Catching the Hero

Epilogue

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. N.L. PETIT 2014.

Epilogue

"You know, I never thought it would end this way."

I leaned forward in my chair, elbows resting on my knees. The gorgeous, tea-colored rose rotated between my fingers before I laid it down on the table beside me. A shallow breath caught in my throat. It was far past midnight now, and I still donned my suit.

"I thought that, if anyone had to go, it would be me. Not for some sick sense of heroism, but because I thought I knew our enemy better than I really did. I guess I didn't."

The nonstop flow of tears had begun this morning. It wasn't hysterical sobbing, but more mournful and sorrowful than any other reaction I had ever had.

"I wish you could see Trey. I swear, he hasn't cared about a girl for her personality in a long time. When it turned out to be the girl he spent every night on an adventure with and the one he had taken an interest in, it was like it ruined every chance for him. He's taking it hard, really hard.

"That was you, Raina. For him. I wish you could've known before..." I stopped, not willing to drag myself back into that hole of sadness.

With another rocky breath, I said to the empty room, "I miss you. We all do."

~

That night, I had slept so deeply that Trace had woken me in fear during the night. I could see it in his eyes: He was plagued by the memory of how he had found us. He was afraid that even though he was fully capable of keeping me safe, something would happen when I was out of his sight, or worse, right in front of him. It reminded me of the feeling I'd had when I believed him dead, and I never, never wanted that feeling again.

"It'll get better," he had promised me. He held me closer, and I knew he was right. 

When I had woken, he wasn't in the room. I walked quietly out of his bedroom, eyes taking in details I had missed in the house before. It wasn't as unkempt as I had expected for a house with three men living in it; I credited that to Chris, as he always seemed to be the one picking up after the other two. 

Chris, who was currently at the cafe attempting to woo Jamie. Though he denied it profusely, that was one relationship in the making of which I very much wanted to see the outcome. 

Following the scent of fresh food, I entered the kitchen. Trace stood before the stove, like a vision from my fantasies: shirtless and gorgeous -- and incredibly amused by my expression. He came around the island and wrapped his arms around my waist, eyes happier than I'd seen them in a long time.

"I knew you only liked me for my body."

I laughed and stood on my toes to press a kiss to his lips. "Don't forget your car."

As I went to step away, he pulled me back, his lips meeting mine in a fiery kiss. I was breathless by the time it ended, and somehow, I had ended up on the island, arms around his neck.  He didn't try to step back. and neither did I. 

"That's disgusting, I eat there."

This time, I did pull back, but only as Jamie's petite form came in after Chris's. 

"What are you doing here?"

Jamie rolled her brown eyes, giving me a look. "Missed you too, Lays. Gee, you're right, it has been almost a month since we've seen each other!"

I stared at her as the sarcasm continued, before I jumped off the island and ran to her.

"Sorry, Jamie," I muttered as I wrapped her in a hug. " I did miss you. You're right about it being too long."