Intimate Friends

Epilogue

"I can't marry you."

Xavier was pretty sure he'd misheard Amira before she repeated herself with an apologetic expression on her face.

"Amira...you don't wanna marry me?"

"No, no. I do want to marry you, just...not right now."

The rest of Amira's family stood in shock at how things were going, stunned silent until Xavier stood and turned to them.

"Thank you for the dinner, Dr. Lector. I'm gonna go back home."

"X, please don't-"

"Amira, not right now."

If he'd turned around before he went out the door, he'd have seen Amira's eyes tear with their shared pain. Even in heartbreak, their bond was strong, Amira dropping to her knees soon after he disappeared. She gasped as if she'd been shot, the pain in her chest feeling similar to it as Francois moved to help her up. Once the bill was paid they left without another word, Amira immediately going to her room as soon as they reached their house.

-Four Hours Later-

"Is there a reason you're here?"

Xavier sat in his room with a bottle of alcohol that wasn't even truly giving him a buzz but the burn as it went down helped him feel something other than numbness.

"Put the guns away X, I just came to explain myself."

"Explain what? Why you embarrassed me by turning down my proposal?!"

"Embarrassed you?? Listen Xavier, I know what I said but I meant...not right now."

He looked at her face now, trying to ignore the pang in his heart that told him she wasn't messing with him. Without another word he put the bottle on his desk and sat back, silently inviting her to come closer. Amira obliged without hesitation and climbed in his lap, straddling him as his hands automatically went to her waist.

"When you say not yet...what do you mean?"

"I mean we're just out of high school, love. We're about to be in college in New York. I want us to experience that together but that doesn't mean we have to rush into marriage right this minute."

He sighed but nodded before speaking, "You're right, Mimi. We do have time, plus it'll be more satisfying to get married as college grads."

"Exactly, and we'll have more time to prepare for the storm that will be our mothers combined forces working towards the perfect wedding."

Amira paused in her shoulder rubbing, looking down at him for moment before speaking again.

"Maybe we could elope...nevermind, Frankie would most definitely have my ass."

-The Next Morning-

"So you two are still together, you're just not getting married until after you graduate."

Hannibal looked between Amira and Xavier warily, sitting back in his desk chair before shrugging a bit. Just when he was prepared to speak again Amira began before him.

"Now if I get a sugar daddy we might have to keep our relationship on the low so I can get that money while I go to school."

"That's fair. If I get a sugar mama no one's gonna know we're together."

At that point Hannibal was struck speechless and promptly told the two of them to take this convo elsewhere, citing that he had work to do. They ended up leaving the house and going out to the nearby park to enjoy one of their last full days at home before getting ready to leave for New York.

Xavier brought his arm over Amira's shoulders and kissed the top of her head, lingering there for a moment before finally speaking.

"So about the business...what did you wanna do?" he asked as they sat down on a bench,

"I was thinking we could let Jon run things while we're away, ya know? Someone we both trust to be as firm as us."

He nodded thoughtfully before continuing, "That's true. Plus knowing him he'll be harder on the workers than us."

"That, and we don't have to worry about him trying to fuck one or both of us."

The duo shared a laugh before Amira leaned forward and pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss, enjoying the embrace that followed. They stayed like that for a few moments before she pulled back to look at his face once more.

"Time to take on the world, huh?"

Xavier grinned and pressed his forehead to hers before replying, "One mind at a time, mon petit."

"I only have one request, Xavier Rose."

"Anything for you, Amira Lector. Name it."

Amira looked down between them for a moment, rolling her tongue as she chose her words.

"If we're going to do this, we only feed from humans. The only demons we get our fills from is each other."

"You say that like there's a demon out here that could hold a candle to you in my eyes, Mimi."

"Negro, I know what's in your eyes. I'm talking about your dick. For human consumption only. Do we have a deal?"

Xavier chuckled but knew she was serious so he nodded and lifted her chin to meet his eyes again.

"For human consumption only, you have my unholy word."

"Good. Now about the business...what if we expanded across the border? Could be very lucrative for the future."

"Hm...employ local people, only sell to people in the suburbs? We could even get into that expansion we talked about, make it mostly legit."

Amira grinned at the prospect of making money off those that exploited the less fortunate, especially in America. She nodded in agreement, her mind already with turning with ideas.

"I know just the place to start at, too," she said with a chuckle.

Xavier quirked a brow at his mate in silent question. "Oh?"

"But of course. As the saying goes, charity starts at home and spreads abroad..."