Page 108 of The Truths We Find

Emmett makes a small, dramatic sound. “Stop making me feel things, D. Not cool!” He wipes a fake tear from the corner of his eye. “Seriously, though. That’s brave as hell.”

“Thanks. It… it feels good. Saying it out loud. I don’t know what happens next, but I’m excited to figure it out.”

Gavin stands up, and Alexa moves out of the way so he can sit next to me. He takes my head into his hands—his eyes meeting mine. “I am so fucking proud of you. I love you. And whatever you do next, I’m here.” He brings my lips to his. There’s no urgency, just a calm certainty that steadies me.

He presses his forehead to mine. I can feel the weight of everything we’ve been through lingering between us, but it’s not heavy anymore. It’s grounding, and I’m safe.

“I love you, too.”

Alexa clears her throat. “Okay, beautiful moment and all, but if you two start making out again, I’m moving to the balcony.”

Gavin and I just look at each other and laugh. If only she knew what went down out there, she might feel differently.

I look around at these people who have seen me broken and still stayed. They are the people who matter most to me. For so long, I’ve been stuck between rage and second-guessing, wanting to scream. But now? I’ve found it. My voice. My purpose.

I don’t know what school will look like, or how hard it’s going to be to try to change something so much bigger than me. But for the first time, I feel clearheaded. Like I’ve stopped trying to fight the past and I’m finally starting to look towards the future.

And maybe that’s what freedom feels like. Not forgetting what happened, but deciding it won’t be the end of the story.

Epilogue

Dani

ONE YEAR LATER

“Tell me why I thought going to law school was a good idea?” I whine from the desk in the office Gavin and I share in our new home.

He leans against the doorframe. “Because you’re incredible and seeking justice for all the people out there who’ve been wronged by the slime bags of the world.”

“Ugh.” I slam my head down onto the wood.

I took the LSAT’s back in October and did well enough to be accepted into San Diego College’s School of Law for the upcoming fall semester. I start in a few weeks. But the amount of reading I need to do before I even step into a classroom is insane. That’s what I’ve been working on for the last several hours. I haven’t been in school in eleven years. Why the hell did I think I could do this?

“I see you spiraling again,” Gavin chuckles. “Stop it!”

I look up and send a glare his way.

“Oh, put that face away. You know I’m right.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I wave him off. “Maybe Mr. White will take me back?”

“I won’t let him.” He grins.

I mock gasp. “Rude.”

“Now you sound like Emmett,” he laughs.

I resigned from KSSD a few months ago to get ready for school. Mr. White was shocked by my decision. He even tried to convince me to stay with a raise and a title change—Director of Special Projects. But eventually, he understood and respected my choice.

He and Gavin even let me help find my replacement, which ended up being one of the producers I’ve been working with for years. It was nice that I got to train her for the new role before I officially left. Let’s face it though, I’ll never actually leave. I visit Gavin at work all the time, and I told them if they’re ever in a pinch and need an emergency fill-in, I’m their girl. But I know this is the right step for me.

“Come on.” He walks over and gently pulls me up by my arm. “Let’s get you out of here. You’re surrounded by boxes, and that’s probably not helping.”

We moved into our own townhouse a few months ago and haven’t had much time to unpack. I got rid of the apartment pretty much right after Sam’s arrest and moved in with Gavin at the beach house. But we both agreed we wanted to find the perfect place that’s ours.

Speaking of Sam, he’s serving ten to twelve years in prison for his crimes with helping Tate. It would have been a lot longer, but he got a plea deal with all the information he provided. Fortunately, or unfortunately, however you want to look at it, that meant there wasn’t a trial, and I didn’t have to testify. He also somehow negotiated into his deal that the military was not allowed to court-martial him. It took prosecutors a lot of time to convince the JAG Corps to agree, but it was the only way Sam would hand over the information.

Tate was a different story. He tried to fight until the very end. And lost, badly. He’s going to spend the rest of his life behind bars. That’s what you get for messing with the military and buying votes.