Epilogue 2

~Levi~

Two Years Later

"Your pain tolerance really is spectacular. Jesus, brother."

I blinked at the sound of Mason's voice, coming back from zoning out to see him eyeing me as he paused inking my ribs with the best design fucking ever. Not just because he'd designed it and he'd really come into his own, creating some incredible artwork over the last couple of years that he'd been learning and working at Inked Zoners . But because of what the design represented.

I'd wanted to make it even more special by getting it done on my ribs.

Painful to the uninitiated and the experienced alike.

It was worth it, though.

To me, the way I was interpreting it for my life, the ribs were what protected that which enabled you to breathe, that safeguarded your life force, basically. After everything I'd been through and after what we'd all gone through two years earlier, it held a shit-ton of symbolism associated with that.

"Yeah. Still got it," I said, grinning out at him.

He put the needle down and rolled back on his chair. "Let's take a ten-minute break."

I sat up carefully. "Perfect. It gives me some time to return a couple of emails."

"You know you're supposed to be clocked off for the day, right? It's after seven, brother."

"You're one to talk."

"Well, I made an exception for you."

"Sure that's all it is. It can't possibly be that we're both being workaholics right now and pushing ourselves to build our lives."

I snatched up my phone from a side table and started responded to a couple emails that had come in. I mean, they could wait until tomorrow, but why put it off when I could get it done now?

"And because we love our jobs. Your dad having you head his computer engineering division lets you show off your incredible skills every day and do that high-level problem-solving that you love sinking your teeth into."

"There's that," I said, typing away. "And the fact that we're finally about to take a vacation together, all four of us."

"Fuck me, the last time was up at the safehouse. Not exactly a proper vacation."

"Private island paradise is more like it."

"Thanks to Colt and those high-flying contacts he's made as a big-time rockstar. Can you even turn on the radio anymore without hearing one of Mythic Cry's songs?"

We both chuckled. "I know. It's incredible for him."

I looked up as he leaned back in his chair. "Fuck, Lev, I'm so glad you're finally getting this done today. Me and Colt have had to hide our tattoos and the only way was to forgo fucking."

I finished off my emailing, then put my phone back on the table, looking out at him, giving him my full attention. "Fortunately, Brianna bought it because we've all been so busy. You and me with our stuff, Colt recording his next album, and our woman launching her app development business."

"I can't hold out much longer."

"A couple of days for this to heal a little so it's not red-raw and more dried blood than ink, and we'll be good to go."

"Unless I try to persuade Bree that we don't all strip naked to sleep surrounding one another after fucking?"

I laughed. "Yeah, good luck with that. There's no way. As soon as she thought of doing it regularly like that, it became permanent, She loves it, the skin-on-skin, the intimacy of it, being close to us with nothing between us." I shoved my hand through my hair. "Sorry I had to delay getting mine."

"Nah, I completely get it. You only graduated a year ago and started working at Knightsridge , you had a lot to cover and to learn before you took on the newest division, and once you did it was chock-a-block getting your new, handpicked team in shape and all that. The point is it's happening now and we've only got about an hour left to finish."

"Perfect. Ready to get back down to it?"

He rolled forward on his chair. "Yeah, let's do it."

I assumed the same position on my side.

After a few moments of the grating pain, I was able to zone out.

These days, when I did, it wasn't the demons that I saw.

I rarely even saw them in my sleep now either.

Nah, it was all sugar and spice and all things nice now.

Excitement.

Happiness.

Hope.

Love.

So much of that last one.

Because of Brianna, Colt, and Mason.

Because of our foursome and how spectacularly it was functioning now, how we all melded perfectly as one, how we were intrinsically linked, how we were immersed fully in one another's lives and supporting each other's endeavors, pushing and encouraging each other in the best ways too.

Our lives we'd set out to build since Stonewell U were coming along nicely.

Everything was falling into place.

I leaned against my Harley in the courtyard of our home in Stonewell.

We'd decided to stay here after graduation because the place meant a lot to us.

It was where things had changed for all of us, where we'd first come together as our foursome. It was off-campus so we were fine in that respect. It also wasn't far from my work in the City of Tolhurst, Colt's record company also there, and Brianna's app development firm. The tattoo parlor Mason worked at was in between both, so that worked out well too.

We'd disbanded Hex because we were no longer at Stonewell University. But, speaking of underground organizations, Brianna was still operating Vixen. Right now it was geared toward ensuring her dad was all right, given how many enemies he had from his old club days. No one had made a move, but as the cliché went: a good defense was a good offense.

Besides, although there were no immediate issues, she'd taken my advice to heart about keeping Vixen operational to safeguard all of us and those whom we loved.

" When the world is at peace, a gentleman keeps his sword by his side."

That Wu Tsu quote was something I'd taken to heart and still took very seriously.

Definitely words to live by in our complicated world.

I looked out down the private drive waiting on Mason's Porsche to come down the way with Brianna and Colt inside.

The two of them had gone to visit Rock ‘N' Ruin's recording studio where our little rockstar was spending so much of his time. He'd convinced Brianna to re-record the duet, Until You, with him. Unfortunately, I'd had a situation at work so I hadn't been able to make it there on time.

I'd ridden here like a fucking maniac right after instead, not wanting to be late to the house as well. Now I'd gotten here first, an hour or so ahead of them, absolving myself from the other thing.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it from my black designer jeans to find a text from my dad.

Dad: You're still signed into the server. Clock off.

I frowned down at the message. What?

Levi: How do you know that?

Dad: Just checking in every now and then.

Levi: Should I be touched or offended?

Dad: Both. LOL.

Levi: LMFAO.

Dad: Seriously, though, clock off, son. Enjoy your vacation.

Levi: Ok. Thank you, Dad.

Dad: You're doing great, by the way. So great that when you get back you and me are going to celebrate big.

Levi: I can't wait.

Dad: Have fun, son. Love you.

Levi: Love you.

I was just about to slide my phone back into my leather jacket when it buzzed with another text.

Brianna: Almost home, lovely. Can't wait to see you. Been a couple of days with you coming home so late and me leaving at the crack of dawn.

Levi: I'm here now and will be for this next week of our spectacular vacation.

Brianna: I'm so excited. Just the four of us, no distractions?

Levi: I promise.

Brianna: Me too.

My phone lit up with Colton opening a group chat.

Brianna and I entered and then he was messaging us right away.

Colt: Lev! Five minutes out now. Island vacation here we come!

Brianna: We are fucking first.

I smirked.

Levi: Are we now, baby?

Colt: Damn, cutie.

Brianna: We absolutely are.

Levi: It's on. Hey, aren't you two right next to each other in the car?

Colt: I wanted my own input, hence using two phones.

Levi: I see.

Brianna: Mason asked if you already packed your stuff for vacation?

Levi: I packed for all of you. I've been here for a while.

Colt: Wow. Thanks, brother!

Levi: No worries.

Brianna: Look at you being so organized and on the ball these days.

Levi: The new and improved me. Does it turn you on, baby?

Brianna: Absolutely.

Levi: Mmm, knowing that is getting me hot.

Colt: You're always hot for her.

Levi: Right back at you.

Colt: True. I'm a dirty fucking slut for her.

Brianna: Levi, don't work him up while we're in the car. He's giving me the eye right now and he just sank his fingers into Mason's hair while he's driving.

Levi: Down, cupcake. Keep your frosting on.

Colt: Frosting! Too funny!

Brianna: HAHAHA!

Colt: We're pulling onto the private drive now. See you in a few seconds, Hellraiser.

Levi: Right back at you, Maverick.

Levi: And my Wildflower.

Levi: Colt, tell Scourge it's time. Before we even head into the house. Because the second we do, Brianna's gonna be all over us.

Brianna: Hey. Well, it's true. It's been way too long.

Colt: Fucking right, my cock has been hating me. And Lev, got it. Just told Mason. In code, of course, so our little Bree doesn't get tipped off.

Brianna: Tipped off to what?

Levi: Dammit, cupcake.

Colt: Well, she's right here.

Levi: You could have whispered.

Colt: Sorry, too excited to keep my voice down. Besides, we're almost there anyway.

Levi: See you in a moment then.

I left the group chat, then pocketed my phone in my jacket.

Not a few seconds later, I spotted the Porsche coming down the drive.

Well, hurtling down it. Mason was eager as fuck. I couldn't fault him there, we all were. The need was burning in my fucking veins. My cock was already rock-hard with the anticipation alone of the four of us finally coming together again.

Before long, they were pulling in right beside my bike.

Brianna and Colt were out of the car first and bolting over to me.

Colt ruffled my hair. He kept doing that now after seeing my dad do it to me a couple of years back when we'd stayed at the Knight mansion. I laughed but it got caught in my throat when Brianna slammed into me, wrapping her arms around me.

She planted little kisses all over my hair, my cheeks, my throat, my chest.

"Missed you too, Wildflower."

When she eased up, I went to chase her lips, but Mason cleared his throat.

"First thing's first, Lev. You kiss her again and that'll be it, all roadblocks down and some epic fucking underway."

"Right," I said, taking a couple of much-needed steps back from her instead.

He and Colt came to stand either side of me.

Brianna stared between us curiously. "So, what's this surprise Colt alluded to?"

"Something ace!" Colt exclaimed in his usual no-holds-barred excited way.

"Ready?" Mason asked us.

"Shit, yeah," Colt cried.

"Fuck, it's on," I said.

He nodded, and then Mason turned around and lifted up the back of his Inked Zoners t-shirt with the bold zigzagging black and gold design to reveal a special tattoo across his upper back.

Colt pulled down his leather pants to reveal the same on his upper left thigh.

And I raised my crimson tee to reveal mine on my ribs.

We now all shared the same tattoo.

Mason had taken inspiration from Brianna's watercolor butterfly tattoo on her arm. He'd actually used the same butterfly like I had with the nightlight in the design. And he'd incorporated several other elements meaningful and special to our foursome. Wildflowers were interspersed throughout the design to represent her—dandelions, daffodils, lavender—and a Les Paul guitar for Colt, a tattoo gun for Mason, and a keyboard for me. Across the different elements was the word Brianna in a striking script font.

He'd designed something so intricate and edgy that really spoke to our love for her.

"Oh my God," Brianna breathed.

She came to each of us in turn and traced her fingers over our tattoos.

"I can't believe it. This is amazing. The best present I've ever gotten. You guys are so sweet! So incredible! Thank you!"

"Of course," Mason said, as we all fixed our clothes. "You deserve nothing less, dark angel."

It wasn't over yet, though.

He pulled a piece of paper from the back pocket of his distressed gray jeans and unfolded it, holding it up for her to see. It was the same design, except with our names scrawled across it in a script font.

"If you want," I told her.

She didn't even need to think about it, didn't even hesitate. She grabbed the paper and pressed it to her chest. "I'd love to! No question!"

"We'll set an appointment after vacation then," Mason said, grinning from ear-to-ear like Colt and me were.

"Speaking of vacation, let's get to the fucking, then we'll head out," Colt said. "I can't wait any longer."

"Me neither," I said, my words coming out as a growl.

In the next moment, I lunged at Brianna and threw her over my shoulder.

She squealed as I carried her toward the mansion, Mason and Colt chuckling as they followed over.

I smiled to myself.

This was it.

Our lives.

Our amazing lives.

Our spectacular foursome.

Things had come a long way.

We had as a unit.

I had as an individual.

I wasn't just a whole lot of damage anymore.

I was hopeful.

I was happy.

I was most definitely loved.

And, above all, I was at peace.

THE END