Chapter 54: Chapter : Epilogue

We’re supposed to be on our way to the rehearsal dinner that I could’ve sworn started in an hour, and yet Kai’s pulled up to some parking lot in front of a string of office buildings.

He turns to me with a goofy look on his adorable face as he puts the car in park. “So, remember how I’ve never taken you out on a date?”

My brows lower. “That’s not true. We had veggie burgers, the beef spot, your girlfriend, Marg…remember?”

That was technically our first date in my book. The countless fuck sessions before that could count, but Kai wants to be romantic or some shit.

“We don’t count that. Food is required.”

I shake my head. He’s so ridiculous sometimes. But, it’s why I fell so hard.

“So anyway, I figured I’d take you out.”

I look around the parking lot, then down at my black silk dress and over at his fitted pants and button-up shirt.

“We have a rehearsal dinner to get to and you want to take me on a date…now?”

Kai said Hawke instructed groomsmen and bridesmaids to be at the restaurant at five. Yes, the engagement finally happened. Hawke got down on one knee shortly after the chaotic incident, proposing to my baby sister in front of all of us on the beach behind their home. It made even the coldest of hearts cry with happiness. Their love is one to be admired.

His smile widens before he nods vigorously. “Yep, we’re already dressed up. It works.”

Stepping out of the car, he walks around the front of it, and I admire how handsome his tall frame looks dressed up. He even slicked his blond hair back with some product today. Such a stud muffin. My stud muffin. I want to eat his dick. Again.

I spent the entire morning with his cock inside me. Between my mouth and his mouth, we tend to keep ourselves pretty busy. Busy and satisfied. We’re animals for each other.

He walks me to one of the glass office doors, pulling it open before I have time to read the name of the place on the window.

A man standing near a front desk wearing a modest suit turns to face us with an easy smile.

“Kai, it’s so good to see you again.” He eyes my man from his icy locks to his polished combat boots. “God, you look great!”

He pulls him into an embrace as their hands slap each other’s backs in a friendly manner. As soon as they pull apart, the man turns his attention to me.

“Johanna, it’s so wonderful to finally meet you.” He holds out a hand for me to shake.

I eye him suspiciously before meeting Kai’s smile again. I shake the man’s hand, and he introduces himself as Dave. Then it clicks.

“You brought me to therapy,” I state, looking over at Kai with my hand still in Dave’s. “For our first date.”

He raises his hands, looking around the place. “What better than a little therapy to bring us closer together?!”

The guy has no idea what a date is. I’m convinced.

His excited energy is palpable. Nothing about him is normal, and I love every bit of that. It’s not like we haven’t talked about it. Therapy is definitely something I need for my own mental health. I have loads of trauma locked inside this dark mind of mine. Kai’s old drunk class instructor has helped him so much, he recommended I meet with him too. But, I mean, seriously, who brings someone to a therapist for a date? Kai, that’s who.

“Have you ever attended therapy or seen a therapist before?” Dave asks kindly.

“No, but my baby daddy swears by it.” I say, then shoot a smirk at Kai.

Dave cocks his head to the side, grabbing a chart from the counter behind him as he quickly shuffles through the documents. “You guys have kids?”

“No.” I say.

“Not yet,” Kai clarifies, scolding me with his eyes.

I press my teeth into my bottom lip, withholding the eye roll. It never ends with him.

, should be tattooed on his forehead.

“We have a hamster named Rupert, and Kai likes to pretend he’s the biological father.” I roll my lips inward, raising my eyebrows.

Dave’s eyes narrow as he looks between the two of us.

“It’s the first animal we’ve kept that wasn’t dead,” I continue, trying to clarify. “We’ve only ever had dead plants and animals. Thought we’d take care of something alive before we tried our hand at kids.”

Dave’s mouth drops open.

“And we’re doing a great job, baby mama,” Kai adds proudly. “You should see her with him. She’s great.”

The expression on Dave’s face is to die for. He looks petrified.

Kai’s ridiculous. Literally still obsessing over getting me pregnant. I told him how idiotic it was, even though I know he’ll be an amazing father one day. We’ve only been living together for a few months. He moved into my place shortly after I left the hospital, and we’ve been connected at the hip ever since. I must say, having access to that tongue 24/7 is truly worth it, in and of itself. He lives for waking up between my thighs.

He’s been busy working towards getting his realtor license while still working with Hawke. He applied for student loans and was accepted into a program shortly after moving in. Never was there a better salesman than him. He could sell a glass of water to a drowning man, that guy. My sexy, witty, charming, and charismatic man.

He’s been busy assisting Hawke with expanding their business, and actively house shopping for us, even though I keep telling him we need to continue saving. He’s never been more motivated, and I gush every time I hear him explaining his newfound passion.

I’ve been working as the office manager of Coastal Ink for three weeks now. It’s going great, and throwing myself into something new and different has been so refreshing. I enjoy the people I work with, and actually feel valued in the company. I don’t get paid nearly as much as I used to on the chartered scuba boats, but I’m glad to have gotten out of that company before its collapse.

After the accident, Kai explained everything to me. The dealing, the Fentanyl, the trouble he was in…everything. But fate took over for us. Bran’s family and business ended up suffering massively. Not only had I been the victim of the laced coke, but apparently a guy who was at one of Bran’s parties with his sister ended up overdosing in front of everyone. This moment, as unfortunate as it was, probably saved Kai’s life that night. The guys would’ve never let up on him had the incident not happened.

The cops were called, searched the place, and they traced the drugs, busting Bran and Silas for possession, distribution, and trafficking. Kai even told me that Silas ultimately ratted out some big drug lord named Dario that the D.E.A. had been after for years, in order to knock a few years off his sentence. I was so grateful that Kai got out of that business when he did, and safely, even though he still regrets ever being involved.

It took a long time for him to find a way to forgive himself for what happened to me, but he has. Just like I’ve found a way to forgive my mother. I’ve been searching for new ways to deal with my pain rather than numb it away. Kai and I stopped the reckless and dangerous drug use. We still smoke pot, don’t get it twisted, but only when relaxing at home with pizza and a good comedy.

He’s been clean for four weeks now. It would’ve been ten, but he slipped up once at a party we attended the other weekend. Peer pressure can definitely be his downfall, but he’s aware of it now. Immediately after the party, he made an appointment to go see Dave again to get back on track, and so far, he has. I’m so proud of who he’s becoming in front of me. Someone with goals, ambitions, drive, even if he slips up sometimes. Because that happens, and he’s human. He still inspires me every day.

“Chrissy,” Dave calls for the lady behind the desk. “How much time do we have scheduled for today?”

Kai sticks his tongue out at me as I hold back a chuckle at the fact that Dave now has some idea of the disaster he’s about to conquer.

After leaving the office an hour later, my makeup was in ruins. I’m talking mascara smeared down my face. Therapy shit.

Kai is leaning against his car in the parking lot with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He pushes off with his elbow as I approach.

“How you feeling, darlin’?” Kai asks, running up towards me and wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we walk back to the car.

We pause at the passenger side. He presses me back against the door with his hips, surrounding me with his body, his hands on my cheeks, thumbs wiping away the bleeding mess of mascara.

I sigh, looking up at him. “Lighter already.”

He stares down at me with admiration. He’s proud of me. I feel it.

Leaning down, his fingers tuck the hair behind my ear before I feel his warm breath tickle my neck. “This was big for you,” he whispers before kissing the skin there.

I swallow down the emotions as he leans back to find my eyes again.

“Thank you,” I choke out. “For saving me when I denied needing it.”

His chest expands and lets out a deep sigh before he gazes at my lips, needing them against his. He kisses me so sweetly, his tongue gently sweeping between mine. My hands find his hair as I open myself to the kiss. He groans into my mouth, and my insides stir.

Pushing himself back off me, his eyes are closed as he separates us, almost needing a second to calm down before he takes me on top of his car in front of Dave’s office.

“You gotta let me put that baby in you, beautiful. No more swallowing my kids. Give them a chance.”

“Kai!” I scoff, smacking his arm playfully.

He’s back at it again.

“What?! I don’t like that Hawke’s ahead of me,” he whines like a child. “I wanted to be the first one to knock up one of the sisters!”

It’s true, he isn’t the first. Which is why we are somewhat rushing the wedding events. Cole found out while in the hospital that she was pregnant with their first child. The news was an unexpected surprise to them, and they waited to tell anyone, wanting to focus on my health and recovery first. But to be honest, new life has a way of motivating people like nothing else can. The thought of having a niece or nephew to help care for makes me only need to better myself more.

The feeling of a family again is comforting. Not only do I have Kai, but I have my sister back again. We’ve had many deep and honest conversations about the past, and I regret never opening up to her about it. She’s so much more mature that I’d imagined she could be. Mature enough to even begin allowing our dad back into our lives again. It’s been hard, but we are slowly working towards mending that relationship together. One step at a time, as Kai says.

“Well, it’s too late for that,” I reiterate to him. “You need to focus on being a hot uncle.”

“I got that in the bag.” He smiles, wiggling his eyebrows. “Oh, and speaking of the ocean…”

My eyes narrow in confusion.

“We were in the ocean.” He stalls as I twist my lips, arching a brow. “You know, when I tried to save you and almost drowned like a wet noodle…the whole ‘saving me when I denied needing it’ part a minute ago.”

He’s so random with the memories. I love it. My tongue ring glides along my teeth as I smirk at his cuteness.

“So, as I was saying,” he begins, opening the door and helping me inside. He hops into the driver’s seat, starting it up. “Speaking of the ocean…”

He holds his large hand out; the palm turned up, awaiting mine. I place my hand in his, and our fingers slide together like they do as our wrist tattoos seal together. He started doing this after we got them. It’s like our own secret little hand shake.

We chose them for each other and didn’t unveil what they were until we were both done. It just goes to show we were meant for one another. I chose the blobfish for him and he chose the immortal jellyfish for me.

I smile at him lovingly as our sea creatures press together. He raises our wrists, bringing the back of my hand to his lips, kissing the area softly as he gazes at me. A slow, knowing smirk stretches across his handsome face when his mischievous blue eyes catch mine.

“My lips were on it first.”

THE END