Page 32

EPILOGUE

SWAN

ONE MONTH LATER

N aked, I straddled Drake’s waist, staring down at him with a smile. We’d been fooling around, but it hadn’t led into anything yet. There was something I wanted to know more, and I believed I’d waited long enough for this answer. I flicked some hair over my shoulder and said, “I think it’s time.”

He cocked a brow. “Time for what?”

“For you to tell me when you got this.” I traced my fingers over his swan tattoo.

He smirked. “Move in with me, and I’ll tell you.”

Stilling, I stared down at him, mouth agape.

He chuckled and tapped under my chin before brushing my hair over my shoulder and running his fingers down my neck, shoulder, and arm. He took my hand in his and kissed each finger. All while I just breathed hard and watched him.

Had he seriously just asked me to move in with him?

He wouldn’t play over something like that.

Oh my God, he’s being serious . He wasn’t laughing or smirking now. He was being real.

“You want me to live here?”

“With me, yeah, Birdy.”

“Really?” I rested my hands onto the bed beside his head.

He traced over my breasts before slipping up to cup my neck. “Been in love with you for years, my little birdy. And I know my love won’t change. You and me are forever, Swan. Want my woman to be under the same roof as me.”

Tears filled my gaze, and I sniffed. “You love me?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, babe. Got the tattoo when I was nineteen. When I walked into the club, saw you sitting and reading, and you suddenly took my breath away. I fell in love then, and I still am completely in fuckin’ love with you.”

“Nineteen?” I squeaked.

He grinned, his thumb running back and forth over my bottom lip. “Nineteen. I wasn’t a saint before that. But after the day you stole my heart and breath, I haven’t been with anyone.”

“But….” I groaned, sliding down his body to press my forehead to his chest and lying over him.

Drake tensed. “Birdy?”

“You were just going to wait for me?” I whispered the question.

He relaxed and trailed his fingers up and down my back. “Yeah. I was.” With a kiss to my hair, he added, “The only way I would have moved on was if you’d found someone else. If I saw you happy with another, I’d have been content.”

Oh my God . He wouldn’t have told me he loved me. He would have gone about his life with a swan tattoo and loving me the way he did, but while I was with someone else.

“I know Lockland will always have your heart. So I can only hope to live alongside him in there, too, one day. I’d never want you to forget him or what he gave you.”

“Drake,” I uttered, blood rushing through me as my heart skipped a beat.

Yes, I loved Lockland. I always would. But Drake Marcus consumed me in ways I’d never felt before.

I wanted to be with him forever.

“I-I…. Your words are beautiful. I just have a question first.” And I don’t even know why I’m asking it now, but he needs to be certain. “Are you sure you can handle living with me? I’ve never lived with anyone but my parents before.”

He snorted. “I can definitely handle you, Birdy.”

“Yes,” I said quickly.

He gripped my arms and pushed me back. “Yes?”

Tears welling, I nodded and smiled. I placed my hands to the bed and stared through my watery gaze. “Yes, I’ll move in with you, because I don’t like when we’re apart and because I love you as much as you love me. Our lives together are just starting out, but I see this as the only relationship I’ll ever want or need. You are it for me, Drake Marcus. I really do love you, so I would very much enjoy living with you.”

“Fuck,” he clipped before he wrapped me up and rolled us until I was under him. His mouth found mine, and he kissed me with such passion, it left me hungry for more and more and more.

I craved him.

He pulled back and said, “Call your parents.”

I laughed. “What?”

Drake moved to sit against the headboard. He picked up my phone from the bedside table in one hand and patted the spot beside him with the other.

“Now?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“Yeah, Birdy.”

“Why?” I asked, getting up to sit next to him and taking my phone.

“Because as soon as tomorrow hits, we’re movin’ you in. You gotta let them know we’ll be there early to grab your things.”

Drake sealed himself around my heart, securing Lockland’s part inside as Drake took the whole outside.

“Okay,” I said, taken by his eagerness. I cleared my throat and pressed on Mum’s number.

“Swan, tell your father that we’re not watching a movie he picked. You know how horrible his choices are.”

“Um, no, I’m not telling him that, but at least my news might distract him.”

“News? I’ve put you on speaker.”

“Drake’s asked me to move in, and I accepted,” I rushed out.

“The fuck?” Dad growled.

“Holy shit,” Mum yelled. “I’m so excited for you. When are you moving in?”

I glanced at Drake, who was smirking. “We’re coming by tomorrow to grab my things.”

“Put. Me. On. Speaker,” Dad ordered, and by the sound of it, I knew he’d said that through clenched teeth.

I covered the phone and told Drake, “Dad wants to say something.” He shrugged and nodded. I rose my brows. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

Drake chuckled and took my phone. “You’re on speaker,” he said, all cool and calm. He curled an arm around my waist, fingers idly tracing over my hip.

“Grady, don’t say anything stupid,” Mum warned.

There was a pause.

Dad inhaled. “You didn’t run this shit by me, you little punk arse. You may be a brother, but what gives you the right to even think you can just take my daughter?”

“Because I don’t want to go another day without havin’ the woman I love in the home I want to create with her until we find our future house. She loves me, brother. I ain’t givin’ up my time with her just to make you hate me less. Swan will always come first, and she wants to be here with me.”

I held my breath, tears welling as we listened to the silence.

“Fuck. Fine. And I don’t hate you, dickhead. Swan, are you happy?” I knew what he really wanted to know, and that was if I actually wanted this.

“The happiest. Love you both, and I’ll see you in the mornin’.”

“Christ.” He’d be pinching his brow.

“Love you,” Mum called.

“Always got my love, kid,” Dad said before he hung up.

After Drake placed my phone down, I launched myself at him. Straddling his hips again, I hugged him tightly to me, pushing my face into the crook of his neck. “You mean the world to me, Drake.”

“Same, Birdy,” he said softly, running his warm hands up and down my back. “Now, we might have a minimal amount of time to fool around, but I want to show you how much you movin’ in means. Or do we wait for all the phone calls?”

Laughing, I pulled back. “Do you think Mum will—” His brow rose. “All right, I agree she’ll be on the phone to your mum right now.”

His hand glided up to grip the back of my neck and drag me forwards. He nipped at my chin. “You know she won’t be the only one.” He was right. Maya, Ruby, and Julian were high on the list, and there could be others, but I was too distracted to think of them when Drake nibbled and licked from my chin to the side of my jaw and then ear. My body shot to life.

“T-They can wait.”

He hummed low and rough. “That’s what I like to hear.” His fingers slid between my legs, brushing over my exposed area. “Fuck, Birdy. Like that you’re already wet for me.”

“Drake,” I uttered, rocking over his fingers until one pushed up inside me and I moaned. “More, please.”

He sucked on my earlobe, then bit and demanded, “Tell me what you want.” Another finger joined the first. He curled them, pushing, rubbing. I shivered and whimpered.

His lips trailed down to my neck and sucked. “Tell me, Birdy.”

“You.”

“How do you want me?”

I groaned in frustration, fingers digging into his shoulders. But I still arched my neck more when he kissed and licked and bit over it. I wanted to feel him everywhere, over me and in me.

“Birdy?”

Leaning in, I captured his lips and kissed him like it would be our last one. I poured all my love into it as I stroked over his skin. His shoulders, chest, and anywhere I could touch. I lost his fingers from my pussy when both hands gripped my arse. He tugged me forwards over his erection. I rocked down, and we both groaned.

“Tell me,” he ordered against my lips.

“I want you inside me. I want you to fuck me. Make love to me. Make me yours.”

“Christ” was torn from him. “Lift up, Birdy.”

I did, and he gipped my hip with one hand as I went to my knees over him. Drake held his dick out, ready for me. I shifted forwards and felt the head of his cock touching my entrance. Slowly, I encased him within me.

He cupped a breast and took a nipple between his teeth, gently biting, making me moan, and then licked and sucked around it.

“Birdy. Love the feel of you. So fuckin’ good for me.”

Panting, I nodded. “You fill me so good.” He always did. I would never get enough of having Drake inside me. I mouthed at his neck when finally seated over him. “Want you all the time. Need you inside me. You warm me in all ways.”

“Hell, Birdy,” he bit out.

I pulled off and slammed back down. He let out a growled groan, making me smile. I enjoyed seeing all the reactions I could bring out of him.

We’d been in all different positions. In different parts of the house.

But I loved this one.

With the slow roll to my hips up and down as he helped me move, we locked eyes and breathed.

This was love.

We were making love.

“Drake,” I whispered.

“I know, Birdy,” he replied.

There was so much inside me building and building and building.

The love, the lust, the desire—everything piled on top of one another.

It was slow and wonderful; it had my heart hammering in my chest. His hand came up and touched the side of my neck. His thumb went to my jaw.

“Love you, Birdy.”

Closing my eyes, I moaned and then opened them. “Love you, babe.”

He brought me in for a kiss just as I shattered around him. He groaned, following with his own climax. I always got this thrilled sensation rolling over me knowing I had a part of him inside me.

Drake gave me one last kiss, just as his phone rang. He snorted. “They can wait.”

Smiling, I nodded and rested on his chest as his arms wound around me.

We were happy. Content. And yet I was excited to see our lives grow together.

But first, I got to move in with the man I loved, and I couldn’t wait.