Epilogue
Hailee
There’ssomethingsurrealaboutbeing back where we started almost two years ago. Instead of pouring rain, we watch white, fluffy snow fall delicately onto the sidewalk from our position near the restaurant window.
It’s January, and Dameon has whisked me away on his private jet to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve in New York. I hadn’t experienced a white Christmas since Beth and I moved to Australia, and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it. My memories didn’t do it justice; it’s magical. All I can remember from my youth is murky white sludge. But this… this is something else. The pure white crystals blanket the ground, and I can barely tear my gaze away from it.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” I say, mesmerized.
“It sure is,” Dameon agrees, his gaze searing into me.
I smile, recalling the time on his penthouse balcony when we watched the sun set over the ocean, and he said those exact words. I remember secretly hoping that he was referring to me. Despite telling myselfthis is just a job,I knew right from the start that his sweet words would be my undoing.
“Who would have thought we’d be back here together, years later,” I muse, shaking my head as I take in the décor of the Madison Avenue restaurant.
“In fact, I think I was sitting at this very table,” Dameon says, looking around, trying to gauge the layout of the restaurant.
“Yeah, with your fiancée Rachael,” I mutter dryly.
He chuckles and runs a hand down his face. “What a psycho.”
“You can say that again.” I nod in agreement, although I feel a pang of sympathy for the woman. After she gave up Piper, Dameon immediately backed out of their marriage agreement. He had no intentions of following through with it, and when she eventually realized he would never return her feelings, she broke down. She needed help, which, ironically, I could have provided her. I’m halfway through my psychology degree with the best mentor in Australia, and I’m incredibly lucky. I only wish Rachael had sought the help she desperately needed; it could have saved her a lot of unnecessary pain.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t tie my mother or Mark to paying off Piper, so they walked away unscathed. I’m still working on forgiving them—for myself. I’m a firm believer in practicing what you preach. But Dameon has made it very clear that he would neither forgive nor forget. And honestly, I can’t blame him.
Maddy and her sister, Piper, were promptly fired, and Dameon sued them both for breach of contract. He wanted to go after them further, including my mother and Mark, and was tempted to reach out to his “acquaintances” again. But I managed to convince him otherwise. Revenge might be sweet but I knew deep down it wouldn’t bring us any peace.
Last I heard, Jacob was behind bars after being charged with the rape of a minor. I don’t know how Dameon’s “acquaintances” did it, and to be honest, I don’t want to know, but there was no sweeping it under the rug when it was splashed all over media outlets. It made huge international news that the wealthy oil heir was behind bars. And from what Dameon has mentioned, it didn’t take long for Jacob’s fellow inmates to dole out their own brand of justice.
“And I was sitting right over there”—I stifle a yawn as I gesture toward the table on the opposite side of the restaurant—“the first night our paths crossed outside of Eden… And I’m glad they did.”
It was also the night that marked the beginning of a new chapter for Beth. She’s now at university, living the full life she always deserved. She’s eighteen and an adult, and I’m confident I’ve raised her to navigate this sometimes complicated and hard life. That doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop worrying about her—she’s my Betty Boo—but my job is done, and I’m proud of her, and me.
“Me too.” Dameon leans over and presses his lips to mine, his tongue teasing me. His kisses have always been able to make me lose my head and forget where I am.
The clink of plates interrupts us, but the rich aroma of the black truffle tagliatelle I ordered turns my stomach and I suck in my breath.
“What’s wrong?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Wanna swap?” I suggest, eyeing his rare wagyu beef.
“Sure.” We exchange plates, and I’m glad to get the smell out from under my nose.
“You okay?” Dameon asks.
“Yeah, just tired, I think.” Our New York getaway has been exhilarating, filled with Dameon’s thoughtful surprises, and I’ve loved every minute. But sometimes, he forgets we’re not teenagers backpacking through the US. My energy levels are not the same as they once were.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you tonight.” His flirtatious wink sends a spark straight to my core, making me squirm in my seat.
***
My back crashes against the window of our bedroom overlooking Central Park. Dameon cradles my head in the palm of his hands, sucking my lower lip into his mouth and pulling.
“Wait,” I mumble, pushing at his chest. He’s like a hungry animal, and if I don’t pry him away from me, he’ll devour me whole. When he releases me, I run my tongue over my swollen lip, savoring his taste. His eyes are a deep shade of stormy sea green. My favorite. “Can you get me some painkillers first? I’ve got a massive headache.”
“Of course, gorgeous.” He kisses me on the temple and heads into the bathroom.
A moment later he returns, his eyes narrowed, breathing heavily. “Are you pregnant?”
