Page 142 of Lies Like Love

“Yep.” If the guys were shocked I proposed, they were even more surprised when I said I was surprising her with a wedding.

But I don’t expect them to get it. When you meet your soulmate and watch her get ripped from your hands, you don’t hesitate when you finally have her back again. I fought our demons and won. She’s my prize and I have no apologies claiming her.

“I’m happy for you, man.” Sage says, but he looks like he’s holding back a laugh.

“Sure you are.”

He smiles, shaking his head, switching places with Crew to change in the bathroom once the door finally opens. Crew’s face looks like shit, but I guess it wouldn’t be a Twisted Roses wedding if someone didn’t have a few bruises.

When Sage finishes changing, I dip into the bathroom to get dressed. I stand in the mirror and try to decide who stares back at me. The kid who met Felicity Alcott eleven years ago and the man I am now bleed together so much one doesn’t exist without the other.

Just like I don’t exist without her.

Inevitable.

Fel and I were meant to walk this road, and we’re finally doing it. I’m going to make her my wife, but it’s nothing more than a title with how she’s branded on my soul.

Mine.

Now. Always. Forever.

Epilogue

Fel

It’scooloutsideforan LA winter, but as I step out onto the roof, I'm too excited to care about the chill of breeze tickling my skin.

“You sure you’re ready for this?” Maren brushes her fingers over my shoulders and adjusts my straps.

“You know I am.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I know. But I wouldn’t be a proper friend if I didn’t give you an out if you needed one. So I’m just saying… say the word, and I’ve got the getaway car on standby. I’ll get you to an airport and on a plane to anywhere.”

“I appreciate it.” I hold her arms. “But I’m not going anywhere, and you know it. This is what I want.”

Maren’s face softens, and even if she doesn’t get it, a genuine smile crosses her cheeks. “Just checking.”

I take a deep breath and pull her in for a hug. It doesn’t matter if she understands my decisions, Maren has always been there for me. She supported me when I decided to pave my own way after college and has held my hand through all the events of the past couple of months.

She’s the only person besides Jude who knows what really happened at my grandparents’ house. And she’s been there for me even when I didn’t have the words to formulate my feelings.

Music kicks up across the rooftop, and Maren pulls back, holding onto my hands and smiling. Whether she and Jude get along doesn’t matter, she knows he’s good for me. He brings out my strong side, empowering me to face the world instead of fearing it.

“This place isn’t bad. Look at the view.”

I follow Maren’s gaze out at the city, which somehow seems both big and small from up here.

Close and far away. Like my past and my future.

“I can get used to it, that’s for sure.” I still can’t believe Jude surprised me with this beautiful apartment—or this wedding. “But I’m going to miss living with you.”

“Same, girl. Same.” Maren frowns, but I know she’s secretly happy for me. “But I get it. From the moment we stepped into that shop, I should have seen this coming.”

“You mean when you were trying to seduce him yourself?”

Maren rolls her eyes, and I laugh. It sounds ridiculous now, but it doesn’t mean I don’t plan on giving her crap about it for the foreseeable future.

“The man only had eyes for you.”

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