Twisted Deceit (Deceit #3)

Epilogue

6 months later

“Don’t touch that,” I slapped Jasper’s hand away from the cupcake with one hand, while putting the finishing touches on the top.

I was on a time limit. Well, my own time scale, anyhow. If I wanted cuddles before going out with Jasper and his friends tonight, then I had to finish my order. Then, all we’d have to do is drop off the baby shower treats by ten A.M. tomorrow, and we could have the rest of the weekend to ourselves.

“Sorry,” Jasper said, holding up his hands and wisely stepping away.

I eyed him, making sure he was going to stay over there. I didn’t need a distraction, even if he only wore a pair of low shorts at the moment.

Did he not know what those things did to me?

I swear, a part of me was woken up six months ago, and I couldn’t get enough of him. Even though he was slow, and was taking his time.

I turned back to the last and final cupcake, making the perfect pink glob of frosting on the top.

This man not only created the perfect kitchen that a baker could only dream about, he filled it with so many dishes that I never knew existed. From pans, to cutters, to knives and so many other gadgets.

I think Dawn was a bit envious at first when she saw how much thought went into this place. But she was happy for me. Although, she had to give Jasper a hard time sometimes about how spoiled I was becoming.

I wasn’t spoiled.

I still didn’t ask for things that cost money, unless it was a need. But I asked for Jasper’s time, his cuddles, and his love. Every moment of every day.

I put my love into his lunches he took to work. I put my special sticky notes with words in his snack box.

He was my life, as I was his.

“Finished.”

“Finally,” he sighed, like he had to wait for years.

I stuck my tongue out at him, and it was possible that Noah and Asher were slightly bad influences on me. I didn’t brat out, but I tried to be playful. I tried to find fun when I was stressed. And I always went to Jasper who would hold me when the world got to be too much.

“They look amazing, little dove.”

They really did.

It had taken me forever to perfect the pink and blue frosting with shiny sparkles mixed in. But, with so much time, practice, and one of the best kitchens ever, I did do it. And so much more.

Jasper had been by my side, encouraging me the times I wanted to give up. Dawn was there, taste testing things that I felt were too sweet. And together, I had a family I never thought I’d have.

I had friends, and people, and my blog to share my story.

I had my good days, and a few bad ones too. But healing took years. It wasn’t something that could be done overnight, no matter if a person had the right support system alongside them or not.

Victims became survivors. And it was okay to fail. It was okay to fall.

What mattered was that we stood back up. Maybe covered in defeat, maybe burning for better outcomes. But we stood back up on two feet either way.

Showing the world, even if it was one person, that life went on, that there was hope at the end of the tunnel, by showing back up, over and over again.

Life could push me down again and again. But between Dr. Shaw, Dawn and Jasper alone, I wouldn’t fail. I would thrive. I would become something. Possibly I’d become someone's hero.

My hero was Jasper.

All of this wouldn’t have been a thing if it weren’t for him. He pushed me when I needed to be pushed. He helped when I needed a hand. And he gave me rules to follow, to not just better myself, but to make other’s lives better too.

I still had work to do on myself. I was learning to love myself for who I was. I learned to grieve the boy I was forced to be. And I was learning that I had wants and desires, and it was normal.

“I think,” Jasper mused, wrapping me in his arms. “Since you gained back some of the weight you lost, and you haven’t had an attack in over three months,” that was because he made sure I took all my meds, ate meals and slept well every single day. “We’d try something new.”

“Like what?” I melted into his embrace.

The only thing I had issues with was having sex. I wanted to so badly, and although we tried a few times, I’d end up freaking out and then we’d just cuddle and lay there until we talked to each other to sleep.

It was okay to panic. It sucked, and I still cried, but it was okay.

“You get to top me. For you, my little dove, I’ll try. I know how hard you’ve been wanting that intimacy. And it hasn’t worked. Which isn’t your fault. So when the time comes and it feels right, you have my permission. I’ll teach you how to touch me. I’ll teach you how to press into me and give me the pleasure I wish to give you. I’ll give you the control to make love to me.”

“When the mood strikes.”

“When the mood strikes,” he repeated. “And only then. I’m in no rush. We have our entire lives to get to that point. In the meantime, there’s so many other ways to enjoy sex. As long as we have each other.”

“As long as you keep me.”

“Forever, little dove.”

THE END