Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 147801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
“What?”
“I’m trying to think if you actually called me baby while I was dying or if it was a figment of my imagination.”
I laugh. “I did, baby.”
“Fuck. Say that again,” he growls.
“I love you, baby—” My words end with a moan because he’s devouring me.
And I’m consuming him.
We’re so toxic, it’s unhealthy but also right.
Because we’re each other’s darkness and light.
I’m his.
And he’s so fucking mine.
EPILOGUE 1—GARETH
THREE MONTHS LATER
“Can you pass me the salt?”
Kayden slides it across the table toward Grandpa, who just asked for it.
But upon seeing it came from Kayden, not Kill or Dad, he scowls. “Lost my appetite.”
Mom and I release a collective sigh.
She and Glyn went all out for this dinner. Like, no kidding, they were shopping and micromanaging the catering and even cooking. Kill was jealous—which made me smug—because, apparently, Glyn doesn’t really cook, but she did for this.
Anyway, they went all out just to make this family dinner special. Since, well, it’s the first time I’ve officially brought Kayden home.
He had to recover, and I went back to school on his insistence. So you can bet that I took him with me. Either that or I was staying with him in the States.
That led to me sort of coming out to my friends, and that was a shitshow. The only mature one was Jeremy, who just patted my shoulder.
Nikolai laughed out loud and said, “I knew it for months, you bitches, and kept all these secrets. You never would’ve seen it coming from me, right? Right? Also, Jer, you’re like the only straight dude around here, so maybe experiment a little. No offense to Cecy.”
I reminded him that there was still Vaughn, because I’m not letting his secret out until he’s comfortable doing so—that is, if he’s ever comfortable. And Niko replied, “Jer and V should form the Boring Dick Alliance.”
His words, not mine.
Anyway, Niko was so quick to introduce us to his own boyfriend, his enemy’s twin brother, if you believe it, and kept saying, “Lotus flower this and lotus flower that.”
Kill said, “You do realize you’re kind of fucking Landon, right?”
“Fuck no!” Niko shouted. “They’re entirely damn different.”
“They’re literally identical twins,” I said.
“Shut up, Gaz. They’re totally worlds apart. Don’t go comparing a diamond to a swamp.”
Anyway, I swear to fuck I don’t know how Brandon, a very well-mannered, quiet artist, not to mention a British guy who’s allergic to violence, could ever be with my unhinged cousin Niko, but I guess no one would expect someone like me to be with someone like Kayden, yet here we fucking are.
Together.
And following each other everywhere.
Though Kayden made the island his home base for me—and apparently owns the entire building we live in—he still travels for business.
Diva Jethro hated the island; I mean, he completely loathes the UK and its depressing weather, so I told him it’s not like he goes out anyway, which made both Kayden and Simone burst out laughing and Jethro transform into a bigger diva.
Seriously, we flew here two days ago, and he’s just cooped up in one of the houses Kayden owns nearby, being a major nerd. I know he’s been basically running the business with Kayden, but he’s weird, and I’ve honestly never seen him without a laptop.
Like, never.
The other day, I caught him spying on the Serpents’ mansion, and I don’t know what’s up with all that.
He’s strange, end of story.
Simone is amazing, though.
I wanted her to join us for dinner, but she vehemently refused to leave her post. No, seriously, we have more bodyguards than a mafia leader, and she’s still always obsessing about our security.
Which now leaves Kayden in unfriendly territory, sitting between Dad and Kill while Grandpa glares at him from the head of the table.
“Grandpa,” I say with a knowing look.
“What?” He cuts into his steak. “I don’t like my grandson dating someone his dad’s age. Call me old-fashioned.”
“I told you he’s thirty-three, definitely not Dad’s age.”
“Close enough,” he grumbles. “Right, Asher?”
“I have to say,” my father takes a sip of his wine, “I’m not thrilled to share a table with someone who made my son hurt himself.”
“Asher,” Mom scoffs. “Forgive and forget, you’ve heard of that?”
His eyes soften when looking at her, but he still says, “I don’t believe in that nonsense.”
“I agree to an extent.” Kill looks Kayden up and down, which he’s been doing since he first met him. On the island, he barged into our apartment, interrupting a little romantic dinner I planned, to meet ‘the prick,’ as he likes to call him. On the whole, ever since Kill realized I’m more like him, he’s been demanding that we spend time together.
But that night was bad timing. To say Kill looked horrified upon seeing me wrapped around Kayden would be an understatement.
I’ve never seen him with that wide-eyed expression before, almost as if he was seeing his life flash before his eyes.