Stripper {BoyxBoy}

Epilogue

~4 months later~

I sit in a deck chair on the patio that overlooks the large expanse of field stretching in every direction, swinging back and forth in my chair.

It's already dark, and a cool blue hue has fallen over the fields. Everything is quiet except the sound of crickets chirping and a soft wind that rustles the grass and the trees.

It's calm here, different from how it was back in the city.

"Ky!" A voice calls and arms wrap around me.

A kiss is pressed to my forehead and I smile up at my boyfriend. His kind, dark eyes twinkle back and the wind plays with his luminescent blond hair.

"What are you still doing out here?" He says, "It's late."

"I can't sleep," I say.

Ash ruffles my hair reassuringly, "Is it the nightmares?"

I nod. Ever since the incident, I've been plagued with nightmares about what happened, Ash bleeding on the ground.

They were worse in the city, so after the incident, we decided to get somewhere far away from the city as both of our apartments held bad memories.

After the trial, where Ethan was imprisoned for 15 years for attempted homicide, we'd moved out to the country to Ash's parent's house where he grew up.

I think back to just after the incident. Ash had barely pulled through that surgery. Even though I know the wound still hurts him, he's never complained about it.

"What's wrong?" He asks, "You're staring."

"Am I?" I say, and he bends down, pressing a kiss to my lips.

"There's something I want to show you," He says against my lips and grabs my hand, pulling me out of the chair.

He leads me to his parent's kitchen, standing in front of the small TV, the only one they own. He switches the channel to the news.

"What is it?" I ask and he shushes me.

"Just watch."

I turn my attention to the report.

"-chain of famous adult entertainment clubs are being shut down across the city because of several misconduct allegations. They will not be opening in the foreseeable future. The owner has also been arrested and will serve a minimum of 15 years jail time."

I stare at the TV as a picture of the nightclub where I worked for all those years appears. I glance over at Ash and he's grinning.

He pulls me into his chest and I stay there, closing my eyes and enjoying the warmth.

"He's going to be released from prison one day," I say and Ash rubs my back reassuringly.

"But until that happens we don't have to worry about it," He says, "And even when he does, I'll make sure he doesn't come anywhere near you."

I smile at him and he strokes his thumb across my lips before kissing me deeply and I kiss back, my arms around his neck.

"It's late, let's go to bed," He says, winking at me.

As he takes my hand and leads me out of the kitchen, I take one last look at the TV.

It's over. It's finally over.