Page 167 of Before Now

Then we’ll have different reasons we want to visit Philly and Austin. Remi says Roman has a soft spot for me that he hopes I don’t notice. I have one for Imane that I openly admit. That little girl is cute as shit.

Watching Remi with her gives me a lot of fucking ideas, and soon enough, a mini-Chase will be unleashed upon the world. And my best friend and I have a dangerous habit of one-upping each other.

But despite all of those things, I still plan to steal Remi away every chance. Probably even when there isn’t one. My beautiful thing has a lot of beautiful things to see. I want to show her all the places I have before—only I want her to really see them this time. I want to wander with her, not know where we’re going, but always be where we were meant to be.

I’m there by simply being with Remi.

I don’t set her down until I toss her on the bed. She bounces as I strip off my shirt, and then her eyes are crawling down my chest and abs.

“My eyes are up here, baby.”

Somehow, after all the ways she’s taken my cock, that turns her cheeks pink. She kneels at the end of the bed, and I push her skirt higher up her thighs.

“When did you get this?” she asks, trailing her hand across therestlesstattoo above my jeans. “I’ve never asked, but I’ve wondered a thousand times.”

Her gaze rises to mine, searching for the answer, but I’ll willingly give it. I’ll give her everything.

“After Chase started to recover.” I press her flattened palm over the ink, my hand over hers.

She stares up at me confused. “But you thought I?—”

“I was going to stay restless because I’d never have you,” I admit, stroking my thumb down her cheek.

“But now I’m yours.” She turns her hand over underneath mine, links our fingers, and lies back. She pulls me with her, and I willingly follow, coming down between her thighs and bracing my other arm by her head.

“You are.”

“So you’re not restless anymore?” she says, her touch dancing along my jawline.

“Nah, I’m settled.” I drop my lips to hers, feel her, taste her, love her like she’s always deserved. “But now I’ll never forget what led me to you every time.”

EPILOGUE

FOSTER

Later…

“She’s gonna figure it out.”

I flip off Colton, leaving him to trail behind me. “Just stay out of my shot. You’ll ruin the romance.”

He snorts behind me, and I catch his eye roll on my screen as I slip in an earbud. By the time I video chat Remi, he’s moved to the side, so when she answers, she only sees me and random people in the background.

“Why aren’t you here?” she whines.

She’s on the bed in her hotel room in Prague, pouty lips extra pouty.

“I’m a busy man, baby.” I turn the corner and adjust the camera to center more on me. Once I’m inside, I can lose the hat and glasses, but Colt drew the line on wearing them in public.

“You swear you’ll be here by tomorrow?”

I smile and nod. “No other place I want to be.”

And she has no idea how much I mean it. It feels as if we haven’t stopped moving the past year. Of Men and Wolves had our album release, which means we both had the documentary. Goddamn, her work is a masterpiece. I’m biased as hell, but I’ve experienced a lot of art in my life. The way she conveys the world through her lens and how her message is clear yet holds such nuance beneath the surface for those looking has always left me in awe.

She brought the same touch to the music video she directed for us a couple months ago. I love watching her in her element, and Heath Erickson was right about Remi Sinner being the only name to watch.

Although, the director would likely off his protégé before he’ll admit he wasn’t drunk when he said it.

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