Epilogue

A lex - six weeks later

The circus feels different now. Not just in the way the lights flicker over the audience, illuminating their excited faces, or in the way the performers move through their routines with a renewed energy. It’s something deeper. The air is lighter, as if the weight of everything we’ve gone through has finally lifted. There’s laughter, real laughter, echoing through the grounds again, and I catch glimpses of smiles exchanged between the performers as they prep for their acts.

The crowds are back, filling the seats in ways I hadn’t seen for weeks. It’s a sea of faces, lit with wonder and joy as the performers captivate them. The tension that once lurked beneath the surface is gone, replaced by something more vibrant, more alive. I walk through the big top, the chatter of the crowd blending with the rustling of the animals behind the scenes. It’s strange—this sense of peace after everything we’ve been through.

But it’s not just the circus. It’s Sophia.

I glance at her from across the ring as she runs her hand over Zeus’s back, her fingers threading through his thick mane. Her eyes, usually so guarded, are softer now. The fierceness is still there—Sophia will never lose that edge—but there’s something else in her now. A sense of calm. A sense of... home. She catches me watching, and for a moment, her lips twitch into the faintest of smiles before she looks away.

I can’t help but smile back.

The danger, the uncertainty—it’s all behind us now. And with it, the tension that had hung between us for so long has started to dissolve. We’ve found our rhythm, not just in how we work together but in how we move around each other. It’s effortless now, seamless. When I approach her, when I reach for her hand, it doesn’t feel like the desperate, charged moments we’ve shared in the past. It feels steady, solid.

Together.

“We’ve come a long way,” I murmur as I approach her, my hand brushing hers as we stand side by side near the ring. The performance is underway, the crowd enthralled, but in this moment, all I see is her.

She glances up at me, her eyes holding mine for just a moment longer than usual. “Yeah, we have.” Her voice is soft, but there’s a warmth in it that wasn’t there before. She looks back at Zeus, still resting near her feet, calm and composed. “I never thought we’d get here.”

I nod, knowing exactly what she means. “Neither did I.”

We stand in comfortable silence for a moment, the sounds of the circus swirling around us. Performers laughing, the excited murmur of the crowd, the steady hum of the night. It feels like everything is as it should be. For the first time in a long time, the chaos has given way to something peaceful. And I know Sophia feels it too.

Her gaze shifts to me again, and there’s a question in her eyes—one I’ve seen there before but one she’s never voiced. I give her a small nod, silently letting her know it’s okay.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you,” I say, my voice lower now, more serious. “About the circus... and the owner.”

She raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “You’ve been holding out on me?”

I chuckle softly, but there’s an edge of seriousness to what I’m about to share. “The circus has always been more than just a show. The owner, the real owner, has been funding a charity for years. It’s something we don’t talk about much, but a huge portion of the profits go toward helping refugee women and children. It’s why I was brought in to begin with.”

Her eyes widen slightly, processing this new information. “I had no idea.”

“That’s the point,” I reply. “It’s quiet. But it’s important. And it’s why I stayed. The work we do here—it matters. Not just for the audience but for the people we help.”

Sophia nods slowly, the weight of what I’m saying settling in. She’s quiet for a moment, her eyes flicking back to the crowd, then back to me. “That makes sense,” she finally says. “The circus... it’s always been a place for people to find refuge. Even for me.”

I reach for her hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze. “And now, we get to keep building that together.”

The look she gives me is all I need to know that we’re on the same page. There’s no more hesitation, no more walls between us. Just trust. And love.

As the performance ends, we walk through the grounds together, the energy around us buzzing with excitement. But for us, it’s calm. It’s peaceful. I look over at Sophia, her expression relaxed, her steps steady beside mine. She’s found her place here, not just with the circus but with herself.

We stop near the edge of the tent, watching the crowd filter out, and I feel her fingers brush against mine, her touch light but intentional. I glance at her, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I see her fully at peace.

“I never thought I’d feel this way,” she admits, her voice soft, almost vulnerable. “Like I could actually have a future. Like I could be... happy.”

“You deserve it,” I say quietly, my voice filled with certainty. “We both do.”

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine, and for the first time, there’s no hesitation in her gaze. No fear. Just... hope. And love.

As we stand there, side by side, watching the circus come alive again, I know that whatever comes next, we’ll face it together. The future is bright, and for the first time, it feels like ours.

“Can you unzip the top of my dress? I can’t breathe in this thing.”

“Thank God you’re not,” I whisper at her ear, brushing my lips against the sensitive skin and sucking softly. “I’d be happy to undress you, baby.”

She turns, sweeping her hair aside, giving me full access to the zipper. The soft hum of cocktail music surrounds us as we sit at the head of the table—our reception table. Tomorrow, we’re getting married at the edge of the woods.

I’ve never been this happy.

“If I can’t get this dress off, I’m going to break out in hives,” Sophia whispers. “Please take me to the bathroom.”

“With pleasure.” I grab her hand and guide her through the maze of white-clothed tables. We slip into a quiet corner at the back of the room, near the entrance to the bathroom. “Most private ones in this place.”

I open the door to the private bathroom, making sure it’s empty before leading her inside. Sophia stops in front of the mirror, tilting her head with a sigh. “It’s a shame. Such a pretty dress, and I hate it so much.”

With a soft groan, she lifts her hair, exposing the zipper. I grab the small metal clasp, giving it a tug. Nothing. I pull harder. Still stuck.

“It’s stuck.”

“Oh no.” Sophia whines, her lips pouting in frustration. “Please, pull harder. I can’t wear this thing any longer.”

I pull the zipper harder until it finally gives way—too easily. The sound of fabric tearing fills the room, and suddenly, the zipper’s wide open.

I catch her reflection in the mirror as the fabric slips down her shoulders, revealing her full, bare breasts. Her nipples, sweet and pink, harden instantly in the cool air. Desire surges through me, and my cock throbs, already straining against my pants.

“I think I just did both of us a favor by breaking your dress,” I murmur, pinching one of her nipples between my fingers and rolling it softly.

She gasps, arching into my touch as I cup both breasts in my hands, kneading them gently. I press my lips to her neck, sucking at her skin while grinding against her ass, my cock throbbing against the fabric between us. “So sensitive, sweet girl.”

Her moan is soft, needy, as her arm reaches back to pull me closer. She tilts her head to give me better access, her round ass pressing into my aching cock, driving me wild. The layers of sparkly fabric between us are too much. “Look how hard these pretty pink nipples are, begging for attention. Maybe I should come all over them, rub it in, and mark what’s mine.”

She nods, lips parted, breathing heavily.

“Say please,” I growl, cupping her breasts tighter, rubbing my thumb over her hardened nipples.

“Please,” she gasps, her voice hoarse with desperation.

I growl low in my throat, unable to wait any longer. My cock throbs as I tug her dress down to the floor, revealing the rest of her beautiful body.

“No panties tonight, precious?”

She shakes her head, a wicked grin on her lips. “I wanted to be ready for you.”

I groan, running the tip of my cock against her wet pussy, coating myself in her slick arousal before sliding into her with one slow, steady thrust.

Her cry echoes through the small room as her back arches, her nipples brushing against my lips. I take one in my mouth, sucking hard as I thrust into her, tasting the sweetness of her skin. “You taste like heaven, baby. How does it feel to come with my mouth on your perfect tits, sucking every drop out of these gorgeous nipples?”

“So good,” she moans. “So, so good.”

I groan, sucking harder as I slide my hand between her thighs. “Ride my hand, baby. Show me how much my mouth on your tits makes you feel.”

Her hips move against me, her moans growing louder. My cock pounds inside her, matching her rhythm.

“I love you, baby. So much. I can’t wait to spend forever with you by my side.”