Page 145 of Misted
Epilogue
Two years later,
There’sthis thing that Hawk does every day and reduces me to a hormonal teenager.
He runs along the beach half-naked, wearing only shorts, as he throws punches in the air. I usually join him just so I can figure out ways to get him out of the shorts.
I don’t have to try hard. The moment I sprint in front of him, Hawk kind of tackles me to the sand and takes me there and then. Sometimes, he binds my hands so I’ll learn not to taunt him.
Needless to say, I didn’t learn my lesson quiet yet.
The part about tying me up and being completely ruthless never disappeared. It’s become a part of who we are. What we are.
But other times, Hawk takes me so slowly and savours every inch of me as if he can’t re-learn my body close enough or be inside me deep enough. The other day, we had slow sex in the middle of the ocean — that became our sanctuary after he taught me how to swim — that somehow turned to rough sex.
Both versions are my undoing.
I lean against the doorframe, patiently waiting for Hawk to round the deck and return. Actually, I don’t feel patient at all. I’m about to jump out of my own skin.
We got married the day Hawk was released from The Pit. He dragged me to town and had the civil officer register our marriage. When I told him it’s too early, he said, it’s fifteen years too late and that kind of shut me up. Then, we had a small reception here with a few Team Zero members as attendees.
Although we didn’t cut contact with the others, Hawk and I chose this cosy place as our home. Scar so rudely calls it a retirement home for old hitmen. I grinned when Shadow reminded her in his mocking tone that her baby face doesn’t mean she has a baby age.
Hawk and I keep in touch with Crow and Eloise since they live close by. The three of us need the normalcy Eloise emanates. We’ve all been spoiling the baby girl she gave Crow two years ago.
Every time I watch Eloise hugging her child, my heart twists. I can’t help it.
I’m happy with Hawk. No. I’m blissed and I wake up every day grateful that his handsome face is the first thing I see. He’s been slowly but surely erasing all the grief I’ve been trapping myself in, and every night, I sleep like a baby in his arms.
We’re back to me talking about everything and nothing and Hawk listening patiently. Only now that he embraced his dominant self, he can kind of shut me up with a single command — or touch.
After every visit to Crow’s house, Hawk fucks me hard and ruthless as if reminding me how much he loves me and how much we’re enough for each other.
It’s been more than enough. It’s been my fantasy.
Until I got the letter.
Hawk finally runs in my direction. His hair has grown and I’ve been forbidding him from cutting it. I enjoy how the damp strands fall on his forehead or when he shakes it off from the water. He must’ve taken a swim without me since his shorts are wet and stick to his hard thigh muscles that ripple with every move.
He’s still so utterly fit, it’s sinful. I might have covered him with a towel when we went to a public beach.
No woman gets to ogle what’s mine.
Not that we go to public beaches anymore. Hawk almost murdered any man who dared to look my way.
If the mutual possessiveness isn’t an evidence that we’re so cut for each other, I don’t know what is.
He flashes me a dazzling smile before leaning over and pressing his lips to mine. It’s an open-mouthed, hungry kiss that steals my breath and sanity away.
People get a peck first thing in the morning, I get devoured.
I wouldn’t accept it any other way.
“The water is warm, let’s go for a swim.” He hooks his thumb in the pockets of my blue summer dress, pulling me against him. “We need to get rid of this first.”
“Wait.” I wiggle away from his clutch before I become mindless and forget what I need to tell him.
“What is it?” He must’ve sensed the urgency in my tone since he closes in on me.