Page 82 of The Afterthought

"Let's see what you've got for me, little shadow." He looks at me curiously because I don't have anything in my hands, and I've already told him that the surprise wasn't anything sexual.

"You know how you got that tattoo over your chest for me?"

"Yes."

"Well, I got one for you, and don't worry, I was covered the entire time, and the artist was a woman. I know your psycho ass would want to know."

I pull down my cropped blouse to reveal the flaming heart over my chest. The inside of the heart is bare, save the two initials, GH. The black outline of the heart is made up of shaded flames rather than the traditional straight outline of a heart. He walks over to me and inspects it closer before looking up at me with so much vulnerability and compassion.

"You got this for me?"

"You're my everything, Grey, and I don't plan on spending a day without you again."

"You put my initials on your chest."

"I did." I square my shoulders and stand proud. "Everyone should know who I belong to."

His eyes light up with fire. The next thing I know, he's throwing me over his shoulder and marching straight to our bedroom. I giggle and bask in the reality that this is our life now. I get to spend every single day with the man who has always held my heart.

Epilogue

Greyson - Six months later

She looks so beautiful sitting there, drinking her coffee and snacking on one of the muffins I bought her. I still make sure that she has both daily. It’s something special that I can do for her to make sure she knows what she means to me. It doesn't take much to make her happy, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the person who does it.

Ava put her house up on the market almost immediately after we met with Knox, and it sold quickly. We were both surprised at how much she was able to sell it for. She moved some of her mother's things into storage and is still working up the courage to go through everything. It's a lot for her to process, so she's taking it a little bit at a time, with me right there by her side.

Knox sent a ton of fabricated information regarding Gary Myers to Ava about a month after our meeting. It was more than enough evidence to prove that he was caught up with the wrong people before tragically perishing in the fire at Temptations. He didn't, but Mrs. Myers never questioned a single thing. She was just so grateful to know what happened to her son. The payout from Ava completing the job was massive.

With those funds, the money from the sale of her house, and what I've saved up over the years, we were able to buy a pretty nice place for ourselves. It's just outside of Dune Valley. Close enough that I can get back into town when I am needed by the Crimson Rose, and she can get back into town when her sister calls. Kai wasn't even the slightest bit upset about me moving out. He had Wrenly moved in just a few months later.

We've been operating on the hybrid model Ava suggested to Knox for the last six months, and it seems to be working perfectly. I'm no longer directly associated with the gang business, but I'm still the one they turn to when they need information tortured out of someone. It was truly a perfect solution—a meet-in-the-middle of sorts and one hundred percent my girl's idea.

The parts I partake in are enough to satiate my flaming urges. I’ve gotten a bit more creative with how I use the fire on my victims. It's also a bonus that I get to catch up with the crew when I go there. They all took the news exceptionally well. Nobody had anything to say about me stepping back. Maybe they were afraid of what I might do to them if they did. Kai stepped up as Knox's new right hand, and he's been excelling at it. They've managed to broker deals with several new buyers, and based on what he's told me, business is at an all-time high.

We've attended a few get-togethers for the Crimson Rose. I thought at first that Ava wouldn't want anything to do with the crew, but it's actually quite the opposite. She's made friends with some of the other members' wives, and while she is technically not and can't ever be a gang wife because I am no longer an active member, she's earned a new level of respect for them.

Matt is a full-fledged member now. He was initiated as soon as he and Chloe returned from their trip, which was supposed to last one month but ended up being three. They were just having so much fun that they didn't want to come back quite yet. If Chloe hadn’t had college classes starting up, she would have likely wanted to travel longer.

Ava wasn't happy about her being away for so much longer. She missed celebrating her 18th birthday with her, which was pretty upsetting, but I had to remind her that it was good for Chloe and Matt to experience that together. She's gotten over it now that Chloe is back, but she has a strict rule that she is not allowed to leave town for her birthday next year. I guess Ava made her agree to let her throw a huge party to celebrate.

Chloe and Matt live in the house she grew up in. They remind me of what Ava and I could have been had I not tried to take the easier route and break things off with her. They seem so happy and so in love. If he ever hurts her, though, I will burn him to a crisp.

Ava started her new job at the police station as an office assistant. She's been fitting right in with everyone and has even considered taking the courses needed to become an officer. Knox thinks it's a fantastic opportunity because then he will have another friend on the inside. When he told her that, she just rolled her eyes at him.

Andrea and Mrs. Wolfe both left town not too long after graduation. They needed a fresh start, and Andrea wanted to go to college in South Carolina. Susan just couldn't bear being here in Dune Valley alone, so she packed up and went with her daughter. From what I've been told, Chloe still talks to Andrea occasionally, but it's sparingly.

What's left of the Cobras isn't much. We heard through the rumor mill that they get together here and there, but there is no formal organization. There is a very low probability of them ever climbing back up to the status they used to be at. Even if they did manage to crawl out of the ashes, the Crimson Rose has gained so much standing it wouldn't matter. Knox made sure to install a ridiculous number of cameras around the property, at the garage, and in the torture shed. He wasn’t taking any chances after the incident.

I have a date night planned with Ava tonight, and I can't wait. I still have a reputation around town, so I was able to call in a favor with one of the guys who runs the local drive-in. I wanted tonight to be perfect. She has no idea what I have up my sleeve, which makes it all the better. I told her we were going to the movies, of course, but I have an extra surprise that she has to wait to find out.

I left her at the house a little bit ago to get ready. I needed to run into town and gather a few things. Blueberry muffins, check. Her favorite coffee, check. A few drinks for me, check. Before I know it, I'm back in the car and heading inside the house to escort her to the car for our date night.

She looks stunning, like always. Her fiery orange hair falls across her chest in perfect loose curls. She has dark eyeshadow and bright red lipstick. It accentuates the deep brown color of her eyes. I can't help but imagine those red lips staining my cock later. If everything goes according to plan tonight, she will definitely want to find a way to thank me. She has on one of her classic crop tops, a pleated black skirt, and tights that I will absolutely be ripping into before the end of the night.

All the things we need for the evening are already packed into the back seat of the car, so I turn on the ignition to make the short trip to the drive-in. We've made a point to start up our date nights here again throughout the summer. Tonight, I notice that there aren't as many people here as there normally are. That's a good thing. That means there will be fewer people to hear the way I make her scream when my cock is buried inside her.

After I pay the attendant, I pull right into the spot in the back row that we've claimed as ours. Nobody ever tries to park here anymore. I may have spread the word around town that if they do, they will regret it. This is Ava's favorite spot because it has the best view of the screen. I simply made sure she always has it. Once parked, I pull out everything to set up while she runs to the concession stand to grab a churro.

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