42. Epilogue

42

EPILOGUE

ARIA

Six months later…

I stand here, surrounded by friends who have become family, and prepare to pledge my life to Jared. My heart races as I reflect on the turbulent journey that led us to this moment.

Jared stands tall and proud beside me, his dark past veiled beneath a carefully crafted facade. He's kept his promise to behave, but I know the simmering darkness within him. It mirrors the shadows that dwell inside me—shadows that first materialized when he dragged me into his world.

The absence of our parents on this day weighs on my mind. Given Jared's wanted status back in the States, I know their presence is impossible. Nonetheless, their absence leaves a pang of sadness within me. I'm glad we kept our first names, even though it was risky. I couldn't imagine calling him by a different name.

As the ceremony commences, my hands begin to shake.

"Do you, Aria, take Jared to be your husband?"

I draw in a steadying breath, meeting Jared's intense gaze. "I do."

My voice is steady, reflecting the conviction in my heart. Despite the tangled web, we've woven.

"And do you promise to care for, cherish, and protect him?"

"I do," I whisper softly, my eyes never leaving his.

Jared's hand finds mine, his touch gentle. At this moment, I feel a sense of belonging and home.

"I, Jared, take you, Aria, to be my wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

His voice, rich and deep, washes over me, and the weight of our past lifts. Together, we've constructed a new reality, a sanctuary where our love can flourish.

I'm keenly aware of the friends standing with us, our chosen family, unknowing witnesses to our unconventional union.

As the ceremony continues, my throat constricts with unshed tears.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

Jared's eyes sparkle with a dangerous mix of love and possession. This kiss is a reclamation, sealing our fated union forged in darkness.

Our lips meet, and the world falls away. It's just us—two souls entangled, forever bound by our shared darkness.

The cheers from our friends bring me back to the present. Although our kiss has ended, the tension between us has only intensified.

Jared threads his fingers through mine as we make our way to the reception venue, a stone's throw away. The night air is crisp, and my heart is light.

Our friends await us at the cozy local spot we chose for the reception. Their smiles are warm, and the clinking of glasses signals their congratulations.

"To the happy couple!" Sam calls out, raising his glass. "May you always find solace in each other's arms."

"To new beginnings," Dan adds, his eyes shining with genuine happiness for us.

Nina embraces us both, whispering her well wishes. And then the rest of her friends congratulate us.

As the night progresses, Jared and I find ourselves on the dance floor, moving to the music that fills the room. Our bodies sway and press together, each touch a silent promise, each kiss a reminder of our enduring desire.

Before long, that desire consumes us. Our gazes grow heavy, and our kisses become more fervent. We're loath to part, breathless, and eager for more.

"We should go," Jared murmurs, his lips brushing my ear.

"But we just got here," I protest, even as my body throbs with agreement.

"I know, but I can't stop touching you. I need you." His admission is raw, and the heat in his gaze leaves no room for argument.

Our friends, always perceptive, raise no objections. "You two, go on," Nina encourages with a wink. "Enjoy your wedding night."

We make excuses, though everyone knows exactly why we're retiring early. As we slip away, the weight of anticipation settles between us. The night is still young, and our hunger for each other has just begun.

The Uber ride back to our apartment is a blur of anticipation and nervous energy. We're barely able to keep our hands off each other, and the driver pretends not to notice our heated kisses and wandering hands.

Finally, we arrive, and Jared practically rushes me through the door, kicking it shut behind us.

He backs me against the wall, and kisses me hard. The intensity of his desire hits me like a physical force, and I'm breathless as he traces the curve of my neck with his lips.

"I've dreamed about this," he whispers, his voice raw. "Calling you my stepsister and wife."

I whimper softly as his hands slide under my dress, his touch electric against my bare skin. His lips find the sensitive spot below my ear, and I tilt my head back, granting him better access.

"You're all mine." He punctuates each word with a kiss, his hand tightening my hair.

I nod, unable to form a coherent response. I want to tell him that he's not just mine but so much more. He's my dark half, the piece of my soul that completes me. But the words stick in my throat, caught between longing and fear.

Jared lifts me, making me wrap my legs around him as he carries me toward the bedroom. I grip his shoulders, my fingernails digging into his skin through the fabric of his suit.

He sets me down on the bed, his eyes blazing with a mixture of love and lust. Slowly, he begins to undress me, peeling away the layers that separate us.

I reach for him, eager to return the favor, but he stops me with a gentle hand on my wrist. "Not yet, baby. Let me worship you."

I surrender to his desire, watching through hooded eyes as he reveals my body inch by inch. His gaze is filled with such reverence that it sends a shiver down my spine.

When I'm completely bare before him, he steps back, taking in the sight of me with a hunger that makes my pulse race. Then, with deliberate intent, he begins to undress, shedding his suit with a practiced ease that only heightens my arousal.

By the time he joins me on the bed, I'm burning for him. He raises himself over me, his lips hovering just above mine. "I love you, Aria. Now and forever."

"I love you too, Jared."

Our lips meet, and the room fades away. There's only us, our bodies moving in sync, our passion consuming us.

His touch is at once gentle and demanding, and his kisses a mix of tender exploration and fierce possession. Every caress, every thrust, reminds us that we belong to each other, heart and soul.

As our pleasure builds, our movements become more frantic. Our lips never break contact as we crest that peak together, crying out in a tangle of limbs and fierce emotion.

Collapsing against each other, we ride out the aftershocks, our hearts hammering in unison. I've never felt more complete or more understood.

Jared nuzzles into the curve of my neck, his breath warm against my skin. "Welcome to our new beginning, wife."

It should be illegal for a man to look at a woman the way Jared looks at me right now. Desire darkens his eyes, intensifying their usual hue. The sheer force of his want pulls me closer until I can feel the heat emanating from his body.

"Thank you, big brother," I whisper, relishing how the word brother makes his jaw clench.

He growls, his hands threading through my hair as he pulls my neck to the side, exposing the delicate skin of my throat. His teeth graze my pulse point, sending shivers down my spine.

"You know what that does to me," he grits out, his lips trailing up my neck, "when you call me that."

I smile a secret, sinful smile that belongs only to him. "I know. I like it when you lose control, just a little."

His grip tightens, and he lifts me off the ground, pressing me against the wall. "It's not just me losing control, Aria. You love it, too."

My response is a soft moan as his mouth claims mine. Our kisses are always a little bit savage—a reflection of the hunger that simmers just beneath the surface. It's a hunger that never truly gets sated, no matter how much we take from each other.

His lips leave a fire trail across my jaw, down my neck, and along the sensitive skin of my collarbone. I tilt my head back, arching into him, inviting more. His tongue teases the hollow of my throat, and I can feel his smile against my skin.

"I love you," he murmurs, a low rumble vibrating through me.

I card my fingers through his hair, holding him to me as I answer with a breathless "I love you, too."

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" he says, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes.

"Maybe I do," I confess with a playful smile, enjoying how his eyes darken even further.

Jared's mouth finds mine again, his kisses insistent and demanding. His hands roam over my body with a fierce possession that never fails to light me on fire.

We remain wrapped in each other's arms, our tongues tangling and our hearts pounding in rhythm. There are no more words, only the declaration of our actions—a silent avowal of the depth of our all-consuming love and shared taste for the taboo.

Our passion builds, threatening to consume us both, and we move together, our bodies already knowing each other's rhythm. Tonight, we obliterate all boundaries as husband and wife. Together, forever, bound by a twisted and taboo love that consumes us both.

Thank you for reading Forbidden Harvest! Did you enjoy it? If so, I've got some other spooky season Halloween reads.

Welcome to Carnage: A Dark Romance Novella

Carnival Monster: A Dark Serial Killer Romance

Both of these are set at Halloween, and below are other books by me. All of them include masked men.

Carnival Nightmare: A Dark Stalker Romance

Carnival Obsession: A Dark Romance

Carnival Stalker: A Dark Stalker Romance

Hunted: A Dark Romance

Stranded: A Dark Romance novella

Salvation: A Dark Stalker Romance

Carjacked: A Dark Hitchhiker Romance