Bad Intentions by Tara Wyatt
Epilogue
Four months later
Lucian sat at the piano in his living room, looking out over the city as the first snowflakes fell, swirling lightly in the wind, cascading up and down and eventually settling far below before melting almost instantly.
His fingers moving over the keys, he started playing “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” filling the penthouse with the upbeat, cheerful music.
The past four months had been the best of his life. Olivia had officially moved in with him and was subletting her apartment to one of her girlfriends. She’d become a part of his life seamlessly, intertwining her life with his. Her father had gradually warmed up to their relationship, especially when he’d seen how happy Liv was and how serious they were. He still had his reservations, but he was coming around.
His family was healthy and happy, and Max and Willa were getting married on New Year’s Eve in just a couple of weeks. Sebastian had proposed to Kayla at Thanksgiving. Aerin was the world’s happiest mother. It felt as though they’d all endured a shitstorm and had finally come out on the other side, survivors all of them. Like coming out of a storm cellar after a brutal tornado and seeing clear skies. Maybe even a rainbow.
The Las Vegas expansion was officially a success, and all of the new restaurants and clubs were thriving. And as for the Kings of Hell’s Kitchen…what they’d done to Massimo and his men had sent a message. A loud and clear one that that kind of shit wasn’t going to be tolerated. They were making progress on their new mission, but they still had work to do. A lot of work.
He glanced around as he started picking out the chords of “Frosty the Snowman,” wondering where Liv had gone. She’d been puttering around not that long ago, fussing with the elaborate Christmas tree they’d put up earlier that day, making cookies that had filled the penthouse with the sweetest, most mouthwatering scent.
How was this his life now? He grinned, shaking his head as he played. He didn’t know. But he wasn’t going to question it. He’d spent far too much of his life feeling unworthy of good things, and he was done with that. He’d wasted enough time.
Olivia came from the direction of their bedroom and sat down beside him on the piano bench, her hip bumping against his playfully. “So.” He stopped playing and glanced over at her. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks pink. “I, um. I have an early Christmas present for you.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Do you? And what’s that?” he asked, expecting a kiss, or maybe the promise of some sexual favor to come.
But he was wrong, because she reached into the back pocket of her jeans and laid a pregnancy test over the piano keys. Two bright pink lines stared up at him.
“I’m pregnant.”
He didn’t have words for the emotion washing over him. It was joy, but bigger and brighter. Surprise, but lighter and happier. Hope, but deeper and stronger.
It was everything. Absolutely everything.
“Holy shit,” he said, a smile stretching across his face as he picked up the test, unable to stop looking at those two little lines that said he and Liv had made a life.
“Surprise,” she said weakly, and he looked over to see that she had tears in her eyes. “I hope you’re happy, because I am.”
He set the test down and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. “I’ve never been so fucking happy in my life,” he murmured against her hair, his throat tight with emotion. “This is incredible. I just…” He shook his head, looking at the test again. He couldn’t seem to stop looking at it, marveling at what it signified. “I thought you were on the pill.”
She twisted her mouth to the side. “I forgot one last month. I didn’t think missing just one would be a big deal, but…bingo.”
He laughed and pulled her back into his arms, kissing her, soft and sweet. “Best mistake you’ve ever made.”
“I agree.”
He kissed her again as the snowflakes fell, making everything pristine and new.
* * *
THE END
Thank you so much for reading Lucian and Olivia’s story. This wasn’t the easiest story to write. In fact, I started and then re-started because I really wanted to get it right. I hope I’ve given Lucian the story he deserved. If you’re not ready to say goodbye to the Prescotts yet, I have good news! There’s a bonus epilogue that takes place at Max and Willa’s wedding and also hints at what’s next in the world of the Prescotts. To get access to this bonus content, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter (if you’re already a subscriber, don’t worry, you’ll get a link where you can download this bonus content).
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There are more Prescott books coming! Watch for Burning Up (Noah’s story), Skin Deep (Hudson’s story), and Side Effects (Levi’s story) coming in the first half of 2022. Also…The Kings of Hell’s Kitchen are getting their own series! Stay tuned for more info.
