Page 113 of 1 Last Shot

I see the tiniest flicker of something in her eyes, something I might one day identify as regret or shame, and for a split second, I see a hint of the mom I always thought I had. Maybe it’s real, maybe it’s not, I don’t know. I don’t care. Whatever it is, it seems to be the reason she completely deflates in front of my eyes.

When she leaves, it almost feels anticlimactic—she doesn’t say anything, doesn’t stop to look at me, she just blows past me and out the door.

I don't know when I'll hear from her again. I know this won't be the last time she'll ask me for money, and she’ll probably still try to carry out her threats, but for the first time since I was a teenager, I'm not scared to deal with it.

I feel… freed.

A while later, I'm settled on the couch with Oscar leaning into my side when I hear the lock scratch at the front door. I look up to see Isabella walking into the apartment, the key I gave her this week clutched in her hand and a wide smile on her face.

"I was half-worried you gave me a fake one," she says with an adorable giggle.

I don't return the laugh. I can't. I can only stand from my seat and walk across the room to wrap an arm around her waist and cup her face in my hand.

Slowly, the smile drops from her face. She looks up at me with wide, dazed eyes, asking me without words what I'm doing.

I answer her with a kiss.

I kiss her with every ounce of love, and happiness, and gratitude in my body. I don't take my lips off hers for seconds, minutes, hoping that with every press of my mouth against hers, I can somehow convey the gratitude that I have for her.

I know it's an impossible mission. I'll likely never be able to truly show this woman how she helped me—how she accepted me for who I am and opened my eyes to my worth. I can only try.

When I pull away, her lips are pink and her expression is dazed. But there's a smile on her face, and the sight of her happy is like a balm to my soul.

“Hi, princess,” I murmur with a smile of my own.

“Hi,” she whispers back.

“Did you have a good day?” AndGod, it feels effortless to ask that. It’s such a simple question, but I never actually thought I’d be able to use that word to describe any part of my life. Never thought I wouldwantto.

“Mhmm,” she hums. “It’s better now, though.” She seems to finally notice that there’s something different about my demeanor, something lighter, so she pulls back just enough to get a better look at my face. “Did you?”

I nod. “It’s better now,” I parrot. There isn’t a chance that I can tamp down on my growing smile.

“Good,” she says happily. “Are we hanging out tonight? What are we doing?”

I lean down so I can press a kiss to her neck. “Anything you want, princess,” I murmur against her skin. “I just want to spend time with you.”

She tightens her arms around my waist, wanting me closer. “I want Oscar to be with us, too. Why don’t we watch a movie? I picked our movie last time, so you should pick it this time.”

“Deal,” I agree immediately. Because I was right about Isabella’s smile having the power to make me agree to anything, and I’m not even a little bit mad about it.

She lets out a happy squeak and presses a kiss to my lips before she steps back. “I’ll order food for us then. I’m so excited!”

I’m chuckling as I watch her prance around my apartment, over to where Oscar is curled up on my couch. My heart wants to practically burst out of my chest at even the sight of it, and I’m suddenly filled with a gratitude so great, I don’t know how to breathe around it.

I can’t believe this is my life now. Can’tbelievethis is what my future looks like. That Isabella, and Oscar, and happiness are a part of it.

And as I shut my front door, I can’t help feeling like I’m closing the door on my past. I’m ready to lean into a future I never thought I could have, but will be thankful for every second of the rest of my life.

KANE’S EPILOGUE

"Alright,TIME!"

A chorus of groans echo all around the gym, all of the fighters collapsing at the same time.

"You guys are sodramatic," Coach sighs as he leaves his vantage spot beside the cage.

"You know, I would love to see him do one of these workouts one day," Aiden gasps as he clutches his stomach. "I know he was some hotshot pro fighter back in the day, but there is nowaythe old man could do these pain camps he puts us through."

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