“Iwantto do this with you, together, as a team. It must’ve been so hard for you yesterday and I’m sorry for the way I reacted. I’ve had time to think and one thing I realized beingaway from you is when you have a love like this, you don’t waste a minute of it.”
One of his thick fingers catches the tear that’s escaped my left eye, and I let my face rest in his cupped hand.
“Don’t tell my Charger, but Van Gogh is my favorite vehicle I’ve ever worked on, Amelia, and that’s because it led me to you. I’ll be thanking the cosmos and the entire damn universe until I die for pickingthatspot out of every highway in the country to have you break down on that night. The way you talk to yourself, your obsession with gory podcasts, your ridiculously morbid sense of humor, the way you’re so unbelievably resilient, and let’s not forget those magnificent tits. You’re all I could ever want and more. Let’s do this shit together, darlin’.”
I laugh through my tears, resting my forehead against his as he grins at me.
“The good, the boring, and the unthinkably horrible,” I reply with a soft smile that feels like it’s glowing.
His lips crash down on mine—soft, then passionate—thanking me, teasing me, promising me a lifetime of love.
When we break for air, I bring up my one concern. “Promise me we’re not going to become that boring couple who settles down and just stays home with their goldfish. Tell me we’ll still have adventures, we’ll still be us, no matter what else changes.”
“First of all, I’ve heard goldfish are, like, really hard to keep alive. I don’t think I want one either.” A smile twists his roguish, handsome features. “But you and I could never be boring, darlin’. Together, you and I are magic. But if you want to settle down and make a home with me, I promise we’ll still make it fun.”
“Wherever you are is home now, Boy Scout. But if it’s okay with you, I’d kind of like it if we stayed here.”
His grin is electric and it lights up my insides.
“I was hoping you’d say that. I have just the place in mind for us.”
EPILOGUE
AMELIA
Two months later
Transcript of:
Vengeful Vixens
Episode 601
Recorded in June
Released in August
Jynx: Welcome back, Vixens. Season six is going to bring you a whole lot of vengeance, I hope you’re ready, babes. We’re kicking off the seasonstronghere in episode one. I’m here with Amelia Marsh, who as many of you saw in the headlines recently, is the same person as Angel Sanford, daughter of Artie Sanford, also known as the Santa Slayer.
Amelia: Uh, yeah, hey.
Jynx: We had planned to do an episode this season on the Santa Slayer, but when the article came out on you, Amelia, I knew we had to change our angle.
Amelia: Mmm?
Jynx: Rather than focus on the crime and his actions, we wanted to instead bring attention to the people left behind. The effects crimes of passion have on the survivors.
Amelia: Thank you for that.
Jynx: No, babe, thankyoufor being brave enough to come on here and tell your story. After so many years of working so hard to keep your identity a secret and justmove onwith your life, it can’t be easy to come out to millions of listeners and get this personal about something so terrible.
Amelia: [laughs uncomfortably] It’s not easy for me. I think everyone handles trauma differently. I know a lot of people are able to go on documentaries and rehash it, but for me, I just wanted to keep my past locked away. But with everything that’s happened, I think this is the right thing to do now. And for the record, I wouldn’t have done this with anyone but you, Jynx. Huge Vixens girl here.
Jynx: [squeals] Are you really?
Amelia: Oh, big time. My partner would rat me out if I didn’t tell you myself so I might as well come clean. I think, for a while there, you were kinda my best friend, Jynx.
Jynx: Awwwww.
