was going to his office on occasion. Rian had even returned to work after his short stay in the hospital. The only one missing was Rush. He’d been gone when we returned from our wedding in Vegas. From the voicemail, he’d mentioned spending time with a new friend he’d made named Blake. He kept in touch, but he wasn’t the same man I’d gotten to know. Jase had his suspicions, but he wouldn’t talk much about them. Even Tiffany was gone. She was on an extended trip to her family’s home in Miami, but I wasn’t sure she’d ever be back. I thought she was okay during the wedding, but returning home was too much, and I couldn’t blame her.

“There. How’s that?”

“Boring.” I smiled, laughing when he kissed me and winked.

“Boring is good. Boring is what we want.”

“Is it? What about the excitement. The risk? Damn…I guess I’ll need to put these panties back on then.”

I lifted my dress, holding it up past my hips as I headed for the bedroom. Pictures slid across the table, and I dropped the lace, racing to the bed as footsteps pounded up behind me. I squealed, launching myself on the mattress as Jase came flying in after me.

“Brat.You mean to tell me you’ve had them off the entire time?”

“Maybe.”

“During lunch with Barbara?”

He grabbed my ankles, pulling me to the end. He hooked his hands under my knees, spreading me wide. When he lowered to kneel before me, I could barely speak.

“I may have taken them off before she arrived.”

“Oh, you’re getting it. Next time they come off, I’m to be told right away. No exceptions.”

“And if I disobey?”

His fingers raked up my inner thighs. I moaned, holding to the comforter as he went all the way to my hips.

“You’ll just have to find out.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Baby, you’re going to like what I do a lot more.”

Ever since the night Vitor died and our troubles had ended, Jase had changed. A part of him had been reborn. The darkness was still there, but so was something else. Something strong. Something everlasting. It was a new shade of love, both consuming and free. Sometimes, it would appear in his smile. Other times, it sparked in his eyes as he took me in from across a room. It held an invisible bond that knew no bounds, just like us.

What we had wasn’t like anything I’d ever known. Our love was a timeless partnership, an unbreakable commitment. It was the ultimate promise to onehellof a happy ending.

The End.