Epilogue

Christian glanced at Aja Blue in the passenger seat. They were almost at the CObrA Securities compound, and it would be her first look at the place. He hoped she loved it as much as he did.

The last week had been hell for her. Still stitched up and sore, she'd sat down with him for several television interviews. Instead of making them fly to New York or Los Angeles, the stations sent people to Norfolk. That was thanks to TKO Productions, who handled all the details and ensured they weren't overwhelmed with requests. Though most of the questions had been about Heathcliff Sinclair, Polly's death had drawn intense interest. Aja Blue had been careful to paint her in a favorable light.

She had planned and paid for Jay Guitterez's funeral. It had been a small gathering filled with heartfelt stories and many tears. Charlotta, the manager of Crystal Galaxy, had insisted on a separate public memorial. Dozens of Jay's drag queen friends had attended, and the facility had been packed to the rafters. The night had resulted in an extravagant showcase filled with fanfare, laughter, and more tears. Aja Blue had taken the stage to tell the crowd how proud Jay would have been and how it was the perfect tribute to his memory. With Charlotta's help, Aja Blue established the scholarship in Jay's name that Eleanor Sinclair had promised. All the proceeds raised at Crystal Galaxy from the memorial went directly to the fund. Aja Blue planned to release a line of Jay's designs that would also filter into the endowment.

After that, they traveled to Iowa for Polly's service. Though Polly and her parents hadn't spoken for years, they'd arranged a small ceremony for her family. Instead of an open casket, her parents had chosen to close it and display photos from Polly's youth, when she'd been a beloved child television star.

Aja Blue told him that Polly's parents had known about her career as a stripper and porn star, and that was why they hadn't spoken to their daughter in ages. Christian assumed they didn't know she'd prostituted herself—if Dirk was to be believed. Since there was no proof, he chose not to trust his word.

On top of that, Aja Blue had dealt with the insurance company for the loss of her office and the destruction of her belongings. There wasn't much to pack up, but they cleared her condo and put what hadn't been ruined in storage. She'd been Jay's beneficiary, so they'd done the same thing with his apartment. There'd been even less to save, and most had been donated to a local charity.

They had also spent a lot of time with Detective Nicole Herbert. She'd attended Jay's funeral with them, along with the memorial at Crystal Galaxy. She'd learned to get around on crutches, but Christian sensed a restlessness that had nothing to do with her injury. He wondered if she'd become a coworker soon. Luke and Logan had spoken with her, and they were impressed. The job was hers if she wanted it.

The Heathcliff Sinclair saga was still the top lead on every major network. Reporters had camped out in front of their mansion for days, hoping to get a glimpse of the disgraced former socialite. Eleanor Sinclair had bailed out before spending time in a jail cell. Christian had been hoping she'd have to languish in there for at least a few hours, but money talked, and she certainly had a ton of it—for now. Her bank accounts had probably been frozen as the investigation into the depth of her husband's nefarious dealings was exposed. Eleanor hadn't been seen in public since. She was now a pariah in the community, and he didn't think she'd be able to recover. She could scrape together enough money to buy an island if she didn't already own one, but first, she had to stand trial for attempted murder. Christian planned to return and testify if necessary.

The cop who had tased him, Officer Cranny, had been found dead in a ditch, a gunshot wound to his head. Jonas Thames denied killing him, but one of the other security guards had fingered him for the hit. He was looking at life behind bars.

The fake nurse had been caught. She was one of Heathcliff Sinclair's security team, and she was also looking at murder, plus additional charges since she had lured Aja Blue to be abducted.

As Christian followed the road that would take him home, his nerves kicked in. He and Aja Blue had made a deal—he would take her there, show her around, and she would decide if she thought she could live there. Everything was riding on the next few hours. If she didn't like it or didn't feel like she could stay, they would go wherever she desired. If she wanted to look for a new office space in Virginia Beach, he'd be her biggest cheerleader. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

Aja Blue reached over and grasped his hand. "I don't think I ever thanked you for staying with me this week. I couldn't have done it without you."

Christian threaded their fingers together. "You did thank me. Several times. And in many creative ways." He wagged his brows, getting the smile he hoped for. "And there is nowhere else I'd rather be."

"I can't wait to meet the people you work with. I already adore Presley, Kayne, Logan, and Luke."

That was a great start. Christian glanced at her with a smile. "You'll love them all, and vice versa."

#

Aja Blue glanced around at all the people who had turned out to welcome her with open arms. They were in an outdoor park named after the President of the United States bordering a lake. Grills were fired up, cooking everything from steak and hamburgers to salmon, shrimp, and vegetables. Her stomach rumbled, anticipating the assortment of food. Music wafted from speakers, and laughter was abundant.

Christian kept a protective arm around her and cautioned anyone who got too close that she was still recovering from a gunshot wound. It had healed nicely the past week, and in fact, she'd tried to talk him into some life-affirming sex, but he'd kept refusing her, saying he wouldn't until she was better. Infuriating man. That's when she'd gotten creative. She liked to think she'd blown his mind a time or two—or several.

Her cheek hadn't bruised as severely as she thought, and she'd been able to cover most of it with makeup. It never hurt like she'd feared. Thankfully, Dirk and his twig arms had packed little punch.

Aja Blue had been shocked at what Christian called "the compound". The buildings were incredible, and the scenery was gorgeous. He'd pointed everything out and promised to give her an in-depth tour tomorrow. There was a world-class gym, a small hospital, and a dog-training facility among the buildings. She couldn't wait to see everything.

"Holy cannoli, Polly! What have you gotten us into?"

Aja Blue smiled at the adorable young boy who had recited a very respectable impression of her famous catchphrase. He had to be Kai Costa. Christian, Presley, and Kayne had told her all about him and his incredible heroics. "Wow, that was fantastic."

"I've been practicing," he admitted with a charming grin. He was going to be breaking hearts soon. "I love your show. I've seen all of them multiple times on the OBG Channel."

A wry grin crossed her lips. That her show was considered an oldie but goodie, like the network, made her feel ancient. "Hi, Kai. I'm Aja Blue LaLonde."

"I know—wait!" Kai's mouth dropped open. "You know who I am?"

"Absolutely."

He feigned fainting, complete with arms outstretched, as he collapsed to the ground.

Christian cackled ominously and wiggled his fingers together. "Good. If Little C is out of commission, that means more burgers for me."

"What?" Kai sprung to his feet. "No. I'm fine! See! And leave my burgers alone! Hey, Aja Blue, what musical instrument is found in the bathroom?"

"In the bathroom? Ew, I don't think I want to know."

Kai let out a belly laugh. "Sounds disgusting, right? But no, it's a tuba toothpaste!"

Aja Blue laughed with him as Kai doubled over and slapped his hand on this thigh. Christian, however, crossed his arms and frowned.

"Little C, your jokes are usually geared toward the individual. It's funny, I'll give you that. But what does a large brass instrument have to do with Aja Blue?"

Kai gawked at him like he was an alien. "Hello? Season two, Aja Blue learns to play the tuba. Polly gets her head stuck inside the bell. It's comedy genius."

Tears pricked Aja Blue's eyes as she remembered filming the episode. The funny thing was, Polly really had gotten stuck. They'd had to call the fire department to get her out.

Aja Blue grabbed Kai and hugged him, loosening her grip when he squeaked. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. What for?"

"Reminding me of a cherished memory."

When Aja Blue released him, Christian took his turn, embracing the pint-sized sweetheart.

"What was that for?" Kai wanted to know.

"Putting that smile on my girl's face. I shouldn't have doubted you, Little C. You're incredible."

Kai gave an aw-shucks grin and then was swept away when the other kids descended, wanting their leader.

The afternoon flew by with laughter, camaraderie, and—she gazed at Christian—love. His people had welcomed her as one of their own. She'd clicked instantly with everyone and fallen in love with the setting. It was beautiful and serene, and she could easily picture a life with Christian here.

He opened the door to his apartment and ushered her inside. Before she could say a word, he backed her against the wall and kissed her thoroughly.

"I've wanted to do that all day."

She jerked him tighter against her, letting him know she was fine. "I wouldn't have said no."

Christian pulled back and cupped her face. "I hope today wasn't overwhelming for you."

Aja Blue thought about stringing it out and making him sweat, but why? She loved this man more than life. All she wanted was for him to be happy. "I had a wonderful time. It was exactly what I needed after the last couple of weeks."

"And the compound?"

"Stunning."

"The people?"

"Amazing."

He sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

"But . . ."

His hands dropped, and wariness creased his handsome face. She hated putting it there, so she quickly added, "It wouldn't matter if the place was covered with weeds, refuse, and graffiti. If the people were nasty and unfriendly. All that matters is that you're here, and that's the only place I want to be."

Christian yanked her against him and kissed her deeply. Then he swung her into his arms and dashed for the bedroom.

After a frenzied bout of the most mind-blowing sex ever, she lay against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"Did you mean it?" he asked.

She propped up on one arm. "About staying here?"

He nodded.

"I meant every word. We are going to have an amazing life."