Page 216 of Burning Daylight
But when it mattered, he showed up, and she let him in. Not because it was easy, but because it was real.
And maybe their story wasn’t built for glass slippers. Maybe they never fit the mold.
But it was theirs. And it was art.
If she was the sun, then he was every constellation in the sky.
For never was a bond the stars could show,
As boundless as Juliette…and her Romeo.
EPILOGUE
JULIETTE
This isn’t the first funeral I’ve ever been to, but it is the one with the most people.
My hand grips Roman’s as we sit in the front row, listening to the minister talk about legacy and friendship, about the founding family and all that it means. About passing the torch and never forgetting who came before.
I’ve cried a few times, but I’ve held it together pretty good other than that.
Everyone who is anyone is here, and it’s crazy to me how out of control things can be one second, and then, with a little bit of money and influence, glossed over and pushed under the rug. Molded to fit the narrative instead of the truth.
Frederick Lawrence died as a disgrace.
I look to my right, my chest growing warm when I see Tyler—still recovering from his wound—his arm draped across the back of Rosalie’s chair. He must sense my gaze, because he looks at me and winks.
There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t thank God that he made it, that he survived. There’s still a lot of bad bloodbetween him and Roman, but time heals all wounds. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
If my dad can bury the hatchet enough to be here attending Marcus’s funeral, then I have hope that the rest of my family and Roman can one day mend the rift and forgive each other for being manipulated by the people who were supposed to love them.
I’m not holding my breath, but at least everyone is alive.
And now the feud between Montgomerys and Calloways is being buried with Marcus. I guess when a man throws himself into danger to save your daughter’s life, it becomes clear that some grudges shouldn’t be held on to simply because of the blood that runs through your veins.
Roman is the Montgomery empire now. And Paxton’s set to take over for my dad, although I’m not convinced it was entirely voluntary on either of their parts.
They’re going to work together—Roman and him—even though Roman is in over his head. Paxton said he’d help him navigate the business waters. It’s not likeIhave any idea of what the hell everyone does.
My mother is another story, but she doesn’t really get a say in my life anymore. Not since I moved out and took up residence with Roman at Montgomery Manor in the HillPoint.
Besides, now that my father is retiring (being pushed out), the two of them have decided to go on a perma-vacation. Sail around the world or something.
I wouldn’t know, because I haven’t spoken to them.
I wish I could say that everything is better, but I still have so many questions about that night and about the people involved.
Beverly—Cassandra—is still missing. And so is Roman’s mom.
My heart cramps when I think about her and the trauma that she’s left him with. He hasn’t told Brooklynn about any of it yet,and honestly, I don’t blame him. How do you tell someone that their mother allowed you to be an unwitting pawn in a fucked-up person’s scheme?
Benjamin is next to Merrick, both of whom are sitting on Roman’s other side, and while I don’t relish the idea of any of them being close to Roman, he seems to want them there, and I trust in his choices.
And then there’s Lance, sitting next to Alex and Art, that bartender girl Ginny—who I know for sure now is Art’s girlfriend—from the Round Table on Art’s other side.
Again, I have a lot of questions, especially after Roman filled me in on everything that I missed while I was passed out on the ground at Upside Down Rock.
But there’s time for that later.
