Page 46 of Kalix
It’s like both of those losers saw what they were missing once I got Lainey and had to figure out their own shit.
There’s still two more years left of college and who knows where we’ll go next, but as long as I’m with her, I really couldn’t care less.
EPILOGUE 2
LAINEY
Three Years Later
Kalix holdshis bike keys out to me. “I don’t like this” he says, and I know it’s killing him inside to hand his baby over.
I flash him my cheesiest grin as I pull them from his fingers. “But you want me to be happy, right?”
He squints at me, a playful smirk on his face. “You’re using my love for you as a weapon, and you know it’s physically impossible for me to tell you no.” He places a kiss on the tip of my nose.
I smirk back at him, “You told me no when I asked to try that scene from the audiobook that I was commissioned to do art for. The one we listened to on the way to Salem last year.”
The smile he had fades as he grabs my chin. “That’s the one exception. I don’t share. You’re mine. It’s not happening. End of discussion.” My heart races as his eyes bore into mine. “Now get on the bike.”
I bite my bottom lip, pulling on it before letting it go. I stand on my tiptoes and place a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth before stepping back and clapping my hands making the keys jingle. “Let’s go, Goldberg.” He chuckles at my nickname for him as he helps me onto the bike. We binge-watched the whole series together when we both had the flu last year. I called him the name as a joke and it just stuck.
After four years, he still stalks me and keeps tabs on everything I do. We once had a conversation about the depth of his obsession with me, but we never discussed it again. It’s as if we have a mutual understanding that it’s a topic we don’t discuss openly.
Whenever I’m at work, getting coffee, doing something with Lexie, or running on the treadmill at Flex, I often get random goosebumps before the faint smell of cigarettes and leather fills the air. I never look around too hard to find him, but I know he’s always there in the shadows.
He is always looking out for me and doing things to make sure that I’m happy and comfortable. I know that I can always rely on him to make sure that I’m taken care of, especially when I don’t have the motivation to do it myself.
His obsession with me only makes my love for himgrow stronger, and I’m about to show him just how much.
I don’t torment him for long before I stop in front of Blackstone Ink and remove my helmet.
“Well, that was fast.” He says as he lifts his visor. “I expected you to at least make me suffer for a half hour before stopping.”
I dismount and turn toward him. Rolling my eyes and smiling, I say, “Well, it looks like you’re still in one piece, so you couldn’t have suffered too much.”
He just shakes his head at me and takes his helmet off. Looking around the shopping center he says, “So, what do you wanna do next? We’ve already eaten. Maybe I can take you into this candle store to get you some of that good-smelling shit you like.”
I laugh. “Yeah, we can do that. But first….” I stretch my mouth into the biggest cheesiest grin I can muster and throw both of my hands out, directing his attention to the tattoo shop sign.
He follows my movements, glancing between me and the shop.With a confused smirk, he asks, “What do you have in mind?”
Four hours later
Before Kalix, I never wanted a tattoo. I thought they were cool and pretty, but nothing ever seemedappealing enough for me to permanently mark my body.
After spending nearly half a decade immersed in everything Kalix, my perspective changed. His stunning skin, always on display, captivates me.
As Onyx, the tattoo artist, sprays a cool liquid over my finished piece, I remember to shoot Lexie a happy birthday text.
Happy Birthday!! I hope you two are enjoying your trip.
Can’t wait to celebrate when you get back!!!
As soon as I press send, there's a tap on the door. I look up and grin.
“Perfect timing.” Onyx says to Kalix. “I just finished up.” She smiles at him, but he doesn’t even bother to look in her direction. His focus is on the fresh ink on my thigh.
“Get out.” He nods his head towards the door.
