Death Wish

Epilogue

"Linnea!"

"Lorenzo!" I yell back.

"Come on! We're going to be late!"

"One more chapter!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

I don't answer as I continue reading, my eyes devouring the words across the pages. A sigh comes from the doorway and I look up.

"Hi," I smile sheepishly.

"It's 6:15. We were supposed to meet Zaquen and Bayder fifteen minutes ago."

"Sorry, I was reading."

He comes over to our bed and lifts me up. I squeal and shrink into a ball. Planting a kiss on my lips, he looks me over.

"You're not even dressed! What's wrong with you today? You're always early."

"Sorry, I was r-"

"Reading. Yes, I know," he sighs, exasperated.

"Sorry," I say and kiss him to apologize.

He kisses me and leans me back on the bed, but I push him off.

"I'm supposed to be getting ready," I chastise.

He groans and flops an arm across his face. After some deliberation, he walks into our closet and proceeds to pick out something for me to wear.

Lorenzo looked gorgeous in a white button up, black blazer, black tie, and black slacks tailored perfectly to his body.

"Are you going to continue to check me out? If so, feel free to take a picture, it'll last longer. Although I have to warn you, the picture doesn't do me justice."

"Still as arrogant as ever," I say as I flop on the bed and stare at the ceiling.

After the four of us graduated high school, Bayder, Zaquen, Lorenzo, and I went to the same college. Lorenzo, after much convincing, agreed to let Waksren take over the company for Lorenzo while he was studying. I graduated, thankfully, with a law degree after going through many torturous years of law school. It was worth it, though, to see my company, which gave those an attorney who couldn't afford one, rise from the ground. We had been dating for nine years, school and work always getting in the way, but it never bothered us. We moved to Ilopie, buying a penthouse together, but we still kept the ranch, naming it Myklyn's.

Zaquen and Bayder took over Sierban Worldwide after studying business once Quinden retired to spend more time relaxing and "enjoying his days as an old man". They both have wonderful wives and one child each.

I looked at Lorenzo, humming a Jake Owen song and rummaging through my clothes. He really was beautiful, inside and out. It had been nine years and I still loved him as much as I did at eighteen. I looked down at my hands and realized the ring I got from Lorenzo in Wheetsheere, my eternity ring, was gone. I hadn't taken it off, with the exception of going through surgery and me being mad at him at the end of senior year. Frantically looking around the room, I searched the entire place as quickly as possible. I didn't want Lorenzo to know I had lost it.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Umm, nothing?" I say unsurely, popping my head up from behind the bed.

"What'd you lose now?"

"My ring?" I say steadily but my voice betrays me and goes up at the end.

"Oh, that's okay. We're late already and you need to change. I'll look for it while you get ready."