The End
Epilogue
1year later …
»Hey,future queen, how does it feel knowing you’ll soon be ruling an entire country?« Damien approaches me with a wide grin, and I can’t help but laugh, because lately he’s been fond of joking about the upcoming coronation, even though it’s still a year away.
»You do know it’s still almost a year away, right? And what do you mean, ‘ruling a country’? They don’t even like me,« I fire back with a grimace, because even after more than a year, not everyone has accepted me or my marriage to Nicolas, least of all Sarah. By now I’ve learned to deal with it, which means I can joke about it without it getting to me. Damien’s expression tightens for a moment, it’s a sensitive topic for him as well, but like me, he’s slowly learning to live with it.
»Touché, princess, touché. But seriously, do you know where Nic is? He wanted to join Ced and me today …« His eyes dart around in quiet caution, and that alone sends my laughter spilling over.
»You can say it out loud, you’re going to the race. He should be here any minute, he just wanted to stop by his mom’s real quick,« I tell him, and he stares at me wide-eyed. »What if someone hears that? That?—«
»It doesn’t matter in the slightest, no one cares anymore, and everyone knows regardless.« I give him an amused look, and his brow creases in response.
»Fair enough.«
»Dam, are you filling my wife’s head with nonsense again, or why is she grinning like that?« My husband’s low, gravelly voice reaches me, making me shiver while my heart skips a delighted beat.
»Hey, there you are.« I lean against the couch, tilting my head back to gaze up at him from below. He positions his arms on either side of me and leans down to kiss me.
Oh God, how I love his lips and the way he tastes. I give him a soft, dazed smile, and he responds with a mischievous grin.
»Did you miss me, Goldilocks?« He lets out a low hum and kisses me once more before pulling back and standing upright.
»Ready to take down those airheads? And where’s Ced?« He scans the room with a frown, as though Ced might be lurking just out of sight. I straighten up and shoot him an annoyed look.
»Well, he’s obviously not here, so what exactly are you looking for?« I ask straightforwardly, since you can never truly guess what’s running through a man’s mind.
»And in case you did not notice, Lizzy hasn’t shown up yet either. We all know what that means.« I throw him a knowing glance, and he recoils in disgust.
»Oh fuck, please spare me. I don’t even want to think about that,« He lets out a miserable groan, and Damien erupts into laughter, because, over the past few months, Nicolas’s sister and his best friend have been getting rather close. Lizzy has been growing more withdrawn lately, cloistered in her own world andquick to mood swings, deliberately avoiding me. Yet, there’s an unease I can’t shake.
»Don’t be so dramatic, they have to put up with us too,« I reply calmly, earning myself a death glare.
»Whatever, we need to go. If he shows up, tell him to follow us. IF he even shows up.« In a hurry, he disappears into the dressing room and returns minutes later in his motorcycle gear. Is it wrong that I suddenly want to pounce on my own husband?
»Keep looking at me like that, Goldilocks, and Damien’s going to get one hell of a show,« his voice takes on a dark edge, and I can’t help smiling while Damien regards us warily.
»No thanks, I’d rather not witness that. Now come on,« he says, nudging Nicolas forward, giving me a quick wave, and moving ahead of him. My husband leans back down toward me, and I stretch to meet him as he gives me a slow, thorough goodbye kiss. Thorough indeed.
»Behave yourself,« he murmurs softly, reluctantly pulling back and stepping away, yet I can sense his anticipation for the race. I settle onto our couch, getting comfortable as I wait for my best friend to arrive, when my phone suddenly rings.
»Hey, where are you—« I’m cut off mid-sentence.
»L… Liaaa. Heeelp … I … heeelp,« Lizzy wails in distress, and a rough male voice pierces the air, making my blood freeze in my veins.
»You dirty slut … you’ll regret this.«
And just like that, the line goes dead…
To be continued....
