Epilogue One

*Henry*

The airport was packed with tourists chatting, laughing, and enjoying their vacation. The place was full of life, but I was sitting there for some time already, watching the airplanes come and go, and trying to ignore the happy aura around me. I stayed at the inn for the last two days, finishing up stuff before I left. My crew was here with me. We were all leaving paradise, but I was taking a plane down to hell.

Every time one of those huge tin monsters would take off, the pressure in my chest grew. If I could, I’d turn to the exit and run back to my girls, but I couldn’t do that to them, not after I spent time with a beautiful little girl who talks to cats. My daughter was exceptional, and she deserved a beautiful future with her mom, not one where danger would knock at their door when they least expect it.

So many things happened in those three months that it seemed like a lifetime, but what worried me most was how would I go back to my life in New York without them? How would I function in my everyday life with this crippling pain in my soul? The answer? I didn’t know, but I was in for rough times. Darryl and Eli were in a row of seats next to me, and some of the others scattered around, but I couldn’t shake the feeling they were acting strange the entire time. Glances and whispers on my way all the time, but what bothered me most was the smug grin all of them sported, as if they couldn’t contain themselves, and I got annoyed by the second, since my mood got very sour.

“What’s with the funny faces? It’s unnerving!” I hissed at them, only to get a sly smirk from Eli.

“I think someone has his boxers in a twist today.” It was his retort, and my only reaction was to roll my eyes at him. Whatever they were up to, I couldn’t lose my temper. They were my friends, and I was so out of my sorts, I didn’t want to say anything to regret later.

The air changed. All that happiness going around stilled. It wasn’t fear that took place, but curiosity when an imposing man, emanating power, with five others close behind him, set foot in the lobby, walking straight to us without flinching. He stopped in front of me, but I didn’t give him a crap. Linus. What now?

“I’ll give you two choices, boy. You can come with me on your own or we will take you into custody.”

“I’m going nowhere, and I don’t want to make a scene here, so it’s better if you leave.” I looked at my guys, and they weren’t a least bit worried.

“No, Hank. There will be no scene. I advise you to go with him.” Darryl’s voice had lost his playful tone, and all the alarms went crazy in my head.

“What the fuck is going on here? Are you part of his mob now? Traitor!” I stood up, growling at him. Darryl and Eli rose as well and crossed their arms on their chests, narrowing their eyes on me.

“No, but we ain’t let you crap your life, either, so it’s better if you go with him.” Darryl growled back. “You can take him, Linus. I hope you can put some sense in his stony head.”

“Traitors!” I muttered. It was the only word left in my brain as I started following Linus, surrounded by his man.

“Coward!” Eli grunted with a smirk, and I gave him the stinky eyes. Jeez, that was the only word in everybody’s mouth lately. If being a coward meant to keep people I love safe, then I was a coward. I didn’t care!

He took me back to his house by the shore in Perissa. The ride was made in silence, since I had nothing to say or argue about it. I had made my decision and there was nothing he could say to dissuade me on that. Once there, he led me to his office. Linus went to his little bar and poured whisky in two glasses, putting one in front of me and making himself comfortable in his chair behind his desk. He sat there, glass in his hands, and eyes narrowed on me for endless minutes before he talked.

“Let’s talk about some facts.” He sipped into his drink. “You trick and kidnap my niece, then stalk her. You follow Melina to her graduation day, drag her drunk ass to a motel, and have your way with her and knock her up. She escapes from you, but you find her again, put her through hell, and when she’s head over heels for you, you take the coward’s door out? Interesting…” Linus talked as if he was mulling the entire soap opera to himself, sending chills up my spine. Not that it scared me, but the simple way he was putting it made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t like that.

I bent forward, hiding my face in my hands as I pulled an extensive amount of air into my lungs to let go in the next second. The man deserved an explanation. I stared at him. “You saw what happened to her, Linus. If someone else, trying to get back at me, shows up again, if the next time we’re not so lucky and she gets hurt for real. I’d never forgive myself.” I sank myself in the chair. Just the thought of it made me sick.

“You’re forgetting one little detail. This is my island, and nothing goes unknown from me. I may have watched everything from afar until now, because I respected Elissa’s wishes, but not anymore. You’ll stay here and you’ll do the right thing by her.”

“And what’s that?” I looked at him, puzzled.

“Weren’t you forcing her to marry you a couple of weeks ago? So, I’m taking that out of your shoulders.” The bastard gave me a broad smile, his eyes glinting with mischief just like Melina’s when she’s up to something, and a sharp pang pieced my heart. “Tonight she’ll be yours till death do you part.” His grin grew even wider, and my heart suffered a little death. I wanted that so much, but…

“You don’t know what you’re doing! You’re condemning her to a monster.” I leapt out of the chair.

“A monster that I’ll be happy to welcome to the family.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. Did he think it was all a joke?

“I’m out of here…” I grabbed the glass in front of me, and gulped the burning liquid down, but before I touched the knob, the door opened. “Shit!” I grunted to myself.

“Is that the reaction I get from you?” She looked at me with fake annoyance, but when her comforting arms surrounded me, and she pulled me for a tight hug, all my walls crumbled. I enveloped her in my arms and only God knew how much I needed that kind of solace now. “You look like shit, handsome. We need to talk, Hank.” She pulled me out of her hold, staring at me with concern in her beautiful emerald eyes, as her fingertips wiped the single tear running down my face.

“What are you doing here, baby girl?” I asked, doing my best not to choke on my words.

“Darryl called me and said you were about to make the biggest shit in your life. So I packed and came. Justin and Tommy are back in Mrs Elissa’s place. And believe me, Tommy is in love with Eve. She’s a gorgeous little thing!”

“I’m gonna kill him.” It felt good having her there. “Thanks, Ella. She is something, and I love her so much to endanger her life. I can’t stay.”

“Well...” Linus cleared his throat behind us. “I leave him in your care, and I hope you talk some sense into his head. Meet you tonight, beautiful lady?”

“You betcha!” She winked at him and smiled, sending him on his way.

“When did this happen?” I pointed to her round belly, and she laughed. My baby girl changed so much and her surrounding glow was contagious.

“Well, you were so busy I preferred to wait for the right moment to tell you. Four more months and Tommy will have a little sister to keep him busy.” Ella got me by the hand, taking me to the couch with her. “Now tell me, what the heck are you doing with your life? Why are you throwing away your happily ever after, Hank?”

I stared at her, my heart thumping in my throat as I tried to find the right words. How could I explain to her even if I didn’t know the truth? There was something growing inside me, threatening to explode, and I didn’t know what to do with it. My love for Melina was so strong that it bordered on madness, but I was still in the right mind to spare her more sorrow.

“I’ve never been more terrified in my life, Ella. What if one day she wakes up and realises I was a mistake? That I’m not worth the trouble and the baggage that comes with me is too heavy to carry? I don’t want to tie her to a monster.” I averted my eyes, because I was being pitiful for fuck’s sake, and I couldn’t see that in her eyes, but when she snorted a laugh, I faced her, puzzled and pissed. “What’s so funny?”

“Men are funny! You, people, can’t see what’s in front of your eyes unless we rub your noses on it, like telling dogs where not to pee!” The way she laughed at me made all my worries seem stupid and it annoyed the hell out of me. “Well, since she’s a vet, I bet she has better ways to train stupid dogs!”

She was laughing hard now, and I couldn’t help myself but to join her. I sank back to the couch, covering my face with my hands, then raking my fingers in my hair. But it didn’t reach my eyes, and she saw that. Ella fixed her gaze on me, serious this time, and grabbed my hand in hers. A long sigh left my chest.

“First of all, Henry Louis Campbell, you’re not a monster, and I believe Melina already told you that. Yes, you carry a heavy baggage, but that’s who you are. Don’t forget that inside those bags there’s a caring, lovable man who until now took care of everyone around him but himself, and did his best to keep everyone safe beside the circumstances, and when it’s time to let go and finally someone takes care of you, you’re freaking out.”

“Ella…”

“There’s no Ella, Hank.” She covered my mouth with her hand. “I’ve talked to Melina, and that woman loves you more than you can think about, and she’s up to the task. And before you say... no! There won’t be danger surrounding them. Her uncle made it clear enough.” She smiled at me, raising her eyebrows up to her hairline, mischief glinting in those emeralds. “How about we get ready? We have a wedding ceremony to attend tonight!” She stood up and extended her hand to me.

I looked from her hand to her eyes and back. The reality of the moment sinking in. My heart was thundering in my ears as the adrenaline surged in my body. Lord, I was doing this. I wanted this. She was mine, and she wanted me. I was nobody without that Kitty Kat in my life. Yes, I was doing this. With a smile, I took her hand, and she pulled me from the couch, walking me out of the room to my happily ever after...