“I love you too,” I whisper before he begins to pick up his movements.
Warm sunlight dances along the bare skin of my back. My eyes are still shut, but I enjoy the feeling of lying here in the sun, tangled up in Roman’s soft sheets. It’s the best sleep I’ve had in weeks. Feeling safe and whole again.
A disgruntled meow comes when I move my legs. I smile, taking a deep breath. Of course he went and got the cat. Smokey bats a soft paw at one of my legs, and I stifle a laugh. Ever the cranky wee thing.
My eyes flutter open when I hear the sound of the piano in the corner of the room.
Roman’s at the piano bench wearing only navy boxer briefs. With the broad muscles of his back on display, he begins to tinker at the piano, a series of notes I recognize with a smile. My song.
Epilogue
CLOVER
“Hey, I don’t mean to bother you, but…” the woman looks me up and down, excitement dancing in her eyes. “Are you Clover Daly?”
A small grin spreads across my face. It feels so surreal to get recognized. Turning to the stranger at the bar, I give a little wave. “That’s me.”
“Holy shit, babe!” She squeals, whacking the shoulder of the man beside her. “We just saw Darkness Rising on Friday, and it was incredible. All those stunts! I can’t believe you did them yourself!”
“Yeah, those weren’t casual,” I laugh.
“You were so good.” She smiles, then admits, “My boyfriend and I are huge fans of the comics.”
The boyfriend nods in confirmation, looking a little too shy to speak for himself.
“You guys nailed it,” she adds.
Her words give me a warm and floaty feeling. This is exactly why we worked so hard. Because we knew it would mean something to the fans. Knowing they like the movie will never get old.
“You have no idea what it means to hear that,” I admit.
Somehow, it’s like she gets it. She gives me a knowing smile. “I’m glad you’re going to be in the sequels.”
“Me too,” I laugh. Thank God I can laugh now.
Roman’s lawyer, Lucia, has had her hands full. After months of posturing—and most importantly, losing precious time and money—Starlight Studios finally relented. My role has been restored to the original plan for the franchise. I’ll still be the lead for all three films, alongside Roman, of course. We begin filming for the sequel, Darkness Reigns, next month in New Mexico.
“What are you doing out in Napa?” The woman asks.
“Watching a friend perform. If you don’t mind, I’m actually going to see if I can get a good spot.” I grab my beer and gesture towards the stage.
“Of course, we’re looking forward to seeing you in the sequel.”
“Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your night,” I smile at the duo.
Winding my way through the packed crowd, I finally settle on a spot to the left of the stage. The smell of smoke curls around me as I wait, anticipation swelling in my chest. The first few acts tonight have been amazing, and the crowd is so responsive—cheering and swaying through the music.
I tap on the neck of my beer bottle as I glance around, waiting nervously. I know he’ll do well—the same way I simply know the sun will rise again tomorrow. But I also know how big of a deal this is. How hard Roman has worked for this.
He’s put in countless hours, meeting and working with other musicians. A few of them have agreed to help him out tonight with playing drums and bass. I know he’s as prepared as he can be, but my heart is still racing, because I know how much this means to him.
I scan the packed room, taking in the deteriorating band posters plastered across the walls. With a smile, I think back to the last time Roman and I were here in this bar, on that fateful trip where everything changed. I smile and take a pull from my beer.
“Give it up for Catalyst!” The MC shouts into the mic. The band exits the stage, and the butterflies in my stomach threaten to come out of my mouth. “Up next we have… Anonymous!” A bit on the nose for my taste, but I understand why they chose that name for tonight.
The crowd cheers with encouragement as the bassist and drummer enter the stage, followed by Roman. It doesn’t take long for the murmurs to start.
“Is that Roman Everett?”
