Kingmakers, Year Two

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ZOE

Chicago

I t’s Sabrina Gallo’s birthday.

We celebrate at the Shedd Aquarium, where the dinner tables are arranged around floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking in upon the sharks, rays, and turtles floating around in their underwater world. The pale blue rippling light makes it feel as if we’re all underwater, too, particularly the couples circling dreamily on the dance floor.

I’m glad I’ve met most of Miles’ family separately by this point, because they’re quite the intimidating crowd. The Gallos are all beautiful, with the nut-brown skin, thick dark curls, and surreal gray eyes that I’ve come to know and love on Miles. That, at least, makes me feel a sense of familiarity, though each of them differs enough in their sharp and provoking personalities to keep me on my toes.

No one is more beautiful than Sabrina Gallo herself. I’ve never seen a girl so exotic and breathtaking. She’s entirely in her element receiving her pile of presents from family members, and the kisses and well-wishes of friends.

A continual rotation of boys orbit her, battling for her attention.

“How old is she turning?” I ask Miles.

“Seventeen. One more year until she comes to Kingmakers.”

“I can already see she’ll be popular.”

“She’ll be trouble, more like,” Miles shakes his head. “Sabrina causes more problems than the rest of my cousins put together.”

Even Miles’ uncle Dante has flown in from Paris with his three children and his supermodel wife who I remember from the magazines and billboards of my youth. Dante is so big that he makes Silas Gray seem petite by comparison, and his eldest son Henry is his mirror image, only a little darker-complected, with a slightly gentler face. While Dante is terrifying, Henry has a softness to his deep brown eyes and full lips that has almost as many female eyes turned in his direction as the flock of males circling Sabrina.

The Griffins have come to the party as well, including the elegant Riona Griffin with her handsome rancher husband and their four redheaded sons. The sons cluster around a table in the corner, playing some sort of card game that evokes plenty of laughter, but also moments of tension where it seems like all four burly country boys might break out into a fistfight that would smash the table and chairs like kindling under their combined mass.

Anna and Leo dance together, Anna looking particularly ethereal as she twirls on the axis of Leo’s hand, a massive manta ray floating directly behind her as if they’re engaged in some kind of cross-species pas de deux .

Leo’s parents sit at the table closest to the dance floor, feeding bits of cake to Leo’s little sister Natasha who will be celebrating her own first birthday soon. The surprise baby seems to have revitalized his parents. As they laugh and tickle the giggling, frosting-smeared infant, Sebastian and Yelena look barely any older than Leo and Anna.

Miles’ parents are deep in conversation at their own table, their knees close together and their heads almost touching as Aida tells her husband some animated anecdote with much gesturing of hands. Callum Griffin listens to her intently, occasi onally chuckling, and always keeping his steel-blue eyes fixed on her face.

I was terrified to meet them. I could hardly breathe when the taxi pulled up to their house. Then Aida came running out onto the lawn, barefoot and wearing a pair of cut off denim shorts, immediately pulled me into the longest, warmest hug of my life. She started peppering me with questions, teasing Miles, and fussing over Cat and me, until I was too distracted to be nervous.

Miles’ father Callum is polite and genteel, but terrifying in his intensity. He has that analytical stare that seems to break you down into pieces, tallying up every bit of you. I only managed to keep my composure because I’d encountered it before in Miles himself.

Also like his son, Callum is incredibly devoted to the people he loves, beginning with his wife, and trickling down through Miles, Caleb, and Noelle. He takes an acute interest in each of his children, even little Noelle, who every night has been adding to her scale model of the Helix Bridge with her father’s help.

Their house is always full of ongoing projects, talk, laughter, and delicious food. Aida brings home delicacies from all over Chicago for us to sample, in case we missed any while sightseeing .

It’s strange how their modern glass prism can feel so cozy and welcoming, while my father’s villa has always seemed more like a rented hotel.

Daniela runs the villa like an austere foreman, while Aida is so warm and irreverent that it’s impossible not to feel at home around her. Like Miles, she has a wicked sense of humor with a kind heart underneath.

In the few weeks we’ve been in Chicago, she’s set up a dozen different activities for Miles and me, often sending Caleb along with Cat to keep her company. Caleb is a little younger than Cat and he can be intense and aggressive, but he’s taken his role as tour guide very seriously, trying to show Cat every inch of the city that he thinks might be of interest to her.

Cat is easy to please. She’s immersed herself in every museum, monument, and historical site. She even agreed to join us on a helicopter tour over the city, though I know she doesn’t love flying on any type of aircraft, least of all one that can fly in between skyscrapers.

Right now she’s dancing with Dario Gallo, Dante’s youngest, who has a slimmer build than his father and brother, and no insignificant skill at spinning Cat around. Cat looks pink-cheeked and breathless, and very pretty in the blue sparkly dress we bought this afternoon on the Magnificent Mile.

I bought a new gown too, jade green and backless, something I never would have dared to wear before. It hugs me like a second skin, and keeps Miles’ eyes pinned to me constantly, which is all I could want out of a dress.

“Do you want to see the rest of the aquarium?” Miles asks me.

Nero and Camille Gallo rented out the whole place for their daughter’s party. The long glass galleys are almost entirely empty, as most of the guests seem to prefer eating, drinking, and dancing to viewing the fish.

“I’d love to walk with you,” I say.

Miles takes my arm. We stroll through the long underwater tunnel that allows eels and sharks to swim directly over our heads.

The light turns our skin faintly blue, and brings out hints of topaz in Miles’ eyes. He looks extraordinarily handsome in his stylish tuxedo, with the crisp white collar and black bow-tie highlighting the masculine lines of his jaw.

He pulls me tight against him under the watery, shifting light, kissing me until my head spins. His mouth is warm and soft, and tastes pleasantly of champagne.

“I want to talk to you about something,” he says.

“What is it?”

“I want to preface this by saying that you don’t have to agree. I won’t be angry if you don’t like this idea. ”

“You’re not going to try to convince me?” I laugh. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Well, I didn’t say that,” Miles grins. He takes a breath, one dark eyebrow cocked. “I sent your script to a friend of a friend in Los Angeles. He was interested.”

“What?” I gasp.

“He’s an agent of sorts—and he works as a script doctor himself. He liked your story. He thinks you should try writing a version that could be shot as a TV pilot.”

“Miles, you didn’t tell me you were going to do that!”

“I was just putting out feelers.”

I look at him closely, at his set shoulders and his focused expression. I know Miles well enough that I can guess where this is headed.

“I know what you’re up to.”

Miles tries to hide his smile. “Oh yeah? What?”

“You want me to come to L.A. with you.”

Miles laughs. “You are figuring me out, you tricky minx.”

He takes both my hands and brings them to his lips, keeping those keen gray eyes fixed on me .

“I don’t care about graduating,” he says. “I already got what I wanted out of Kingmakers. And I don’t think you’re that attached to the place, now that you’re not buying time on your engagement. I could stay another year, but after I graduated, you’d still have a whole year left. I don’t want to be apart from you.”

I consider what he’s saying, my brain spinning.

It’s true—I don’t want to be separated from Miles when he finishes school before me. That’s another year out, but I understand the point he’s making: if we already know we want to start building a life together, then what are we waiting for?

Still, I hesitate.

Miles already knows the reason, I don’t have to explain it.

“You don’t want to abandon Cat,” he says.

I nod. My sister’s safety and comfort mean the world to me. I hate the idea of leaving her anywhere alone. Especially somewhere as dangerous and unpredictable as Kingmakers.

“Rocco’s not there anymore,” Miles says. “She’ll still have Anna, Leo, and Chay to keep an eye on her. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed . . . but Cat has changed a lot. She’s not a kid anymore—she can take care of herself.”

It pains me to hear that, even though I know it’s true and I want my sister to be confident and independent. Miles is right—Cat ha s grown by leaps and bounds. I don’t think she even dislikes Kingmakers anymore, or at least, it’s become a challenge instead of torture.

“I’d have to talk to her . . .” I say, hesitantly.

“Of course,” Miles replies, with the gleam of incipient triumph in his eye. He knows he’s working on me. He knows that the idea of the two of us in warm California sunshine, in the sea breeze under the palm trees, is incredibly enticing to me. I’ve always wanted to see L.A. Always wanted to be in the place where all my favorite movies were made.

“There’s another issue,” I say, wincing. “I don’t have any money, Miles. I spent two month’s allowance on this dress. I have no savings. And unfortunately, you had to clear out all of yours to help me.”

I bite my lip, feeling sick inside. I’m incredibly grateful for what Miles did for me, but I’ve never been able to shake the guilt of costing him all that money, all those years of work. I don’t see how he can pursue his dream of becoming a broker and producer if our combined net worth is one green dress.

Miles just laughs, as unconcerned as ever.

“Let me show you something,” he says, pulling out his phone. He opens a strange little app with a plain green block as its icon .

Inside I see a digital counter, increasing by a fractional amount every second.

“What is that?” I ask, frowning.

“When I made the deal with your father, the Princes, and the Malina, we all agreed that the three parties would split the profit evenly three ways. On top of that, the Malina would take ten percent for the service of exchanging Bitcoin for washed American dollars.”

I nod, following so far. Miles explained that to me before.

“In addition, the Bitcoin wallet charges a fee of one percent.”

I nod again, still not understanding.

“I’m the Bitcoin wallet,” Miles says.

I stare at him, at his laughing, mischievous face.

“You’re taking one percent?”

“I have been the whole time. I didn’t mention it at the meeting, because I wanted to make sure I got what I really wanted, which was you and Cat free of your father’s bullshit plans. Nobody asked about the Bitcoin wallet—it’s a reasonable fee. Generous, even.”

I look at the number again, finally understanding. There’s already $187,962 in the account. And, as I watch, an additional $1.53 added in the space of a minute. The money rolls in, bit by bit , skimmed off the vast sum flowing to the Malina, my father, and the Princes.

“It’s enough to get us started,” Miles says.

I shake my head at him in wonder.

“Always working an angle.”

He shrugs. “I can’t help it. I’m just so damn good at making money.”

He hasn’t given up on his central point.

“Will you come with me, Zoe? From here straight to L.A.?”

I look in that handsome, determined face. A face I fucking love. I face I could never say no to.

“Yes,” I whisper. “I would love to come.”

Miles sweeps me up in his arms, kissing me over and over again.

Kissing turns to running his hands down my body in the thin, clinging gown.

“Come here,” he growls, pulling me into the next room.

We’re in a quiet, dark space where the far wall is one vast plate of glass, looking into a tank full of jellyfish. Their floating bells and trailing tentacles drift peacefully through the water, the tr ansparent bodies tinted with shades of pink, yellow, and blue.

Miles pulls me down on the closest bench, making me straddle his lap so the gown pulls up high on my thighs. He grips my waist, grinding me against him so I can feel how hard his cock is, like an iron bar laying down the leg of his trousers.

He kisses me deeply, exploring my mouth with his tongue.

Then he slowly massages my thighs, using his big, warm hands to wake up the muscles, to send blood surging through my body. He knows exactly what he’s doing. As the neurons in my legs come alive, my pussy begins to throb, as if it too has come out of slumber. It aches to be touched. I want his fingers stroking me there and everywhere. I’m hungry and greedy for this man.

Now I’m grinding against Miles of my own accord, pressing my whole body against him, sucking and biting on his lips.

Miles unzips his pants and releases his cock. He pulls my underwear to the side and pushes his cock inside of me. There’s something so hot about him fucking me without undressing me, too eager to even take my panties off.

My skirt somewhat hides what we’re doing, but there’s no way anyone could be confused about the way I’m bouncing up and down on his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist, my hands tangle d in his hair. Someone could walk through here any minute and I don’t give a fuck, I have to have him right now, I can’t stop riding him.

Miles puts his hands under my ass and stands, lifting me in the air. He carries me over to the aquarium window, pressing my back against the cool glass. Now he has leverage to fuck me as hard as he wants, using his powerful legs to drive into me. I’m sandwiched between the cold glass and his burning body.

I press my face against his neck, smelling his cologne and whatever he uses to tame those curls, the scent of his skin and his sweat. An intoxicating cocktail. My head reels. I lick the sweat off the side of his neck, and then lick his ear as well, sucking the lobe and biting it hard between my teeth.

“You naughty fucking girl,” Miles growls, driving into me harder and harder.

His fingers dig into my ass. The friction of my pulled-aside panties rubbing on my clit is driving me wild. It’s rough and almost too much. But nothing is ever too much with Miles. I can never get enough.

“Fuck me harder,” I beg him. “I want your cum dripping out of me the rest of the night.”

“You’re crazy,” he groans, and I know that he loves it, I know that he saw that spark of madness in me that very first day up on the wall. He knew that I wasn’t as quiet and controlled as I seemed, and he loved me for it, he wanted to unleash that in me all the more.

I want that, too. I want to be as bold as Miles, as brave as him. I want to go after everything I want in life without fear or hesitation.

“Make me cum and I’ll go anywhere in the world with you,” I promise him.

Miles pins me against the glass, fucking me senseless. I cum hard and fast, deep inside me in the place that only Miles can find, the only place that satisfies. As soon as he hears me moaning out, “That’s it, oh my god that’s it,” Miles cums too. That’s how I want it, that’s how I always want it — together, perfectly in sync.

We collapse against the glass, Miles still inside of me. He kisses the side of my neck, sending shivers down my body as if we didn’t just fuck. I want him again already, before he’s even pulled out.

“You make me so happy,” he says, pressing his forehead against mine.

“You’ve changed my whole life,” I tell him in return.

When we’ve tidied ourselves up enough to avoid rousing suspicion, Miles and I return to the party. Cat flops down at our table, exhausted from dancing with Dario Gallo, Caleb Griffin, and Teddy Boone in quick succession.

Miles goes to get drinks.

I take the opportunity to speak with Cat while we’re alone.

I tell her that Miles wants me to move to Los Angeles with him. I tell her that I’m thinking of going.

Cat listens, her big dark eyes already tugging at my heart.

“I want to go,” I say. “But I don’t want to leave you. I’m worried about you going back to school on your own.”

Cat sighs and gives me a small smile. “I’m going to miss you, Zo,” she says. “But you have to go.”

“I don’t have to . . .”

“Yes you do. You never know how much time you have to do things. None of us know. You can’t waste another two years babysitting me.”

“But what if?—”

“Go, sis,” she interrupts. “Go, and don’t worry about me. I’m nineteen. Next year I’ll be twenty. I’m not a kid anymore. I’m not even the same person I was last year. I’ve learned things. Done t hings.” She swallows. “Just go. I’ll be mad at you if you don’t.”

I take her hand and squeeze it hard.

“You’re sure? You won’t miss me too much?”

“I’ll be fine,” she says.

Cat always tells me the truth. But there’s something in her face I don’t like. Something unspoken. Something weighing on her.

I hold her hand in both of mine, looking at her closely.

“You know you can tell me anything,” I say.

Cat’s eyes meet mine for just a moment and then drop to our linked fingers as she shrugs and says, “Sure. Of course.”

“And you can call me every day . . . I’m sure Miles can get you a phone.”

“Sundays will be fine,” Cat says, squeezing my hand in return. Then, deciding that’s not enough, she leans forward and hugs me. “I love you, Zo. You deserve happiness. You always did.”

“We both do,” I tell her.

Cat nods without answering.

Miles sets fresh drinks in front of each of our seats.

“What did I miss?” He asks .

“Dance with me and I’ll tell you,” I say.

“I love that offer,” he says, already pulling me to my feet.

He takes me in his arms, swaying me in that smooth, fluid way that seems to bend the music around us, as if the rhythm follows us instead of the other way around.

I look up into his eyes.

“I’m coming with you,” I say. “Whenever you want.”

“Good,” Miles grins. “ ‘Cause I already bought your ticket.”

Dean has naughty plans for Cat… →