“You weren’t the first girl he showed interest in. You were, however, the first one he couldn’t manipulate into falling in love with him. You became a challenge. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. He’d hurt you more than once, and then you disappeared. We all thought you were dead.”
My heart squeezes being reminded of that day. It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about ending it then, I just couldn’t. I hated who I was becoming, and for a long time, I regretted that choice.
“I wanted to jump that day. I wanted the river to carry me away as swiftly as it did my backpack. I wanted my mother to feel every ounce of pain I was.” Thinking about it now only angers me. There’s no more sadness. The pain has moved on.
“I’m glad you didn’t, Thea. You deserve a good, long life.” His smile is genuine.
Gazing at Kol and Noah, I ask them, “Is Colin in trouble?”
“That depends on you,” Noah tells me.
“How?”
“Do you want to press charges for him breaking into your apartment?” The thought never even occurred to me.
“No, of course not.”
“Then he’s free to go.” Kol shrugs.
“You have an incredible life, Thea.” Colin smiles again and walks out of the room. Quiet settles around us, and I breathe in my first full breath of a new life.
I’m finally free.
Free to live.
To love.
To be me.
I never thought I’d get to have this beautiful existence handed to me. But, with Kol, I can believe in love again, and never will I take it for granted.
Epilogue One
Kol
Three months later.
“Don’t fucking tease me, Thea.” I growl the words while trying to tamper down my desire to come down the back of her throat. The little vixen has grown into one hell of a woman over the past few months, and now that she’s decided to no longer allow her past to hold her back, she goes for broke.
“But I like it.” She smiles up at me, licking the tip of my dick from under my desk.
Did I mention she enjoys pushing the limits, and that involves random blow jobs in the middle of the day in the middle of my fucking precinct?
A month ago, I was promoted to sergeant of my squad after passing my exams with flying colors, and now, I have my own office. As soon as Thea shows up, half the guys know exactly what she’s about to do after Noah walked in on her once. She didn’t stop, though. Noah didn’t tell anyone specifically, but we’re comprised mostly of men, and their minds went straight to the fucking gutter.
“Jesus,” I groan, biting the inside of my cheek as my spine tingles, and I let loose on her. Thea doesn’t miss a beat as she swallows every drop of cum I give her. “You trying to kill me, woman?” I groan as she climbs up into my lap.
“I just miss you is all.” Laying her head on my shoulder, she settles in for a few minutes of cuddling.
“Where’s Ember?” They are going shopping for interview clothes for Thea now that she’s gotten her GED and has decided that until she begins applying for college, she’d like to be a receptionist. Something low-key and reliable.
“Talking to Noah.” Something is going on between those two, but neither will admit it to me and if my sister has told Thea, she hasn’t spilled the secret.
“You have got to be kidding me!” I hear bellowed from the squad room. I know that voice.
“Fuck.” Thea jumps up as I button my pants and open the door in time to see Noah’s estranged wife slap my sister clear across the face. “Hey!” I scream at her as Noah puts himself between the two women. Ember runs out, Thea chases after her.
“That hussy was touching my husband,” the woman screeches.