Loving the Campus Monster

Chapter 36 (Epilogue)

Ross

Three years later.....

I watch the rapids churns through the rocks in the river that swirl lazily in the dark pools of open water in between. Lost in my thoughts, I stroke Laura's head on my shoulder, raking my fingers through the strands of her ponytail.

I sit on one of the half a dozen Adirondack chairs placed around the fire pit in my new favorite place on the riverbank that we go to watch the sun set in the evenings. Laura is in my lap, the best place for her to be as far as I'm concerned.

It is early spring and the sun is going down, making the temperature drop so it's a little chilly now, but the fire in the pit is keeping us warm. This will be my third spring that I get to spend with Laura by my side, feeling whole and complete. The joy of feeling alive after so long of walking around feeling nothing but anger, pain and bitterness is amazing and wonderful to me. For the first time in my life, I feel completely free.

She did it. I draw Laura closer in my lap. She is the one that put my broken pieces back together, making me whole again. She is my beacon if I ever feel lost and the light to my darkness.

Whenever anger, bitterness or unexplained sadness threatens to lead me astray, she is my light to guide me back to joy. Joy that I never thought I would feel again. I once thought that I would never have any of this. That I would be alone for the rest of my life and I was fine with that but now that I have it, I can't live without it.

"You know, I never thought I would have any of this. I never thought I could feel so happy and content." I say, nuzzling her hair.

"Oh?" She stirs in my lap, snuggling closer under the checkered wool blanket thrown over her shoulders. "You never felt this way when you were with your brother?"

"No." I shake my head. "Don't get me wrong. I loved spending time with Ricky when he was alive, but I had to be constantly on guard with him. Always making sure he had his inhaler, looking for the signs of an attack coming on or just trying to keep him safe from our father's abuse. If we were ever having too much fun around him that our he didn't approve of, he would punish us for it."

"I'm sorry." She holds me tighter under the blanket.

I kiss her head. "It's okay. I'm better now. A lot better." I twirl a strand of her ponytail between my fingers, admiring its Mahagony brown color with a mix of lighter brown highlights shining in the setting sun. I smile. "Being here with you- my wife- makes it all better."

We got married two summers ago at Lake Artemesia, close by the rock we usually sit at overlooking the lake. I was surprised that Laura chose that spot for us to be married at. When I asked why she said she picked that place because that spot became our special spot. She said also that she wanted to change the memories I would have there from bad to good. She didn't want me to remember it as a spot that I would only go to when I was feeling sad, angry and alone. She wanted me to remember it as the spot where we exchange our vows of love and commitment to each other.

We had invited Laura's family, my family and some of her friends from the university to come to our wedding. It was a wonderful, fun affair that wasn't too big but not too small either. My uncle tried to pay for all the coasts, but I wouldn't allow it. I had enough money that was left to me from my parents to pay for everything that we needed. Besides, I know my uncle just wanted to do it because he still feels guilty for leaving me and Ricky all those years ago. But I don't hate him anymore for it, so he doesn't have to try to keep making things up to me. I'm sure if Ricky were here, would want the same thing. I still feel the pain of loss when I think of my brother, but it's not as bad as it was before. Whenever I think about Ricky now, I don't feel that sharp, stabbing pain. Over time It has dulled into an ache making easier to think of him without feeling the same bitter sadness or boiling anger and that has a lot to do with Laura, my wife.

Because of her everything in my life has been better. Shortly after we got married, I got recruited to play for one of the best hockey teams out there, the Edmonton Oilers. Once I joined the team it didn't take me long to become one of the best hockey players on the team, making me a bit famous in town. But that didn't really matter to me, to be honest I really hated having so many people knowing of me, not to mention having the paparazzi follow me and Laura around all. The. Fucking. Time.

I hated it, but Laura's doesn't seem to mind them, but I know she's not all that happy with it either. She joked to me one time saying that at least people don't see me as a monster anymore. They see me as Ross, the star hockey player for one of the best Hockey teams that they just can't seem to get enough of. I really hate all the attention I'm getting from people, but I wouldn't change anything about my life now. Despite the new popularity I have grown, I still love playing hockey. I always have. I just needed someone to remind me of it. Being out on the ice, skating quick laps around the rink, or chasing down the puck, makes me feel alive again. Now whenever I'm out on the ice I get a warm feeling inside from knowing that I'm doing something Ricky always wanted for me, for us.

Whenever I'm playing now, I sometimes feel like he's there with me, skating alongside, encouraging me, just like I always did for him.

But as much as I loved Hockey, I still find enjoyment playing music with Laura too. It became something we do every evening if we weren't too tired. I would find her in the music room a lot of the time after practice, sitting at the piano writing down music as she played and sang, like an angel. Her sweet, sultry tone always has a way of tugging at my soul and cock.

It makes me so happy to see her doing something she actually wants and loves again. She has been interning at the middle school here in town as a teacher's assistant for three years and taking courses at the university. She still felt a little bad at times that she wasn't taking over her father's empire like he always wanted her to do, but it eased her mind to know that it was being taken care of by one her father's partners.

She found real enjoyment in what she was doing now, and she was fast making friends with the not only the teachers but the students there too. The subject of music was something she held close to her heart and seeing her enjoyed her studies fills my heart with pride at her success. But the most wonderful thing about watching her play is seeing the happiness radiating off of her. She's finally in her element and doing what she loves. What she was meant to.

I lean forward and find her lips with mine. Soft and sweet, they welcome my kiss. I feel her melting into me, the way she always does when I kiss her.

"My dark Knight." She exhales dreamily when I let her come up for air. Kissing her is something that never got old, and I couldn't get enough of it.

"Warm me up." Laura murmurs, sliding her cold hand under my long sleeve black shirt, and settles it against my warm chest. The huge diamond of her ring feels even colder on his skin.

It must be the West's inherent love for extravagance that made me keep my promise and buy her the biggest diamond I could find.

She laughed and shook her head when she first saw it. Still, she never took it off after I put it on her finger on our wedding day, vowing to love and cherish her for as long as we both should live.

She groans. "I wish we can take a vacation. Somewhere on the beach with warm sunshine." She rubs my chest under my shirt, warming her hand.

I chuckle. "Maybe someday after you get finish with school." I take her other hand in mine and tuck it under my shirt too. Warming that one too. "Until then I'll just have to keep you warm."

She exhales a small content laugh. "You do keep me warm." She places a small kiss on my lips. "Inside and out." She presses herself closer to me.

"And I always will." I promise. I will do anything for her. Protect her, cherish her and love her. Because that's what a Knight would do for their princess.

I may have been a monster before, but she slowly turned me into a Knight. Her Knight. And a Knight always protects and takes care of his princess.