Epilogue

Six Months Later

“Airy, hurry up!” Lilly shrieks as she runs for the car, twin braids bouncing with every step. Ares is a couple of strides behind her and lunges forward when she steps off the curb.

“Not on the road, Jesus fucking Christ!” He grabs her under the arms and swings her back onto the pavement. “What is it with you and your goddamn sister always trying to get yourselves killed?”

Lilly lands on her feet with a thump. She spins to face him, her peals of laughter a delightful song in my ears.

“That’s two! Two cokes!”

Ares scowls for a moment, then his grin cracks through. He tugs on her braid.

“You left your backpack on the porch. Don’t wanna leave without that, huh?”

“Oh, shoot!” she exclaims, then scampers past me and up the creaking porch steps. I watch her, but find myself studying the house that looms behind her instead. The walls still hold the memory of Dad, forever tainted by him. Sometimes I feel guilty that the good memories, the ones of Mama and of baby Lilly, don’t make a stronger impression but, then again, maybe if they did, I would feel guilty for leaving. As it stands, I can’t wait to never think about this house, about this town, again.

Muscular arms thread around my waist. Ares tugs me back sharply, forcing a cathartic rush of air from my lungs.

“I don’t think this new system is going to cut it,” he rumbles into my ear. “A soda for a swear? Her teeth are going to be rotten through in six months.”

“Hmm, you’re probably right.”

“Any ideas?”

I shrug, my shoulders pressing back into his hard chest. “We’ve got the whole drive to California to figure it out.”

I smile, turn in his arms, and wrap mine around his neck. Ink flashes in my line of sight: thick black letters on my forearm. My first tattoo and the only one I think I’m ever going to get. Ares wrote it there seven years ago, and then again a few months ago in the back of a tattoo parlor. Now it’s never coming off.

A R E S .

“I gotta go to the bathroom!” Lilly yells from the porch. I hear the front door creak open.

“Fine, but hurry up,” he yells at her over my shoulder, rolling his eyes at me. “We gotta get on the road.”

I bite back a smile and Ares’s expression shifts, dropping into a glower. His hands flex on my waist, one far stronger than the other.

“What are you smirking at?”

“Who would have guessed the tough-guy biker would make such an excellent big brother?”

“Not really a biker anymore, remember?”

He doesn’t say it sadly, but it still makes my heart pang a little. I lift one shoulder playfully.

“The offer is still on the table,” I say lightly, even though I already know the answer.

“I’m not taking any of that money, Del. Your Dad’s life insurance is for you and your sister, I’m not using it to modify a fucking motorcycle.”

“I know, I know,” I sigh back.

I was shocked when the check arrived in the mail. The case hadn’t even been officially closed, but the story stuck — Sheriff Trevor Jackson was dead, no doubt about it. After ‘That Night’ in Ares’ house, I was convinced that everything was about to get much, much worse. I lay awake in bed, listening for sirens, for a knock on the door and men with guns coming to drag me and Ares away.

But… nothing happened.

Dad hadn’t reported my theft of the drugs, in the hope that he could recover them first and save himself the embarrassment of having a thief for a daughter. It was only uncovered later, after he and Aaron didn’t show up for duty, and everyone was so freaked out about a missing Sheriff, a missing deputy, and missing drugs that nobody even looked my way.

The town rumor mill was in overdrive by the time they called in some state investigators to take over the search. And when they found Dad’s blood in Aaron’s garage and traces of cocaine under his bed (Ares never said, but the Wastelanders definitely had something to do with that), it was all they needed to close the case.

Corrupt Deputy Murders Sheriff Over Stolen Evidence

Most people assumed Aaron had dumped Dad’s body somewhere on the way to Mexico. Some even suggested they were in it together. It quickly became such an embarrassment for our small town that by the time they appointed a new Sheriff everyone had stopped talking about it. Now, it’s almost like it never happened. Like Dad never existed.

I can’t stop fucking smiling.

And now we’re leaving.

“How long do we have until she gets back?” Ares says, his mouth drifting closer to mine. “You think I can bend you over the hood before—”

The door crashes open. “Okay, let’s go!” Lilly screams, bolting past us.

“Fuck.”

“Another coke, Airy! Don’t forget!” Lilly climbs into the backseat of the crappy old car that’s supposed to get us halfway across the country. Ares drops his head to my shoulder. His sigh is hot against my neck and my skin tingles.

“Seriously. New system.”

“Or you could just not curse?” I offer with a smirk. Ares slants his mouth against mine in a filthy, toe-curling kiss. I moan into him, wanting — needing — more than he can give me right now.

After a moment, he pulls back just enough to let me breath.

“You like it when I curse,” he growls against my mouth, his tongue flicking my bottom lip. “Because you’re a fucking bad, dirty little slut, aren’t you?”

Oh, God, I hope Lilly’s got her headphones on by now.

I nod shakily. “Yes, I am.”

“Damn fucking right,” he grunts, kissing me again so forcefully my back bends. He palms my ass, then slides his hand up to fist the back of my hair as he sets me right again. His cheeks are flushed, his eyes bright with arousal.

“Now get your ass in the car.”

He releases me, flashing me a rakish grin as he does so. I take a second, my heart calming. Fishing the car keys from his pocket, I spot Ares subtly adjusting himself before he turns to face the car. Past him, I see that — thank God — Lilly’s immersed in her iPad, headphones on.

I slide into the front passenger seat and cast one final look at the house. All the worldly possessions Ares and I decided to keep are tucked into three suitcases strapped to the top of the car. Whoever buys the house can have what’s left of the furniture. All of Dad’s stuff went in the dumpster.

“Oh, good, you’re done being gross,” Lilly pipes up as Ares pulls away from the curb. I lean around to swat at her but then a flash of yellow catches my eye.

The garden in front of Ares’ house is in full bloom. There’s no For Sale sign in the front yard like at my old place. Ares can’t risk selling it — not with who’s buried under the roses in the backyard. He said the Wastelanders promised to keep the garden nice, but I don’t know how long that’s going to last.

I don’t care. I’ll have space for a garden in California or wherever we end up.

Ares will make sure of it.